# Transcode artifacts with newest release
**URL:** https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcode-artifacts-with-newest-release/861977
**Category:** Plex Media Server
**Tags:** server-linux
**Created:** [December 6, 2023, 9:40am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcode-artifacts-with-newest-release/861977 "2023-12-06T09:40:08Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@takesnodamage](https://forums.plex.tv/u/takesnodamage)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2023, 9:40am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcode-artifacts-with-newest-release/861977/1 "2023-12-06T09:40:08Z")
Server Version#: 1.32.5.7349
Debian x64 with GeminiLake CPU
When I upgrade from 1.32.5.7349 to 1.32.8.7639 I get vertical color banding on transcoded video.
Banding on 1.32.8.7639:
[ ](https://i.imgur.com/Qnq8Zey.png)
After rolling back to 1.32.5.7349:
[ ](https://i.imgur.com/iA5pRJJ.png)
Messages when upgrading:
PlexMediaServer install: PlexMediaServer-1.32.8.7639-fb6452ebf - Installation starting.
PlexMediaServer install:
PlexMediaServer install: Now installing based on:
PlexMediaServer install: Installation Type: Update
PlexMediaServer install: Process Control: systemd
PlexMediaServer install: Plex User: plex
PlexMediaServer install: Plex Group: plex
PlexMediaServer install: Video Group: render
PlexMediaServer install: Metadata Dir: /var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support
PlexMediaServer install: Temp Directory: /dev/shm (set in Preferences.xml)
PlexMediaServer install: Lang Encoding: en\_US.UTF-8
PlexMediaServer install: Processor: Intel(R) Celeron(R) J4125 CPU @ 2.00GHz
PlexMediaServer install: Intel i915 Hardware: Found
PlexMediaServer install: Nvidia GPU card: Not Found
PlexMediaServer install:
PlexMediaServer install: Completing final configuration.
/var/lib/dpkg/info/plexmediaserver.postinst: line 527: gpg: command not found
PlexMediaServer install: WARNING: Unable to install Plex GPG signing key in /usr/share/keyrings/plexmediaserver.gpg
PlexMediaServer install: PlexMediaServer-1.32.8.7639-fb6452ebf - Installation successful. Errors: 0, Warnings: 1
Messages when rolling back:
PlexMediaServer install: PlexMediaServer-1.32.5.7349-8f4248874 - Installation starting.
PlexMediaServer install:
PlexMediaServer install: Now installing based on:
PlexMediaServer install: Installation Type: Update
PlexMediaServer install: Process Control: systemd
PlexMediaServer install: Plex User: plex
PlexMediaServer install: Plex Group: plex
PlexMediaServer install: Video Group: render
PlexMediaServer install: Metadata Dir: /var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support
PlexMediaServer install: Temp Directory: /dev/shm (set in Preferences.xml)
PlexMediaServer install: Lang Encoding: en\_US.UTF-8
PlexMediaServer install: Processor: Intel(R) Celeron(R) J4125 CPU @ 2.00GHz
PlexMediaServer install: Intel i915 Hardware: Found
PlexMediaServer install: Nvidia GPU card: Not Found
PlexMediaServer install:
PlexMediaServer install: Completing final configuration.
PlexMediaServer install: PlexMediaServer-1.32.5.7349-8f4248874 - Installation successful. Errors: 0, Warnings: 0
---
### Author:  [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2023, 3:52pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcode-artifacts-with-newest-release/861977/2 "2023-12-06T15:52:17Z")
With 1.32.5 , due to the problem with the GeminiLake HW transcoding (not supported by Intel Compute Runtime / Intel Media Driver) you were getting software transcoding.
As of 1.32.7 and continuing with 1.32.8, we fixed this so you do get HW transcoding.
My first question is; May I see the media info?
My concern is:
- Encoding (codec)
- Bitrate
My next concern is output (playback) setting (bitrate / quality)
May I see DEBUG logs ZIP file which capture this problem?
---
### Author:  [@takesnodamage](https://forums.plex.tv/u/takesnodamage)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2023, 2:47am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcode-artifacts-with-newest-release/861977/3 "2023-12-07T02:47:13Z")
My Dashboard shows hardware transcoding (HW) and when I enable it (Use hardware acceleration when available) my CPU usage drops noticeably which I thought indicated it was working.
I tested two files and saw the same light banding in both.
**First file:**
Media
Duration 2:03:56
Bitrate 2225 kbps
Width 1916
Height 816
Aspect Ratio 2.35
Video Resolution 1080p
Container MP4
Video Frame Rate 24p
Web Optimized No
Audio Profile lc
Video Profile main 10
Part
Duration 2:03:56
File .mp4
Size 1.93 GB
Audio Profile lc
Container MP4
Web Optimized No
Video Profile main 10
Codec HEVC
Bitrate 2001 kbps
Bit Depth 10
Chroma Location left
Chroma Subsampling 4:2:0
Codec ID hev1
Coded Height 816
Coded Width 1920
Color Range tv
Frame Rate 24 fps
Height 816
Level 4.0
Profile main 10
Ref Frames 1
Stream Identifier 1
Width 1916
Display Title 1080p (HEVC Main 10)
Extended Display Title 1080p (HEVC Main 10)
Codec AAC
Channels 2
Bitrate 224 kbps
Language English
Language Tag en
Audio Channel Layout stereo
Profile lc
Sampling Rate 48000 Hz
Stream Identifier 2
Display Title English (AAC Stereo)
Extended Display Title English (AAC Stereo)
**Second file:**
Media
Duration 29:06
Bitrate 1069 kbps
Width 1920
Height 1080
Aspect Ratio 1.78
Video Resolution 1080p
Container MKV
Video Frame Rate 24p
Video Profile main 10
Part
Duration 29:06
File .mkv
Size 223.22 MB
Container MKV
Video Profile main 10
Codec HEVC
Bitrate 813 kbps
Bit Depth 10
Chroma Location left
Chroma Subsampling 4:2:0
Coded Height 1088
Coded Width 1920
Color Range tv
Frame Rate 23.976 fps
Height 1080
Level 4.0
Profile main 10
Ref Frames 1
Scan Type progressive
Width 1920
Display Title 1080p (HEVC Main 10)
Extended Display Title 1080p (HEVC Main 10)
Codec EAC3
Channels 6
Bitrate 256 kbps
Language English
Language Tag en
Audio Channel Layout 5.1(side)
Sampling Rate 48000 Hz
Display Title English (EAC3 5.1)
Extended Display Title English (EAC3 5.1)
Codec ASS
Language English
Language Tag en
Title English
Display Title English (ASS)
Extended Display Title English (ASS)
In both cases I was transcoding down to 720 HD (High) 4 Mbps. My server’s upload isn’t fast enough to play full 1080 without buffering, but I tested it with the opening credits to the movie file \> Convert (Maximum) and the banding was not present, it appeared when I set the quality down to 720.
[Plex Media Server Logs\_2023-12-06\_20-44-15.zip](https://forums.plex.tv/uploads/short-url/k6DOWgfJWlyeZyJkPUpdUl1Cp1Z.zip) (82.7 KB)
For the above logs I started playing a file at full quality, saw no banding, set quality to 720 and the banding appeared.
---
### Author:  [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2023, 3:34am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcode-artifacts-with-newest-release/861977/4 "2023-12-07T03:34:05Z")
Both those videos are of such low quality there are going to be issues lowering to 720p. 2 Mbps? Not great to start with.
You’re going to get output in the kb/s because of the resolution change.
Here are two videos which you can try.
Here’s 1080p at proper 20 Mbps source.
> **[jellyfish-20-mbps-hd-h264.mkv](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i_yeLrwGVYMgv2zTUGA67EUBASmEk2HH/view?usp=sharing)**
>
> Google Drive file.
> **[jellyfish-20-mbps-hd-hevc.mkv](https://drive.google.com/file/d/12QSKedmX3bKw5N5ZkLTC_gtkK4Mjmn7R/view?usp=sharing)**
>
> Google Drive file.
If you get banding from that, please screen capture it and attach the logs.
---
### Author:  [@takesnodamage](https://forums.plex.tv/u/takesnodamage)
#### Post date: [December 10, 2023, 5:44am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcode-artifacts-with-newest-release/861977/5 "2023-12-10T05:44:24Z")
I was able to test these files while local to the server so playing them at full quality wasn’t an issue. I did not notice any banding from either file, at full quality or 720p. My Dashboard does toggle the (hw) when I turn hardware transcoding on and off, and if I play a file without HW it spikes my CPU to near 100%, while with HW it drops to near zero.
I also went back to the files I originally saw banding on and the banding still appears, so it looks like it is something to do with those type of files. The question I have now is why does it happen with 1.32.8.7639 but not 1.32.5.7349?
Something I forgot to mention, a few weeks ago I also tried the workaround you mentioned in one of the troubleshooting threads:
> [@PMS 1.32.6+ HW transcoding issues and corrections](https://forums.plex.tv/t/pms-1-32-6-hw-transcoding-issues-and-corrections/853757/202):
>
> ALL: For those with the GeminiLake problem, a workaround has been devised. This same workaround is how we pinpointed where the deviation occurred and what and why the changes are needed. We have a file for you to test with. There are specific instructions : Place this file in the Cache/va-dri-linux-x86\_64 directory under Plex Media Server unzip it It will look like this when done. (You will also have other files in there. Don’t worry) root@geminilake:/var/lib/plexmediaserver/P…
But after moving the .so file and adding the i965 entry in Preferences.xml I saw the same kind of vertical light banding in another file. I took the entry back out of Preferences.xml and the artifacts went away.
So now it’s starting to look like an issue with these more modest quality files and i965?
Below are clips from my Dashboard showing the two test files being played in both PMS versions, as well as a CPU comparison between HW enabled and disabled, and debug logs:
1.32.5.7349
h264 direct HW
[ ](https://i.imgur.com/ypK84qN.png)
h264 720 HW
[ ](https://i.imgur.com/JcR3ICw.png)
h264 direct no HW
[ ](https://i.imgur.com/EgoooKY.png)
h264 720 no HW
[ ](https://i.imgur.com/WCzKIrj.png)
hevc max HW
[ ](https://i.imgur.com/hddTNZI.png)
hevc 720 HW
[ ](https://i.imgur.com/eyXi6N9.png)
hevc max no HW
[ ](https://i.imgur.com/770WzjS.png)
hevc 720 no HW
[ ](https://i.imgur.com/IkQj1Po.png)
1.32.8.7639
h264 direct HW
[ ](https://i.imgur.com/cMYOnzo.png)
h264 720 HW
[ ](https://i.imgur.com/70dGW7Z.png)
h264 direct no HW
[ ](https://i.imgur.com/7UKwILc.png)
h264 720 no HW
[ ](https://i.imgur.com/64O2Swd.png)
hevc max HW
[ ](https://i.imgur.com/3MtQGGM.png)
hevc 720 HW
[ ](https://i.imgur.com/iOia0lA.png)
hevc max no HW
[ ](https://i.imgur.com/qkRy4to.png)
hevc 720 no HW
[ ](https://i.imgur.com/PORgeYf.png)
CPU no HW
[ ](https://i.imgur.com/In8p4f7.png)
CPU HW
[ ](https://i.imgur.com/lqJIm8k.png)
[Plex Media Server Logs\_2023-12-09\_23-08-29.zip](https://forums.plex.tv/uploads/short-url/12K0tIJWqvwVrGpUyhLTMxdW1KC.zip) (161.4 KB)
---
### Author:  [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2024, 5:44am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcode-artifacts-with-newest-release/861977/6 "2024-03-09T05:44:49Z")
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