# \[Release\] UnicornTranscoder, create a Plex Transcoding Cluster **URL:** \ **Category:** Dev/API Corner\ **Tags:** other-dev\ **Created:** [July 11, 2018, 11:28am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/release-unicorntranscoder-create-a-plex-transcoding-cluster/281679 "2018-07-11T11:28:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![marcjt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@marcjt](https://forums.plex.tv/u/marcjt)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 7:49pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/release-unicorntranscoder-create-a-plex-transcoding-cluster/281679/84 "2019-08-26T19:49:17Z")
Here is the forum post for the new transcoder version: > [@Plex Media Server 1.16.7.1597 (Updated) - New Transcoder Preview](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-media-server-1-16-7-1573-new-transcoder-preview/451135): > > Hello, forum users! It’s time again for an update to Plex’s transcoding and analysis backend. This is a special forums-only preview release; the changes in this build will be included in an upcoming regular release once any new issues are handled. Please test this version with a variety of different media file formats and clients. If you notice any new issues (specifically ones that don’t also happen on the current beta release), please respond to this discussion instead of starting a new one, … I am not very familiar with Linux, but hopefully I could play around with Ubuntu and get it working. I am open to any suggestions as to the best hardware / price point combination. =) ---
**Author:** ![Maxou44](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/maxou44/32/18226_2.png) [@Maxou44](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Maxou44)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 7:58pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/release-unicorntranscoder-create-a-plex-transcoding-cluster/281679/85 "2019-08-26T19:58:36Z")
# Update time! ## Changes We pushed updates to support the following builds: - 1.16.5.1554-1e5ff713d =\> v2.3.4 - 1.16.6.1559-a71394a45 =\> v2.3.5-dev - 1.16.7.1574-4215f2c66 =\> v2.3.6-alpha ## Update notes - Shutdown your transcoder/load-balancer - Update Plex (with one of the supported build) - Remove [Plex Relay](https://support.plex.tv/articles/216766168-accessing-a-server-through-relay/) - Pull / Download the compatible transcoder for your Plex build - npm i - npm run install - restart Choose the right version for your PMS here: [https://github.com/UnicornTranscoder/UnicornTranscoder/releases](https://github.com/UnicornTranscoder/UnicornTranscoder/releases) If someone can try 2.3.5-dev and 2.3.6-alpha releases on their Plex setup and could be nice to give us feedback 😄 Have a nice day! ---
**Author:** ![Maxou44](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/maxou44/32/18226_2.png) [@Maxou44](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Maxou44)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 6:28pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/release-unicorntranscoder-create-a-plex-transcoding-cluster/281679/86 "2019-10-01T18:28:02Z")
# Unicorn Transcoder Release 2.3.8 ## Changelog - Support for Plex 1.17.0.1841-d42cfa161 - Minors changes to support FFmpeg 4.2 ## Update notes - Shutdown your transcoder/load-balancer - Update Plex to 1.17.0.1841-d42cfa161 - Remove Plex Relay - Pull the 2.3.8 version - npm i - npm run install - restart [https://github.com/UnicornTranscoder/UnicornTranscoder/releases/tag/2.3.8](https://github.com/UnicornTranscoder/UnicornTranscoder/releases/tag/2.3.8) ---
**Author:** ![Maxou44](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/maxou44/32/18226_2.png) [@Maxou44](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Maxou44)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2019, 1:46pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/release-unicorntranscoder-create-a-plex-transcoding-cluster/281679/87 "2019-10-20T13:46:12Z")
# Unicorn Transcoder 2.3.10 / Load Balancer 2.4.0 ## Changelog - Support Plex 1.18.0.1944-f2cae8d6b - Fix parsing issue with FFmpeg 4.2.x - New Image Resizer API - Use 307 instead of a 302 redirect to avoid cloudfront cache issue (AWS) - Update dependencies ## Update notes - Shutdown your transcoder/load-balancer - Update 1.18.0.1944-f2cae8d6b - Remove [Plex Relay](https://support.plex.tv/articles/216766168-accessing-a-server-through-relay/) - Pull the Unicorn Transcoder 2.3.10 and the Unicorn Load Balancer 2.4.0 - npm i - npm run install - restart Note: In general we publish updates few days after and official plex release, all the minors versions aren’t released here, feel free to subscribe to our github to be informed of each update 😉 > **[Release Version 2.4.0 · UnicornTranscoder/UnicornLoadBalancer](https://github.com/UnicornTranscoder/UnicornLoadBalancer/releases/tag/v2.4.0)** > > New Image Resizer API > Use 307 instead of a 302 redirect to avoid cloudfront cache issue (AWS) > Update dependencies > **[Release Version 2.3.10 · UnicornTranscoder/UnicornTranscoder](https://github.com/UnicornTranscoder/UnicornTranscoder/releases/tag/v2.3.10)** > > Support Plex 1.18.0.1944-f2cae8d6b > Fix parsing issue with FFmpeg 4.2.x ---
**Author:** ![tstraus13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@tstraus13](https://forums.plex.tv/u/tstraus13)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 12:00am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/release-unicorntranscoder-create-a-plex-transcoding-cluster/281679/88 "2019-11-12T00:00:54Z")
Does this software take advantage of GPUs that are in a system or does it strictly only use CPU for the transcoding? ---
**Author:** ![Maxou44](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/maxou44/32/18226_2.png) [@Maxou44](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Maxou44)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 7:33am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/release-unicorntranscoder-create-a-plex-transcoding-cluster/281679/89 "2019-11-12T07:33:16Z")
Not actually, feel free to make a pull request to support it ---
**Author:** ![TreMedia](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/tremedia/32/128203_2.png) [@TreMedia](https://forums.plex.tv/u/TreMedia)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 6:44pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/release-unicorntranscoder-create-a-plex-transcoding-cluster/281679/90 "2020-01-15T18:44:31Z")
Do you mean that you have set this all up on a windows 10 machine? That’s what mine is running on and I want to try this out on there. ---
**Author:** ![TreMedia](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/tremedia/32/128203_2.png) [@TreMedia](https://forums.plex.tv/u/TreMedia)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 7:02pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/release-unicorntranscoder-create-a-plex-transcoding-cluster/281679/91 "2020-01-15T19:02:37Z")
Will this work on Windows 10 machines? ---
**Author:** ![Maxou44](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/maxou44/32/18226_2.png) [@Maxou44](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Maxou44)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 9:32pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/release-unicorntranscoder-create-a-plex-transcoding-cluster/281679/92 "2020-01-15T21:32:55Z")
In docker it works. We don’t support windows natively at the moment. Feel free to make a PR to support it ---
**Author:** ![Phet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@Phet](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Phet)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 3:11pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/release-unicorntranscoder-create-a-plex-transcoding-cluster/281679/93 "2020-03-21T15:11:34Z")
> [@duhasst](#): > > /var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Cache/Transcode/ Hi there, ist the latest version compatible with Plex (linux) Server 1.18.8.2527 ---
**Author:** ![Maxou44](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/maxou44/32/18226_2.png) [@Maxou44](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Maxou44)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 5:05pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/release-unicorntranscoder-create-a-plex-transcoding-cluster/281679/94 "2020-03-21T17:05:00Z")
# Unicorn Transcoder 2.4.0 / Load Balancer 2.4.2 ## Changelog - Fix major DASH issue (since an old ffmpeg update) - Update mkdirp dependency (Security) - Remove unused parameter in config.js - Update notes about [Plex Relay](https://support.plex.tv/articles/216766168-accessing-a-server-through-relay/) - Support Plex 1.18.8.2527-740d4c206 ## Update notes - Shutdown your transcoder/load-balancer - Update 1.18.8.2527-740d4c206 - Remove/Disable [Plex Relay](https://support.plex.tv/articles/216766168-accessing-a-server-through-relay/) - Pull the Unicorn Transcoder 2.4.0 and the Unicorn Load Balancer 2.4.2 - npm i - npm run install - restart Note: In general we publish updates few days after and official plex release, all the minors versions aren’t released here, feel free to subscribe to our github to be informed of each update 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Maxou44](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/maxou44/32/18226_2.png) [@Maxou44](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Maxou44)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 10:43pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/release-unicorntranscoder-create-a-plex-transcoding-cluster/281679/95 "2020-03-30T22:43:19Z")
# Unicorn Transcoder 2.4.2 ## Changelog - Support Plex 1.18.9.2578-513b381af - We have a sexy logo now 🥰 ## Update notes - Shutdown your transcoder/load-balancer - Update Plex to 1.18.9.2578-513b381af - Remove [Plex Relay](https://support.plex.tv/articles/216766168-accessing-a-server-through-relay/) - Pull the 2.4.2 version - npm i - npm run install - restart > **[Release Version 2.4.2 · UnicornTranscoder/UnicornTranscoder](https://github.com/UnicornTranscoder/UnicornTranscoder/releases/tag/v2.4.2)** > > Support Plex 1.18.9.2578-513b381af > We have a sexy logo now 🥰 ---
**Author:** ![KDVxi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7cd45c/32.png) [@KDVxi](https://forums.plex.tv/u/KDVxi)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 3:50am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/release-unicorntranscoder-create-a-plex-transcoding-cluster/281679/96 "2020-03-31T03:50:36Z")
@Maxou44 I’ve got a lot going on over here. How can I help your team get GPU based hardware encoding working on this? ---
**Author:** ![Maxou44](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/maxou44/32/18226_2.png) [@Maxou44](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Maxou44)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 6:50am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/release-unicorntranscoder-create-a-plex-transcoding-cluster/281679/97 "2020-03-31T06:50:02Z")
To support this feature we need time, we don’t use hardware transcoding on our side, it will be really complicated to support 🤔 ---
**Author:** ![king0demons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc8723/32.png) [@king0demons](https://forums.plex.tv/u/king0demons)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 1:50am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/release-unicorntranscoder-create-a-plex-transcoding-cluster/281679/98 "2020-04-10T01:50:53Z")
Does this plugin support quick sync transcoding, or is it strictly cpu power? ---
**Author:** ![Maxou44](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/maxou44/32/18226_2.png) [@Maxou44](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Maxou44)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 6:11am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/release-unicorntranscoder-create-a-plex-transcoding-cluster/281679/99 "2020-04-10T06:11:29Z")
We don’t support hardware transcoding ---
**Author:** ![mikl0s](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/mikl0s/32/91554_2.png) [@mikl0s](https://forums.plex.tv/u/mikl0s)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2020, 9:48am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/release-unicorntranscoder-create-a-plex-transcoding-cluster/281679/100 "2020-04-13T09:48:57Z")
Since you use ffmpeg to do the transcoding and ffmpeg supports hardware transcoding, why not just make that an option in your ffmpeg setup? ---
**Author:** ![Maxou44](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/maxou44/32/18226_2.png) [@Maxou44](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Maxou44)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2020, 6:50pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/release-unicorntranscoder-create-a-plex-transcoding-cluster/281679/101 "2020-04-13T18:50:09Z")
Because it’s not so easy 🙃 Plex generates ffmpeg arguments itself based on the current machine and current streams. If we want to support that, we need to recreate a “streaming brain” and generate ffmpeg args on our side ---
**Author:** ![mikl0s](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/mikl0s/32/91554_2.png) [@mikl0s](https://forums.plex.tv/u/mikl0s)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2020, 8:20pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/release-unicorntranscoder-create-a-plex-transcoding-cluster/281679/102 "2020-04-13T20:20:12Z")
Ahh okay so you pass through the settings on raw to ffmpeg so the user can control their profiles - makes sense. I do think a quality/profile converter that allows for injecting hardware transcoding should be on the roadmap for you guys 🙂 Or someone get Plex to add an “advanced” option to force hardware transcoding on the server regardless if hardware has been detected - that way you don’t need to reinvent the wheel 🙂 In fact they should make an option to enable 3rd party transcoding and make “always hardware encoding” an option you just enable for 3rd party transcoders. Now you have better integration and you can support hardware transcoding. Imagine the amount of low power plex server options this enables - by having remote transcoding hardware you could run the server of a tiny thing like a Raspberry Pi and have your gaming rig do the transcoding - I could imagine that would increase the Plex installbase considerably 🙂 Even a low power NAS could be a proper Plex server setup this way. ---
**Author:** ![Maxou44](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/maxou44/32/18226_2.png) [@Maxou44](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Maxou44)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2020, 12:30pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/release-unicorntranscoder-create-a-plex-transcoding-cluster/281679/103 "2020-04-14T12:30:37Z")
There is a lot of rules for hardware transcoding, we can’t always force it. Some graphic cards have a limited transcoding capacity and all servers don’t have the same hardware. The best way is to create a “streaming brain”, I am working on it for a side project, I hope one day, we will be able to plug it on Plex 😌 [Previous page](https://forums.plex.tv/t/release-unicorntranscoder-create-a-plex-transcoding-cluster/281679.md?page=4) [Next page](https://forums.plex.tv/t/release-unicorntranscoder-create-a-plex-transcoding-cluster/281679.md?page=6)