Proxmox, ubuntu, Nvidia PMS transcoding?

[dkict]

Hey Guys,

I am using proxmox VE, on a pretty OK machine with an Nvidia Quadro 600.
Now I liked to use the HW transcoding to actually have a fast transcode. I could run it on the CPU itself, but I have the Quadro and I want to use it.

My system:
mobo: supermicro x9drl-if
CPU: 2x Xeon E5-2680 V2 @ 2.80ghz (40 logical cpu’s)
RAM: 256 GB LRDIMM ECC
GPU: Nvidia Quadro 600

I have followed this guide: https://www.reddit.com/r/homelab/comments/b5xpua/the_ultimate_beginners_guide_to_gpu_passthrough/ But I wanted to use Ubuntu, I’ve tried windows before, didn’t work.

LSPCI output gave me:

03:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GF108GL [Quadro 600] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
        Subsystem: NVIDIA Corporation GF108GL [Quadro 600]
        Flags: fast devsel, IRQ 11, NUMA node 0
        Memory at dd000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=16M]
        Memory at d0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [disabled] [size=128M]
        Memory at d8000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [disabled] [size=32M]
        I/O ports at 8000 [disabled] [size=128]
        Expansion ROM at de000000 [disabled] [size=512K]
        Capabilities: [60] Power Management version 3
        Capabilities: [68] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
        Capabilities: [78] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
        Capabilities: [b4] Vendor Specific Information: Len=14 <?>
        Capabilities: [100] Virtual Channel
        Capabilities: [128] Power Budgeting <?>
        Capabilities: [600] Vendor Specific Information: ID=0001 Rev=1 Len=024 <?>
        Kernel driver in use: vfio-pci
        Kernel modules: nvidiafb, nouveau

My VM qemu config:

balloon: 1024
bios: ovmf
bootdisk: scsi0
cores: 4
cpu: host
efidisk0: local-lvm:vm-100-disk-0,size=128K
hostpci0: 03:00,pcie=1
ide2: none,media=cdrom
machine: q35
memory: 8192
name: plex
net0: virtio=8E:E4:0F:FF:E7:26,bridge=vmbr0,firewall=1
numa: 0
ostype: l26
scsi0: plexdisk:vm-100-disk-0,cache=writeback,size=20G,ssd=1
scsihw: virtio-scsi-single
smbios1: uuid=bf9e524e-ab1c-438b-adae-4949b9959fb8
sockets: 1
vga: virtio
vmgenid: 87e05838-3267-46c4-b5ea-7b33e4d790a3

I already fiddled with the settings rombar on, rombar off and such.
To test the HW transcode I have turned it on on PMS and I tried a HEVC try-out video clip from here: http://jell.yfish.us/ (those are swimming jellyfishes.
I am kinda losing it at the moment since loads of stuff isn’t helping

if you can tell me which plex log you need I also can provide that
Thanks in common guys!

Cheers,
Dennis

[ChuckPa]

Dennis,

Are you wanting to switch from ProxMox to Ubuntu?

[dkict]

Hi Chuck,

Sorry I guess wrong grammer;
I have proxmox and I want to use the GPU inside a ubuntu VM

[ChuckPa]

Two problems:

1. Proxmox - Not a supported distro
2. Ubuntu in a VM on Proxmox - Seriously difficult if not impossible passthrough

Ubuntu with the nVidia drivers is trivial. Throw it in a VM and it’s bad enough, Proxmox killed it. sorry.

Your best hope is to ask in the Proxmox forums.

[dkict]

Ah too bad! AMD was working fine though. but that card doesn’t fit the rack case.
it seems Nvidia is the horrible dragon to slay here I have literally no luck with any of the nvidia cards in any VM. but thanks

[ChuckPa]

nVidia cards in VMs ARE a problem - which is why I stated it the way I did.

If you ran nVidia cards, in a VMWare (bare machine hypervisor -type 1) VM, you’d have an easy time. Otherwise, it’ll ‘bust body parts’ if you hear what I’m saying.

[dkict]

Hi Chuck,

Got it to work… kind of.
I had this GTX 750 TI laying around so I gave that a spin.
Drivers installed and everything looks okay.

This is the nvidia smi output inside a vm:

But still hurting my CPU:

← no HW sign

But it is enabled:

Is that the GPU, Proxmox or some plex issue?

Thanks,
Dennis

[TeknoJunky]

Video Encode and Decode GPU Support Matrix | NVIDIA Developer

your gpu does not support 4k/hevc decoding

your best bet is a 10, 16, or 20 series gpu. Or p2000 quadro.

see also Plex, 4k, transcoding, and you

[dkict]

hm thanks. what about 1080p?

[TeknoJunky]

@dkict

what about 1080p?

@TeknoJunky

your gpu does not support 4k/hevc decoding

ANY hevc.

[dkict]

Thanks man! it works! but only at a maximum of 10bit

[TeknoJunky]

It does not work.

otherwise you would have TWO (hw).

like this

Please read the 2 links I provided above.

They provide all the answers.

[dkict]

I know, but it actually is working.
I’ve read the two links you provided, changed nothing.
For my previous post it had 2% cpu usage and the GTX showed a spike.
When I started the converting for a lower quality it gave me:

Thanks for the push in the right direction! it works now, IN A VM

[TeknoJunky]

your red sparrow picture is working.

but your other picture above with jellyfish-10-mbps-hd-hevc is not working.

because your gpu does not support HEVC.

you can do x264, but not HEVC.

the nvidia link has a chart of exactly what CODEC’s are supported for your gpu and others.

[dkict]

I have looked at the coded for 4 times now. Maybe I’m stupid but for GTX750 TI it says: H.265 (HEVC) 4K YUV 4:2:0 inside the chart you sent over

[TeknoJunky]

no, unfortunately you have a 750TI

the gtx 750 (no TI) does support hevc decode.

the difference is 750 ti is 1st gen, the 750 is 2nd gen.