# Docker compose 1.29.0 - Hardware Transcoding **URL:** \ **Category:** Plex Media Server\ **Tags:** server-docker\ **Created:** [April 12, 2021, 6:57am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/docker-compose-1-29-0-hardware-transcoding/708900 "2021-04-12T06:57:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![D34DC3N73R](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/d34dc3n73r/32/108198_2.png) [@D34DC3N73R](https://forums.plex.tv/u/D34DC3N73R)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 6:57am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/docker-compose-1-29-0-hardware-transcoding/708900/1 "2021-04-12T06:57:30Z")
Server Version#: 1.22.2.4282 I updated docker-compose to the latest version and it seems like hardware transcoding is no longer working with the new schema for adding gpus. This is with both the runc and nvidia runtimes. ```auto version: '3.8' services: plex: container_name: plex image: plexinc/pms-docker:beta restart: unless-stopped network_mode: host environment: - TZ=$TZ - PLEX_UID=$PUID - PLEX_GID=$PGID volumes: - /data/.config/plex:/config - /mnt/media:/media - /dev/shm:/transcode deploy: resources: reservations: devices: - driver: nvidia count: all capabilities: [gpu] ``` nvidia-smi works fine in the container ```auto $ docker exec -it plex nvidia-smi Sun Apr 11 21:48:36 2021 +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | NVIDIA-SMI 460.67 Driver Version: 460.67 CUDA Version: 11.2 | |-------------------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | GPU Name Persistence-M| Bus-Id Disp.A | Volatile Uncorr. ECC | | Fan Temp Perf Pwr:Usage/Cap| Memory-Usage | GPU-Util Compute M. | | | | MIG M. | |===============================+======================+======================| | 0 Quadro P2000 Off | 00000000:01:00.0 Off | N/A | | 48% 37C P8 7W / 75W | 55MiB / 5057MiB | 0% Default | | | | N/A | +-------------------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Processes: | | GPU GI CI PID Type Process name GPU Memory | | ID ID Usage | |=============================================================================| +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ``` However, transcodes are now using software instead of hardware. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/5/e/5e10e9762b04e7dec5258aea58a24e2301067eff.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![D34DC3N73R](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/d34dc3n73r/32/108198_2.png) [@D34DC3N73R](https://forums.plex.tv/u/D34DC3N73R)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 7:04am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/docker-compose-1-29-0-hardware-transcoding/708900/2 "2021-04-12T07:04:31Z")
I see this is Plex Media Server.log ```auto Apr 11, 2021 23:56:20.446 [0x7f10f9ffb700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: testing h264_vaapi (encoder) Apr 11, 2021 23:56:20.446 [0x7f10f9ffb700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: testing API vaapi Apr 11, 2021 23:56:20.446 [0x7f10f9ffb700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: opening hw device failed - probably not supported by this system, error: Generic error in an external library Apr 11, 2021 23:56:20.446 [0x7f10f9ffb700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: testing h264_nvenc (encoder) Apr 11, 2021 23:56:20.446 [0x7f10f9ffb700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: testing API nvenc Apr 11, 2021 23:56:20.447 [0x7f10f9ffb700] ERROR - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Cannot load libcuda.so.1 Apr 11, 2021 23:56:20.447 [0x7f10f9ffb700] ERROR - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Could not dynamically load CUDA Apr 11, 2021 23:56:20.447 [0x7f10f9ffb700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: opening hw device failed - probably not supported by this system, error: Unknown error occurred Apr 11, 2021 23:56:20.447 [0x7f10f9ffb700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: testing h264 (decoder) with hwdevice vaapi Apr 11, 2021 23:56:20.447 [0x7f10f9ffb700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: testing API vaapi Apr 11, 2021 23:56:20.447 [0x7f10f9ffb700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: opening hw device failed - probably not supported by this system, error: Generic error in an external library Apr 11, 2021 23:56:20.447 [0x7f10f9ffb700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: testing h264 (decoder) with hwdevice nvdec Apr 11, 2021 23:56:20.447 [0x7f10f9ffb700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: testing API nvdec Apr 11, 2021 23:56:20.447 [0x7f10f9ffb700] ERROR - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Cannot load libcuda.so.1 Apr 11, 2021 23:56:20.447 [0x7f10f9ffb700] ERROR - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Could not dynamically load CUDA Apr 11, 2021 23:56:20.447 [0x7f10f9ffb700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: opening hw device failed - probably not supported by this system, error: Unknown error occurred ``` ---
**Author:** ![D34DC3N73R](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/d34dc3n73r/32/108198_2.png) [@D34DC3N73R](https://forums.plex.tv/u/D34DC3N73R)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 8:16am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/docker-compose-1-29-0-hardware-transcoding/708900/3 "2021-04-12T08:16:41Z")
Further evidence that this is a plex specific problem is that emby has no problem making use of the GPU acceleration. ```auto emby: image: emby/embyserver:beta container_name: emby restart: unless-stopped ports: - 8096:8096 - 8920:8920 environment: - TZ=$TZ - UID=$PUID - GID=$PGID volumes: - /data/.config/emby:/config - /mnt/media:/media - /dev/shm/emby:/transcode deploy: resources: reservations: devices: - driver: nvidia count: all capabilities: [gpu] ``` ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/b/c/bcf5f151cccf518bf70df601689c593218ef9a2b.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 1:11pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/docker-compose-1-29-0-hardware-transcoding/708900/4 "2021-04-12T13:11:02Z")
While I don’t have Nvidia (NUC8i7-HVK here), I have no difficulties with hardware transcoding in Docker containers. It is important to note the Beignet libraries are installed in the container for proper HDR tone mapping in hardware. ```auto sudo docker stop plex sudo docker rm plex sudo docker run \ -d \ --name plex \ --network=host \ -e TZ="EST" \ -e LANG="en_US.UTF-8" \ -e ADVERTISE_IP="http://:32400/" \ -e PLEX_UID=1001 \ -e PLEX_GID=1001 \ -e PUID=1001 \ -e PGID=1001 \ -h dockerplex \ -v /dockerplex:/config \ -v /dockerplex/tmp:/tmp \ -v /dockerplex/transcode:/transcode \ -v /nas:/data \ --device=/dev/dri:/dev/dri \ plexinc/pms-docker docker start plex docker update --restart=unless-stopped plex ``` Does this help? Hint: Do you have the Nvidia drivers installed in the container? ---
**Author:** ![D34DC3N73R](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/d34dc3n73r/32/108198_2.png) [@D34DC3N73R](https://forums.plex.tv/u/D34DC3N73R)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 3:08pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/docker-compose-1-29-0-hardware-transcoding/708900/5 "2021-04-12T15:08:18Z")
No that doesn’t help. Since docker v19.03 you’ve been able to use the --gpus flag. Meaning gpu support was built natively into the runc runtime. It was no longer necessary to specify the nvidia runtime and use nvidia specific environment variables. This option has finally made it to docker compose via the new schema used above. However, it doesn’t work with plex specifically. While it works with other images like emby. Nvidia drivers (v460.67) are installed on the host system as you can see from the nvidia-smi command run directly in the plex container. As well as the latest version of nvidia container toolkit. Also, hardware transcoding works fine when using the old method of editing the default runtime in /etc/docker/daemon.json and using nvidia specific environment variables. ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 6:02pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/docker-compose-1-29-0-hardware-transcoding/708900/6 "2021-04-12T18:02:39Z")
I just looked back through the history of the packaging. Nothing has changed in a long time. That might be part of , or even the root of, the problem. I just created a test case using both Emby and Plex. One thing Emby does, which Plex doesn’t do, is GPU device selection. In light of a recent experience with ESXi and GPU passthrough, I did have to specify the specific `HardwareDevicePath="/dev/dri/renderD129"` in my case (being the second device discovered. I don’t know if this has any applicability to how the Nvidia drivers present themselves in your desktop Linux. I did see them present themselves in `/dev/dri` and `/sys/module` on QNAP (of all things). If you can help me identify what needs to be done, I will gladly write it up and submit it. ---
**Author:** ![D34DC3N73R](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/d34dc3n73r/32/108198_2.png) [@D34DC3N73R](https://forums.plex.tv/u/D34DC3N73R)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 6:14pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/docker-compose-1-29-0-hardware-transcoding/708900/7 "2021-04-12T18:14:43Z")
Passing the GPU is a pretty different animal than exposing /dev/dri. Much of it is taken care of with the nvidia container toolkit. It may be a problem with the plex image rather than plex itself. The linuxserver image appears to have no problem using hardware transcoding. /data/.config/plex-lsio is a direct copy of /data/.config/plex ```auto plex-lsio: container_name: plex-lsio image: linuxserver/plex restart: unless-stopped network_mode: host environment: - TZ=$TZ - PUID=$PUID - PGID=$PGID volumes: - /data/.config/plex-lsio:/config - /mnt/media:/media - /dev/shm:/transcode deploy: resources: reservations: devices: - driver: nvidia count: all capabilities: [gpu] ``` ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/3/5/354eadc6e2b1d0e4a808c3311697c8f2a0d65707.jpeg) edit: same problem with the plexinc/pms-docker image (no :beta tag) ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 8:37pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/docker-compose-1-29-0-hardware-transcoding/708900/9 "2021-04-13T20:37:02Z")
I chatted with the engineer who developed and supports the docker images. He said, in short, that the Docker / Nvidia is such a `` because it broke everything else. For that reason, it has been left as manual. ---
**Author:** ![D34DC3N73R](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/d34dc3n73r/32/108198_2.png) [@D34DC3N73R](https://forums.plex.tv/u/D34DC3N73R)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 11:10pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/docker-compose-1-29-0-hardware-transcoding/708900/10 "2021-04-13T23:10:43Z")
> [@ChuckPa](#): > > left as manual Meaning what exactly? I’m fine using the linuxserver image, and just an FYI, the docker-compose update isn’t yet available in the Ubuntu apt repository. I don’t know how many people will update their containers to the new GPU schema when it does become available. I maintain an unrelated docker image that also uses GPUs, so I was trying out other containers with the new schema and noticed the issue with plex, so I wanted to report it. ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 11:22pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/docker-compose-1-29-0-hardware-transcoding/708900/11 "2021-04-13T23:22:33Z")
Means exactly: You pass through the device manually. I have two GPUs (renderD128 and renderD129) so I can write it this way) ```auto --device=/dev/dri:/dev/dri \ ``` In the containerized PMS, if I want to use the 2nd GPU card, I specify: ```auto HardwareDevicePath="/dev/dri/renderD129" ``` ---
**Author:** ![D34DC3N73R](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/d34dc3n73r/32/108198_2.png) [@D34DC3N73R](https://forums.plex.tv/u/D34DC3N73R)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 11:31pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/docker-compose-1-29-0-hardware-transcoding/708900/12 "2021-04-13T23:31:41Z")
AFAIK that’s not exactly possible when using nvidia GPUs as the drivers are [not included](https://github.com/plexinc/pms-docker/blob/master/Dockerfile) in the image. That process is only applicable with integrated GPU chipsets. ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 11:33pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/docker-compose-1-29-0-hardware-transcoding/708900/13 "2021-04-13T23:33:02Z")
They aren’t and never are/were. 1. Install the appropriate Nvidia drivers for your system. 2. Create the container which points to the device. Are you trying to create your own image file? ---
**Author:** ![D34DC3N73R](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/d34dc3n73r/32/108198_2.png) [@D34DC3N73R](https://forums.plex.tv/u/D34DC3N73R)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 11:35pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/docker-compose-1-29-0-hardware-transcoding/708900/14 "2021-04-13T23:35:29Z")
No, I’m not interested in making another plex image. I’m stating that nvidia GPUs won’t work in the plex image without the appropriate drivers. Drivers installed on the host system will not be passed to the container without nvidia-container-toolkit. ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 11:38pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/docker-compose-1-29-0-hardware-transcoding/708900/15 "2021-04-13T23:38:40Z")
Then install the toolkit PMS in Docker, on a Ubuntu/Debian host, can be upgraded using `dpkg / apt-get`. There’s nothing blocking what you’re trying to do AFAIK. Time to start adding to the container as you need. May I ask what you’re trying to do that the native package cannot do? ---
**Author:** ![D34DC3N73R](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/d34dc3n73r/32/108198_2.png) [@D34DC3N73R](https://forums.plex.tv/u/D34DC3N73R)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2021, 6:48am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/docker-compose-1-29-0-hardware-transcoding/708900/16 "2021-04-14T06:48:08Z")
Installing the toolkit itself doesn’t inject drivers in every container automatically. You still need to A) use the `--gpus` flag with docker run v19.03+. Or B) use the schema in the OP with docker-compose v1.28.0+. The “old” way in docker-compose required changing the default docker runtime from `runc` to `nvidia` (a wrapper for runc that accepts nvidia specific environment variables) in /etc/docker/daemon.json, or specifying `--runtime: nvidia` in the docker run command. As well as using `NVIDIA_DEVICES` and `NVIDIA_DRIVER_CAPABILITIES` environment variables. This method still works correctly with the official plex image. Just “manually” passing the device path doesn’t work, because there are no drivers installed in the image itself. ```auto plex2: container_name: plex2 image: plexinc/pms-docker restart: unless-stopped network_mode: host environment: - TZ=$TZ - PLEX_UID=$PUID - PLEX_GID=$PGID volumes: - /data/.config/plex2:/config - /mnt/media:/media - /dev/shm:/transcode devices: - /dev/dri/card0:dev/dri/card0 ``` ```auto Apr 13, 2021 23:36:46.345 [0x7fe512ffd700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: testing h264_vaapi (encoder) Apr 13, 2021 23:36:46.345 [0x7fe512ffd700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: testing API vaapi Apr 13, 2021 23:36:46.345 [0x7fe512ffd700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: opening hw device failed - probably not supported by this system, error: Generic error in an external library Apr 13, 2021 23:36:46.345 [0x7fe512ffd700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: testing h264_nvenc (encoder) Apr 13, 2021 23:36:46.345 [0x7fe512ffd700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: testing API nvenc Apr 13, 2021 23:36:46.346 [0x7fe512ffd700] ERROR - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Cannot load libcuda.so.1 Apr 13, 2021 23:36:46.346 [0x7fe512ffd700] ERROR - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Could not dynamically load CUDA Apr 13, 2021 23:36:46.346 [0x7fe512ffd700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: opening hw device failed - probably not supported by this system, error: Unknown error occurred Apr 13, 2021 23:36:46.346 [0x7fe512ffd700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: testing h264 (decoder) with hwdevice vaapi Apr 13, 2021 23:36:46.346 [0x7fe512ffd700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: testing API vaapi Apr 13, 2021 23:36:46.346 [0x7fe512ffd700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: opening hw device failed - probably not supported by this system, error: Generic error in an external library Apr 13, 2021 23:36:46.346 [0x7fe512ffd700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: testing h264 (decoder) with hwdevice nvdec Apr 13, 2021 23:36:46.346 [0x7fe512ffd700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: testing API nvdec Apr 13, 2021 23:36:46.346 [0x7fe512ffd700] ERROR - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Cannot load libcuda.so.1 Apr 13, 2021 23:36:46.346 [0x7fe512ffd700] ERROR - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Could not dynamically load CUDA Apr 13, 2021 23:36:46.346 [0x7fe512ffd700] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: opening hw device failed - probably not supported by this system, error: Unknown error occurred ``` ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/f/b/fbfaf963a5ae4ce09c45f247c1271b70d05ea34e.jpeg) Installing the drivers by entering the container `docker exec -it plex /bin/bash` is not “the docker way”. It’s a bad idea for a couple of reasons, the main one being that the drivers would have to be manually installed every single time the image is updated or replaced. If that’s your only option, you’re better off building your own image. Besides, the drivers and GPU card are accessible when using nvidia-container-toolkit. As stated in the OP, I’m just raising the fact that the official plex image fails to use hardware transcoding with the new docker-compose 1.29.0 deploy schema, while other images (like emby, and even linuxserver plex) have no problem with it. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 6:48am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/docker-compose-1-29-0-hardware-transcoding/708900/17 "2021-07-13T06:48:49Z")
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