Please add the ability to use NVIDIA graphics card in QNAP TS-677 for hardware accelerated transcoding. This NAS is a beast and I have a GPU that cannot be activated because it is not a Intel integrated graphics. Unfortunate not to be able to use it for transcoding.
Server Version#:1.19.5.3112
Player Version#:4.34.3
The ability already exists.
QNAP allows most models to use Nvidia GPU cards in the PCIe slots .
Not all models are permitted.
The requirements are:
- Nvidia_GPU_DRV package installed from QNAP App Center.
- Control Panel - Graphics Card - “QTS” mode selected.
If these requirements are satisfied, Plex will automatically find and enable the card at startup.
If the ability already exists, it certainly is not being utilized. I have an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti card installed along with the latest QNAP QTS firmware and all of the Nvidia packages and drivers. When I transcode, I watch the GPU utilization sit at zero percent, which tells me the GPU is not activated. The “QTS Mode” is selected. According to the Plex NAS compatibility, hardware transcoding is not supported on the TS-677 model. Your help is appreciated.
I am the maintainer of the NAS Compatibility Guide.
The guide is a bit confusing when it comes to GPU cards but I’ve not found a way to include the extra data.
The guide shows AMD CPUs as not-compatible because they do not have Intel QSV capability only.
As for determining what Plex is looking for,
- Open a SSH terminal to the QNAP
- Sign in as
admin -
gpuhal_app -l(lists all the GPU devices it finds) - look at the ID number (typically
f) gpuhal_app -s f
It will report if it sees the drivers installed (location and version) as well as the mode (real_status)
Can you share that output here please?
[~] # gpuhal_app -l
f:NVIDIA Corporation:GP107 [GeForce GTX 1050 Ti]:external:7
[~] # gpuhal_app -s f
active_status=2,real_status=2,driverqpkg=NVIDIA_GPU_DRV,driver_installed=1,in_used=HD_Station,transcode=1,display=1,pcie_slot=1,pcie_vp=1
[~] # [~] # gpuhal_app -l
-sh: [~]: command not found
[~] # f:NVIDIA Corporation:GP107 [GeForce GTX 1050 Ti]:external:7
-sh: f:NVIDIA: command not found
[~] # [~] # gpuhal_app -s f
-sh: [~]: command not found
[~] # active_status=2,real_status=2,driverqpkg=NVIDIA_GPU_DRV,driver_installed=1,in_used=HD_Station,transcode=1,display=1,pcie_slot=1,pcie_vp=1
[~] # [~] #
-sh: [~]: command not found
[~] # [~] # gpuhal_app -l
active_status=2,real_status=2,driverqpkg=NVIDIA_GPU_DRV,driver_installed=1,in_used=HD_Station,transcode=1,display=1,pcie_slot=1,pcie_vp=1
[~] # [~] # gpuhal_app -l
-sh: [~]: command not found
-sh: [~]: command not found
[~] # f:NVIDIA Corporation:GP107 [GeForce GTX 1050 Ti]:external:7
-sh: f:NVIDIA: command not found
[~] # [~] # gpuhal_app -s f
-sh: [~]: command not found
[~] # active_status=2,real_status=2,driverqpkg=NVIDIA_GPU_DRV,driver_installed=1,in_used=HD_Station,transcode=1,display=1,pcie_slot=1,pcie_vp=1
[~] # [~] #
-sh: [~]: command not found
[~] # f:NVIDIA Corporation:GP107 [GeForce GTX 1050 Ti]:external:7
-sh: f:NVIDIA: command not found
[~] # [~] # gpuhal_app -s f
-sh: [~]: command not found
[~] # active_status=2,real_status=2,driverqpkg=NVIDIA_GPU_DRV,driver_installed=1,in_used=HD_Station,transcode=1,display=1,pcie_slot=1,pcie_vp=1
[~] # [~] # [~] # gpuhal_app -l
-sh: [~]: command not found
[~] # -sh: [~]: command not found
-sh: -sh:: command not found
[~] # [~] # f:NVIDIA Corporation:GP107 [GeForce GTX 1050 Ti]:external:7
-sh: [~]: command not found
[~] # -sh: f:NVIDIA: command not found
-sh: -sh:: command not found
[~] # [~] # [~] # gpuhal_app -s f
-sh: [~]: command not found
[~] # -sh: [~]: command not found
-sh: -sh:: command not found
[~] # [~] # active_status=2,real_status=2,driverqpkg=NVIDIA_GPU_DRV,driver_installed=1,in_used=HD_Station,transcode=1,display=1,pcie_slot=1,pcie_vp=1
-sh: [~]: command not found
[~] # [~] # [~] #
-sh: [~]: command not found
[~] # -sh: [~]: command not found
-sh: -sh:: command not found
Thank you for that.
Not sure what happened with the extra lines but the first block gave us the answer.
[~] # gpuhal_app -l
f:NVIDIA Corporation:GP107 [GeForce GTX 1050 Ti]:external:7
[~] # gpuhal_app -s f
active_status=2,real_status=2,driverqpkg=NVIDIA_GPU_DRV,driver_installed=1,in_used=HD_Station,transcode=1,display=1,pcie_slot=1,pcie_vp=1
You have the GPU assigned to HD_Station.
Your Plex logs will most likely confirm this.
HD Station = QTS, correct? Why don’t I see any GPU activity when transcoding to my cell phone or tablet?
No… HD_Station is an app. Virtualization_Station is another app.
When the card isn’t assigned to either, the third choice is “QTS” mode (general usage).
This is what the Nvidia CUDA driver needs.
Go to Control Panel -> Graphics (on the right side).
What does it show?
I just streamed a movie and transcoded a 4K file down to 720p on my cell phone over wifi. It indicated a 23% GPU utilization. I guess it works. Thank you very much for walking me through this.
Glad it started working. I did my best to make it as automatic as possible and am glad it settled out for you.
Thank you for your help. I encourage you to update the NAS Compatibility Matrix. Tech geeks like myself will pay for Plex Pass and its premium feature such as hardware transcoding when we know it is available on our equipment. In the case of the QNAP TS-x77 series, it should be noted that if a GPU is added, hardware transcoding at 720, 1080p, etc is possible.
In the interest of the limited space on that page, Creating a column is going to be ‘pricey’ .
What would be a good name?
“Nvidia GPU supported” ?
There isn’t nearly enough space, nor is it appropriate, for me to copy the entire Nvidia matrix page.
Please take a look at the NAS Compatibility Guide.
I got some time from the UI team to help with the layout.
A column has been added to the matrix.
I’ve populated what I know from memory: TS-677, TS-877, TVS-1282
I will add more as soon as I look them all up (or other folks help by chiming in)
This is very helpful and should help drive more Plex Pass subscriptions. Some other models that work with Nvidia: TVS-882BR, TVS-672N, TVS-872N, TS-h686, TS-h886, TVS-472XT, TVS-672XT, TVS-682, TVS-882. Thank you for the fantastic customer service.
Thank you for taking the time to help save me time.
Do you have a source where you found all this information?
It would help me document the sources
I went through all the tower form-factor NAS and read each models GPU compatibility.
Thanks. I appreciate that.
I will pull what I can then ask our QNAP contact to verify .
(helps make certain the list is accurate)
ChuckPa, hello, do you know how many 1080p (8mbps) transcodes with 5.1 ac3 audio (384kbps) could a qnap ts-873 with an nvidia quadro p2000 / p2200 support?
I am thinking of replacing my 1050ti because it is stuck to only 2 streams.
I do not know how many sessions are allowed or how many it can support (don’t have any Nvidia cards here). I do know there is something on github about “unlocking” certain cards.
