New linux setup extras help

[greatwhitenorth]

After many years using version 4 on Windows I am trying to set up the latest version on linux:

AMD Phenom X6, 8GB ram
Linux Mint 21, fresh install
Nvidia Quadro K2200 graphics card
Installed NextPVR using the deb file

The only computer pvr options where I live (no OTA) are Hauppauge devices which have gotten very expensive (and mine are old and cranky) with limited or no linux capability, the HDMI encoder to IP boxes which remain a possibility and run $100 or more, or what I am hoping to do - use a couple of HDMI USB capture cards which cost about $25 on Amazon. Working towards that objective, I compiled ffmpeg with nvenc hardware encoding support. I can display 2 concurrently running windows with the captured streams from ffmpeg to standard output and piped to ffplay.

The next step in testing is to set these up as "extras” devices. Taking small steps at a time I copied the example extras xml and saved it as extras-test.xml in the /opt/var/nextpvr/system/data directory with nextpvr as owner and rights to read write.

That is where I am stuck. Rebooted (many times as I tried things) but on the settings/devices page I only have the default IPTV device listed.

Suggestions?

[mvallevand]

The extras xml file goes to /var/opt/nextpvr

I am surprised you can't find a version off ffmpeg with VAAPI support for Mint.

I had trouble getting these cheap USB grabbers running at 1x speed on my low end PC hopefully you will have more luck, here is the script I used https://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.ph...#pid548049 They start off ok but get sluggish.

Martin

[greatwhitenorth]

That's it! Thanks! and after fixing up my own xml file command and arguments, I have a channel that plays in Chrome. No video in Firefox (just black) but audio plays and playback of a manual recording works.

The Mint distro version of ffmpeg did not have nvenc. I couldn't say whether it has vaapi but on Mint 20.03 I tried vaapi including ffmpeg compile for a radeon card. I was able to compile with nvenc for a 1650super card. When that worked I bought a used Quadro for this project (no limit on the number of encoding streams). The cpu could handle it reporting 150% cpu usage (actually 1 1/2 cores) but hardware encoding drops that to 3%. I have compiled ffmpeg several times now on different computers, going back to before the raspbery pi ffmpeg included hardware encoding for the broadcom gpu.

On the HDMI capture cards, some things I have read:
Forget usb 2 versions, only the usb 3 versions will be good enough. Supposedly, some also lie. On Amazon there are lots that claim to be usb 3 but have black usb 2 connectors.
I prefer the ones with a short cable so they don't block other ports.
On the computer side the usb 3 connections can't be combined on a hub if you want more than one. I bought a 4 port pcie card.
I bought the first HDMI capture device 2 years ago to test. I think it is max 1080p 60fps in max 1080p 30fps out. Set up scripts to record missed tv shows by using the channel apps on a FireTV stick.
Bought the 2nd this summer, max 4K 30fps in, max 1080p 60fps out. I have not tested the 4K input or 60fps output as I will only get 720p 30fps from my sat boxes.
I would only buy the 4K version in future since there is little difference in price. However, lsusb identifies them both as MacroSilicon USB Video with the same hardware ID.

[NinthWave]

[...]
The Mint distro version of ffmpeg did not have nvenc. I couldn't say whether it has vaapi but on Mint 20.03 I tried vaapi including ffmpeg compile for a radeon card. I was able to compile with nvenc for a 1650super card. When that worked I bought a used Quadro for this project (no limit on the number of encoding streams). The cpu could handle it reporting 150% cpu usage (actually 1 1/2 cores) but hardware encoding drops that to 3%. I have compiled ffmpeg several times now on different computers, going back to before the raspbery pi ffmpeg included hardware encoding for the broadcom gpu.
[...]

I got a Quadro P600 so that got me really interested. 

I moved my NextPVR from my windows PC to a Xeon Server in Docker container.
I installed a runtime package from NVIDIA that works fine in Emby and JellyFin.
i tried to use it in my NextPVR compose file with no success in using hardware transcode.

Can you tell me/us how to proceed to make use of Quadro for transcode?

[mvallevand]

You could try moving one of their custom ffpeg versions into your Docker and check for errors. You also have to pass /dev/dri to your Docker. There is a lot to be said for running NextPVR on your host Docker makes thing both easy and difficult depending on what you want to achieve

Martin

[NinthWave]

You could try moving one of their custom ffpeg versions into your Docker and check for errors.  [...]

I am fairly new to Linux and Docker.  This is a bit above my paygrade.  Could you be more specific about that ?

For passing the device, this is done.
As said in my previous post, I installed the NVIDIA runtime for Docker.  I am able to use NVENC in Emby and Jellyfin so I'm confident this part is working.

Here is my .yml so you'll know what is done:

Code:

services:
  nextpvr:
    image: nextpvr/nextpvr_amd64:stable
    environment:
      TZ: America/Montreal
    container_name: nextpvr

    network_mode: host
    runtime: nvidia # Expose NVIDIA GPUs      #Per Emby transcode instruction
    devices:
      - /dev/dvb:/dev/dvb
      - /dev/dri:/dev/dri # VAAPI/NVDEC/NVENC render nodes

    ports:
      - 8866:8866
      - 16891:16891/udp
     
    volumes:
      - config:/config
      - videos:/recorddings
      - videos:/buffer
     
    restart: unless-stopped
   
volumes:
  config:
  videos:

Am I hijacking this thread?  Should we start another one?

My goal, like @greatwhitenorth is to reduce the strain on the XEON that whithout Quicksync, is not overwhelmed but a bit "sollicited" for this kind of task.

[mvallevand]

Sorry no, I don't support methods to enhance sub's Docker since I don't see the point of using it in ways sub didn't plan on. Running on the host is much easier. Jellyfin and Emby include their own custom ffmpeg made for their Docker and configuration.

I think I see why your recordings folder wasn't working.

Martin

[NinthWave]

Sorry no, I don't support methods to enhance sub's Docker since I don't see the point of using it in ways sub didn't plan on. Running on the host is much easier.    Jellyfin and Emby include their own custom ffmpeg made for their Docker and configuration.

I think I see why your recordings folder wasn't working.

Martin

I would not mind running it on the host if it allowed me to make use of NVENC and reduce load to CPU since Kodi and Jellyfin's npvr addons both allow to manually specify IP of server.

So if I understand correctly, you believe that I can't use NVENC because the functionnality does not pass trough the container and if I were to install npvr server on the host, it would probably work?

[mvallevand]

Another user with Intel graphics had similar issue and was able to diagnose what the Docker needed. There is also no guarantee that the ffmpeg in the Docker works (which is why I suggested earlier try the one from Emby or JellyFin). If you can figure out what is needed sub might be able to update the Docker.

The reason I suggest bare metal is it is easier for you to work on the requirements and getting ffmpeg working from the command line. On top of the issue with the Docker, it might be the command line options that are used by NextPVR aren't compatible with NVENC so if you can figure those out, you can try them in config.xml

Martin