Can Emby rely on discrete GPU to transcode hevc 10-bit 4k?

[jang430]

Hi.  Want to ask if I'm using an older processor, can Emby transcode using the discrete Nvidia GPU connected to the Unraid system?  Or does it have to be transcoded by the processor?  

[Stan464]

If Emby Supports GPU Encoding/Trans-coding and you "Passthrough" then i dont see why it couldn't!

[jang430]

Hi!  Don't know how you passthrough a gpu to a docker container.  Don't know if selecting Nvidia NVENC in hardware transcoding is already using the discrete NVidia GPU as it's transcoder?

[primeval_god]

1 hour ago, jang430 said:

Don't know how you passthrough a gpu to a docker container.

You cant. To use a nvidia GPU for any sort of trans-coding on unRAID you must use a VM and passthough the card to the VM. So for your case, if emby supports GPU transcoding, you would have to run emby in a VM with the GPU passed through to the VM. 

[jang430]

That is very clear. Thanks for the response.


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[Warrentheo]

Is this an UnRaid limitation? never done this before, but a google search found this: https://devblogs.nvidia.com/nvidia-docker-gpu-server-application-deployment-made-easy/

[JonathanM]

10 hours ago, Warrentheo said:

Is this an UnRaid limitation?

Yes, unraid does not include GPU specific drivers as part of the "keep it small and lightweight as possible" philosophy.

It should be possible to modify unraid like is being currently maintained for the tv tuner stuff, but it would take constant upkeep and troubleshooting, and could interfere with basic functionality by accident if not done well.

[aterfax]

I have thus far managed to get the nvidia drivers installed but have had no luck with sorting out the nvidia-docker side of things

[aterfax]

I have now sorted this out and it is working with JellyFin.

The short answer is, you must install the GPU drivers to Unraid (i.e. you must recompile the kernel with the nvidia modules) reboot to enable them, then reinstall the nvidia  GPU and CUDA drivers every time you reboot.

You must then passthrough all the /dev/dri and /dev/nvidia* devices to your docker.

The docker itself then needs the same versions of the GPU and CUDA drivers installing.

You then  need a supported program e.g. ffmpeg compiled with NVENC in order to use the acceleration.

At this point you can query nvidia-smi on the host or in the docker to get the status of any GPU usage.

You can see the status of my own hacky scripts here: https://github.com/Aterfax/nvidiadriversonunraidinstaller

Wrt Emby - it should already have the NVENC enabled  ffmpeg, but I do not know if it has the nvidia drivers (GPU and CUDA) installed in the image.

I also do not know if these drivers are fully necessary for the docker to use the GPU.

I believe that eventually CHBMB will release this: https://github.com/CHBMB/Unraid-NVIDIA-Plugin

 

This would then streamline the install of host Nvidia drivers.