Plex HW Decoding not working unless logged in via RDP! -- RESOLVED

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
1

Server Version#: 1.16.2.1297
Player Version#: Web Client Version 3.99.2
Windows 10 with Nvidia P400

I’m not sure what could be the problem here. I’ve been able to recreate this and it seems to be an issue with being logged into the system. I have auto-login turned on. I have a monitor plugged into the P400, i’ve tried it with a dongle as well to no avail.

If anyone has any tips/tricks or experience with fixing this that would be appreciated. It is more of an annoyance since I have to login to the RDP session then just close RDP. So if i were not home it would not work well as I would have to somehow remote into the system just to have HW decoding working =(

2

Are you trying to run Plex as a service? If so you must run in a logged in user account for ha to work.

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HW Transcoding works…decoding does not when not logged in. I’m not running it as a service

4

Are you using Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Client? If so, don’t use it. It creates a graphics adapter which seems to confuse Plex.
(Had the same problem)

5

Yeah, I’m using RDP…it seems to be the only thing that fixes HW decoding though. Why wouldn’t I want to use it if it fixes the issue?

6

I experienced the same behavior. When I was logged in through Microsoft Remote Desktop hardware transcoding worked. When I exited it, hardware transcoding stopped working after a short while. But then I used Chrome Remote Desktop and because of that the graphics adapter RDP enables was deactivated. Then hardware transcoding worked as it should.

7

I’ll lay it out easier here.

  • Fresh reboot, no login remotely or otherwise : HW Transcoding works / HW Decoding broken
  • RDP into box with Microsoft RDP : HW Transcoding works / HW Decoding works

I want to eliminate the need for me to have to RDP into the system to get HW Decoding to work…

HW Transcoding and HW Decoding are different things

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8

I see.
I meant hardware decoding and encoding when I said hardware transcoding.
For me it was the reverse scenario:
Fresh reboot and both worked for a while.
With RDP enabled decoding stopped working and encoding worked.
As soon as I disabled the graphics adapter RDP enabled, both worked reliable.
So I thought you were in the same situation.

Do you have any other GPUs built into your PC? Like an integrated GPU?

9

There is an integrated GPU, yes…not sure what I should do with that? Disable it?

EDIT: That did it! Disabling the onboard GPU fixed it. Thanks!!

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10

Nice! Have fun with your server!

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