# Plex not using Intel Quick Sync for 4K HEVC content **URL:** \ **Category:** Plex Media Server\ **Tags:** server-linux\ **Created:** [March 1, 2021, 2:37pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-using-intel-quick-sync-for-4k-hevc-content/695946 "2021-03-01T14:37:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CaptainRedHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/94ad74/32.png) [@CaptainRedHat](https://forums.plex.tv/u/CaptainRedHat)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 2:37pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-using-intel-quick-sync-for-4k-hevc-content/695946/1 "2021-03-01T14:37:01Z")
I’ve been a Plex user for several years. The last few years, I’ve been running my Plex server on an old AMD FX-6300 system and it’s been doing good for my needs until recently. It had troubles transcoding 4K HEVC streams to the point where they were unplayable. I read up on hardware transcoding using Intel Quick Sync and since I have Plex pass, I decided to buy new hardware for my server. I put together an i7-10700k system and installed Ubuntu Server 20.04.2 LTS and the latest version of Plex media server on it. I made sure hardware transcoding is enabled, but it looks like 4K HEVC streams are still using the software transcoder, even though this processor supports transcoding it (the dashboard isn’t showing the (hw) tag on the stream). Looking at htop shows about 50% cpu utilization and intel\_gpu\_top shows no gpu usage when transcoding 4K HEVC to 720p. When transcoding a 1080p file to 720p, cpu utilization is basically nothing and intel\_gpu\_top shows gpu utilization. File info shows the video as HEVC 5.1 Main 10. I do have the dependencies for tone mapping installed (Beignet) and I reinstalled the plexmediaserver package after installing the dependencies. Is there something I’m missing? Thanks in advance. Server Version#: 1.21.4.4079 Player Version#: 7.13 on iOS ![2021-03-01 08_07_01-Plex - Brave](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/5/5/55ed3cc6ee30c097e54fa19b93ab3b09950533d9.jpeg) [Plex\_Transcode\_logs.txt](https://forums.plex.tv/uploads/short-url/of7cxI3TpRC5HI8cNs8f3N9TIxL.txt) (283.6 KB) ---
**Author:** ![IFireflyl](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ifireflyl/32/277901_2.png) [@IFireflyl](https://forums.plex.tv/u/IFireflyl)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 2:43pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-using-intel-quick-sync-for-4k-hevc-content/695946/2 "2021-03-01T14:43:39Z")
> [@\[INFO\] Plex, 4k, transcoding, and you - aka the rules of 4k](https://forums.plex.tv/t/info-plex-4k-transcoding-and-you-aka-the-rules-of-4k/378203/1): > > \*\*\* TONE MAPPING SUPPORT ADDED @ [HDR to SDR Tone Mapping | Plex Support](https://support.plex.tv/articles/hdr-to-sdr-tone-mapping/) \*\*\* > do note: enabling tone mapping potentially can cause your server to no longer be able to transcode 4k due to the extra load, especially on windows (only cpu currently supported). I found the above quote, and it’s possible this applies here since you’re transcoding an HDR title. ---
**Author:** ![CaptainRedHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/94ad74/32.png) [@CaptainRedHat](https://forums.plex.tv/u/CaptainRedHat)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 2:47pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-using-intel-quick-sync-for-4k-hevc-content/695946/3 "2021-03-01T14:47:37Z")
My server can transcode 4k no problem (i7-10700k). I’m just wondering why it’s using the software transcoder instead of the Quick Sync hardware transcoder. ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 4:09pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-using-intel-quick-sync-for-4k-hevc-content/695946/4 "2021-03-01T16:09:04Z")
Transcoder log file isn’t enough data. Need the “Plex Media Server.log” (at minimum) , DEBUG logging , VERBOSE OFF, which captures the start of playback, 20 seconds of playback, and termination. (this is why the full ZIP is easier). We need the “MDE” , hardware probe, and Transcoder invocation. ---
**Author:** ![CaptainRedHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/94ad74/32.png) [@CaptainRedHat](https://forums.plex.tv/u/CaptainRedHat)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 4:33pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-using-intel-quick-sync-for-4k-hevc-content/695946/5 "2021-03-01T16:33:38Z")
That’s just what I named the file. I got it from the console tab in the UI with debug logging and verbose off. I’ll PM you a log bundle. ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 5:15pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-using-intel-quick-sync-for-4k-hevc-content/695946/6 "2021-03-01T17:15:03Z")
@CaptainRedHat It’s attempting the HW transcode but falling back to SW May I see the XML for a few of these which fail? Also, you do have the Beignet and OpenCL libraries installed for HEVC HDR transcoding? ---
**Author:** ![CaptainRedHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/94ad74/32.png) [@CaptainRedHat](https://forums.plex.tv/u/CaptainRedHat)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 5:25pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-using-intel-quick-sync-for-4k-hevc-content/695946/7 "2021-03-01T17:25:09Z")
@ChuckPa Yeah I do have both of those libraries installed. I also reinstalled the plexmediaserver package after installing those packages to make sure it picked up that configuration. I’ve attached XML’s from 3 movies that fall back to software transcoding. ![Screenshot from 2021-03-01 11-20-51](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/7/5/75e3c26770977493c45dc373f0c7f0c0e0f2c5f0.png) [4k\_HEVC\_XMLs.zip](https://forums.plex.tv/uploads/short-url/b7FRblGEAz8Bbwq2CKWHFjvyhUC.zip) (57.4 KB) ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 5:45pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-using-intel-quick-sync-for-4k-hevc-content/695946/8 "2021-03-01T17:45:29Z")
@CaptainRedHat Try something for me? 1. Create a new temporary library of type Home Videos. 2. In that library, place a remuxed version of these movies. 3. When you remux them, Remove the PGS subtitles. 4. PGS subtitles (or any burned in) will suppress HW transcoding. ---
**Author:** ![CaptainRedHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/94ad74/32.png) [@CaptainRedHat](https://forums.plex.tv/u/CaptainRedHat)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 8:04pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-using-intel-quick-sync-for-4k-hevc-content/695946/9 "2021-03-01T20:04:38Z")
@ChuckPa I used MKVToolNix to remove the Subtitle tracks from each of those movies, but it’s still not using hardware transcoding with those files. I verified that there are no subtitle tracks available using VLC. ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 8:18pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-using-intel-quick-sync-for-4k-hevc-content/695946/10 "2021-03-01T20:18:25Z")
Good. Let’s construct a careful log for the transcoder team. (They said it should be supported without issue). 1. Please report status of **Settings - Server - Transcoder** a. HW transcoding settings b. HEVC HDR settings. 2. Kernel version and Distro (Centos 7 or 8 ?) 3. With DEBUG logging on, VERBOSE logging off, (restart PMS if possible) 4. Play for 1 minute 5. Stop Playback 6. Let logs flush (20 seconds) 7. Download the Logs ZIP file 8. Attach please with info about your settings. ---
**Author:** ![CaptainRedHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/94ad74/32.png) [@CaptainRedHat](https://forums.plex.tv/u/CaptainRedHat)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 9:00pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-using-intel-quick-sync-for-4k-hevc-content/695946/11 "2021-03-01T21:00:13Z")
@ChuckPa 1. Here are my HW Transcoding settings: 2. Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS (GNU/Linux 5.4.0-66-generic x86\_64) 3. Here’s the new log bundle [Plex Media Server Logs\_2021-03-01\_20-59-08.zip](https://forums.plex.tv/uploads/short-url/n0Wwt9lFbh69x1hqHlcldvQ2zLi.zip) (4.4 MB) ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 9:25pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-using-intel-quick-sync-for-4k-hevc-content/695946/12 "2021-03-01T21:25:38Z")
Thank you… This is excellent. May I have a sample of the file ? If you can snip 15 seconds worth using FFMPEG and then posting a link, that would be great. ( Don’t think it would fit here otherwise ) ---
**Author:** ![CaptainRedHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/94ad74/32.png) [@CaptainRedHat](https://forums.plex.tv/u/CaptainRedHat)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 9:34pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-using-intel-quick-sync-for-4k-hevc-content/695946/13 "2021-03-01T21:34:34Z")
Here you go! > **[black.panther.sample.mkv (video)](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b5Urtq0hzuf7a8-dFYfm9jKscr6rt292/view?usp=sharing)** > > Google Drive file. ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 10:09pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-using-intel-quick-sync-for-4k-hevc-content/695946/14 "2021-03-01T22:09:38Z")
@CaptainRedHat Your video sample did not fully engage hardware for me either. (i7-8809g). It should have engaged the HEVC HW decode – It did not. Please take this file, place it in your Samples/Other Videos area. and play it. This file provides me full HW decode, HW encode, and HDR. This is a 2 minute sample file > **[ChuckPa-BP.mkv (video)](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mVf6oHEpYkipGomMfH7-TQC8pVp9D88J/view?usp=sharing)** > > Google Drive file. ---
**Author:** ![IFireflyl](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ifireflyl/32/277901_2.png) [@IFireflyl](https://forums.plex.tv/u/IFireflyl)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 10:16pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-using-intel-quick-sync-for-4k-hevc-content/695946/15 "2021-03-01T22:16:18Z")
> [@ChuckPa](#): > > This is a 2 minute [sample file](https://support.plex.tv/articles/201035968-generating-sample-files-from-media/) I played both of the files uploaded by you two outside of Plex (using MPC-HC with madVR), and while your file is playing as a proper HEVC file, the OP’s file is not. I don’t know if that’s due to a difference in the way you shortened the file, but if it’s not then that would leave me to believe there was an issue with the rip. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong as I am relatively new to all of this. ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 10:18pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-using-intel-quick-sync-for-4k-hevc-content/695946/16 "2021-03-01T22:18:45Z")
@IFireflyl I believe there is an issue with the @CaptainRedHat 's rip. The results of playing my rip will also let us know if there is a deeper problem with the -10xxx CPU (which there should not be) ---
**Author:** ![CaptainRedHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/94ad74/32.png) [@CaptainRedHat](https://forums.plex.tv/u/CaptainRedHat)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 10:44pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-using-intel-quick-sync-for-4k-hevc-content/695946/17 "2021-03-01T22:44:41Z")
@ChuckPa I tried playing your sample file and it’s still not hardware transcoding. ![2021-03-01 16_43_32-Plex - Brave](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/1/b/1b3f5ca65f931211ff5589d03b5241d22b62a5e5.png) ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2021, 11:07pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-using-intel-quick-sync-for-4k-hevc-content/695946/18 "2021-03-01T23:07:35Z")
Logs ? We know the file is good Also, did you try transcoding to something more than 2 Mbps 720p ? I wonder if that’s not part of the problem Play it LOCAL, in the browser, 10 Mbps 1080p ---
**Author:** ![CaptainRedHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/94ad74/32.png) [@CaptainRedHat](https://forums.plex.tv/u/CaptainRedHat)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2021, 4:50am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-using-intel-quick-sync-for-4k-hevc-content/695946/19 "2021-03-02T04:50:47Z")
@ChuckPa Sorry man, it’s been a long day lol. Logs attached. I followed the same procedure as before, except local in the browser 10 Mbps 1080p. [Plex Media Server Logs\_2021-03-02\_04-49-10.zip](https://forums.plex.tv/uploads/short-url/ecE5bIRZhifB4R6Aj9GMXL6ruwe.zip) (4.1 MB) ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2021, 6:18am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-using-intel-quick-sync-for-4k-hevc-content/695946/20 "2021-03-02T06:18:44Z")
Thank you for doing that. The same error I saw before was repeated. I will forward this to the engineer I’m working with and ask what additional information is needed if any. [Next page](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-using-intel-quick-sync-for-4k-hevc-content/695946.md?page=2)