Threadripper 1950x

64GB Ram

Using plex 7.0

Plex -Linuxserver Docker

Nvidia Driver app

GPU Statistics app

All Dockers are on an SSD (SSD contains plex docker and all my game servers like minecraft and what not)

 

 

 

 

When i am watching a movie/show, and i choose to transcode down at all (convert a 15mbps movie to 10mbps) The above GPU stat will show 1 Process and show plex in the active app. Then it will suddenly go to 0 and the active apps will show nothing. This will result in nothing but spinning on the end trying to watch plex. I can only really direct stream to my pc's and devices in my house if i down scale at all it does this.   

 

Things i have tried:

1)  I've tried 3 video cards. A t1000, 2060 and a 3060ti. All with same results.

2) I've double checked settings for all apps involved.

3) Tried different dockers (official and linux)

4) Tried moving my /tmp folder from /tmp in docker to a tmp folder on the apps ssd.

5) You CAN transcode remotely though... Like on my phone on 5g or a computer not on my network. 

 

 

Docker settings look like this

 

 

This worked for me for years. I have no idea what suddenly (i don't know how long its been doing this before I've noticed) made it do this. In the past this worked perfectly.  Im going literally insane, i cannot figure this out.

 

 

Dont know if this will help 

Edited February 9, 20251 yr by radly82
clarify

First add a path to the docker:



Second, add this to the extra parm and see if its any better:
 

--runtime=nvidia --device=/dev/dri:/dev/dri

 

Will try and put --device=/dev/dri:/dev/dri   in the extra peram.  Already had the nvidia part. (this worked fine for me for years...)

 

Unless im looking at something wrong , as seen in the pictures, i already have a /transcode path defined.

 

also, after some reading "If you are using an NVIDIA GPU, you typically do not use /dev/dri; instead, you would use NVIDIA-specific passthrough options (--runtime=nvidia and --gpus all)."

Edited February 9, 20251 yr by radly82

Did not work. Still begins to transcode then stops. Funny thing is someone is transcoding remotely as i type this. It just will not work in my house...

I Personally use the LinuxServer IO Dockers. and when/with issues, I can easily move the docker repo to Plex Official Docker image...

I believe you have a plex setting causing some of that... as remote file will transcode regardless of the setting but local is told not to use the hardware...

Double Check Settings:
Under plex Gear (Settings) Transcoder:

 

 

you may need to toggel "show advance"

 

and match or verify your settings above...

Review docs:
https://support.plex.tv/articles/transcoder/

I don't have this isseus on similar cards.

Docker Image - tags and Repo:

linuxserver/plex
or

plexinc/pms-docker

 

using linux Server Unraid Tempalte:

 

 

 

 

in the extra parm I add
 

--runtime=nvidia --device=/dev/dri:/dev/dri

with out issue see and have access to the nvdia g card for transcode.

 

 

Only thing left would be the docker image your using (as it needs the driver pre-packaged) or a plex misconfiguration.

As stated in start of topic, i have tried linux version of docker. Also the check mark you have next to Disable video stream transcoding..... Disables video stream transcoding option on clients end, and for the most part does what it says so it kinda is the opposite of what i want here. These settings did not work either.

but do you see the nvidia device in the drop down list? take it off auto and set it.

After verifying the above settings. and making sure the devce is detected and selcted with the options you want it to do...

it sounds like its doing what it needs to. As local is using direct play. to stream it remotely its transcoding to help video and buffering.

 

https://support.plex.tv/articles/227715247-server-settings-bandwidth-and-transcoding-limits/+

 

what is the medai file type of your plex media. As not all media file types require nor use transcoding...

https://support.plex.tv/articles/200250387-streaming-media-direct-play-and-direct-stream/

I have taken it off auto and set it to the gpu. It does not help. I have been using to to transcode for various reasons for years, the 3060ti can transcode all my media just fine.

 

It seems someone else has has a problem like mine and it never got solved? 

 

A couple of thoughts:

 

1. Don't use the Plex Web client for troubleshooting.  It has a long standing issue when changing the requested transcoding.  Instead, use a Plex App on your client device - AppleTV, Roku, smart TV, etc.

 

2. Delete the contents of you Codecs folder.  This has solved odd transcoding issues for many people in the past, even for those using hardware transcoding.  Your Plex server app will go out and re-populate the folder with a fresh set of codec files when you start the Plex docker.

 

Have tried deleting the codec folder. Still issue persists. Issue also persists on plexapp on all the pc's in the house.

 

On the plex app when i try and transcode i sometimes get this 

Edited February 11, 20251 yr by radly82

so just an update. I went ahead and bought another license for unraid and put it on this spare laptop i had with a 1080ti in it.  SAME PROBLEM!

 

Long story short, i just bought an ARC 310 for 90 bucks on amazon and everything works fine now. 

 

Something is up with unraid and nvidia cards for some people. Ive been looking around the internet and im not the only one that has this issue right now.

On 2/9/2025 at 1:44 AM, radly82 said:

This worked for me for years. I have no idea what suddenly (i don't know how long its been doing this before I've noticed) made it do this. In the past this worked perfectly.  Im going literally insane, i cannot figure this out.

@ConnerVT 

already said, please use native Plex apps to test transcoding (Android, iOS) simply because Plex has an issue with Nvidia and the web client.

 

Multiple people reported this issue in the Nvidia Driver plugin thread when using the web player.

 

When switching the quality in the web player with a Nvidia GPU the transcoding process will show up for a few seconds, then end and show an error in the logs, however if you change the quality in the settings from Plex, basically forcing a transcode for every user with a lower bitrate and you start some media transcoding will work but when you switch the quality to somethinge else after the playback already started you will see the same behaviour and transcoding will stop again.

Please note that this only applies to the web player and not to native apps (Android, iOS).

 

This is a long standong issue with Plex since this exact same issue is reported from time to time in the Nvidia Driver plugin support thread.

 

I would also recommend that you report such issues always in the support thread from the container or the plugin.

EDIT: Here is an example post with the same issue (read this and the following 5 or so posts) :

 

I almost forgot, ot seems that the Windows Plex app also suffers from the same issues when changing the quality.
 

On 2/9/2025 at 4:28 AM, bmartino1 said:

--device=/dev/dri:/dev/dri

This is not necessary because the Nvidia Driver uses a container runtime, you only need this for devices which use VA-API, Intel QuickSnyc or AMD AMF, so to speak Intel and AMD.

Issue does indeed happen in the windows app as well.

Did you ever get this work. I'm having the exact same issue!