Activate hardware transcoding on Plex Docker Container?

[oRBIT]

I've read about people doing it but haven't still seen any explanation (for mortals) how to actually do it, as simple as possible. Marius described a way of doing it exporting the docker-settingsfile and modifiying it but I miss some details to go through with it (guide refers to elements that' s missing in my configfile, and yes my DS918+ does hardware transcoding).
I'd really appreciate any hints here, I'd be very happy to solve this once and for all.

 

[chenks]

Any reason why you're running in docker when there is a native app?

Hardware transcoding is enabled within the Plex server settings via the web UI (only for Plex pass though)

 

[oRBIT]

Yes I know. I'm just curious and wants to learn how to do it. And since Plex isn't supported properly at the moment in DSM7 preview, it would work with a Docker-installation instead.

 

[chenks]

It's not that Plex isn't supported properly, it's that dsm7 is a preview release and doesn't support third party apps at all

 

[Rusty]

It's not that Plex isn't supported properly, it's that dsm7 is a preview release and doesn't support third party apps at all

Actually it does but it needs a bit of ssh from time to time.

Yes I know. I'm just curious and wants to learn how to do it. And since Plex isn't supported properly at the moment in DSM7 preview, it would work with a Docker-installation instead.

You will need to start Plex container via docker run or compose to get this going. Running Plex via Synology Docker UI will not allow you to configure one mapping that is needed for HW transcode.

--device=/dev/dri:/dev/dri This is the docker run parameter that needs to be executed along with all the rest of the repo commands to get whole plex up and running.

After that, as @chenks said, you activate it in Plex UI and reboot the container one more time.

 

[oRBIT]

--device=/dev/dri:/dev/dri This is the docker run parameter that needs to be executed along with all the rest of the repo commands to get whole plex up and running.

I have no idea how I do this..?

 

[Rusty]

Well depending what repo you are using it will looks something like this:

docker create --name=plex --net=host -e PUID=1000 -e PGID=1000 -e VERSION=docker -e UMASK_SET=022 `#optional` -e PLEX_CLAIM= `#optional` -v /path/to/library:/config -v /path/to/tvseries:/tv -v /path/to/movies:/movies --device=/dev/dri:/dev/dri --restart unless-stopped linuxserver/plex

You will need to change PUID and PGID values to match your account on the NAS and ofc all the #optional as well as -v parameters to match your destinations on the NAS.

More info on the specs here: Docker Hub

If you need a hand with this, we can do a TeamViewer session or something to get you going at some point.

 

[oRBIT]

Well depending what repo you are using it will looks something like this:

docker create --name=plex --net=host -e PUID=1000 -e PGID=1000 -e VERSION=docker -e UMASK_SET=022 `#optional` -e PLEX_CLAIM= `#optional` -v /path/to/library:/config -v /path/to/tvseries:/tv -v /path/to/movies:/movies --device=/dev/dri:/dev/dri --restart unless-stopped linuxserver/plex

Ok how do I do this? "Docker create"? I already have my docker container setup and running (without h/w transcoding..) As you understand, I am Docker newbie more or less.

 

[Telos]

It's not that Plex isn't supported properly, it's that dsm7 is a preview release and doesn't support third party apps at all

.. and you shouldn't install DSM7 on your primary, or production machine. So Plex interoperability should be a minor deal until 3rd-party apps are opened up to DSM7.

If you do find a way to get Plex operational on DSM7, it will likely be wrecked with the next DSM release. In the meantime, there is Video Station (as well as an active thread on the Plex forum). Good luck soldier.

 

[Rusty]

Ok how do I do this? "Docker create"? I already have my docker container setup and running (without h/w transcoding..) As you understand, I am Docker newbie more or less.

Wait, you already have plex running with hw transcode? So what’s the real question here?

 

[oRBIT]

*without*

 

[Rusty]

*without*

Aha ok poor eyesight. Well in order to get it running with HW transcode you will have to recreate the container with that switch that I posted before. What repo/image are you using in the end?

 

[oRBIT]

Does recreating mean I loose anything or need to configure my settings again (docker-image settings/plex-settings)? I use the plexinc/pms-docker image

 

[Rusty]

Does recreating mean I loose anything or need to configure my settings again (docker-image settings/plex-settings)? I use the plexinc/pms-docker image

No.

You can recreate the contianer using the same image and its settings by using any of the 3 docker run examples on their hub page: host, mcvlan, bridge.

In any of those cases you need to add the switch that will allow you to run plex with HW transcode support.

How did you create the container in the 1st place?

 

[oRBIT]

I only used the Docker-UI in DSM to download and configure it.

 

[Rusty]

I only used the Docker-UI in DSM to download and configure it.

Well that will not do in this case. Unfortunatelly Syno Docker UI does not allow to configure and run containers with some advanced options like that one needed for hw transcode. You will have to terminate the container (leave the configuration folder where it is) and then simply run it again but via ssh while configuring it to map you current config destination and HW transcode support.

When you have set it up, have you configured each port or do you have it running in host network mode? Simple question, can you see or not the port mappings in the port tab of that container?

 

[oRBIT]

So I'll need to run that piece of code you mentioned above from Putty or something similar?

 

[Rusty]

Yes you will have to SSH into your NAS via putty, elevate to root with sudo -i and then run docker run command with all those parameters as a single command line with no \ and brakes.

Again, do you see the configured ports in docker ui for your current plex instance?

 

[oRBIT]

Yep, there's a bounch of ports in the Docker UI for Plex.. I've only changed the 32400-port to 33400 at the moment but that's the only thing I've changed.

 

[Rusty]

Yep, there's a bounch of ports in the Docker UI for Plex.. I've only changed the 32400-port to 33400 at the moment but that's the only thing I've changed.

In that case this is how it would look like to run it via SSH (again as a single command line):

docker run \
-d \
--name plex \
-p 32400:32400/tcp \
-p 3005:3005/tcp \
-p 8324:8324/tcp \
-p 32469:32469/tcp \
-p 1900:1900/udp \
-p 32410:32410/udp \
-p 32412:32412/udp \
-p 32413:32413/udp \
-p 32414:32414/udp \
-e TZ="<timezone>" \
-e PLEX_CLAIM="<claimToken>" \
-e ADVERTISE_IP="http://<hostIPAddress>:32400/" \
-h <HOSTNAME> \
-v <path/to/plex/database>:/config \
-v <path/to/transcode/temp>:/transcode \
-v <path/to/media>:/data \
--device=/dev/dri:/dev/dri
plexinc/pms-docker

You will ofc change the ports to match your needs as well all of those -v (volume) lines to again, match your NAS locations.