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Re: Microserver Gen10 Plus and Intel Quick Sync

 
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bkp_duke
Occasional Advisor

Microserver Gen10 Plus and Intel Quick Sync

Poured all over the tech documents for this new server, but still cannot find this info, so hoping someone here can answer.

If you install a Xeon CPU with built-in graphics, is Quick Sync enabled on the server and available?  This is a critical feature for Plex transcoding, and is why I ask.

 

I would be coming from a Microserver Gen8, and because there is a Matrox GPU chip on the motherboard, this feature is always off on this old server.

Looking to upgrade a home server that is used heavily for Plex, and this is a must-have feature in the new server I purchase.

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william hawkins
HPE Pro

Re: Microserver Gen10 Plus and Intel Quick Sync

I cannot tell you directly that this will or won't work because I don't know for sure -- you'll have to contact appropriate sales channels.

However from experience across the product line >10 years:  in general ProLiant ML/DL products are intended to be "Servers" not PCs or "Gaming systems"    So specifications and design for that market doesn't alway address every possible need or implement every function Intel (or AMD) throws into their chipset and firmware.   In Servers, typically the built in Video ports are intended only for use during booting and maintenance, rather than to drive some 4k monitor at 120fps while playing first-person-shooters.  Architectually the built-in video ports are thereby typically driven by the iLO chip hardware (aka HPE's built in BMC) rather than any Processor Chipset Video functions.  There is an extensive line of ADD-on GPU (PCIe based cards) which are supported to enable accelerated GPU assisted workloads and even drive monitors; sadly though likely not in the Microserver due to physical size, power and cooling -- "real" GPUs pull more power than this whole box. . . . 

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bkp_duke
Occasional Advisor

Re: Microserver Gen10 Plus and Intel Quick Sync

That was a pretty worthless reply.

If you knew anything about Plex Media SERVER then you would know transcoding is a critical component to . . . you know . . . SERVE data to the clients.  I, nor any one else running a Plex Media SERVER will be putting a monitor on a server like this for anything beyond initial configuration.

 

HPE is targeting this server to the SOHO/SMB group, and that puts it smack in the middle of the Plex clientelle, hence my question.

 

Sure, I could toss a GPU in there and transcode on that, but the on-chip Quick Sync is just as good or better at it (it's basically ASIC circuitry designed just for video transcoding), but that would piss away the only PCIe slot in the server, which thanks to the poor design of the motherboard and not having a built-on M.2 NVME slot, will need for a PCIe-based SSD.

SanjeevGoyal
HPE Pro

Re: Microserver Gen10 Plus and Intel Quick Sync

Hello,

I hope all is well.

I would request you refer to the below MicroServer Gen10 Plus documents for more clarification.

HPE ProLiant MicroServer Gen10 Plus QuickSpecs

https://h20195.www2.hpe.com/v2/getdocument.aspx?docname=a00073554enw

HPE ProLiant MicroServer Gen10 Plus

https://h20195.www2.hpe.com/v2/gethtml.aspx?docname=a00073554enw

HPE PROLIANT MICROSERVER GEN10 PLUS

https://dustinweb.azureedge.net/media/541636/microserver-gen-10-plus.pdf

If you feel this was helpful please click the KUDOS! thumb below!   

Regards,


I am a HPE Employee.
[Any personal opinions expressed are mine, and not official statements on behalf of Hewlett Packard Enterprise]

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bkp_duke
Occasional Advisor

Re: Microserver Gen10 Plus and Intel Quick Sync

Or course I read all the documentation before I asked the question.  I could find no reference there to an on-board GPU (my current Gen8 server has a Matrox).

Anyone else have some info?  First-hand experience would be fantastic if someone can report on perhaps what Windows Device manager shows.

KevinSpringPM
HPE Pro
Solution

Re: Microserver Gen10 Plus and Intel Quick Sync

Intel Quick Sync is not supported. Intel's SPS firmware doesn't allow it, and SPS is required for the server-y features of the microserver Gen10 Plus. This is used instead of the Intel ME firmware that you may be more familar with, which does support Quick Sync, but doesn't support server features. 

Source: I'm the DL380 Product Manager and asked the Microserver Product Manager


I'm an HPE Product Manager

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bkp_duke
Occasional Advisor

Re: Microserver Gen10 Plus and Intel Quick Sync

Thank you, that's what I needed to know.

I do not see much of a reason to upgrade from my Gen8 at this time.  Perhaps if there was more than one usable PCIe slot, or onboard M.2 NVME.

randman
Advisor

Re: Microserver Gen10 Plus and Intel Quick Sync

I had the exact same question. I also have the Microserver Gen8. I was thinking of getting the Microserver Gen10 Plus with the stock Pentium CPU and replacing it with the Intel Xeon E-2246G, which supports Quick Sync. If true, it's unfortunate that the Microserver Gen10 Plus can't take advantage of Quick Sync.

I also have an HPE ML30 Gen9 (Intel Xeon CPU E3-1240 v6 (3.70GHz)). I'm using a Plex ESXi VM on this ML30. Sounds like it won't be able to take advantage of Quick Sync either??

 

On my ML30 Gen 9, I'm using a PCIe card with an onboard M.2 NVMe. While using a PCIe with onboard M.2 NVMe is much faster than a SATA SSD, for my use, I probably can live with just using a SATA SSD. I guess a separate graphics card is another option that can be used for transcoding Plex. If so, wondering what would be a good graphics card and can be used on the MicroServer Gen10 Plus (or maybe even my old ML30 Gen 9)??

bkp_duke
Occasional Advisor

Re: Microserver Gen10 Plus and Intel Quick Sync

I am strongly considering one of the new Intel NUC 9 Pro's.  I would have to move the current RAID array in the Microserver Gen8 into an external SAS enclosure, but it is only 4 x 10TB drives and I can move over the HP P212 array controller that way and not have to rebuild the array.

Downside is that the Intel NUC 9 Pro is in a totally different price category than the Microserver Gen 10.

 

With a NUC 9 Pro I could have a M.2 SSD (more than one, in fact), a CPU that does Quick Sync (or a dedicated GPU), an internal 500W PSU, a smaller case, and really lose nothing except the internal 3.5" drive bays.  I'm also intrigued about future expandability of that new platform.

randman
Advisor

Re: Microserver Gen10 Plus and Intel Quick Sync

Yeah, Intel NUC 9 Pro has very nice specs, but as you said, an entirely different price category.  My HPE ML30 Gen9 so far has been doing its Plex duties just fine (I can direct play 4K just fine, and all my 4K videos also have 1080p counterparts for remote use). I use an external NAS for my videos.

If you were to get another server, a possible consideration is to continue to use your Microserver Gen8 to serve as a NAS