Nvidia Geforce GT 730 transcoding, updated with Nvidia Quadro K620

Plex Media Server
, ,
1

Server Version#: 1.25.8.5621
Player Version#: Roku Express software version 10.5.0 build 4208-AE

I bought a Nvidia Gefroce GT 730 card based on site https://elpamsoft.com/?p=Plex-Hardware-Transcoding stating it was supported. Worked great out of the box on a Dell Optiplex 380 using the proprietary drivers provide by Ubuntu. Since the process was simple and effective on the Dell, I decided to bring another workstation out and give it a try since it has a better CPU (AMD Phenom II x4 955).

Starting with a fresh build of Ubuntu Server 20.04.4 LTS, I tried the Ubuntu nvidia-headless-470-server driver and couldn’t get HW transcoding enabled as witnessed in the PMS Dashboard Now Playing section. I have also tried the following to get a better result:

tried the Nividia drivers
470.103.01
465.31 ← currently in use

Added HardwareDevicePath="/dev/dri/render0128" to preferences.xml.

nvidia-smi always shows the relevant driver in use.

In short, everything I have tried will not enable HW transcoding.

Can someone please provide some insight?

Plex Media Server Logs_2022-03-18_14-02-06.zip (2.6 MB)

2

You stated the device name incorrectly.

It is not renderO128.

It is renderD128

Confirm this by typing:

ls -la /dev/dri

Also confirm the drivers support the card.

3

Bringing this back to the top with updates and a new GPU, Nvidia Quadro K620. This card is listed in the Nvidia Support Matrix identified whereas the Geforce GT 730 was not. I also confirmed the HardwareDevicePath was set accurately; the previous post was a typo from reading my notes.

Still running into the same issue with the server with the AMD Phenom II x4 955 CPU where the GPU is not doing any transcoding.

Please, let me know what I’m overlooking.

image

Plex Media Server Logs_2022-03-25_14-35-32.zip (2.7 MB)

image
image710×440 50.7 KB

4

The card does not have H264 capability.

Notice CUDA init (their driver) fails.

Mar 25, 2022 14:22:55.313 [0x7f9818cf1b38] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Loaded sym: cuImportExternalSemaphore
Mar 25, 2022 14:22:55.313 [0x7f9818cf1b38] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Loaded sym: cuDestroyExternalSemaphore
Mar 25, 2022 14:22:55.313 [0x7f9818cf1b38] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Loaded sym: cuSignalExternalSemaphoresAsync
Mar 25, 2022 14:22:55.313 [0x7f9818cf1b38] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Loaded sym: cuWaitExternalSemaphoresAsync
Mar 25, 2022 14:22:55.314 [0x7f9818cf1b38] ERROR - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - cu->cuInit(0) failed
Mar 25, 2022 14:22:55.315 [0x7f9818cf1b38] ERROR - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] -  -> CUDA_ERROR_SYSTEM_NOT_READY: system not yet initialized
Mar 25, 2022 14:22:55.315 [0x7f9818cf1b38] ERROR - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - 
Mar 25, 2022 14:22:55.315 [0x7f9818cf1b38] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: opening hw device failed - probably not supported by this system, error: Unknown error occurred
Mar 25, 2022 14:22:55.315 [0x7f9818cf1b38] DEBUG - [Transcode] Could not create hardware context for h264
6

That’s not our matrix. It’s Nvidia’s.

I apologize. I missed the other side.

The logs are telling us the card won’t initialize.

Which driver version is installed?

Mar 25, 2022 14:22:55.315 [0x7f9818cf1b38] ERROR - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] -  -> CUDA_ERROR_SYSTEM_NOT_READY: system not yet initialized
Mar 25, 2022 14:22:55.315 [0x7f9818cf1b38] ERROR - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] -
7

470.103.01

I have also tried the 510 driver but got a message stating " package has invalid Support PBheader, cannot determine support level" so I backed it down to the 470 driver.

When I run the command ubuntu-drivers devices, I get the following output:

vendor   : NVIDIA Corporation
model    : GM107GL [Quadro K620]
driver   : nvidia-driver-390 - distro non-free
driver   : nvidia-driver-470-server - distro non-free
driver   : nvidia-driver-470 - distro non-free recommended
driver   : nvidia-driver-510 - distro non-free
driver   : nvidia-driver-450-server - distro non-free
driver   : nvidia-driver-510-server - distro non-free
driver   : nvidia-340 - distro non-free
driver   : nvidia-driver-418-server - distro non-free
driver   : xserver-xorg-video-nouveau - distro free builtin
8

You have all those installed?

I know that 390 is far too old (it’s the pre-version 10 protocol)

I don’t think you’ve got a sufficiently current driver installed.

I know of users with the 510 drivers now.
I also know 510 will be shipping with Ubuntu 22.04

9

I don’t have an Nvidia card (yet).

Looking at their page shows:

10

No, I only have the recommended driver installed, nvidia-driver-470 - distro non-free.

I will install Nvidia’s 435 drivers and see what happens.

11

Here’s another page (in the area) where you can tune the search results to be certain you have the right driver.

12

Installed Nvidia’s latest driver, 510.60.02 and got the same result. Also seeing the same errors in the logs.

Plex Media Server Logs_2022-03-25_17-41-57.zip (1.6 MB)

13

I wish I could be of more help but can’t without having a card here myself.
The card I do have access to is currently being shipped.

Regretfully, may I suggest asking in the Nvidia or Reddit threads?

14

Here’s an update to bring closure to this “conundrum”…

In short, the Nvidia Quadro K620 is now using the GPU to transcode.

What changed?

The NIC.

I ordered a 10/100/1000 PCIe x1 NIC to replace the onboard 10/100 PCI NIC. Not sure if the problem was lack of bandwidth or the onboard NIC was causing problems for the GPU. I kind of doubt bandwidth was an issue as the movies played without issue or problem, just without HW transcoding.

image

image

Just posting this for posterity in case someone like me is looking for a solution to a similar situation.

15

FYI:

My P2200 arrived and is operational.

root@glockner:/vol/software/plex# nvidia-smi
Sat Mar 26 16:42:11 2022       
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| NVIDIA-SMI 510.47.03    Driver Version: 510.47.03    CUDA Version: 11.6     |
|-------------------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| 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 P2200        On   | 00000000:07:00.0 Off |                  N/A |
| 56%   54C    P0    27W /  75W |    655MiB /  5120MiB |      0%      Default |
|                               |                      |                  N/A |
+-------------------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
                                                                               
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Processes:                                                                  |
|  GPU   GI   CI        PID   Type   Process name                  GPU Memory |
|        ID   ID                                                   Usage      |
|=============================================================================|
|    0   N/A  N/A    117975      C   ...diaserver/Plex Transcoder      651MiB |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
root@glockner:/vol/software/plex#
16

This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.