Emby as Service no Hardwaretranscoding

[5e`qVoih 1]

Hello,

 

I'm starting Emby as a Service (NSSM) on my NAS and noticed it isn't using hardwaretranscoding since version 4.

Starting Emby as normal user (RDP session) it uses hardwaretranscoding with intel quicksync.

I guess Emby isn't detecting the hardware, because of no connected display, or something?

 

I attached the hardware detect logfiles.

 

 

P.S.: Thanks a lot for Emby. I really love it!

emby_user_HD.txt

emby_service_HD.txt

[Luke 38839]

Hi there, welcome. Have you gone over our hardware acceleration guide for windows to learn what is required?

 

https://github.com/MediaBrowser/Wiki/wiki/Hardware-Acceleration-on-Windows

 

Please let us know if this helps. Thanks.

[5e`qVoih 1]

Thanks a lot, that answered my question.

 

 

Remarks

• Emby currently does not support headless operation with Intel QuickSync You will either need to connect a physical monitor to the video output or you can acquire a "dummy monitor plug" to make the GPU think that a monitor is connected
• QuickSync acceleration does not work when Emby is run as a Windows service

Note: Support for headless mode is planned for the future

[Luke 38839]

Emby Server 4.1+ will feature support for hardware transcoding in a headless environment. Thanks.

[5e`qVoih 1]

Thanks a lot for your work and the newest version! Quicksync is working now headless, which makes me really happy. Keep on the great work .
 

[Luke 38839]

Thanks for the feedback !

[brianbsmith 4]

@@softworkz Is QuickSync acceleration when running as a Windows service planned for a future release?

[Luke 38839]

@@brianbsmith our hardware acceleration wiki goes over what is supported in every possible environment:

https://github.com/MediaBrowser/Wiki/wiki/Hardware-Acceleration-Overview

 

Please let us know if this helps. Thanks !

[softworkz 4282]

@@softworkz Is QuickSync acceleration when running as a Windows service planned for a future release?

 

It should actually work already, but it requires Windows 8 or later.

(it might work on Win7 with the DX11 system update)

[brianbsmith 4]

Yes, I've read the guide for Windows https://github.com/MediaBrowser/Wiki/wiki/Hardware-Acceleration-on-Windows.  It states "QuickSync acceleration does not work when Emby is run as a Windows service".  (According to the guide, only Nvidia transcoding is supported as a Windows service.)  This appears to be true in my Windows 10 desktop with QuickSync: When I run Emby as an app - The Emby dashboard confirms HW acceleration.  When I run as a service (nssm) with the exact same environment (client, server, network, recording, etc.), the Emby dashboard reports SW transcoding.  I've also confirmed via the "Stats for Nerds" pop-up on my LG TV.

 

It appears to be a known limitation.  Just wondering iQuickSync acceleration will be supported as a Windows service is on the roadmap?

 

Thanks!

[Luke 38839]

See @@softworkz response above. Thanks.

[brianbsmith 4]

Sorry I'm confused.  If you are saying that the documentation is incorrect, and it is actually supported - then I'll have to submit log files for assistance in diagnosing why it doesn't work on my Windows 10 desktop.  Thanks

[softworkz 4282]

Sorry I'm confused.  If you are saying that the documentation is incorrect, and it is actually supported - then I'll have to submit log files for assistance in diagnosing why it doesn't work on my Windows 10 desktop.  Thanks

 

When the docs were written, we only had the default QuickSync implementation that ffmpeg provides, which is using DirectX 9.

DX9 requires an active desktop session (not a service session) with an active display (not headless).

 

That's the state of the docs.

 

Later we extended our custom ffmpeg to support QuickSync via DirectX 11 which does not have both of the above limitations.

Headless operation has been tested working fine in all cases so far. 

Operation running as a Windows service has not been tested that much, but it should actually work as it's the same thing.

 

So - yes, it would be great if you could post the hw detection log - ideally from both cases: service and non-service.

[brianbsmith 4]

Attached are the files when running as an Application (non-service).  In the transcoding settings, 3 devices are found but only 1 is enabled.  The selected device only appears when running as an application.  The dashboard snapshot shows the QuickSync HW transcoding is being used.  I'll upload the service files separately.

APP-ffmpeg-transcode-5bedf39c-8a8e-44cb-a91b-427faa2021d2_1.txt

[softworkz 4282]

So - yes, it would be great if you could post the hw detection log - ideally from both cases: service and non-service.

Edited October 5, 2019 by softworkz

[brianbsmith 4]

These files are when Emby is running as a service.  There are 2 devices in transcoding settings, and both are enabled.  From the dashboard snapshot, you can see SW transcoding is being used.

SERVICE-ffmpeg-transcode-0c095f22-2de6-49e7-9dee-150e8d00f29b_1.txt

[brianbsmith 4]

Attached are the HW detection files.

APP_hardware_detection-63705879880.txt

SERVICE_hardware_detection-63705881708.txt

[softworkz 4282]

From the side of the detection, all goes well, but your installed Intel drivers support API level 1.11 only - which is pretty old.

 

What CPU do you have and what graphics drivers are installed? (Windows-integrated or direct from Intel?)

[brianbsmith 4]

CPU Intel Core i5 3330S  Ivy Bridge

Intel HD Graphics Driver 10.18.10.5069  12/27/2018

 

I used the Intel update tool months ago, and it did update the driver(s).

[softworkz 4282]

CPU Intel Core i5 3330S  Ivy Bridge

Intel HD Graphics Driver 10.18.10.5069  12/27/2018

 

I used the Intel update tool months ago, and it did update the driver(s).

 

Your hardware doesn't support the required DirectX 11 level.

 

There's a newer driver (15.33), but I don't think that this would make any change.

 

So, the simple answer is: Your CPU is too old for this.

[brianbsmith 4]

Thanks @@softworkz.  Confused - if it was a CPU issue - why does it work when running as an app?

[Luke 38839]

Because yours doesn't support the same features when running headless.

[softworkz 4282]

Thanks @@softworkz.  Confused - if it was a CPU issue - why does it work when running as an app?

 

As an app it uses DirecX 9. Headless/service requires DirectX 11.1