Cant't transcode with NVENC

Andre-Guy Otis · 2021-01-29T02:03:37+00:00

Hello, I tried to compile tvheadend from git but I can't get the NVENC transcoder working. I configure the build with --enable-nvenc I was able to compile...

Flole

If you use HTSP for kodi that is perfectly normal. HTSP is always passthrough, no transcoding possible.

I don't really understand why the sessions are not cleaned up, for me it is working perfectly fine. I start a channel, Tvheadend is now visible in nvidia-smi, I stop it and Tvheadend completely disappears from nvidia-smi.

Andre-Guy Otis

@Flole Sorry, my post may be wasn't clear. I'm aware the HTSP for Kodi doesn't do any transcoding but I set a stream profile for my kodi user under TVH and this profile has the transcoding on it and is working as intended but the scalling do not work from master git, the stable release 4.2.8 on the other hand work perfectly.

For the session not cleaned up is a big mystery. Do you run the same nvidia driver as I do? I'm using the version 460.39 with lastest CUDA 11.2 and ffmpeg git.

Flole

I tried with the internal ffmpeg aswell as the git master ffmpeg, didn't seem to make a difference. Also I was using all kinds of different drivers as I usually upgrade when new versions are available, so also the one you mentioned. I suggest that someone who has the issue does some debugging, including trace of libav and transcoding. Also it's usually a good idea to add more verbose messages if things aren't working as expected.

Saen Acro

Flole Systems wrote:
> If you use HTSP for kodi that is perfectly normal. HTSP is always passthrough, no transcoding possible.
blablabla this is not true

set transcode profile in user profile and will transcode

> I don't really understand why the sessions are not cleaned up, for me it is working perfectly fine. I start a channel, Tvheadend is now visible in nvidia-smi, I stop it and Tvheadend completely disappears from nvidia-smi.

share your config specs /drivers etc.

dorin ilut

Flole Systems wrote:

> I tried with the internal ffmpeg aswell as the git master ffmpeg, didn't seem to make a difference. Also I was using all kinds of different drivers as I usually upgrade when new versions are available, so also the one you mentioned. I suggest that someone who has the issue does some debugging, including trace of libav and transcoding. Also it's usually a good idea to add more verbose messages if things aren't working as expected.

here are my attempts:

Nvidia profile with acceleration enabled (I know you said to not enable that yet )
2021-02-28 10:58:40.316 subscription: 0031: "188.60.141.85 [ dorin | Kodi Media Center ]" subscribing on channel "AMC HD", weight: 100, adapter: "Silicon Labs Si2168 #2 : DVB-C #0", network: "rcs", mux: "522MHz", provider: "AMC Networks Int CE", service: "AMC HD", profile="dt_nv", hostname="188.60.141.85", username="dorin", client="Kodi Media Center"
2021-02-28 10:58:40.479 transcode: 0002: 01:H264: ==> Using profile dt_nv
2021-02-28 10:58:40.479 transcode: 0002: 02:MPEG2AUDIO: ==> Copy
2021-02-28 10:58:40.479 transcode: 0002: 03:MPEG2AUDIO: ==> Copy
2021-02-28 10:58:40.479 transcode: 0002: 04:DVBSUB: ==> Copy
2021-02-28 10:58:41.058 libav: AVCodecContext: mmco: unref short failure
2021-02-28 10:58:41.071 libav: AVCodecContext: reference picture missing during reorder
2021-02-28 10:58:41.071 libav: AVCodecContext: Missing reference picture, default is 2147483647
2021-02-28 10:58:41.071 libav: AVCodecContext: mmco: unref short failure
2021-02-28 10:58:41.200 transcode: 0002: 01:H264: [h264 => h264_nvenc]: opts: gpu=0,b=2000000,quality=0,tvh_filter_deint=1,width=1920,height=1080,pix_fmt=0,bf=3,tvh_require_meta=1
2021-02-28 10:58:41.321 transcode: 0002: 01:H264: [h264 => h264_nvenc]: filters: source args: 'video_size=1920x1080:pix_fmt=vaapi_vld:time_base=1/50:pixel_aspect=1/1'
2021-02-28 10:58:41.321 transcode: 0002: 01:H264: [h264 => h264_nvenc]: filters: filters: 'deinterlace_vaapi'
2021-02-28 10:58:41.321 libav: TVHGraph: Impossible to convert between the formats supported by the filter 'Parsed_deinterlace_vaapi_0' and the filter 'auto_scaler_0'
2021-02-28 10:58:41.321 transcode: 0002: 01:H264: [h264 => h264_nvenc]: filters: failed to config filter graph
2021-02-28 10:58:41.321 transcode: 0002: 01:H264: [h264 => h264_nvenc]: opts: quality=0

2021-02-28 10:59:29.771 subscription: 0031: "188.60.141.85 [ dorin | Kodi Media Center ]" unsubscribing from "AMC HD", hostname="188.60.141.85", username="dorin", client="Kodi Media Center"

Using nvidia profile without hardware acceleration enabled
2021-02-28 10:59:58.874 mpegts: 522MHz in rcs - tuning on Silicon Labs Si2168 #2 : DVB-C #0
2021-02-28 10:59:58.874 subscription: 0032: "188.60.141.85 [ dorin | Kodi Media Center ]" subscribing on channel "AMC HD", weight: 100, adapter: "Silicon Labs Si2168 #2 : DVB-C #0", network: "rcs", mux: "522MHz", provider: "AMC Networks Int CE", service: "AMC HD", profile="dt_nv", hostname="188.60.141.85", username="dorin", client="Kodi Media Center"
2021-02-28 10:59:59.037 transcode: 0003: 01:H264: ==> Using profile dt_nv
2021-02-28 10:59:59.037 transcode: 0003: 02:MPEG2AUDIO: ==> Copy
2021-02-28 10:59:59.037 transcode: 0003: 03:MPEG2AUDIO: ==> Copy
2021-02-28 10:59:59.037 transcode: 0003: 04:DVBSUB: ==> Copy
2021-02-28 10:59:59.445 transcode: 0003: 01:H264: [h264 => h264_nvenc]: opts: gpu=0,b=2000000,quality=0,tvh_filter_deint=1,width=1920,height=1080,pix_fmt=0,bf=3,tvh_require_meta=1
2021-02-28 10:59:59.542 transcode: 0003: 01:H264: [h264 => h264_nvenc]: filters: source args: 'video_size=1920x1080:pix_fmt=yuv420p:time_base=1/50:pixel_aspect=1/1'
2021-02-28 10:59:59.542 transcode: 0003: 01:H264: [h264 => h264_nvenc]: filters: filters: 'yadif'
2021-02-28 10:59:59.543 transcode: 0003: 01:H264: [h264 => h264_nvenc]: opts: quality=0

2021-02-28 11:00:40.453 subscription: 0032: "188.60.141.85 [ dorin | Kodi Media Center ]" unsubscribing from "AMC HD", hostname="188.60.141.85", username="dorin", client="Kodi Media Center"

Using the first one does not show in nvtop. using the second one shows in nvtop, but once the stream is stopped it does not go away. Stays in and just accumulates memory with every play.

Lukas G

I found that the memory is freed when playing via VLC player. If I use KODI, each program switch will increase the allocated GPU memory.

Kiril St.

Lukas G wrote:

> I found that the memory is freed when playing via VLC player. If I use KODI, each program switch will increase the allocated GPU memory.

Good observation, thanks! I also confimed that behaivour! In kodi 19, tvheadend addon have option: "use http for streaming channels" .When use this option, and channel stops, vram is flushed! When is disabled, vram increase! Maybe this will help for developers to identify problem... Im not use nvidia card, but situation is exactly the same, with AMD GPU!

Flole

HTSP does not offer transcoding at the moment, that's why it's not possible to create a HTSP profile with transcoding. Kodi doesn't allow selecting a non-HTSP protocol and will reject that. If you found some hack that allows this then don't be surprised if things don't work as expected.

dorin ilut

Flole Systems wrote:

> HTSP does not offer transcoding at the moment, that's why it's not possible to create a HTSP profile with transcoding. Kodi doesn't allow selecting a non-HTSP protocol and will reject that. If you found some hack that allows this then don't be surprised if things don't work as expected.

But then if I may ask, how come vaapi transcoding is working without any issues with Kodi? And the if HTSP does not offer trasncoding would it then not work with streaming profiles? Cause if I enable the streaming profile within Kodi, I get vaapi hardware trasncoding. or am I mixing goats and cabbages.

Kiril St.

Flole Systems, I dont know... For some reason, kodi tvheadend addon, have access to my created transcoding profile, via htsp protocol... Pass profile, and other predefined is not allowed... Im using latest master from git!

Flole

In kodi there used to be a warning if a non-HTSP profile was specified. If someone removed that warning I don't understand why that was done. That explains why you might think that it's supported to configure it this way.

Some people apparently forced a user to a streaming profile and then used that for kodi transcoding, that's what I meant with "some hack". It seemed to work to some extend but obviously not completely. There is a reason why the HTSP profile exists and why it doesn't offer transcoding (because it's not properly implementer).

Lukas G

KODI uses an HTSP (basic, advanced - no) stream, but you can use an htsp or pass streaming profile, or transcoded. In my case, nvenc.

Andre-Guy Otis

Kiril St. wrote:
> Lukas G wrote:
> > I found that the memory is freed when playing via VLC player. If I use KODI, each program switch will increase the allocated GPU memory.
>

> Good observation, thanks! I also confimed that behaivour! In kodi 19, tvheadend addon have option: "use http for streaming channels" .When use this option, and channel stops, vram is flushed! When is disabled, vram increase! Maybe this will help for developers to identify problem... Im not use nvidia card, but situation is exactly the same, with AMD GPU!

I also try this and it work but can't use timeshift with http and this is something that I rely on.

Flole Systems wrote:
> In kodi there used to be a warning if a non-HTSP profile was specified. If someone removed that warning I don't understand why that was done. That explains why you might think that it's supported to configure it this way.
>

> Some people apparently forced a user to a streaming profile and then used that for kodi transcoding, that's what I meant with "some hack". It seemed to work to some extend but obviously not completely. There is a reason why the HTSP profile exists and why it doesn't offer transcoding (because it's not properly implementer).

I use a streaming profile with kodi for years, since early 4.2 release and it always working fine until now. I don't remember to see such warning about the non-HTSP profile under Kodi.

Lukas G

That's right, in version 4.2 transcoding works properly. Each GPU-accelerated transcoding is correctly released in memory. This does not happen after upgrading to 4.3.

Now I've tested the downgrade to 4.2 from 4.3 and the transcoding works.

Flole

I just checked and in the latest version of kodi that warning is indeed gone. Also I was able to reproduce this issue.

I submitted a PR for this and it seems to fix it but I have no idea if this is a proper fix so I won't merge it until either Jaroslav approves it or someone can explain to me why this is the proper way of doing it.

Kiril St.

Flole Systems, fix work perfect! Thanks!

dorin ilut

Kiril St. wrote:

> Flole Systems, fix work perfect! Thanks!

indeed. thank you. it works perfect. closes the session after each channel change. now only the nvidia hardware transcoding :).

Lukas G

I tried the last 4.3.0 ~ pre + 202103120326-0 ~ built202103120420. And the problem is still the same. nvenc does not free memory when playing via htsp.

Andre-Guy Otis

Lukas G wrote:

> I tried the last 4.3.0 ~ pre + 202103120326-0 ~ built202103120420. And the problem is still the same. nvenc does not free memory when playing via htsp.

Flole must check with Jaroslav before the fix get merge.

Flole Systems wrote:
> I just checked and in the latest version of kodi that warning is indeed gone. Also I was able to reproduce this issue.
>

> I submitted a PR for this and it seems to fix it but I have no idea if this is a proper fix so I won't merge it until either Jaroslav approves it or someone can explain to me why this is the proper way of doing it.

Flole, can we get an update regarding this fix?

Flole

As you can see on GitHub in the PR it is not a proper fix. It causes crashes so it can not be merged and further investigating the issue is necessary.

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