Nvidia GPU Hardware Encode/Decode Support (for Plex)

[Sasayaki]

Hi guys,

So it's been announced that PleX now supports hardware transcoding (https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comme...hardware_transcoding/?st=j989b0kw&sh=8607ea40).

Basically, as I have a FreeNAS Mini with a ASRock Intel Avoton C2750 (https://www.amazon.com/ASRock-Motherboard-C2750D4I-COLOR-BOX/dp/B00HIDQG6E). I'm 84% sure that this CPU doesn't support QuickSync, but it has a PCI-E slot. I'm thinking of getting a cheap Nvidia card and dropping it in there for transcode purposes.

I run my PleX in a jail through the plugin. What kind of support will this have? Will it work?

 

[Ericloewe]

What kind of support will this have?

On FreeNAS, none.

 

[Sasayaki]

Succinct and accurate. Thanks mate!

 

[Ericloewe]

I should add that this may change if the drivers on FreeBSD start working well enough on the desktop side of things.

 

[Sasayaki]

Fair enough.

I guess I'll have to keep looking for another way to get that sweet hardware transcode.

 

[SweetAndLow]

I'm not sure there hardware transcoding even with on bad. Plex does not mention it. Hardware transcoding also produces lower quality images so people might not even like it.

 

[Sasayaki]

I'm not sure there hardware transcoding even with on bad. Plex does not mention it. Hardware transcoding also produces lower quality images so people might not even like it.

It's only for Plex Pass customers (aka paid customers), but it really does exist. (http://forums.plex.tv/discussions/tagged/hardware-transcoding)

There is absolutely a quality reduction at low bitrates, but at medium to high bitrates it's not really noticable, and given that the use case for transcoding is usually either to mobile devices or through the internet, any quality reduction is not really noticable. If I was transcoding something for my collection, such as film I'd taken myself, I'd definitely want a software transcoder, but to something I'm streaming to my phone...

 

[SweetAndLow]

It's only for Plex Pass customers (aka paid customers), but it really does exist. (http://forums.plex.tv/discussions/tagged/hardware-transcoding)

There is absolutely a quality reduction at low bitrates, but at medium to high bitrates it's not really noticable, and given that the use case for transcoding is usually either to mobile devices or through the internet, any quality reduction is not really noticable. If I was transcoding something for my collection, such as film I'd taken myself, I'd definitely want a software transcoder, but to something I'm streaming to my phone...

Does it say anything about freebsd? When I first read it it was windows, Linux and osx.

 

[Sasayaki]

Does it say anything about freebsd? When I first read it it was windows, Linux and osx.

That is actually an excellent point. I have no idea.

 

[SweetAndLow]

That is actually an excellent point. I have no idea.

Yeah I'm pretty sure it doesn't support it because there is no setting for it. Plex Server version 1.9.5.4339

 

[Sasayaki]

Yeah I'm pretty sure it doesn't support it because there is no setting for it. Plex Server version 1.9.5.4339

Without a Plex Pass the option doesn't show up. If you do have one, it will look like this:

 

[SweetAndLow]

Without a Plex Pass the option doesn't show up. If you do have one, it will look like this:

Yes i know how it works, is that a freebsd system? What version of plex?

 

[DarkSorrow]

I have PlexPass and it doesn't show up..

Version 1.9.5.4339

All I have is Transcoder quality and Maximum simultaneous video transcode

 

[Sasayaki]

Yes i know how it works, is that a freebsd system? What version of plex?

I don't know, it's a screenshot of another system.

I have PlexPass and it doesn't show up..

Version 1.9.5.4339

All I have is Transcoder quality and Maximum simultaneous video transcode

Huh. Are you running the Plex Pass version of Plex Media Server? You need to get the installer from the special Plex thread for these features to get unlocked.

Otherwise, I don't get it. This is what's confusing to me; because I downloaded Plex Media Server on my Windows 10 laptop and installed it as a test (bare metal, no hypervisor, no Docker, nothing like that) and that checkbox didn't show up either. Even though every single requirement was met instead of Plex Pass. Which I'm considering buying if it will work.

I'm guessing it only shows up if one has a Plex Pass and also hardware transcoding support is detected. But that's just a guess.

 

[DarkSorrow]

I'm using the Plex Pass version yes.

 

[SweetAndLow]

I don't know, it's a screenshot of another system.



Huh. Are you running the Plex Pass version of Plex Media Server? You need to get the installer from the special Plex thread for these features to get unlocked.

Otherwise, I don't get it. This is what's confusing to me; because I downloaded Plex Media Server on my Windows 10 laptop and installed it as a test (bare metal, no hypervisor, no Docker, nothing like that) and that checkbox didn't show up either. Even though every single requirement was met instead of Plex Pass. Which I'm considering buying if it will work.

I'm guessing it only shows up if one has a Plex Pass and also hardware transcoding support is detected. But that's just a guess.

This is not complicated but you keep making it hard and confusing people. It only works on windows, linux and osx with plex media server 1.9.3+ and a plex pass subscription. There is nothing that says it works on freebsd and I know for a fact it doesn't because I don't have the option to turn it on.

https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/115002178853-Using-Hardware-Accelerated-Streaming

 

[Sasayaki]

I'm using the Plex Pass version yes.

I'm guessing the checkbox only appears when all the criteria are met and the hardware is detected and supported.

This is not complicated but you keep making it hard and confusing people. It only works on windows, linux and osx with plex media server 1.9.3+ and a plex pass subscription. There is nothing that says it works on freebsd and I know for a fact it doesn't because I don't have the option to turn it on.

https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/115002178853-Using-Hardware-Accelerated-Streaming

It is pretty confusing but I think the jist of it is as I wrote above; even if your hardware and OS is supported, you also need a Plex Pass, and if you don't meet all of those criteria the checkbox doesn't appear. And, yeah, it looks like FreeBSD is not supported.