Intel Arc A380 Hardware Transcoding with Docker

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
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Server Version#: 1.32.5.7210
Player Version#: 4.108.0

Today I installed my new Intel A380 into my Linux server running on kernel 6.3.9. I’ve passed through /dev/dri to the Docker container, and enabled hardware transcoding.

When I attempt to perform a transcode, I get the following log message:

Debug — [Req/Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: testing API vaapi for device '/dev/dri/renderD128' (DG2 [Arc A380])
Error — [Req/Transcode] [FFMPEG] - libva: /config/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Cache/va-dri-linux-x86_64/iHD_drv_video.so init failed
Error — [Req/Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Failed to initialise VAAPI connection: -1 (unknown libva error).

As far as I know, this version of PMS (1.32.5.7210) has support for the newest Intel drivers. I’ve also confirmed that the video1 group permission on /dev/dri/renderD128 has the same ID as the render group on my host machine.

I’m using the official Plex Docker image with the automatically updating plexpass tag.

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Which distro ?

Kernel 5.19 is all anyone really needs for even AlderLake CPUs

Intel N100 HW HDR Tonemapping not working
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openSUSE Tumbleweed.

This is an Intel Arc discrete GPU, which didn’t have mainline support until 6.2 I believe.

4

Arc GPU support is primarily in the Intel Media Driver
but yes, 6.2 removes the “experimental” support flag.

We didn’t add / do anything specific in Plex.
When we updated the Intel Media Driver, Arc came with that.

My concern when upgrading a kernel out of cycle from a distro is always -

– Are the other support drivers also up to date?

Upgrading just the kernel isn’t enough in most cases – and especially when crossing from 5.x → 6.x

5

Are you aware of specific driver packages that would need to be installed on the host OS to support hardware transcoding on Intel Arc cards? It’s my understanding that everything needed is in the Linux kernel itself.

6

I’m not aware of the specific packages needed by name.

I do think you need to add the runtime drivers for the card.
Just because kernel support for the card (on the PCIe bus) is complete, it does not mean the kernel also includes HW transcoding drivers.

The card can be used for solid modeling, gaming, or video.
It seems logical for the user to add whichever function packages he/she wants to use

It might be a good idea to search both the forum and google.

Here’s a forum post confirming the Arc GPUs work with Plex.

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