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Ubuntu 20.04 Headless Server with Geforce GTX 750 Ti


mirdragon
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mirdragon

Hi,

I've installed headless server as will only be accessing the system from another machine. I installed nvidia-headless-460-server which is the latest version, but emby reported it could not be used saying 'The minimum required Nvidia driver for nvenc is 390.25 or newer'

I had to install the nvidia-driver-460-server version instead that installed the full gui, which I then caused the server to constantly go to sleep until i found a way of preventing it 

Can emby not work with the 460 headless server drivers?

If it can, must I do anything in particular to get it working

I'm currently looking at switching from Plex to Emby and signed up for a month, and hoping to get everything working without issues, before sign up for lifetime

Edited by mirdragon
missed some stuff
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Hi, what driver version does it ship with? Can you please attach the log file where it said that? Thanks.

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On 5/3/2021 at 9:13 PM, mirdragon said:

I installed nvidia-headless-460-server

@mirdragon - Could you please clarify what you are referring to. Where do you see that "nvidia-headless-460-server" option?

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mirdragon
1 hour ago, softworkz said:

@mirdragon - Could you please clarify what you are referring to. Where do you see that "nvidia-headless-460-server" option?

I'm referring to the nvidia drivers used for linux

i installed the nvidia-headless-460-server driver as I'm using Ubuntu 20.04 Headless Server installation, so there is no monitor or keyboard attached

When this driver is installed, emby does not like it and as per the log file submitted it shows the following

            "Message": "The minimum required Nvidia driver for nvenc is 390.25 or newer"

I had to uninstall that driver and use the driver called nvidia-driver-460-server (without the headless part)

This driver in turn, installs the GUI for Ubuntu and once that is done, emby then reports the GTX 750 Ti is fine for hardware decoding

if you do an apt search nvidia-driver you will see the nvidia-headless-460-server in the list of available drivers to install

 

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1 minute ago, mirdragon said:

I'm referring to the nvidia drivers used for linux

i installed the nvidia-headless-460-server driver as I'm using Ubuntu 20.04 Headless Server installation, so there is no monitor or keyboard attached

When this driver is installed, emby does not like it and as per the log file submitted it shows the following

            "Message": "The minimum required Nvidia driver for nvenc is 390.25 or newer"

I had to uninstall that driver and use the driver called nvidia-driver-460-server (without the headless part)

This driver in turn, installs the GUI for Ubuntu and once that is done, emby then reports the GTX 750 Ti is fine for hardware decoding

if you do an apt search nvidia-driver you will see the nvidia-headless-460-server in the list of available drivers to install

 

As indicated in our Knowledge Base, you need to follow the instructions on the Nvidia website to install the driver rather than installing what is provided by the Linux distributions: 

https://support.emby.media/support/solutions/articles/44001160207-hardware-acceleration-on-linux

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mirdragon
8 hours ago, softworkz said:

As indicated in our Knowledge Base, you need to follow the instructions on the Nvidia website to install the driver rather than installing what is provided by the Linux distributions: 

https://support.emby.media/support/solutions/articles/44001160207-hardware-acceleration-on-linux

I just downloaded and installed the emby package for unbuntu (no details on that part of your download page to install specific drivers from nvidia directly)

When installing the nvidia drivers you advise to install, they recommend you install the ones for your own package not the one from their website

Installing the one from the ubuntu package was more straight-forward than installing the one from nvidia, also the nvidia driver direct from nvidia configures the gui as well

users should be able to use either package an ideally the one for their distribution, especially if they are using different products on the system (ie Plex and Channels) at the same time to ensure there are no issues

but doing the following on ubuntu is less troublesome

apt search nvidia-driver
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
sudo apt install [driver_name]
sudo reboot

Screenshot 2021-05-09 091453.jpg

Edited by mirdragon
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I totally agree that this would be the best way - or even how it would be supposed to work like.

But when the Linux distros decide to include the Nvidia drivers just partially, there's nothing we can do about it.

You would need to bring that up with the maintainers of the Linux distribution that you are using.

 

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mirdragon

Ubuntu includes all the drivers for the different setups

As I was using Ubuntu 20.04 Headless Server, I had installed the correct driver for the system as there was no need for a gui interface, but emby requires features that are installed as part of the standard server or desktop install which include the gui.

The driver for the distro works in the same way as the driver from nvidia, but is easy to install and remove if needed, while the nvidia driver direct from nvidia may have issues and it is always advisable to not use the .run packages

Edited by mirdragon
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Thanks for the info. It's good progress at the side of Ubuntu, but it hasn't always been like this.

Though, that's just one distribution out of many, and the situation will most likely vary between versions of Ubuntu.
None of us is able to follow the changes in all of these distributions or even learn about and keep track of all the different caveats (that always exist) and guide users through this.
We have a recommendation that always works and has always worked and resolved the issue in every single case that came up here in the forums and this will remain to be the common advice that we're giving.

Nonetheless, everybody is welcome here to help and advise other users, when there are better ways in individual cases 🙂 

Edited by softworkz
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mirdragon

i agree certain linux distro's have come a long way over the years and for nvidia to even say better to use the package via your distro, just proves how much they have progressed

 

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EricOnEmby

Out of curiosity: why does Emby want a graphics drive to begin with for the server installation? I have been thinking of configuring my OpenSuSE server as a "headless" system, so that I can make some room on my desk; I ever only log in through my laptop, but the monitor, keyboard and mouse are taking up space. It's good to know that Emby doesn't work with a non-graphical system, but I'm surprised by that.

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2 minutes ago, EricOnEmby said:

Out of curiosity: why does Emby want a graphics drive to begin with for the server installation? I have been thinking of configuring my OpenSuSE server as a "headless" system, so that I can make some room on my desk; I ever only log in through my laptop, but the monitor, keyboard and mouse are taking up space. It's good to know that Emby doesn't work with a non-graphical system, but I'm surprised by that.

Emby does work work it. This is only about trying to use hardware transcoding.

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@EricOnEmby - Sorry for the confusion!

Emby works perfectly on a headless server with Nvidia GPUs, including hardware transcoding

This was just about a reduced driver package for Nvidia that Ubuntu has named 'headless..'
That reduced driver package doesn't support hw transcoding, so you need to install a different driver package. That's all.

 

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mirdragon
47 minutes ago, softworkz said:

@EricOnEmby - Sorry for the confusion!

Emby works perfectly on a headless server with Nvidia GPUs, including hardware transcoding

This was just about a reduced driver package for Nvidia that Ubuntu has named 'headless..'
That reduced driver package doesn't support hw transcoding, so you need to install a different driver package. That's all.

 

Yes it works, but you end up having to install the full driver package which includes on the gui stuff, which takes up non essential space and performance

You would think that transcoding could be done without all the extra stuff that gets installed

but at the same time I shouldn't need to be transcoding unless I want to pause TV, as Plex can do direct play for LiveTV and so can Channels DVR through the Nvidia Shield TV

Edited by mirdragon
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16 minutes ago, mirdragon said:

You would think that transcoding could be done without all the extra stuff that gets installed

I don't know that "GUI" package that you are using - it's very well possible that it requires unnecessary stuff. 

The requirements for using video hardware acceleration are made by Nvidia - not by us.
Please see here for system requirements as documented by Nvidia: https://docs.nvidia.com/video-technologies/video-codec-sdk/read-me/index.html
(especially section "Linux Configuration Requirements")
The only part where we are different are the minimum driver versions as we are always going for broader compatibility.

(please create a new issue for unrelated questions, this makes it easier for other reader to follow, thanks)

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mirdragon

the extra stuff is all whats installed by either the distro package for the full driver or the nvidia drivers direct from their site, ie the graphical user interface, without that emby cannot use the card for transcoding and fails. so users who wish to use a headless setup, must install the graphical interface which is not required by the system other than emby to perform transcoding. so for any future users @EricOnEmbywishing to run headless they must install the full GUI driver.

I only mentioned the other bit as it was this that got me looking into why LiveTV HD channels wasn't working and saw the issues with the nvidia drivers, I have logged a seperate issue regarding the LiveTV side as this is a bug in the system

 

 

 

 

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27 minutes ago, mirdragon said:

without that emby cannot use the card for transcoding and fails.

Emby does not "fail" due to the absence of acceleration hardware. It uses software transcoding in that case.

 

27 minutes ago, mirdragon said:

graphical user interface

27 minutes ago, mirdragon said:

the full GUI driver

I'm, not sure what kind of meaning your are trying to impose on those terms. What do you mean exactly?

  • X11 or other X-Server => not required for Emby
    .
  • Gnome, Wayland or other Linux desktops => not required for Emby
    .
  • Nvidia Tools, Demos, etc. => not required for Emby
    .
  • CUDA => CUDA is required, but it's not primarily a GUI technology
    .
  • OpenGL and OpenCL => are optional, and not required for Emby


It is always possible to run Emby on a headless Linux server without needing to install a graphical subsystem. Many users are doing that.
You might need to install the Nvidia driver which has between 100-200 MB - I'm not sure whether that's an issue for you. Anyway, Emby is not the right address. Please  contact Nvidia and Ubuntu with those concerns.

This is NOT an Emby issue.

Edited by softworkz
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mirdragon
31 minutes ago, softworkz said:

 

Emby does not "fail" due to the absence of acceleration hardware. It uses software transcoding in that case.

 

I'm, not sure what kind of meaning your are trying to impose on those terms. What do you mean exactly?

  • X11 or other X-Server => not required for Emby
    .
  • Gnome, Wayland or other Linux desktops => not required for Emby
    .
  • Nvidia Tools, Demos, etc. => not required for Emby
    .
  • CUDA => CUDA is required, but it's not primarily a GUI technology
    .
  • OpenGL and OpenCL => are optional, and not required for Emby


It is always possible to run Emby on a headless Linux server without needing to install a graphical subsystem. Many users are doing that.
You might need to install the Nvidia driver which has between 100-200 MB - I'm not sure whether that's an issue for you. Anyway, Emby is not the right address. Please  contact Nvidia and Ubuntu with those concerns.

This is NOT an Emby issue.

I can only go from the experiences I have had

Emby failed to use the hardware acceleration of the GTX 750 Ti and even reported in the logs it would not use the nvidia driver installed (as you have pointed out possibly due to it being the headless driver), it was only and only when I installed the full blown drivers either via distro or the nvidia drivers from nvidia which then gave me a graphical interface on the system was it able to use the hardware acceleration of the card. It didn't fall back to using QuickSync either (not sure if this was due to headless install being installed).

I've got emby up and running at the moment for local media playback and looking forward to the solution for the LiveTV issues on my other post so can fully switch to emby.

 

 

 

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17 minutes ago, mirdragon said:

Emby failed to use the hardware acceleration of the GTX 750 Ti

Hardware acceleration requires a proper setup of both, hardware and drivers. Without proper driver setup, it's pointless to blame Emby. That's almost as if you would lay your GPU card on the table next to the computer and say "Emby failed to use it".

24 minutes ago, mirdragon said:

the nvidia drivers from nvidia which then gave me a graphical interface on the system

What do you mean by "graphical interface"? Did the driver installation cause the the Ubuntu/Gnome desktop to be installed, so that you are seeing a graphical UI to login on reboot? (assuming you would have a display connected)

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mirdragon
6 hours ago, softworkz said:

Hardware acceleration requires a proper setup of both, hardware and drivers. Without proper driver setup, it's pointless to blame Emby. That's almost as if you would lay your GPU card on the table next to the computer and say "Emby failed to use it".

I had installed correctly for the build i was using, the fact is that your install instructions on the download page for linux do not advise you have to install certain particular drivers

6 hours ago, softworkz said:

What do you mean by "graphical interface"? Did the driver installation cause the the Ubuntu/Gnome desktop to be installed, so that you are seeing a graphical UI to login on reboot? (assuming you would have a display connected)

Yes the nvidia driver from nvidia installed the graphical interface to login on reboot, i then also had to change some settings to prevent it from going to sleep. the system is setup initially using keyboard and screen, then i switch to using remote access to it via ssh

TBH I think this post has gone past what I was initially querying

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12 hours ago, mirdragon said:

TBH I think this post has gone past what I was initially querying

Yes, but it's useful for us an for others to understand the implications.

12 hours ago, mirdragon said:

Yes the nvidia driver from nvidia installed the graphical interface to login on reboot, i then also had to change some settings to prevent it from going to sleep. the system is setup initially using keyboard and screen, then i switch to using remote access to it via ssh

OK, thanks for clarifying - I wasn't sure about this. Now I understand your trouble and dissatisfaction.

But the conclusion is simple: Follow our instructions then it will work as expected.

Thanks a lot for your feedback!

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mirdragon
5 minutes ago, softworkz said:

Yes, but it's useful for us an for others to understand the implications.

OK, thanks for clarifying - I wasn't sure about this. Now I understand your trouble and dissatisfaction.

But the conclusion is simple: Follow our instructions then it will work as expected.

Thanks a lot for your feedback!

true, i ended up disabling the gdm from bootup so number of processes gone down and the transcoding still working as needed for AAC_LATM at moment until fix is out.

I'm running 3 different apps at the moment plex, channels dvr and emby, so reason why doing the install the way i was

But it all running now, which is the main thing :)

thanks for advice

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