Hardware Transcoding (Quick Sync) & CentOS 7.4

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
1

Hey All,

Im looking into using Intel Quick Sync hardware transcoding. I thought it may also be good to document the process to help with others.

I have found much information regarding the topic, and much of this information is contradictory. Due to this im not sure where to start. Much of the information indicated Centos 7.4 has Quick Sync support out of the box. I have not found this to be the case.

Please speak up if I have missed something obvious or if you feel my approach is wrong. Lets ask and answer all the tough questions :slight_smile:

So lets start with some questions.

Do I need a patched or custom kernal?
Do I need an Intel driver such as “xorg-x11-drv-intel”?
What is the best way to test hardware transcoding?

See below for a list of my hardware & software:

Hardware
Motherboard - SuperMicro X11SSL-F, Chipset 232, Bios V2.1 (12/11/2017)
CPU - Intel Xeon 1275V6 (Intel Quick Sync Support)
Ram - 32Gb DDR4

Software:
OS CentOS 7.4 64Bit, Kernal 3.10.0-693.17.1.el7.x86_64
Plex - 1.11.1.4760 64Bit - Setting - “Use hardware acceleration when available ON”

I look forward to getting responses and jumping into this. Im hoping at the end of all this we can create some official documentation for CentOS & Plex that can help anyone getting into hardware transcoding.

**UPDATE **

  1. New MB going Live: SuperMicro X11SSH-LN4F, Chipset 236
  2. New MB Live.
  3. Integrated Graphic in BIOS - ON
  4. Testing Now

*** UPDATE 2 ***

WORKING (FALSE ALARM)
Out of the box support.

Hardware & Setup:

Hardware Transcoding Working out of the box with the following:
CPU Intel Xeon 1275V6 (Intel Quick Sync Support)
X11SSH-LN4F, Chipset 236
Integrated Graphic in BIOS - ON
Software:
OS CentOS 7.4 64Bit, Kernal 3.10.0-693.17.1.el7.x86_64
Plex - 1.11.1.4760 64Bit - Setting - “Use hardware acceleration when available ON”

*** UPDATE 3 ***

System was constantly crashing when Hardware Transcoding in use.

I was infromed I need a newer kernal. I needed 4.X. I have upgraded to 4.15.3-1.el7.

Testing Now.

2

your motherboard chipset does not support QuickSync, you need a board with a C236 chipset - nothing you can do to work around it.

3

Hey Trudge,

Thanks for the heads up.

  1. I have submitted a case to SuperMicro to confirm this and asked if this will come in a Bios Update or if it is a hardware limitation of the board and chipset.

  2. I am also looking at Motherboards with the C236 chipsets to keep this project moving forward.

4

It’s a hardware limitation of the chipset, nothing can be done bios wise to fix it.

5

Hey Trudge,

Thanks for clearing that up.

This leaves me only one course of action. To look into the C236 chipset.

6

yep, replace the MB and you’ll have your out of the box support.

7

OK. So the new motherboard is being deployed.

Do I need to turn on iGPU in bios or will it work out of the box?

8

UPDATE

New MB going in now: SuperMicro X11SSH-LN4F, Chipset 236

9

WORKING
Out of the box support.

Hardware & Setup:

  • Hardware Transcoding Working out of the box with the following:
  • CPU Intel Xeon 1275V6 (Intel Quick Sync Support)
  • X11SSH-LN4F, Chipset 236
  • Integrated Graphic in BIOS - ON

Software:
OS CentOS 7.4 64Bit, Kernal 3.10.0-693.17.1.el7.x86_64
Plex - 1.11.1.4760 64Bit - Setting - “Use hardware acceleration when available ON”

10

have you fixed it?

11

I fixed this by moving to Ubuntu.

I have no idea why I kept crashing CentOS.

I will add im now using CloudBox and its amazing.