# Hardware Transcoding - Linux - artefacts **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussions\ **Created:** [October 3, 2017, 6:08pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-linux-artefacts/208793 "2017-10-03T18:08:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![zpaolo11x](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/zpaolo11x/32/18855_2.png) [@zpaolo11x](https://forums.plex.tv/u/zpaolo11x)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2017, 7:40am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-linux-artefacts/208793/41 "2017-10-09T07:40:56Z")
> @Achilles said: > Intel had some notes for vaapi driver 1.8.0 that improves quality for Broadwell and Braswell H264 QSV encoding. I don’t know if Intel will go back further to Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge and Haswell and improve the drivers for QSV on those older generation CPUs. Braswell is my CPU, I think that under Ubuntu 16.04 LTS you usually just get 1.7.x intel driver. I updated my box to 16.04LTS+HWE so now I should be able to update graphics driver to a later version having updated kernel and X, but if intel driver installation tools just checks Ubuntu version there would be no luck until 18.04 is out. Apparently users of 17.10 don’t have the same issues as 16.04 users. And last time I tried to update graphics driver with intel tool I got an error regarding online database. ---
**Author:** ![Achilles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/achilles/32/16864_2.png) [@Achilles](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Achilles)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2017, 7:48am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-linux-artefacts/208793/42 "2017-10-09T07:48:58Z")
> @zpaolo11x said: > > > @Achilles said: > > Intel had some notes for vaapi driver 1.8.0 that improves quality for Broadwell and Braswell H264 QSV encoding. I don’t know if Intel will go back further to Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge and Haswell and improve the drivers for QSV on those older generation CPUs. > > Braswell is my CPU, I think that under Ubuntu 16.04 LTS you usually just get 1.7.x intel driver. I updated my box to 16.04LTS+HWE so now I should be able to update graphics driver to a later version having updated kernel and X, but if intel driver installation tools just checks Ubuntu version there would be no luck until 18.04 is out. Apparently users of 17.10 don’t have the same issues as 16.04 users. And last time I tried to update graphics driver with intel tool I got an error regarding online database. > PMS however apparantly uses whatever version Plex is packaging with it under Linux. I think we just need to wait and see what the developers deem stable to update vaapi to. ---
**Author:** ![zpaolo11x](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/zpaolo11x/32/18855_2.png) [@zpaolo11x](https://forums.plex.tv/u/zpaolo11x)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2017, 8:27am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-linux-artefacts/208793/43 "2017-10-09T08:27:21Z")
> @Achilles said: > PMS however apparantly uses whatever version Plex is packaging with it under Linux. I think we just need to wait and see what the developers deem stable to update vaapi to. Oh that’s good to know, but does this extend to the driver too? I mean, can you package a driver in your application? ---
**Author:** ![Achilles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/achilles/32/16864_2.png) [@Achilles](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Achilles)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2017, 8:33am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-linux-artefacts/208793/44 "2017-10-09T08:33:30Z")
With Linux yes. ---
**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:** [October 9, 2017, 11:29pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-linux-artefacts/208793/45 "2017-10-09T23:29:14Z")
To clarify. The Intel `i915` kernel driver is required. Most kernels provide this already but select vendors do not. `libvaapi`, the equivalent of a Windows DLL, provides the API for applications such as PMS to manipulate it. ---
**Author:** ![zpaolo11x](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/zpaolo11x/32/18855_2.png) [@zpaolo11x](https://forums.plex.tv/u/zpaolo11x)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2017, 6:43am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-linux-artefacts/208793/46 "2017-10-10T06:43:44Z")
> @ChuckPA said: > To clarify. > > The Intel `i915` kernel driver is required. Most kernels provide this already but select vendors do not. > > `libvaapi`, the equivalent of a Windows DLL, provides the API for applications such as PMS to manipulate it. Ok, I got it. So if I understand it correctly, PMS is packaging the “latest and greatest” libvaapi, but it’s using it to manipulate the kernel provided i915 driver? Or is PMS packaging both? When libvaapi 2.0 is released PMS will package it, but will it work on, say, Ubuntu 16.04LTS without the mainstream kernel (4.10)? ---
**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:** [October 10, 2017, 2:57pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-linux-artefacts/208793/47 "2017-10-10T14:57:32Z")
Yes, `libvaapi` speaks directly to the `i915` driver in the kernel. `libvaapi` is packaged with PMS. When version 2.x is finally released, if your kernel still has the `i915` driver in it, still have a compatible GPU which presents itself in `/dev/dri`, you’ll be good to go 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![maxime.wantiez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@maxime.wantiez](https://forums.plex.tv/u/maxime.wantiez)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 7:47am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-linux-artefacts/208793/48 "2017-10-11T07:47:13Z")
> @ChuckPA said: > Yes, `libvaapi` speaks directly to the `i915` driver in the kernel. > > `libvaapi` is packaged with PMS. > > When version 2.x is finally released, if your kernel still has the `i915` driver in it, still have a compatible GPU which presents itself in `/dev/dri`, you’ll be good to go 🙂 Thanks @ChuckPA 🙂 just have to wait. ---
**Author:** ![Achilles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/achilles/32/16864_2.png) [@Achilles](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Achilles)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 8:06am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-linux-artefacts/208793/49 "2017-10-11T08:06:26Z")
@“maxime.wantiez” Please keep in mind that on Intel’s Github for VAAPI they have only gone back as far as Broadwell and Braswell to improve h264 encoder quality in vaapi 2.0. They have not noted any further QSV encoder improvements for Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge or Haswell. ---
**Author:** ![zpaolo11x](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/zpaolo11x/32/18855_2.png) [@zpaolo11x](https://forums.plex.tv/u/zpaolo11x)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 9:49am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-linux-artefacts/208793/50 "2017-10-11T09:49:03Z")
> @Achilles said: > @“maxime.wantiez” Please keep in mind that on Intel’s Github for VAAPI they have only gone back as far as Broadwell and Braswell to improve h264 encoder quality in vaapi 2.0. They have not noted any further QSV encoder improvements for Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge or Haswell. Thank you @Achilles and @ChuckPA , luckily my CPU is Braswell, so I’ll just have to wait and hope it’s out soon 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![maxime.wantiez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@maxime.wantiez](https://forums.plex.tv/u/maxime.wantiez)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 11:06am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-linux-artefacts/208793/51 "2017-10-11T11:06:01Z")
> @Achilles said: > @“maxime.wantiez” Please keep in mind that on Intel’s Github for VAAPI they have only gone back as far as Broadwell and Braswell to improve h264 encoder quality in vaapi 2.0. They have not noted any further QSV encoder improvements for Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge or Haswell. Exact, just have to ~~wait~~ pray 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![LSL1337](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LSL1337](https://forums.plex.tv/u/LSL1337)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 3:48pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-linux-artefacts/208793/52 "2017-10-11T15:48:01Z")
> @Achilles said: > @“maxime.wantiez” Please keep in mind that on Intel’s Github for VAAPI they have only gone back as far as Broadwell and Braswell to improve h264 encoder quality in vaapi 2.0. They have not noted any further QSV encoder improvements for Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge or Haswell. wow, srsly? can you link the source? thanks there aren’t even decent broadwell desktop CPUs (only 1 high-end, with IRIS). I have haswell, looks like I have to update to kaby or coffee lake, ffs… ---
**Author:** ![Achilles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/achilles/32/16864_2.png) [@Achilles](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Achilles)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 3:55pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-linux-artefacts/208793/53 "2017-10-11T15:55:55Z")
> @LSL1337 said: > > > @Achilles said: > > @“maxime.wantiez” Please keep in mind that on Intel’s Github for VAAPI they have only gone back as far as Broadwell and Braswell to improve h264 encoder quality in vaapi 2.0. They have not noted any further QSV encoder improvements for Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge or Haswell. > > wow, srsly? > can you link the source? thanks > > there aren’t even decent broadwell desktop CPUs (only 1 high-end, with IRIS). I have haswell, looks like I have to update to kaby or coffee lake, ffs… > [Releases · intel/intel-vaapi-driver · GitHub](https://github.com/01org/intel-vaapi-driver/releases) ---
**Author:** ![LSL1337](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LSL1337](https://forums.plex.tv/u/LSL1337)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 7:34pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-linux-artefacts/208793/54 "2017-10-11T19:34:55Z")
> @Achilles said: > > > @LSL1337 said: > > > > > @Achilles said: > > > @“maxime.wantiez” Please keep in mind that on Intel’s Github for VAAPI they have only gone back as far as Broadwell and Braswell to improve h264 encoder quality in vaapi 2.0. They have not noted any further QSV encoder improvements for Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge or Haswell. > > > > wow, srsly? > > can you link the source? thanks > > > > there aren’t even decent broadwell desktop CPUs (only 1 high-end, with IRIS). I have haswell, looks like I have to update to kaby or coffee lake, ffs… > > [Releases · intel/intel-vaapi-driver · GitHub](https://github.com/01org/intel-vaapi-driver/releases) thanks for the link “Improve the quality of the H264 encoder on BDW/BSW” For me it means, that the 2.0 version does this, but down the line they could do HASWELL as well. Am I wrong? haswell is not that old ---
**Author:** ![Achilles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/achilles/32/16864_2.png) [@Achilles](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Achilles)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 8:58pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-linux-artefacts/208793/55 "2017-10-11T20:58:49Z")
Its 4th gen Core and we now have 8th gen. How old it is depends on whose perspective. You can always open an issue on github to request they improve it. ---
**Author:** ![lazybones](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/lazybones/32/3815_2.png) [@lazybones](https://forums.plex.tv/u/lazybones)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 9:14pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-linux-artefacts/208793/56 "2017-10-11T21:14:39Z")
> @Achilles said: > Its 4th gen Core and we now have 8th gen. How old it is depends on whose perspective. You can always open an issue on github to request they improve it. Haswell / 4th gen , 2013 Broadwell / 5th gen, 2014/2015 Skylake / 6th gen, 2015 Kaby Lake / 7th gen, 2016/2017 etc Haswell is over 4 years old now… That is old for a CPU and long for new significant development of features. ---
**Author:** ![Achilles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/achilles/32/16864_2.png) [@Achilles](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Achilles)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 9:25pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-linux-artefacts/208793/57 "2017-10-11T21:25:00Z")
> @lazybones said: > > > @Achilles said: > > Its 4th gen Core and we now have 8th gen. How old it is depends on whose perspective. You can always open an issue on github to request they improve it. > > Haswell / 4th gen , 2013 > Broadwell / 5th gen, 2014/2015 > Skylake / 6th gen, 2015 > Kaby Lake / 7th gen, 2016/2017 > > etc > > Haswell is over 4 years old now… That is old for a CPU and long for new significant development of features. > Don’t forget Coffee Lake / 8th gen 2017 ---
**Author:** ![LSL1337](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LSL1337](https://forums.plex.tv/u/LSL1337)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2017, 10:11am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-linux-artefacts/208793/58 "2017-10-12T10:11:19Z")
> @lazybones said: > > > @Achilles said: > > Its 4th gen Core and we now have 8th gen. How old it is depends on whose perspective. You can always open an issue on github to request they improve it. > > Haswell / 4th gen , 2013 > Broadwell / 5th gen, 2014/2015 > Skylake / 6th gen, 2015 > Kaby Lake / 7th gen, 2016/2017 > > etc > > Haswell is over 4 years old now… That is old for a CPU and long for new significant development of features. Broadwell is non existent on desktop, so If I bought a desktop 2 years ago in the summer, I would have used haswell, so… people who built PC’s 2 years ago have obsolete tech?.. imho haswell is not that bad, broadwell was not relevant, skylake was good, but it’s barely 2 years old… ---
**Author:** ![lazybones](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/lazybones/32/3815_2.png) [@lazybones](https://forums.plex.tv/u/lazybones)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2017, 11:04pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-linux-artefacts/208793/59 "2017-10-12T23:04:03Z")
> @LSL1337 said: > Broadwell is non existent on desktop, so If I bought a desktop 2 years ago in the summer, I would have used haswell, so… Well you do have a point there, and Intel has commented that may have been a mistake. > **[Intel regrets skipping Broadwell desktop CPUs](https://www.pcworld.com/article/423578/intel-regrets-skipping-broadwell-desktop-cpus.html)** > > Intel admits it goofed by skipping Broadwell desktop CPUs. ---
**Author:** ![Achilles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/achilles/32/16864_2.png) [@Achilles](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Achilles)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2017, 11:40pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-linux-artefacts/208793/60 "2017-10-12T23:40:36Z")
Regardless of when you bought it, Haswell was designed and released over 4 years ago. The silicon design of that processor has its limits—intentionally or unintentionally. Hardware erratas that can be resolved by software workarounds are usually always resolved under Windows quickly. If you are interested in getting Intel to resolve issues with 1st, 2nd and 3rd Gen QSV under Linux—open an issue on github with them. [Previous page](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-linux-artefacts/208793.md?page=2) [Next page](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-linux-artefacts/208793.md?page=4)