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I followed a guide to add a video card to a NAS for transcoding with Plex (but it should work also with others solution, except Video Station).
The original instructions were found on another forum, but I’m sharing the procedure that worked successfully for me on a DS1821+.
1) Prerequisites
Turn off the NAS.
Remove the main NAS cover and insert the riser on the PCIe slot.
Then insert the card, and finally use the kapton tape to secure it, since the screw only fits without the riser.
Add again the main cover.
Turn on the NAS.
Install the "Simple Permission Manager" package.
Open it and activate if isn't active.
Install NVIDIA driver package from here: Releases · pdbear/syno_nvidia_gpu_driver
During setup it ask if you want GPU or vGPU, choose GPU.
Reopen "Simple Permission Manager" package, go to "Users" tab, search for "NVIDIARuntimeLibrary" e check the checkbox.
Access your SSH terminal and execute this command:
Then reboot your NAS.
Access your SSH terminal and execute this command:
Verify if your NVIDIA video card is listened.
You can also go to "Resource Monitor" to see if you have now "GPU" and "GPU Memory" sections.
If the command isn't recognized, try the following commands:
If you have Plex installed as a package, it can now use your video card.
Make sure to have the following options enabled in Plex under Settings > Transcoder:
"Use hardware acceleration when available" and "Use hardware-accelerated video encoding".
If you have Plex under Docker, you can google and find the next required steps.
I don't share here because I never tried them.
4) Unlock the NVIDIA limit of 3 transcoding (optional)
Download the patch from here: GitHub - keylase/nvidia-patch: This patch removes restriction on maximum number of simultaneous NVENC video encoding sessions imposed by Nvidia to consumer-grade GPUs.
Save it on a place accessible via SSH.
Access your SSH terminal, access the folder where there is the patch and execute this command:
On Plex, go under Settings > Transcoder and on "Transcoder temporary directory" write:
Done
5) Notes
The NVIDIA Quadro T400 card consume only 30W and is safe to have it inside the NAS.
With this card, you can achieve around 8 simultaneous hardware transcodes sessions at high performance.
The original instructions were found on another forum, but I’m sharing the procedure that worked successfully for me on a DS1821+.
1) Prerequisites
- Synology NAS
- with PCIe slot
- and DSM 7.2+
- NVIDIA Quadro T400 card or similar with low profile
- PCIe riser card from x8 to x16
- Kapton tape
Turn off the NAS.
Remove the main NAS cover and insert the riser on the PCIe slot.
Then insert the card, and finally use the kapton tape to secure it, since the screw only fits without the riser.
Add again the main cover.
Turn on the NAS.
Install the "Simple Permission Manager" package.
Open it and activate if isn't active.
Install NVIDIA driver package from here: Releases · pdbear/syno_nvidia_gpu_driver
During setup it ask if you want GPU or vGPU, choose GPU.
Reopen "Simple Permission Manager" package, go to "Users" tab, search for "NVIDIARuntimeLibrary" e check the checkbox.
Access your SSH terminal and execute this command:
Bash:
vgpuDaemon fixThen reboot your NAS.
Access your SSH terminal and execute this command:
Bash:
nvidia-smiVerify if your NVIDIA video card is listened.
You can also go to "Resource Monitor" to see if you have now "GPU" and "GPU Memory" sections.
If the command isn't recognized, try the following commands:
Bash:
vgpuDaemon fix
vgpuDaemon stop
vgpuDaemon startIf you have Plex installed as a package, it can now use your video card.
Make sure to have the following options enabled in Plex under Settings > Transcoder:
"Use hardware acceleration when available" and "Use hardware-accelerated video encoding".
If you have Plex under Docker, you can google and find the next required steps.
I don't share here because I never tried them.
4) Unlock the NVIDIA limit of 3 transcoding (optional)
Download the patch from here: GitHub - keylase/nvidia-patch: This patch removes restriction on maximum number of simultaneous NVENC video encoding sessions imposed by Nvidia to consumer-grade GPUs.
Save it on a place accessible via SSH.
Access your SSH terminal, access the folder where there is the patch and execute this command:
Bash:
bash ./patch.shOn Plex, go under Settings > Transcoder and on "Transcoder temporary directory" write:
Code:
/dev/shmDone
5) Notes
The NVIDIA Quadro T400 card consume only 30W and is safe to have it inside the NAS.
With this card, you can achieve around 8 simultaneous hardware transcodes sessions at high performance.
