While traveling, I would like to watch content from the CDVR server at home. What kind of transcoder control is available? I see the following in the settings screen on my Core i5-2500k @ 4.2 ghz server:
How do I enable hardware transcoding on this server, and is there a way that I can set the bitrate limits?
Bitrate limits are specified on the client app. If you're using the web player, there is another section on the settings web page called Web Player for client controls.
Hardware transcoding can be missing if drivers are not up to date. See the FAQ on how to run a transcoding capabilities check: Frequently Asked Questions
What is powershell? I imagine it's installed with channels dvr somehow?
How do I find this in a client app on the shield, firetv, or appletv device?
It’s in the settings on the apps. Browse through them and you’ll find the Streaming Quality settings.
Powershell is part of Windows. It is the new version of the command prompt.
I click the Windows 7 orb, type Powershell, start one of the (4) applications found, type the command and hit enter - Powershell responded that the term 'curl.exe' is not recognized as the name of a valid function.
Looks like curl.exe is only included in Windows 10.
Try this instead:
Invoke-WebRequest -UseBasicParsing -Method Post http://127.0.0.1:8089/hls/hwaccel
Is there a way to test this if your server is running on an nVidia Shield?
More logs sent. Still no option for hardware transcoding, even after updating Intel drivers. It's strange that I can get hardware transcoding with QSV using Handbrake, but not with CDVR. Any ideas?
By any chance did you install it as a service ? I have seen this problem when it is Installed as a background service.
No, I'm fairly sure that it's just installed to run in the system tray. I don't see Channels DVR service in the list. It would be great to have this feature working as the processor currently spikes to 100% with just one remote device streaming. It's an older processor, but Quicksync capable and running at 4.2 ghz, not to mention one of CDVR's greatest features is it's remote streaming ability.
This Win 7 system hasn't had a Windows Update in 3 or 4 years, and it would be best to keep it that way for various reasons, but if there is something that it's missing specifically, I could certainly install it.
Any additional ideas, Aman?
Here's the HWE log after running the command that Aman mentioned:
2019/12/08 11:18:23 [HWE] Trying C:\ProgramData\ChannelsDVR\latest\ffmpeg.exe -hide_banner -nostats -loglevel warning -loglevel verbose -f lavfi -t 0.1 -i color=black:640x480 -c:v h264_amf -profile:v high -level 42 -b:v 400k -maxrate:v 600k -f null -y nul
[Parsed_color_0 @ 00000000003a9c40] size:640x480 rate:25/1 duration:-1.000000 sar:1/1
Input #0, lavfi, from 'color=black:640x480':
Duration: N/A, start: 0.000000, bitrate: N/A
Stream #0:0: Video: rawvideo, 1 reference frame (I420 / 0x30323449), yuv420p, 640x480 [SAR 1:1 DAR 4:3], 25 tbr, 25 tbn, 25 tbc
Stream mapping:
Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (rawvideo (native) -> h264 (h264_amf))
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
[graph 0 input from stream 0:0 @ 00000000005ff040] w:640 h:480 pixfmt:yuv420p tb:1/25 fr:25/1 sar:1/1 sws_param:flags=2
[h264_amf @ 00000000005f6e40] DLL amfrt64.dll failed to open
Error initializing output stream 0:0 -- Error while opening encoder for output stream #0:0 - maybe incorrect parameters such as bit_rate, rate, width or height
Conversion failed!
2019/12/08 11:18:23 [HWE] Failure: exit status 1
2019/12/08 11:18:23 [HWE] Trying C:\ProgramData\ChannelsDVR\latest\ffmpeg.exe -hide_banner -nostats -loglevel warning -loglevel verbose -f lavfi -t 0.1 -i color=black:640x480 -c:v h264_nvenc -profile:v high -level 42 -b:v 400k -maxrate:v 600k -f null -y nul
[Parsed_color_0 @ 0000000000579c40] size:640x480 rate:25/1 duration:-1.000000 sar:1/1
Input #0, lavfi, from 'color=black:640x480':
Duration: N/A, start: 0.000000, bitrate: N/A
Stream #0:0: Video: rawvideo, 1 reference frame (I420 / 0x30323449), yuv420p, 640x480 [SAR 1:1 DAR 4:3], 25 tbr, 25 tbn, 25 tbc
Stream mapping:
Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (rawvideo (native) -> h264 (h264_nvenc))
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
[graph 0 input from stream 0:0 @ 00000000004aa040] w:640 h:480 pixfmt:yuv420p tb:1/25 fr:25/1 sar:1/1 sws_param:flags=2
[h264_nvenc @ 0000000002da1480] Cannot load nvcuda.dll
[h264_nvenc @ 0000000002da1480] Nvenc unloaded
Error initializing output stream 0:0 -- Error while opening encoder for output stream #0:0 - maybe incorrect parameters such as bit_rate, rate, width or height
Conversion failed!
2019/12/08 11:18:24 [HWE] Failure: exit status 1
2019/12/08 11:18:24 [HWE] Trying C:\ProgramData\ChannelsDVR\latest\ffmpeg.exe -hide_banner -nostats -loglevel warning -loglevel verbose -f lavfi -t 0.1 -i color=black:640x480 -c:v h264_mf -profile:v high -level 42 -b:v 400k -maxrate:v 600k -hw_encoding 1 -filter:v format=nv12 -f null -y nul
[Parsed_color_0 @ 0000000000389e40] size:640x480 rate:25/1 duration:-1.000000 sar:1/1
Input #0, lavfi, from 'color=black:640x480':
Duration: N/A, start: 0.000000, bitrate: N/A
Stream #0:0: Video: rawvideo, 1 reference frame (I420 / 0x30323449), yuv420p, 640x480 [SAR 1:1 DAR 4:3], 25 tbr, 25 tbn, 25 tbc
Stream mapping:
Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (rawvideo (native) -> h264 (h264_mf))
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
[graph 0 input from stream 0:0 @ 00000000005cf580] w:640 h:480 pixfmt:yuv420p tb:1/25 fr:25/1 sar:1/1 sws_param:flags=2
[auto_scaler_0 @ 00000000005cf980] w:iw h:ih flags:'bicubic' interl:0
[trim_in_0_0 @ 00000000005cf680] auto-inserting filter 'auto_scaler_0' between the filter 'graph 0 input from stream 0:0' and the filter 'trim_in_0_0'
[auto_scaler_0 @ 00000000005cf980] w:640 h:480 fmt:yuv420p sar:1/1 -> w:640 h:480 fmt:nv12 sar:1/1 flags:0x4
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] MF 0 attributes:
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] {88a7cb15-7b07-4a34-9128-e64c6703c4d3}=7
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] {ceabba49-506d-4757-a6ff-66c184987e4e}={f79eac7d-e545-4387-bdee-d647d7bde42a}
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] MFT_TRANSFORM_CLSID_Attribute={4be8d3c0-0515-4a37-ad55-e4bae19af471}
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] {4276c9b1-759d-4bf3-9cd0-0d723d138f96}=<blob size 64: 76 69 64 73 00 00 10 00 80 00 00 AA 00 38 9B 71 4E 56 31 32 61 39 AE 42 BA 67 FF 47 CC C1 3E ED 76 69 64 73 00 00 10 00 80 00 00 AA 00 38 9B 71 4E 56 31 32 00 00 10 00 80 00 00 AA 00 38 9B 71 >
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] {8eae8cf3-a44f-4306-ba5c-bf5dda242818}=<blob size 32: 76 69 64 73 00 00 10 00 80 00 00 AA 00 38 9B 71 48 32 36 34 00 00 10 00 80 00 00 AA 00 38 9B 71 >
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] MFT_FRIENDLY_NAME_Attribute='Intel� Quick Sync Video H.264 Encoder MFT'
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] {9359bb7e-6275-46c4-a025-1c01e45f1a86}=4
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] activate MFT 0
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] MFT attributes
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] {f81a699a-649a-497d-8c73-29f8fed6ad7a}=1
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] {53476a11-3f13-49fb-ac42-ee2733c96741}=1
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] MFT_ENUM_HARDWARE_URL_Attribute='AA243E5D-2F73-48c7-97F7-F6FA17651651'
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] MFT name: 'Intel� Quick Sync Video H.264 Encoder MFT'
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] MFT supports ICodecAPI.
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] input types:
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] input type 0:
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] MF_MT_MAJOR_TYPE=MFMediaType_Video
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] MF_MT_SUBTYPE={3231564e-3961-42ae-ba67-ff47ccc13eed}
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] input type 1:
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] MF_MT_MAJOR_TYPE=MFMediaType_Video
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] MF_MT_SUBTYPE=
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] FF-pixel-format=nv12
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] picking input type 1.
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] setting input type:
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] MF_MT_MAJOR_TYPE=MFMediaType_Video
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] MF_MT_SUBTYPE=
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] FF-pixel-format=nv12
[h264_mf @ 000000000038e740] could not set input type (c00d36e6)
Error initializing output stream 0:0 -- Error while opening encoder for output stream #0:0 - maybe incorrect parameters such as bit_rate, rate, width or height
Conversion failed!
2019/12/08 11:18:24 [HWE] Failure: exit status 1
2019/12/08 11:18:24 [HWE] Trying C:\ProgramData\ChannelsDVR\latest\ffmpeg.exe -hide_banner -nostats -loglevel warning -loglevel verbose -f lavfi -t 0.1 -i color=black:640x480 -c:v h264_qsv -profile:v high -level 42 -b:v 400k -maxrate:v 600k -f null -y nul
[Parsed_color_0 @ 0000000000499c40] size:640x480 rate:25/1 duration:-1.000000 sar:1/1
Input #0, lavfi, from 'color=black:640x480':
Duration: N/A, start: 0.000000, bitrate: N/A
Stream #0:0: Video: rawvideo, 1 reference frame (I420 / 0x30323449), yuv420p, 640x480 [SAR 1:1 DAR 4:3], 25 tbr, 25 tbn, 25 tbc
Stream mapping:
Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (rawvideo (native) -> h264 (h264_qsv))
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
[graph 0 input from stream 0:0 @ 000000000056ee80] w:640 h:480 pixfmt:yuv420p tb:1/25 fr:25/1 sar:1/1 sws_param:flags=2
[auto_scaler_0 @ 000000000056f280] w:iw h:ih flags:'bicubic' interl:0
[format @ 000000000056f180] auto-inserting filter 'auto_scaler_0' between the filter 'Parsed_null_0' and the filter 'format'
[auto_scaler_0 @ 000000000056f280] w:640 h:480 fmt:yuv420p sar:1/1 -> w:640 h:480 fmt:nv12 sar:1/1 flags:0x4
[h264_qsv @ 0000000002df1480] Initialized an internal MFX session using hardware accelerated implementation
[h264_qsv @ 0000000002df1480] Using the variable bitrate (VBR) ratecontrol method
[h264_qsv @ 0000000002df1480] Error initializing the encoder: invalid video parameters (-15)
Error initializing output stream 0:0 -- Error while opening encoder for output stream #0:0 - maybe incorrect parameters such as bit_rate, rate, width or height
Conversion failed!
2019/12/08 11:18:24 [HWE] Failure: exit status 1
2019/12/08 11:18:24 [HWE] Trying C:\ProgramData\ChannelsDVR\latest\ffmpeg.exe -hide_banner -nostats -loglevel warning -loglevel verbose -f lavfi -t 0.1 -i color=black:640x480 -c:v h264_qsv -profile:v high -level 42 -b:v 400k -maxrate:v 600k -look_ahead 0 -f null -y nul
[Parsed_color_0 @ 0000000000549cc0] size:640x480 rate:25/1 duration:-1.000000 sar:1/1
Input #0, lavfi, from 'color=black:640x480':
Duration: N/A, start: 0.000000, bitrate: N/A
Stream #0:0: Video: rawvideo, 1 reference frame (I420 / 0x30323449), yuv420p, 640x480 [SAR 1:1 DAR 4:3], 25 tbr, 25 tbn, 25 tbc
Stream mapping:
Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (rawvideo (native) -> h264 (h264_qsv))
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
[graph 0 input from stream 0:0 @ 000000000048ff80] w:640 h:480 pixfmt:yuv420p tb:1/25 fr:25/1 sar:1/1 sws_param:flags=2
[auto_scaler_0 @ 0000000000490380] w:iw h:ih flags:'bicubic' interl:0
[format @ 0000000000490280] auto-inserting filter 'auto_scaler_0' between the filter 'Parsed_null_0' and the filter 'format'
[auto_scaler_0 @ 0000000000490380] w:640 h:480 fmt:yuv420p sar:1/1 -> w:640 h:480 fmt:nv12 sar:1/1 flags:0x4
[h264_qsv @ 000000000054ea40] Initialized an internal MFX session using hardware accelerated implementation
[h264_qsv @ 000000000054ea40] Using the variable bitrate (VBR) ratecontrol method
[h264_qsv @ 000000000054ea40] Error initializing the encoder: invalid video parameters (-15)
Error initializing output stream 0:0 -- Error while opening encoder for output stream #0:0 - maybe incorrect parameters such as bit_rate, rate, width or height
Conversion failed!
2019/12/08 11:18:24 [HWE] Failure: exit status 1
Does you have Plex installed by any chance? Would be useful to know if it can hardware transcode or not.
I don't have Plex installed. I'm not a Plex user. How can I help otherwise?
I have an idea for one thing I can try which may or may not help.
Similar issue was reported in QuickSync not working on Win 7 x64 and we were not able to figure out the root cause. Others seem to be able to run Win 7 and h/w transcode so it's unclear what the difference in these cases is...
Have you ever seen evidence of a Win 7 system can h/w transcode with Channels DVR?
I do appreciate you looking at this, and I certainly understand if the complexity is beyond what can be reasonably solved.
