Plex Media Server Hardware Transcoding on Synology DS216+II

Plex Media Server NAS & Devices
1

As of version Plex Media server 1.9.3.4290, the script below is no longer required and Plex Hardware Transcoding works out-of-the-box.

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Please keep in mind that HW Transcoding with Plex Media Server (“PMS”) is still in an experimental stage and requires a Plex Pass.
I did manage to do get HW Transcoding working on my new Synology DS216+II by doing to following. The first solution is the “safe” solution and requires no knowledge of SSH at all. The second solution requires some knowledge of SSH, and this solution will be implemented by Plex in the next release

Solution 1 (no SSH knowledge required)

  1. Stop your current PMS

  2. Download the PlexMediaServer build 1.8.1.4140 - Hardware Transcoding Preview 4 for Synogly from this link
    downloads.plex.tv/plex-media-server/1.8.1.4140-82ea538ca/PlexMediaServer-1.8.1.4140-82ea538ca-x86_64.spk

  3. Install downloaded PMS. If you current PMS is higher than 1.8.1 you need to remove your current PMS installation first.

  4. Start the new installed PMS

  5. Start Plex and goto Server -> Transcode and turn on the hardware acceleration option.

  6. Go to Control Panel -> Task Scheduler

  7. Create -> Triggered Task -> User-defined script

  8. In General, Task: “Allow transcoder hardware access”, User: root, Event: Boot-up, Check Enabled

  9. In Task settings, run command:

      if [ -d /dev/dri ]; then
        chgrp video /dev/dri -R
        chmod 755 /dev/dri
        chmod 666 /dev/dri/*
  fi

10 . Restart PMS and HW Transcoding should be enabled on your Synology DS216+II

Solution 2 (requires SSH knowledge)

  1. Stop your current PMS
  2. Download the PlexMediaServer build 1.8.1.4140 - Hardware Transcoding Preview 4 for Synogly from this link
    downloads.plex.tv/plex-media-server/1.8.1.4140-82ea538ca/PlexMediaServer-1.8.1.4140-82ea538ca-x86_64.spk
  3. Install downloaded PMS. If you current PMS is higher than 1.8.1 you need to remove your current PMS installation first.
  4. Start the new installed PMS
  5. Start Plex and goto Server -> Transcode and turn on the hardware acceleration option.
  6. Open an SSH terminal session and modify the following file

file:/lib/udev/rules.d/60-fix-plex-hw-transcoding.rules
Currently: SUBSYSTEM=="dvb", GROUP="video"
Replace with: SUBSYSTEM=="drm", GROUP="video", MODE="0660"

7.Restart PMS and HW Transcoding should be enabled on your Synology DS216+II

Plex is investigating a solution to make the PMS with hardware decoding working out-of-the-box on a Synology NAS. The issue is caused on how Synology configured the access the transcoder device on the NAS. Solution 2 will be implemented in the next PMS release with hardware transcoding.

More info:

Edit August 11th, 2017: Changed the script as advised by Plex. Thanks to @ChuckPA from Plex for all his efforts.
Edit August 24th 2017: Configure script via Task Scheduler, so no ssh is required. Thanks to @mhofman for the tip.
Edit August 24th 2017: Created 2 solutions (one with, and one without SSH knowledge).
Edit October 3rd 2017: Script 2 has been implemented in PMS version 1.9.3.4290 and higher.

2

Hey,
Thank you for this tutorial but I didn’t understand, HW trasnscoding should improve the transcoding when we play media on devices (Mi Box for me for example) so no more “You server is not power enough …” ?
or should improve the transcoding “inside” plex means it works only for optimisation or synchronisation on Ipad or iPhone for example ?
Thanks again

3

It basically means it will use the GPU in stead of the CPU for transcoding, so no more “Your server is not powerfull enough…” messages. Please keep in mind that hardware transcoding only works with Synology NAS who has a 64-bit Intel CPU. (like the DS216+II).

4

Hummm ok so it’s useless for my ds115j … I really have a to change !

Thank you this quick and clear explanation !

5

Thanks for this! Worked perfectly for my DS716+

6

I have a DS916+. I don’t see the hardware acceleration option anywhere in the Transcoder submenu? I googled the screenshot and I have just that, except there is no line for the hardware acceleration.

What am doing wrong? I removed the PMS package and used Manual Install for this spk.

Thanks

7

Did turn the on the advanced options in the Transcoding menu ?

8

Yeah the Advanced option was toggled on (from Basic). The screen has everything except that line (I’m guessing about two or three options from bottom up) which is puzzling

9

Does one need lifetime flex pass to “activate” this feature? Or just monthly would do?

10

I think a plex subscription is only required to download the file, monthly shouild be fine

11

@snowcarver75 said:
Yeah the Advanced option was toggled on (from Basic). The screen has everything except that line (I’m guessing about two or three options from bottom up) which is puzzling

Can you verify if your running version 1.6.0 ?

12

Yes (it says there is a newer version available next to that). I also tried running just the Docker method using various versions (deb i386 images) but again the transcoder menu doesn’t show that option…

13

@snowcarver75 said:
Yes (it says there is a newer version available next to that). I also tried running just the Docker method using various versions (deb i386 images) but again the transcoder menu doesn’t show that option…

Odd…Are you sure you’re running the 64-bit version of DSM ?

14

Thanks for the turoial, it’s working for me now :slight_smile:
Only HEVC is still transcoded via the cpu. Is there a workaround to enable HEVC transcoding on synology?

15

@benny739 said:
Thanks for the turoial, it’s working for me now :slight_smile:
Only HEVC is still transcoded via the cpu. Is there a workaround to enable HEVC transcoding on synology?

You can try installing the ffmpeg package from synocommunity.com/packages to see if it has any effect. I noticed that it’s working on my NAS now.

16

Thanks for the tip, but on my DS916+ this doesn’t help.
I also noticed, that after every Reboot of the Diskstation, I have to enable Hardware transcoding again. Do you know a way, how I can fix this?

Thanks for your help.

Edit: Fixed the reboot reset by restarting plex once after setting the value. Then after a complete DS reboot the setting persists.

17

Is this still only available for version 1.6.0 or can I use 1.7.5? I don’t have a Plex Pass, so I’m not sure whether that’s why I can’t see the option?

18

The version that is linked in my first post (1.6.0) is still the only version that supports HW transcoding.

19

Weird. I cannot get it to show the option. I am using the DS216+ though (and not the II version), but the difference should be insignificant.
Is it required to be a Plex Pass member in order for the option to appear?

20

@SiewersDK said:
Weird. I cannot get it to show the option. I am using the DS216+ though (and not the II version), but the difference should be insignificant.
Is it required to be a Plex Pass member in order for the option to appear?

Make sure you’re running the Intel 64-bit version of DSM. I don’t think it plex pass related, although I am not sure.