Plex Transcoder Cannot Initialize VAAPI on Intel Arc Pro A40 (DG2)

[Menel]

Pretty simple.
Ubuntu Desktop LTS, Docker, as below:

Home cameras via Homebridge Docker get routed through igpu.
Plex gets directed to the sparkle a310.

[Paolino625]

Hello everyone.

I wanted to point out that I’m experiencing the exact same problem as slhogg.

Environment

Hardware

• CPU: AMD 9700X
• GPU: Intel Arc A380
• Host OS: Proxmox 9.1.2 (kernel 6.17.2-2-pve)
• GPU passthrough: via PCIe to LXC (works correctly)

LXC

• OS: Ubuntu 25.10
• Kernel: 6.17.2-2-pve
• CPU: 6 cores
• Memory: 2 GB
• Drivers: xe drivers loaded
• Plex user: plex

Plex

• Plex Media Server version: 1.43.0.10389
• Installation method: Proxmox Helper Scripts ( Proxmox VE Helper-Scripts )
• GPU selected in Settings → Transcoder: Intel DG2 Arc A380

Analysis

I followed the same debugging steps and got the same results.

1) vainfo

sudo -u plex vainfo --display drm --device /dev/dri/renderD128

Works correctly.

2) ffmpeg with VAAPI

sudo -u plex ffmpeg -hwaccel vaapi -vaapi_device /dev/dri/renderD128 -i "/mnt/synology/videoPaolo/Video.mp4" -t 5 -f null -

Works correctly.

3) Plex Transcoder with VAAPI

sudo -u plex /usr/lib/plexmediaserver/Plex\ Transcoder\ -hwaccel vaapi\ -hwaccel_device /dev/dri/renderD128\ -vaapi_device /dev/dri/renderD128\ -i "/mnt/synology/videoPaolo/Video.mp4"\ -t 5\ -f null -

Does not work.

[AVHWDeviceContext @ 0x7d3afdce8dc0] Failed to initialise VAAPI connection: -1 (unknown libva error).
Device creation failed: -5.
Failed to set value '/dev/dri/renderD128' for option 'vaapi_device': I/O error
Error parsing global options: I/O error

---

Conclusion

Unlike slhogg I’m running a different GPU (Intel Arc A380).
It appears to be supported in Plex based on other users’ reports, but I’m running into the same issue, so it looks like we’re in the same boat.

Has the Plex team shared any updates on a fix?
In the meantime, does anyone know of a reliable workaround? It’s honestly pretty frustrating because I bought the A380 specifically to use it with Plex for hardware transcoding, and right now I can’t.

Thanks everyone in advance for any help or suggestions.

[ChuckPa]

We’re finishing the new build system and repository.
(what I’m working on today)

Chris will be able to build proper packages VERY soon.

With this:

sudo -u plex /usr/lib/plexmediaserver/Plex\ Transcoder\ -hwaccel vaapi\ -hwaccel_device /dev/dri/renderD128\ -vaapi_device /dev/dri/renderD128\ -i “/mnt/synology/videoPaolo/Video.mp4”\ -t 5\ -f null -

Why are you escaping the spaces which are required ?

1. Plex\ Transcoder requires the escaping or quotes
2. -hwaccel vaapi\ -hwaccel_device /dev/dri/renderD128 are discrete args.
   → -hwaccel vaapi -hwaccel_device /dev/dri/renderD128 (example)

[Paolino625]

Thank you for the update, looking forward to the fix!

Regarding the escaping/quoting: I copied slhogg’s command incorrectly: the backslashes were only for line breaks.
For convenience, I’m pasting the correct command below in case anyone wants to try it.

sudo -u plex "/usr/lib/plexmediaserver/Plex Transcoder" -hwaccel vaapi -hwaccel_device /dev/dri/renderD128 -vaapi_device /dev/dri/renderD128 -i "/mnt/synology/videoPaolo/Video.mp4" -t 5 -f null -

[ChuckPa]

If you look in the PMS logs DEBUG enabled,

The FFMPEG command can be copied out and used as-is

[Morphy]

Hi

Sorry for asking here, but im also trying to get the new xe to run with my Proxmox setup. I have an Intel Core Ultra i9 285T running on Proxmox Host with 6.17.4-2-pve .

LXC container is running Ubuntu 24.04

If I change my PVE host grub to:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet intel_iommu=on iommu=pt i915.force_probe=!7d67 xe.force_probe=7d67"

I can see that the xe driver is loaded:

root@pve:~# lspci -nnk | grep -A 3 VGA
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Arrow Lake-S [Intel Graphics] [8086:7d67] (rev 06)
        DeviceName: To Be Filled by O.E.M.
        Subsystem: ASRock Incorporation Device [1849:7d67]
        Kernel driver in use: xe
--
80:14.5 Non-VGA unclassified device [0000]: Intel Corporation Device [8086:7f2f] (rev 10)
        Subsystem: ASRock Incorporation Device [1849:7f2f]
80:15.0 Serial bus controller [0c80]: Intel Corporation Device [8086:7f4c] (rev 10)
        Subsystem: ASRock Incorporation Device [1849:7d67]

But I can’t seem to get plex to work with xe ? Can you maybe assist me here?

@ChuckPa Maybe you could give me a hint ?

[Morphy]

Seeing new Intel drivers are on its way :

The following upgrades have been deferred due to phasing:
  i965-va-driver libdrm-amdgpu1 libdrm-common libdrm-intel1 libdrm-nouveau2 libdrm2 libva-drm2 libva-wayland2 libva-x11-2 libva2
  python3-distupgrade ubuntu-release-upgrader-core va-driver-all
The following packages have been kept back:
  mesa-libgallium mesa-va-drivers

sudo apt-cache policy mesa-va-drivers
mesa-va-drivers:
  Installed: 25.0.7-0ubuntu0.24.04.2
  Candidate: 25.2.8-0ubuntu0.24.04.1
  Version table:
     25.2.8-0ubuntu0.24.04.1 500 (phased 20%)
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-updates/universe amd64 Packages
 *** 25.0.7-0ubuntu0.24.04.2 100
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     24.0.5-1ubuntu1 500
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble/universe amd64 Packages

Hopefully fix for xe? Dont know - but will def. test it out

[syobwoc]

any update on this issue? I recently bought an Intel Arc Pro b50 and i’m running into the same issue. Is there a specific build I should try? Thank you!

[FordGuy61]

@syobwoc

Intel Arc Pro b50

See this thread for Battlemage GPUs: Battlemage Support - #245 by chris_decker08