DVBT2 H265 transcoding hardware

apollo

Hi,
I am a newbie and self-taught Windows user, I apologize in advance for the google translated English.
My situation is this, I can install Ubuntu and TVheadend but I can't get going with the rest of the configuration. I am trying to set up a TV server PC for transcoding the new DVB-T2 standard.
My goal is to get Windows Media Center to work with a configuration made by a guy on this blog,
( https://kevinchalet.com/2023/07/05/connecting-windows-media-center-to-tvheadend-with-hdhrproxyiptv-an-alternative-to-dvblink/ ).
I am currently using an Intel i5 notebook, I can set up everything as per the guide in the blog but I am stuck on the T2. I asked for help but probably no one has my problem...
I would like to ask you for help and advice for the hardware, in your opinion is an asrock j4105b card able to handle 2 transcoded streams?
Thank you very much

ukn_unknown

@apollo, you are in a very interesting position ... to transcode HEVC to H264. In general users are transcoding from MPEG / H264 into HEVC (to lower internet bandwidth and keep video degradation low).
Let's clarify from start what help you should expect: I can help you up to the point where you can setup a transcoding profile that converts HEVC streams to H264 stream (audio is your choice but I assume you want to transcode also audio) when you use a tvheadend client.
Based on my experience: J4105 should be able to transcode (decode H264 + encode HEVC in HW) 2 streams SD (576 / 480) ... It can't do 2 HDTV (1080). Please note that is in the 'reverse' (H264-> HEVC) --> your case might be OK also with 2 HD streams, because workload should be lower.
We need a little more details on what you achieved already (on the TVH side):

Can you see your tuner in TVH?
Can use connect with a TVHClient and see is working? ... can you watch TV channel?
You installed TVH from repro (https://tvheadend.org/p/downloads) or you compiled form sources?
Can you show us the results of command 'sudo vainfo'?
Personally I prefer LUbuntu but you can try with Ubuntu also.

apollo

ukn_unknown
Hi,
thanks for answering me, sorry if I didn't specify the situation well.
I can do the whole configuration, the only thing I can't do is a profile for transcoding that is accepted by wmc.
As I wrote above, at the moment to do some tests I'm using an i5 notebook with an intel hd 520 video card, do you think it's possible to transcode h265 to h264?
Is a single stream enough to watch live TV and record a program? I would like it to be at least 1080...
Thanks

ukn_unknown

in order to continue I need answers for:

You installed TVH from repro (https://tvheadend.org/p/downloads) or you compiled form sources?
Can you show us the results of command 'sudo vainfo'?

apollo

ukn_unknown
Hi,
tvheadend I installed it following the instructions in the blog,
(curl -1sLf 'https://dl.cloudsmith.io/public/tvheadend/tvheadend/setup.deb.sh' | sudo -E bash)
"sudo vainfo" command not found.
Thanks

ukn_unknown

install vainfo:
sudo apt install vainfo
and check again:
sudo vainfo

apollo

Hi, I installed...
Thank you

error: XDG_RUNTIME_DIR not set in the environment.
libva info: VA-API version 1.1.0
libva info: va_getDriverName() returns 0
libva info: Trying to open /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/dri/i965_drv_video.so
libva info: Found init function __vaDriverInit_1_1
libva info: va_openDriver() returns 0
vainfo: VA-API version: 1.1 (libva 2.1.0)
vainfo: Driver version: Intel i965 driver for Intel(R) Skylake - 2.1.0
vainfo: Supported profile and entrypoints
VAProfileMPEG2Simple : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileMPEG2Simple : VAEntrypointEncSlice
VAProfileMPEG2Main : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileMPEG2Main : VAEntrypointEncSlice
VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline: VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline: VAEntrypointEncSlice
VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline: VAEntrypointEncSliceLP
VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline: VAEntrypointFEI
VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline: VAEntrypointStats
VAProfileH264Main : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileH264Main : VAEntrypointEncSlice
VAProfileH264Main : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP
VAProfileH264Main : VAEntrypointFEI
VAProfileH264Main : VAEntrypointStats
VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointEncSlice
VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP
VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointFEI
VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointStats
VAProfileH264MultiviewHigh : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileH264MultiviewHigh : VAEntrypointEncSlice
VAProfileH264StereoHigh : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileH264StereoHigh : VAEntrypointEncSlice
VAProfileVC1Simple : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileVC1Main : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileVC1Advanced : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileNone : VAEntrypointVideoProc
VAProfileJPEGBaseline : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileJPEGBaseline : VAEntrypointEncPicture
VAProfileVP8Version0_3 : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileVP8Version0_3 : VAEntrypointEncSlice
VAProfileHEVCMain : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileHEVCMain : VAEntrypointEncSlice

ukn_unknown

The good news is that you have VAAPI HEVC decode:
VAProfileHEVCMain : VAEntrypointVLD
and several H264 Encode options:
VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline: VAEntrypointEncSlice VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline: VAEntrypointEncSliceLP VAProfileH264Main : VAEntrypointEncSlice VAProfileH264Main : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointEncSlice VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP

Next step: What parameters were used when TVH was compiled?
For that navigate to the configuration page (as admin), and select tab 'About'.
Search for text:
Build: 4.3-2
at the end of the line click on Toggle details
A new text file will open that starts with "Configure arguments:"
Copy all that text into a text file and upload it for me to check.

apollo

tvheadend.txt

6kB

Thank you

ukn_unknown

the bad news: your build is missing the VAAPI
vaapi no
Next steps:
What OS do you use? Ubuntu 22.04, 24.04 .... ?
lsb_release -a
Hopefully is updated to the latest kernel. What Kernel do you have?
uname -a

apollo

No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 18.04.6 LTS
Release: 18.04
Codename: bionic

Linux wmc-Lenovo-B51-80 5.4.0-150-generic #167₁₈.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Wed May 24 00:51:42 UTC 2023 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

ukn_unknown

I assume the laptop Lenovo-B51-80 is not the asrock j4105 (specified at the beginning of the thread).
Please clarify what CPU you plan to use for transcoding.
You can use command:
lscpu
Ubuntu 18.04 is a little old ... I never use it personally.
I recommend you to follow the following tutorial: https://tvheadend.org/d/8186-tvheadend-build-and-install-on-lubuntu-20-04-64bit-with-igpu-8-for-gpu-transcoding
Start from "Compile tvheadend:" ... you can use search in the browser.
Assume you have OPTION 1 (iGPU 9).
If you don't get the expected results (like posted on the tutorial) stop and post your results on this thread.

apollo

Hi, I'm sorry if I've caused you confusion in any way but I specified twice that I was currently using a notebook for testing... Thank you

apollo

HI,
I installed mint, I did all the steps you asked me before, can we try to move forward?
Thank you

error: XDG_RUNTIME_DIR is invalid or not set in the environment.
libva info: VA-API version 1.20.0
libva info: Trying to open /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/dri/iHD_drv_video.so
libva info: Found init function __vaDriverInit_1_20
libva info: va_openDriver() returns 0
vainfo: VA-API version: 1.20 (libva 2.12.0)
vainfo: Driver version: Intel iHD driver for Intel(R) Gen Graphics - 24.1.0 ()
vainfo: Supported profile and entrypoints
VAProfileNone : VAEntrypointVideoProc
VAProfileNone : VAEntrypointStats
VAProfileMPEG2Simple : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileMPEG2Simple : VAEntrypointEncSlice
VAProfileMPEG2Main : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileMPEG2Main : VAEntrypointEncSlice
VAProfileH264Main : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileH264Main : VAEntrypointEncSlice
VAProfileH264Main : VAEntrypointFEI
VAProfileH264Main : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP
VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointEncSlice
VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointFEI
VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP
VAProfileVC1Simple : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileVC1Main : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileVC1Advanced : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileJPEGBaseline : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileJPEGBaseline : VAEntrypointEncPicture
VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline: VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline: VAEntrypointEncSlice
VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline: VAEntrypointFEI
VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline: VAEntrypointEncSliceLP
VAProfileVP8Version0_3 : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileVP8Version0_3 : VAEntrypointEncSlice
VAProfileHEVCMain : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileHEVCMain : VAEntrypointEncSlice
VAProfileHEVCMain : VAEntrypointFEI

lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Linuxmint
Description: Linux Mint 22.1
Release: 22.1
Codename: xia

$ uname -a
Linux wmc-Lenovo-B51-80 6.8.0-51-generic #52-Ubuntu SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Thu Dec 5 13:09:44 UTC 2024 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

toggle-details.txt

8kB

ukn_unknown

If you are open to replace the OS ... why you are not following the tutorial: https://tvheadend.org/d/8186-tvheadend-build-and-install-on-lubuntu-20-04-64bit-with-igpu-8-for-gpu-transcoding ? Follow the instructions, step by step; and let us know if you get stuck (a command is not generating the shown result).

apollo

OK thank you