HW transcoding not working on motherboards with BMC graphics (logs attached)

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
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Server Version#: 1.40.0.7775
Player Version#: Android 10.6.5036

I’ve verified this on two different systems that both have Supermicro (X10 and X13) motherboards and IPMI controllers (X10 - ASpeed 2400 / X13 ASpeed 2600).

This was not an issue on PMS versions 1.32.4.7195 and older. Since July neither my Nvidia Tesla T4 (x10 system) nor my Intel i3-13100 are being utilized by PMS. If I roll back to 7195 my Nvidia works perfect and my Intel uses the encoder.

I initiated a live TV session to review in the logs.

Plex Media Server Logs_2023-12-19_16-26-05.zip (5.7 MB)

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@sa2000 Any idea why this is happening? I can’t stay on PMS version 1.32.4.7195 forever.

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Could you please get me a debug server log file for the working version - showing launch of Plex Media Server (and detection of the GPU) and also the DVR live TV tune session starting

The logs for the current version shows this

Dec 19, 2023 16:23:43.630 [8808] DEBUG - [GPU] Got device: Microsoft Basic Render Driver, unknown@unknown, default true, best true, ID 1414:008c, DevID [1414:008c], flags 0x0

Get me logs of it working for each of the GPUs that is no longer being used - need the logs to cover the launch of PMS as well in each case

and get me the GPU details info for each and logs showing it is not being detected and ones showing in use with the old PMS version

4

I updated to the last public version, launched PMS, started a live TV session on a Roku with the MPEG2 option disabled forcing transcode for a live TV stream. This is the log captured right after that.

With this version it doesn’t see the Nvidia at all. The Nvidia is the only GPU this system has. Logs attached.
Plex Media Server Logs_2024-01-04_05-51-52.zip (6.4 MB)

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And logs of it working on the older version ? With logs covering the launch time as well as the live tv session

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Sorry about that. Here are the logs from the working 7195 with successful hardware transcoding on the Nvidia GPU.

Plex Media Server Logs_2024-01-04_06-17-32.zip (5.7 MB)

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Thank you very much - i can see differences in the GPU detection and also in one case we used dxva2 as decoder and in the other case - the one that worked - used nvdec

Could you get me full system information for the motherboard / CPU and for the GPU that is on this system and firmware information

Thanks

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Yes. This system is based on a Supermicro X10SDV-8C-TLN4F motherboard. CPU / SoC is an Intel Xeon D-1541 with 128GB of ECC RAM (112GB allocated to RamDisk for transcoding cache). GPU is a Nvidia A2 (60 watt server card).

The motherboard has a ASpeed 2400 out of band management controller which has a built in VGA card for remote administration.

I also had the same exact issue with another system I recently built based on a Supermicro X13SAZ-F with a i3-13100 CPU and 192GB of DDR5 RAM.

That CPU has integrated HD 730 graphics. I also had a Nvidia Tesla T4 GPU installed. Plex could only see the Intel 730 GPU and not the Nvidia. Even though PMS saw the Intel GPU, it would not use it. If I reverted back to the older version of PMS, it would use the hardware encoder only. I had to remove the Nvidia GPU to get the Intel GPU to partially work. Also I had to plug in a monitor to the Intel GPU.

That motherboard also has a ASpeed 2600 out of band management controller with built in VGA graphics.

9

Thank You

I have referred the diagnostics provided for versions 1.32.4.7195 and 1.32.8.7639 to the development team

1 Like
11

@kd6icz can you test if this build addresses your issues? I expect it to allow you to select your nvidea gpu and HOPE it also fixes your intel errors.

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It doesn’t look like it made any changes. Still doesn’t list the Nvidia and sees the Intel but doesn’t use it. Here are fresh logs.

Plex Media Server Logs_2024-02-22_13-13-18.zip (3.8 MB)

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@kd6icz while I look into the nvidea side, the intel transcode made it farther than it used to, can you try playing something hosted locally (not a non-live tv session) as another datapoint?

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Still a no go. Here are new logs.

Plex Media Server Logs_2024-02-22_13-46-53.zip (3.9 MB)

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do you have any non mpeg videos you can try? i’m wondering if its something with the mpeg2video codec

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That was a VC1 file. I’ll try an H.264 file.

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Here’s an H.264 file.
Plex Media Server Logs_2024-02-22_15-14-14.zip (4.5 MB)

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@kd6icz can you do me a favor and look up the device id of your nvidea card? I found the following website to help walk you through it: 4 Quick Ways to Check Hardware ID (HWID) of a Device in Windows 11 - Guiding Tech

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IMG_3243
IMG_3243689×726 62.6 KB

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Do you have the latest nvidea drivers installed? I see PMS is finding “Microsoft Basic Render Driver” and not your nvidea card which seems to indicate windows can’t find the gpu drivers.

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A new one was released yesterday. I’ll install it. This has been the case for the past several drivers. If Windows didn’t see it wouldn’t it not be listed in Device Manager?