Plex 1.25: hardware transcoding not working on old intel CPUs with Windows 10

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
1

I have 2 servers, both with 3rd gen intel CPU i5-3570s and i5-3337u.

After updating to PMS 1.25, hardware transcoding stopped working on both. Not sure which 1.25 small version broke it, but reverting back to 1.24.5.5173 fixed it for me.

Errors in log:

[Transcode] Streaming Resource: Calculated bandwidth of 16197kbps exceeds bandwidth limit. Changing decision parameters provided by client to fit bandwidth limit of 4000kbps
[Transcode] Streaming Resource: Determining preferred transcode encoders through transcode only decision.
[Transcode] Codecs: testing h264 (decoder) with hwdevice nvdec
[Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: testing API nvdec
[Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Cannot load nvcuda.dll

[Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Could not dynamically load CUDA

[Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: opening hw device failed - probably not supported by this system, error: Unknown error occurred
[Transcode] Could not create hardware context for h264
[Transcode] Codecs: testing h264 (decoder) with hwdevice dxva2
[Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: testing API dxva2
[Transcode] Codecs: Testing with profile ‘High’
[Transcode] Scaled up video bitrate to 9787Kbps based on 1.500000x fudge factor.

1 Like
2

I have a 10th gen Intel that also had HW Transcoding broken with PMS 1.25 until Intel recently released an updated driver. I didn’t see one for your processors when I checked though.

I believe the issue is with the latest Intel Media SDK release that’s required for Quicksync on the latest gen processors. Not sure if installing the SDK alone would fix it for you, but your processors are listed as compatible with the latest version.

3

Could you link the driver and SDK? Thanks!

1 Like
4

I’m on 1.25.3.5409 with an i9-11900K and HW transcoding is broken for me… but only when a specific user tries to stream to their Apple TV 4K (1st gen) - it works fine with the user’s iPad, Fire TV 4K Stick, Roku, etc. Every single time they attempt to stream to Plex on their ATV, it crashes my server. 10/10 repro. Does not reproduce when the same user streams to any other devices. I also have a local Apple TV 4K (1st gen) and it does not have any problems streaming content.

I’m running Windows 11 and I’ve updated to the latest Intel Graphics drivers and installed the Intel Media SDK… No luck. Still crashing 100% of the time when streaming to a remote user’s Apple TV 4K.

Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.675 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: My Home Movie (2021): Direct Play is disabled
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.675 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: My Home Movie (2021): media must be transcoded in order to use the hls protocol
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.675 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: My Home Movie (2021): no direct play video profile exists for http/mkv/hevc
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.675 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: My Home Movie (2021): no direct play video profile exists for http/mkv/hevc/eac3
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.676 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: My Home Movie (2021): no remuxable profile found, so video stream will be transcoded
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.676 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: Cannot direct stream video stream due to profile or setting limitations
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.676 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: testing hevc (decoder) with hwdevice nvdec
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.676 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: testing API nvdec
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.676 [21072] ERROR - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Cannot load nvcuda.dll
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.676 [21072] ERROR - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Could not dynamically load CUDA
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.676 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: opening hw device failed - probably not supported by this system, error: Unknown error occurred
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.676 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Could not create hardware context for hevc
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.676 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: testing hevc (decoder) with hwdevice dxva2
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.676 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: testing API dxva2
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.690 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: Testing with profile 'Main 10'
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.690 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - nal_unit_type: 32(VPS), nuh_layer_id: 0, temporal_id: 0
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.690 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - nal_unit_type: 33(SPS), nuh_layer_id: 0, temporal_id: 0
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.690 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - nal_unit_type: 34(PPS), nuh_layer_id: 0, temporal_id: 0
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.690 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - nal_unit_type: 20(IDR_N_LP), nuh_layer_id: 0, temporal_id: 0
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.690 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Decoding VPS
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.690 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Main 10 profile bitstream
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.690 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Decoding SPS
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.690 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Main 10 profile bitstream
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.690 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Decoding VUI
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.690 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Decoding PPS
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.690 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Format dxva2_vld chosen by get_format().
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.690 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Format dxva2_vld requires hwaccel initialisation.
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.697 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: 10-bit HEVC test succeeded
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.701 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Scaled up video bitrate to 69822Kbps based on 4.500000x fudge factor.
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.701 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: My Home Movie (2021): selected media 0 / 26250
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.701 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Streaming Resource: Required bandwidth unknown (media requires deep analysis) Changing decision parameters provided by client to fit bandwidth limit of 720000kbps
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.701 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Streaming Resource: Determining preferred transcode encoders through transcode only decision.
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.701 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: testing hevc (decoder) with hwdevice nvdec
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.701 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: testing API nvdec
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.701 [21072] ERROR - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Cannot load nvcuda.dll
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.701 [21072] ERROR - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Could not dynamically load CUDA
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.701 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: opening hw device failed - probably not supported by this system, error: Unknown error occurred
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.701 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Could not create hardware context for hevc
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.702 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: testing hevc (decoder) with hwdevice dxva2
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.702 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: testing API dxva2
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.716 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: Testing with profile 'Main 10'
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.716 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - nal_unit_type: 32(VPS), nuh_layer_id: 0, temporal_id: 0
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.716 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - nal_unit_type: 33(SPS), nuh_layer_id: 0, temporal_id: 0
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.716 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - nal_unit_type: 34(PPS), nuh_layer_id: 0, temporal_id: 0
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.716 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - nal_unit_type: 20(IDR_N_LP), nuh_layer_id: 0, temporal_id: 0
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.716 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Decoding VPS
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.716 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Main 10 profile bitstream
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.716 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Decoding SPS
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.716 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Main 10 profile bitstream
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.716 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Decoding VUI
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.716 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Decoding PPS
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.716 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Format dxva2_vld chosen by get_format().
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.716 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Format dxva2_vld requires hwaccel initialisation.
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.724 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: 10-bit HEVC test succeeded
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.727 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Scaled up video bitrate to 69822Kbps based on 4.500000x fudge factor.
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.727 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: testing aac_mf (encoder)
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.728 [21072] INFO - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - MFT name: 'Microsoft AAC Audio Encoder MFT'
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.729 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: testing hevc_mf (encoder)
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:04.813 [21072] INFO - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - MFT name: 'Intel® Hardware H265 Encoder MFT'
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:05.011 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: testing hevc (decoder) with hwdevice nvdec
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:05.011 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: testing API nvdec
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:05.011 [21072] ERROR - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Cannot load nvcuda.dll
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:05.011 [21072] ERROR - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Could not dynamically load CUDA
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:05.011 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: opening hw device failed - probably not supported by this system, error: Unknown error occurred
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:05.011 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Could not create hardware context for hevc
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:05.011 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: testing hevc (decoder) with hwdevice dxva2
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:05.011 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: hardware transcoding: testing API dxva2
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:05.022 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] Codecs: Testing with profile 'Main 10'
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:05.023 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - nal_unit_type: 32(VPS), nuh_layer_id: 0, temporal_id: 0
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:05.023 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - nal_unit_type: 33(SPS), nuh_layer_id: 0, temporal_id: 0
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:05.023 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - nal_unit_type: 34(PPS), nuh_layer_id: 0, temporal_id: 0
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:05.023 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - nal_unit_type: 20(IDR_N_LP), nuh_layer_id: 0, temporal_id: 0
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:05.023 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Decoding VPS
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:05.023 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Main 10 profile bitstream
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:05.023 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Decoding SPS
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:05.023 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Main 10 profile bitstream
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:05.023 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Decoding VUI
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:05.023 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Decoding PPS
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:05.023 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Format dxva2_vld chosen by get_format().
Jan 24, 2022 10:50:05.023 [21072] DEBUG - [Transcode] [FFMPEG] - Format dxva2_vld requires hwaccel initialisation.
1 Like
5

This sounds like a related but different issue if it’s crashing the server. Even when my HW transcodes were failing before I updated my driver, it fell back to SW transcoding and worked fine.

I’ve tested Plex Web, Android TV, Android Mobile, and Plex for Windows, but I don’t have any iOS or AppleTV devices to test.

6

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