fix(plex): a codec the GPU cannot decode is decoded on the CPU and still encoded on the GPU

The prod iGPU has no VC-1 Advanced decode ("No support for codec vc1 profile 3"), so every VC-1
session died on the GPU and fell back to libx264, which needs ~17 s for the three warm-up segments:
a start or a seek took ~19.5 s. VC-1, XviD and DivX now take CPU decode -> hwupload -> h264_vaapi
(three segments in 5.5 s for a 1080p VC-1 remux, measured on prod hardware with this argv).

The transcode_hw facet now says whether the GPU encodes: VC-1/XviD/DivX count, and so does an HDR
film (the OpenCL tonemap runs on the GPU; the facet said software). Migration 0119 rewrites the
stored facet and re-queues 10-bit items for the HDR probe.

backend/alembic/versions/0119_plex_transcode_gpu.py

@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+"""plex_items.transcode_hw: the facet says whether the GPU ENCODES, under the measured codec sets
+
+Measured on prod (2026-11-07): the iGPU has no VC-1 Advanced decode, so a VC-1 film never ran on the
+GPU although the facet said it did; VC-1, XviD and DivX now take the CPU-decode → GPU-encode path; and an
+HDR film runs on the GPU through the OpenCL tonemap although the facet said software. The rule is
+`plex.sync.transcode_hw_capable`; the two codec sets below are pinned to `plex.sync` by
+tests/test_plex_playback_class.py.
+
+Rewritten from the stored codec and bit depth. HDR is not stored, so a 10-bit HW-decodable item is set to
+software here and its probe watermark cleared: the bit-depth backfill (`plex.sync._probe_media_batch`,
+a bounded batch per Plex sync) reads its HDR flag again and moves an HDR one back to the GPU.
+"""
+
+from typing import Sequence, Union
+
+from alembic import op
+
+revision: str = "0119_plex_transcode_gpu"
+down_revision: Union[str, None] = "0118_videos_shuffle_key"
+branch_labels: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+depends_on: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+
+HW_DECODABLE_CODECS = ("h264", "hevc", "h265", "vp9", "mpeg2video")
+CPU_DECODE_CODECS = ("vc1", "mpeg4", "msmpeg4v3")
+
+
+def _in(codecs: tuple[str, ...]) -> str:
+    return ", ".join(f"'{c}'" for c in codecs)
+
+
+def upgrade() -> None:
+    op.execute(
+        f"""
+        UPDATE plex_items
+           SET transcode_hw = CASE
+               WHEN lower(codec_video) IN ({_in(HW_DECODABLE_CODECS)})
+               THEN coalesce(video_bit_depth, 8) <= 8
+               WHEN lower(codec_video) IN ({_in(CPU_DECODE_CODECS)})
+               THEN coalesce(video_bit_depth, 8) <= 8
+               ELSE false
+           END
+         WHERE playable = 'transcode'
+        """
+    )
+    op.execute(
+        f"""
+        UPDATE plex_items
+           SET media_probed_at = NULL
+         WHERE playable = 'transcode'
+           AND lower(codec_video) IN ({_in(HW_DECODABLE_CODECS)})
+           AND video_bit_depth > 8
+        """
+    )
+
+
+def downgrade() -> None:
+    # The old rule: a decodable codec (VC-1 counted) at 8 bits; HDR and every other codec software.
+    op.execute(
+        f"""
+        UPDATE plex_items
+           SET transcode_hw = lower(codec_video) IN ({_in(HW_DECODABLE_CODECS + ("vc1",))})
+                              AND coalesce(video_bit_depth, 8) <= 8
+         WHERE playable = 'transcode'
+        """
+    )

backend/app/plex/stream.py

@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ from app.config import settings
 from app.downloads.edit import encode_thread_cap
 from app.plex.models import PlexItem
 from app.plex import paths
-from app.plex.sync import HDR_TRANSFERS, HW_DECODABLE_CODECS
+from app.plex.sync import CPU_DECODE_CODECS, HDR_TRANSFERS, HW_DECODABLE_CODECS
 
 log = logs.get_logger(__name__)
 _HLS_ROOT = (
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ class HlsSession:
         hw: bool = False,
         tonemap: bool = False,
         user_id: int = 0,
+        cpu_decode: bool = False,
     ):
         # Unguessable per-session id, carried in the URLs the client is handed. A seek-restart
         # replaces the viewer's registered session for the item — and the old player's next request
@@ -135,6 +136,7 @@ class HlsSession:
         self.transcode = transcode  # video re-encoded (non-h264 source), not stream-copied
         self.hw = hw  # transcode ran on the VAAPI hardware encoder (else libx264 software)
         self.tonemap = tonemap  # HW HDR/10-bit path: OpenCL tonemap between VAAPI decode and encode
+        self.cpu_decode = cpu_decode  # HW encode of frames the CPU decoded (a codec the GPU can't)
         self.start_s = start_s  # the REQUESTED seek offset
         # The REAL media start: with `-ss X -c:v copy` ffmpeg can only cut at the nearest earlier
         # keyframe K<=X, and hls.js zero-bases the timeline to K (so video.currentTime=0 is K, not X).
@@ -188,8 +190,11 @@ _HLS_TAIL = [
 #   * VAAPI hardware (`h264_vaapi`) — the prod default once the iGPU is passed in. A full GPU pipeline
 #     (decode + scale + encode all on-device) offloads the CPU almost entirely, so several concurrent
 #     1080p transcodes are fine and the API stays responsive.
+#   * CPU decode → VAAPI encode (`format=nv12,hwupload` + `h264_vaapi`) — a codec the GPU cannot decode
+#     but whose 8-bit picture it encodes (`CPU_DECODE_CODECS`: VC-1, XviD, DivX). The encode is the
+#     expensive half, so this still takes most of the load off the CPU.
 #   * libx264 software — the automatic fallback where `/dev/dri` is absent (dev box, or prod before the
-#     iGPU enablement) or the source codec isn't hardware-decodable (AV1/XviD on Gen 9.5). CPU-bound, so
+#     iGPU enablement) or the source fits neither GPU route (AV1, a 10-bit SDR source). CPU-bound, so
 #     it reserves a core via `-threads` (see encode_thread_cap).
 # Everything else — the `-copyts`/`_HLS_TAIL`/segment/seek-restart model and the AAC audio path — is
 # unchanged, so hls.js, subtitles, multi-audio and seeking keep working exactly as for remux.
@@ -198,10 +203,10 @@ _VAAPI_DEVICE = "/dev/dri/renderD128"
 # here; its presence is the precondition for the HW HDR→SDR tonemap graph (see _opencl_present).
 _OPENCL_ICD_DIR = Path("/etc/OpenCL/vendors")
 # Codecs the prod iGPU (UHD 630 / Quick Sync Gen 9.5) can hardware-DECODE — the precondition for the
-# full-GPU VAAPI pipeline. A source outside it (AV1, MPEG-4 ASP/XviD…) falls back to software even with
-# the render node present, because the GPU can't decode it to feed its own encoder. THE single source is
-# plex.sync, so the runtime encoder choice here and the catalog `transcode_hw` facet can't disagree by
-# codec; aliased to the old name to keep the call sites below unchanged.
+# full-GPU VAAPI pipeline. A source outside it is decoded on the CPU when its codec is in
+# `CPU_DECODE_CODECS` (the GPU still encodes), else transcoded in software. THE single source of both
+# sets is plex.sync, so the runtime encoder choice here and the catalog `transcode_hw` facet can't
+# disagree by codec; aliased to the old name to keep the call sites below unchanged.
 _HW_DECODABLE = HW_DECODABLE_CODECS
 # Color-transfer values that mark a true-HDR source (PQ / HLG). A HW-decodable HDR source can't take the
 # plain scale_vaapi=format=nv12 path (Gen 9.5 VPP refuses it) — it needs the OpenCL tonemap graph
@@ -302,16 +307,22 @@ def _opencl_present() -> bool:
         return False
 
 
-def _hwaccel_in_opts(hw: bool, tonemap: bool = False) -> list[str]:
+def _hwaccel_in_opts(hw: bool, tonemap: bool = False, cpu_decode: bool = False) -> list[str]:
     """VAAPI decode options, placed before `-i` so the source is decoded (and kept) on the GPU.
     `-hwaccel_output_format vaapi` keeps frames as GPU surfaces all the way to `h264_vaapi` — no
     round-trip to system memory. Empty for the software path.
 
     The tonemap variant additionally derives an OpenCL device FROM the VAAPI one (`opencl=ocl@va`) so
     tonemap_opencl can map the decoded surfaces zero-copy (see _venc_opts); it needs named devices, so it
-    uses `-init_hw_device` + `-hwaccel_device` rather than the plain path's implicit `-vaapi_device`."""
+    uses `-init_hw_device` + `-hwaccel_device` rather than the plain path's implicit `-vaapi_device`.
+
+    The CPU-decode variant opens the VAAPI device for the FILTER graph only (`hwupload` needs one) and
+    asks for no `-hwaccel`: the codec is one the GPU refuses to decode. This exact form is the one
+    measured on prod with the HLS muxer and `-copyts` (and to the end of the file)."""
     if not hw:
         return []
+    if cpu_decode:
+        return ["-init_hw_device", f"vaapi=va:{_VAAPI_DEVICE}", "-filter_hw_device", "va"]
     if tonemap:
         return [
             "-init_hw_device",
@@ -359,6 +370,7 @@ def _venc_opts(
     preset: str = "veryfast",
     crf: int = 20,
     max_height: int = 0,
+    cpu_decode: bool = False,
 ) -> list[str]:
     """The video-encoder args that replace `-c:v copy` for a transcode session (returns the copy args
     when not transcoding). A re-encode must MINT its own keyframes at the segment boundaries — the copy
@@ -385,6 +397,10 @@ def _venc_opts(
             "h264_vaapi",
             *force_kf,
         ]
+    if hw and cpu_decode:
+        # The CPU decoded the frames: convert them to the encoder's 8-bit nv12 and upload them to the
+        # device `-filter_hw_device` named (see _hwaccel_in_opts).
+        return ["-vf", "format=nv12,hwupload", "-c:v", "h264_vaapi", *force_kf]
     if hw:
         # scale_vaapi with format=nv12 downconverts a 10-bit (p010) HEVC source to 8-bit nv12 so
         # h264_vaapi (8-bit High) can encode it; for an 8-bit source it's a cheap format pass-through.
@@ -422,13 +438,18 @@ def _render_node_present() -> bool:
     return Path(_VAAPI_DEVICE).exists()
 
 
-def _select_encode(db: DbSession, item: PlexItem, transcode: bool, src: Path) -> tuple[bool, bool]:
-    """Pick the transcode video pipeline for this session — returns `(hw, tonemap)`:
-      * `(False, False)` → software libx264 (the fallback: no render node, non-decodable source, or a
-        10-bit/HDR source with no OpenCL runtime to tonemap on the GPU).
-      * `(True, False)`  → full-GPU VAAPI (`scale_vaapi=format=nv12` + `h264_vaapi`) — an 8-bit SDR source.
-      * `(True, True)`   → VAAPI decode → OpenCL tonemap → VAAPI encode — a true-HDR (PQ/HLG) source, when
-        the OpenCL runtime is present (Gen 9.5 VPP can't tonemap natively).
+def _select_encode(
+    db: DbSession, item: PlexItem, transcode: bool, src: Path
+) -> tuple[bool, bool, bool]:
+    """Pick the transcode video pipeline for this session — returns `(hw, tonemap, cpu_decode)`:
+      * `(False, False, False)` → software libx264 (the fallback: no render node, a source neither GPU
+        route takes, or a 10-bit/HDR source with no OpenCL runtime to tonemap on the GPU).
+      * `(True, False, False)`  → full-GPU VAAPI (`scale_vaapi=format=nv12` + `h264_vaapi`) — an 8-bit SDR
+        source the GPU decodes.
+      * `(True, True, False)`   → VAAPI decode → OpenCL tonemap → VAAPI encode — a true-HDR (PQ/HLG)
+        source, when the OpenCL runtime is present (Gen 9.5 VPP can't tonemap natively).
+      * `(True, False, True)`   → CPU decode → `hwupload` → VAAPI encode — an 8-bit SDR source in a codec
+        the GPU cannot decode (`CPU_DECODE_CODECS`).
 
     A 10-bit *SDR* source is deliberately NOT a `(True, True)` case: it needs a plain 10→8-bit downconvert,
     not the HDR tone curve (which would visibly darken/flatten an SDR picture), so it drops to software.
@@ -438,31 +459,40 @@ def _select_encode(db: DbSession, item: PlexItem, transcode: bool, src: Path) ->
     backstops a session that produces nothing — but still routing a true-HDR source through the tonemap
     graph so it doesn't hit the scale_vaapi wall); "auto" (default) → HW only when the render node is
     present AND the iGPU can hardware-decode the source, with tonemap chosen only for a true-HDR (PQ/HLG)
-    source that has an OpenCL runtime, while a 10-bit SDR source drops to software."""
+    source that has an OpenCL runtime, while a 10-bit SDR source drops to software. In both "on" and
+    "auto" a codec the GPU is known not to decode goes the CPU-decode route: asking the GPU to decode it
+    only bought the fallback's wasted second before libx264."""
+    sw = (False, False, False)
     if not transcode:
-        return (False, False)
+        return sw
     mode = sysconfig.get_str(db, "plex_transcode_hw")
     if mode == "off" or not _render_node_present():
-        return (False, False)
+        return sw
+    codec = (item.codec_video or "").lower()
     if mode == "on":
+        if codec in CPU_DECODE_CODECS:
+            return (True, False, True)
         # Trust the admin: HW wherever the render node exists, skipping the decodability gate (the runtime
         # backstop catches a miss). Only a true-HDR (PQ/HLG) source needs the tonemap graph — a 10-bit SDR
         # source takes the plain scale path here, NOT the HDR tone curve. Probe only when OpenCL exists
         # (short-circuit), so "on" stays probe-free where tonemap can't apply anyway.
         tonemap = _opencl_present() and _probe_video_kind(src) == _VK_HDR
-        return (True, tonemap)
+        return (True, tonemap, False)
     # auto
-    if (item.codec_video or "").lower() not in _HW_DECODABLE:
-        return (False, False)
+    if codec in CPU_DECODE_CODECS:
+        # The upload converts to 8-bit nv12: only an 8-bit SDR picture comes through it unchanged.
+        return (True, False, True) if _probe_video_kind(src) == _VK_HWSAFE else sw
+    if codec not in _HW_DECODABLE:
+        return sw
     kind = _probe_video_kind(src)
     if kind == _VK_HWSAFE:
-        return (True, False)  # 8-bit SDR → full-GPU scale path
+        return (True, False, False)  # 8-bit SDR → full-GPU scale path
     if kind == _VK_HDR:
         # PQ/HLG: HW OpenCL tonemap when the runtime is present, else software libx264.
-        return (True, True) if _opencl_present() else (False, False)
+        return (True, True, False) if _opencl_present() else sw
     # _VK_SDR10 — 10-bit SDR: a plain 10→8-bit downconvert, done exactly on the CPU. Never the HDR tone
     # curve (it would alter an SDR picture), and off the unverified scale_vaapi 10-bit path — software.
-    return (False, False)
+    return sw
 
 
 def _want_hw(db: DbSession, item: PlexItem, transcode: bool, src: Path) -> bool:
@@ -540,13 +570,15 @@ def _ffmpeg_cmd(
     crf: int = 20,
     max_height: int = 0,
     loudnorm: bool = False,
+    cpu_decode: bool = False,
 ) -> list[str]:
     # For a transcode session the video is re-encoded (VAAPI or libx264) instead of stream-copied; the
     # hwaccel decode options go before -i, the encoder args replace `-c:v copy` below. Everything else is
     # identical to remux. `tonemap` is the HDR/10-bit HW variant (OpenCL tonemap between VAAPI decode and
     # encode) — it needs matching decode-side (named devices) and encode-side (the OpenCL filter graph) opts.
-    venc = _venc_opts(transcode, hw, tonemap, preset, crf, max_height)
-    args = ["ffmpeg", "-nostdin", "-loglevel", "error", *_hwaccel_in_opts(hw, tonemap)]
+    # `cpu_decode` is the HW encode of CPU-decoded frames: a device for the filter graph, no -hwaccel.
+    venc = _venc_opts(transcode, hw, tonemap, preset, crf, max_height, cpu_decode)
+    args = ["ffmpeg", "-nostdin", "-loglevel", "error", *_hwaccel_in_opts(hw, tonemap, cpu_decode)]
     # Keep ORIGINAL timestamps on the output so the first segment carries the true absolute PTS of the
     # keyframe ffmpeg actually seeked to. hls.js still zero-bases playback to that PTS; we read it back
     # (see _probe_first_pts) to learn the real content offset. Without -copyts the segment PTS is
@@ -800,7 +832,11 @@ def start_session(
         return directory / segment_name(i, _VIDEO_VARIANT if variants else None)
 
     def _spawn(
-        hw: bool, tonemap: bool = False, *, replace_only: "HlsSession | None" = None
+        hw: bool,
+        tonemap: bool = False,
+        cpu_decode: bool = False,
+        *,
+        replace_only: "HlsSession | None" = None,
     ) -> "HlsSession | None":
         # `replace_only` makes the supersede identity-aware for the runtime fallback: the whole
         # check-and-replace happens under ONE _lock, so a newer same-key session (a concurrent
@@ -815,10 +851,12 @@ def start_session(
             preset = sysconfig.get_str(db, "plex_transcode_preset")
             crf = sysconfig.get_int(db, "plex_transcode_crf")
             max_height = sysconfig.get_int(db, "plex_transcode_max_height")
-        # Nice the SOFTWARE transcode child (not the HW path, and not remux) so a CPU-bound re-encode
-        # can't starve the co-located API/playback. preexec_fn runs in the forked child (POSIX); on a
-        # platform without fork (the API always runs in a Linux container in prod) it's simply omitted.
-        preexec = _sw_child_preexec if (transcode and not hw and os.name == "posix") else None
+        # Nice the child that works the CPU — a SOFTWARE transcode, or a CPU decode feeding the GPU
+        # encoder (not the full-GPU path, and not remux) — so it can't starve the co-located
+        # API/playback. preexec_fn runs in the forked child (POSIX); on a platform without fork (the API
+        # always runs in a Linux container in prod) it's simply omitted.
+        cpu_bound = transcode and (not hw or cpu_decode)
+        preexec = _sw_child_preexec if (cpu_bound and os.name == "posix") else None
         doomed: list[tuple[HlsSession, Path | None]] = []
         # Finished even when the new session fails to start (no space, no ffmpeg, a DB error): what
         # was moved aside under the lock is otherwise left for a restart's sweep.
@@ -851,6 +889,7 @@ def start_session(
                         crf=crf,
                         max_height=max_height,
                         loudnorm=loudnorm,
+                        cpu_decode=cpu_decode,
                     ),
                     stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
                     stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL,
@@ -866,6 +905,7 @@ def start_session(
                     hw=hw,
                     tonemap=tonemap,
                     user_id=user_id,
+                    cpu_decode=cpu_decode,
                 )
                 _sessions[reg] = s
                 # The one line that says which pipeline a session actually got. Everything downstream
@@ -879,6 +919,7 @@ def start_session(
                         transcode=transcode,
                         hw=hw,
                         tonemap=tonemap,
+                        cpu_decode=cpu_decode,
                         variants=len(variants or ()),
                         start_s=round(start_s, 1),
                     ),
@@ -937,7 +978,8 @@ def start_session(
             if not wait_for(_seg(i), timeout=_WARMUP_SEG_TIMEOUT_S, proc=s.proc):
                 break
     log.info(
-        "plex hls session start key=%s req=%.1f real=%.3f multi=%s audio=%s transcode=%s hw=%s tonemap=%s",
+        "plex hls session start key=%s req=%.1f real=%.3f multi=%s audio=%s transcode=%s hw=%s"
+        " tonemap=%s cpu_decode=%s",
         key,
         start_s,
         s.media_start_s,
@@ -946,6 +988,7 @@ def start_session(
         transcode,
         s.hw,
         s.tonemap,
+        s.cpu_decode,
     )
     return s
 

backend/app/plex/sync.py

@@ -60,14 +60,20 @@ def classify_playable(vcodec: str | None, acodec: str | None, container: str | N
 
 # Video codecs the prod iGPU (UHD 630 / Quick Sync Gen 9.5) can hardware-DECODE — the precondition for
 # the full-GPU VAAPI transcode pipeline. THE single source of this set: plex.stream imports it here so
-# the runtime encoder choice (`_want_hw`) and this catalog facet can never disagree by codec. A source
-# outside it (AV1, MPEG-4 ASP/XviD…) is software-only even on the iGPU (it can't decode it to feed its
-# own encoder).
-HW_DECODABLE_CODECS = frozenset({"h264", "hevc", "h265", "vp9", "vc1", "mpeg2video"})
+# the runtime encoder choice (`_select_encode`) and this catalog facet can never disagree by codec. VC-1
+# is NOT in it: measured on prod, the iHD driver answers "No support for codec vc1 profile 3" (VC-1
+# Advanced, what a Blu-ray remux carries), so every session that asked the GPU to decode one died and
+# fell back to libx264.
+HW_DECODABLE_CODECS = frozenset({"h264", "hevc", "h265", "vp9", "mpeg2video"})
+# Codecs the iGPU cannot decode but whose picture it can still ENCODE: the CPU decodes, the frames go up
+# to the GPU as 8-bit nv12, and h264_vaapi encodes (plex.stream's `cpu_decode` path). Measured on prod:
+# three segments in ~5 s for a 1080p VC-1 remux (libx264: ~17 s) and ~1 s for an SD XviD or DivX
+# episode. Only codecs that are always 8-bit SDR, and only ones measured; any other codec stays software.
+CPU_DECODE_CODECS = frozenset({"vc1", "mpeg4", "msmpeg4v3"})
 # Color-transfer values marking an HDR source (PQ / HLG). THE single source of this set: plex.stream
 # (the tonemap choice) and downloads.clip (a clip's tonemap) import it here, so a transfer added for
-# one is tonemapped by all. A 10-bit/HDR source breaks the VAAPI scale=nv12 path on Gen 9.5 (see
-# plex.stream) → software transcode, so it counts as NOT HW-capable.
+# one is tonemapped by all. An HDR source breaks the plain VAAPI scale=nv12 path on Gen 9.5, so it takes
+# the OpenCL tonemap graph (see plex.stream) — still the GPU encoder.
 HDR_TRANSFERS = frozenset({"smpte2084", "arib-std-b67"})
 
 
@@ -78,18 +84,24 @@ def transcode_hw_capable(
     hdr: bool = False,
 ) -> bool | None:
     """The stored `PlexItem.transcode_hw` facet: for a `playable="transcode"` item, whether the prod
-    iGPU can HARDWARE-transcode it (else software libx264 only); None for a non-transcode item. HW needs
-    a HW-decodable codec AND an 8-bit SDR source — a 10-bit/HDR source (bit_depth>8 or an HDR transfer)
-    breaks the VAAPI nv12 pipeline and falls back to software. `bit_depth`/`hdr` are unknown at sync
-    time (the cheap listing carries no Stream), so they default to 8-bit SDR (codec-only) and the
-    bit-depth backfill refines a 10-bit/HDR HEVC to False later."""
+    iGPU ENCODES it ("Transcoded on the hardware encoder"), else software libx264; None for a
+    non-transcode item. The same answer plex.stream's `_select_encode` gives on prod (render node and
+    OpenCL runtime present, policy "auto"):
+      * a HW-decodable codec: 8-bit SDR → the full-GPU path; HDR → the OpenCL tonemap, also on the GPU;
+        10-bit SDR → software (an exact downconvert, never the HDR tone curve);
+      * a CPU-decode codec (`CPU_DECODE_CODECS`) at 8 bits → CPU decode, GPU encode;
+      * any other codec → software.
+    `bit_depth`/`hdr` are unknown at sync time (the cheap listing carries no Stream), so they default to
+    8-bit SDR and the bit-depth backfill refines a 10-bit SDR HEVC to False later."""
     if playable != "transcode":
         return None
-    if (vcodec or "").lower() not in HW_DECODABLE_CODECS:
-        return False
-    if bit_depth is not None and bit_depth > 8:
-        return False
-    return not hdr
+    codec = (vcodec or "").lower()
+    deep = bit_depth is not None and bit_depth > 8
+    if codec in HW_DECODABLE_CODECS:
+        return hdr or not deep
+    if codec in CPU_DECODE_CODECS:
+        return not deep and not hdr
+    return False
 
 
 def _video_stream_props(meta: dict) -> tuple[int | None, bool]:
@@ -266,8 +278,9 @@ def sync(db: Session) -> dict:
                 # a Plex shape change, a DB error or our own bug, and `%s` told them apart badly.
                 log.exception("the Plex people-enrich batch failed")
             # Probe a bounded batch of HW-decodable transcode items for bit-depth/HDR, so the
-            # playback-class filter's HW/SW split is precise (a 10-bit/HDR HEVC → software) over
-            # successive runs. Only HW-decodable-codec transcodes are probed — the rest are SW by codec.
+            # playback-class filter's HW/SW split is precise (a 10-bit SDR HEVC → software) over
+            # successive runs. Only HW-decodable-codec transcodes are probed — the rest are classed
+            # by codec alone.
             try:
                 stats["media_probed"] = _probe_media_batch(db, plex)
             except Exception:  # best-effort; never fail the sync over a backfill
@@ -294,15 +307,15 @@ def sync(db: Session) -> dict:
 # whole library is covered over successive runs (each fetched item is stamped people_enriched_at once).
 _ENRICH_BATCH = 60
 # Same bounded-per-run pattern for the bit-depth probe. Only HW-decodable-codec transcode items are
-# probed (typically a small minority — the bulk of transcodes are old codecs that are SW by codec), so
+# probed (typically a small minority — the bulk of transcodes are old codecs classed by codec), so
 # a modest batch covers the work-list in a run or two; a stuck item retries next run (watermark unset).
 _PROBE_BATCH = 60
 
 
 def _probe_media_batch(db: Session, plex: PlexClient, limit: int = _PROBE_BATCH) -> int:
     """Rich-fetch up to `limit` not-yet-probed HW-decodable transcode items, read the video Stream's
-    bit-depth + HDR, and store `video_bit_depth` + the refined `transcode_hw` (a 10-bit/HDR HEVC →
-    False/software). Stamps `media_probed_at` on every attempt (success OR a Plex miss with no Stream),
+    bit-depth + HDR, and store `video_bit_depth` + the refined `transcode_hw` (a 10-bit SDR HEVC →
+    False/software; an HDR one stays on the GPU through the tonemap). Stamps `media_probed_at` on every attempt (success OR a Plex miss with no Stream),
     so an item is probed once and not re-fetched every sync; a transient fetch FAILURE leaves the
     watermark unset to retry. Oldest-id first. Returns how many items were probed this run."""
     rows = (

backend/tests/test_migration_0119.py

@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+"""Migration 0119's data step, DB-lane: the stored `transcode_hw` facet follows the rule that it says
+whether the GPU does the encode, and a 10-bit decodable item is probed again so its HDR flag decides.
+
+The schema half is checked by test_migrations.py; a facet value left stale is invisible there.
+"""
+
+from alembic import command
+from alembic.config import Config
+from sqlalchemy import text
+
+from app.db import engine
+
+
+def test_the_stored_facet_is_rewritten_by_the_gpu_encode_rule(db):
+    cfg = Config("alembic.ini")
+    command.downgrade(cfg, "0118_videos_shuffle_key")
+    try:
+        with engine.begin() as conn:
+            lib = conn.execute(
+                text(
+                    "INSERT INTO plex_libraries (plex_key, title, kind, enabled)"
+                    " VALUES ('m1', 'Movies', 'movie', true) RETURNING id"
+                )
+            ).scalar_one()
+
+            def item(key, playable, codec, hw, depth=None, probed=False):
+                conn.execute(
+                    text(
+                        "INSERT INTO plex_items (rating_key, library_id, kind, title, playable,"
+                        " codec_video, transcode_hw, video_bit_depth, media_probed_at)"
+                        " VALUES (:k, :l, 'movie', :k, :p, :c, :hw, :d,"
+                        " CASE WHEN :pr THEN now() END)"
+                    ),
+                    {
+                        "k": key,
+                        "l": lib,
+                        "p": playable,
+                        "c": codec,
+                        "hw": hw,
+                        "d": depth,
+                        "pr": probed,
+                    },
+                )
+
+            item("vc1", "transcode", "VC1", True, 8, probed=True)  # the old list said decodable
+            item("xvid", "transcode", "mpeg4", False)
+            item("divx", "transcode", "msmpeg4v3", False)
+            item("av1", "transcode", "av1", False)
+            item("h8", "transcode", "hevc", True, 8, probed=True)
+            item("h10", "transcode", "hevc", False, 10, probed=True)  # SDR or HDR: unknown here
+            item("remux", "remux", "h264", None)
+    finally:
+        command.upgrade(cfg, "head")
+
+    with engine.connect() as conn:
+        rows = {
+            k: (hw, probed)
+            for k, hw, probed in conn.execute(
+                text("SELECT rating_key, transcode_hw, media_probed_at IS NOT NULL FROM plex_items")
+            ).tuples()
+        }
+    assert rows == {
+        "vc1": (True, True),
+        "xvid": (True, False),
+        "divx": (True, False),
+        "av1": (False, False),
+        "h8": (True, True),
+        "h10": (False, False),  # re-queued: the probe reads its HDR flag again
+        "remux": (None, False),
+    }

backend/tests/test_plex_playback_class.py

@@ -32,15 +32,25 @@ class TestTranscodeHwCapable:
         assert sync.transcode_hw_capable("transcode", "hevc") is True
         assert sync.transcode_hw_capable("transcode", "vp9", bit_depth=8) is True
 
-    def test_non_decodable_codec_is_sw(self):
-        # AV1 / MPEG-4 ASP (XviD) can't be HW-decoded on Gen 9.5 → software regardless of bit depth.
+    def test_a_codec_neither_path_knows_is_sw(self):
         assert sync.transcode_hw_capable("transcode", "av1") is False
-        assert sync.transcode_hw_capable("transcode", "mpeg4", bit_depth=8) is False
+        assert sync.transcode_hw_capable("transcode", "av1", bit_depth=8) is False
 
-    def test_10bit_or_hdr_hevc_is_sw(self):
-        # A HW-decodable codec that is 10-bit or HDR still breaks the VAAPI nv12 pipeline → software.
+    def test_a_cpu_decoded_8bit_codec_is_encoded_on_the_gpu(self):
+        # VC-1 (the iGPU has no VC-1 Advanced decode), XviD, DivX: the CPU decodes, the GPU encodes.
+        for codec in ("vc1", "mpeg4", "msmpeg4v3"):
+            assert sync.transcode_hw_capable("transcode", codec) is True
+        assert sync.transcode_hw_capable("transcode", "mpeg4", bit_depth=10) is False
+
+    def test_10bit_sdr_hevc_is_sw(self):
+        # 10-bit SDR: an exact downconvert on the CPU (libx264), never the HDR tone curve.
         assert sync.transcode_hw_capable("transcode", "hevc", bit_depth=10) is False
-        assert sync.transcode_hw_capable("transcode", "hevc", bit_depth=8, hdr=True) is False
+
+    def test_hdr_hevc_is_encoded_on_the_gpu(self):
+        # HDR goes through the OpenCL tonemap between VAAPI decode and encode (the prod image ships the
+        # runtime); the facet said software for it while every such session ran on the GPU.
+        assert sync.transcode_hw_capable("transcode", "hevc", bit_depth=10, hdr=True) is True
+        assert sync.transcode_hw_capable("transcode", "hevc", bit_depth=8, hdr=True) is True
 
 
 class TestVideoStreamProps:
@@ -87,6 +97,9 @@ class TestSyncDerivation:
         row2 = PlexItem(rating_key="y", kind="movie")
         sync._apply_item(row2, lib_id=1, kind="movie", meta=self._meta("av1"))
         assert row2.transcode_hw is False  # av1 not HW-decodable
+        row3 = PlexItem(rating_key="z", kind="movie")
+        sync._apply_item(row3, lib_id=1, kind="movie", meta=self._meta("vc1"))
+        assert row3.transcode_hw is True  # CPU decode, GPU encode
 
     def test_probed_value_survives_resync_when_codec_unchanged(self):
         row = PlexItem(rating_key="x", kind="movie")
@@ -124,21 +137,24 @@ class TestSyncDerivation:
         assert row.video_bit_depth is None and row.media_probed_at is None  # re-probe scheduled
 
 
-def test_migration_codec_set_matches_hw_decodable_codecs():
-    # Migration 0077 hardcodes the HW-decodable codec set in raw SQL and its comment mandates it stay
-    # identical to plex.sync.HW_DECODABLE_CODECS. A comment isn't enforcement (house rule) — pin the
-    # equality so adding/removing a codec from the frozenset without editing the migration fails here
-    # (else already-migrated prod rows keep a wrong transcode_hw the runtime derivation wouldn't catch).
+def test_migration_codec_sets_match_the_sync_sets():
+    # The newest migration that rewrites `transcode_hw` hardcodes both codec sets in raw SQL. Pin them
+    # to plex.sync, so a codec added to or removed from a frozenset without a migration that rewrites
+    # the stored rows fails here (else prod rows keep a facet the runtime choice disagrees with).
     mig = (
         Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
         / "alembic"
         / "versions"
-        / "0077_plex_playback_class.py"
+        / "0119_plex_transcode_gpu.py"
     )
-    m = re.search(r"lower\(codec_video\)\s+IN\s+\(([^)]*)\)", mig.read_text())
-    assert m, "could not find the codec IN(...) list in migration 0077"
-    codecs = {c.strip().strip("'\"").lower() for c in m.group(1).split(",")}
-    assert codecs == {c.lower() for c in sync.HW_DECODABLE_CODECS}
+    src = mig.read_text()
+    sets = {}
+    for name in ("HW_DECODABLE_CODECS", "CPU_DECODE_CODECS"):
+        m = re.search(name + r"\s*=\s*\(([^)]*)\)", src)
+        assert m, f"could not find {name} in migration 0119"
+        sets[name] = {c.strip().strip("'\"").lower() for c in m.group(1).split(",") if c.strip()}
+    assert sets["HW_DECODABLE_CODECS"] == {c.lower() for c in sync.HW_DECODABLE_CODECS}
+    assert sets["CPU_DECODE_CODECS"] == {c.lower() for c in sync.CPU_DECODE_CODECS}
 
 
 class _FakePlex:
@@ -182,22 +198,42 @@ def test_probe_media_batch_refines_hw_to_sw_for_10bit(db):
         codec_video="mpeg4",
         transcode_hw=False,
     )
-    db.add_all([hevc8, hevc10, xvid])
+    hdr10 = PlexItem(
+        rating_key="hdr",
+        library_id=lib.id,
+        kind="movie",
+        title="hdr",
+        playable="transcode",
+        codec_video="hevc",
+        transcode_hw=True,
+    )
+    db.add_all([hevc8, hevc10, xvid, hdr10])
     db.commit()
     plex = _FakePlex(
         {
             "h8": {"Media": [{"Part": [{"Stream": [{"streamType": 1, "bitDepth": 8}]}]}]},
             "h10": {"Media": [{"Part": [{"Stream": [{"streamType": 1, "bitDepth": 10}]}]}]},
+            "hdr": {
+                "Media": [
+                    {
+                        "Part": [
+                            {"Stream": [{"streamType": 1, "bitDepth": 10, "colorTrc": "smpte2084"}]}
+                        ]
+                    }
+                ]
+            },
         }
     )
     probed = sync._probe_media_batch(db, plex)
     db.refresh(hevc8)
     db.refresh(hevc10)
     db.refresh(xvid)
-    # Only the two HW-decodable HEVC items are probed; the XviD is SW-by-codec and never fetched.
-    assert probed == 2
+    db.refresh(hdr10)
+    # Only the HW-decodable HEVC items are probed; the XviD's class follows from its codec alone.
+    assert probed == 3
     assert hevc8.video_bit_depth == 8 and hevc8.transcode_hw is True and hevc8.media_probed_at
-    assert hevc10.video_bit_depth == 10 and hevc10.transcode_hw is False  # downgraded to software
+    assert hevc10.video_bit_depth == 10 and hevc10.transcode_hw is False  # 10-bit SDR: software
+    assert hdr10.video_bit_depth == 10 and hdr10.transcode_hw is True  # HDR: the GPU tonemap
     assert xvid.media_probed_at is None  # not in the work-list
     # A second run has nothing left to do (watermarks set).
     assert sync._probe_media_batch(db, plex) == 0

backend/tests/test_plex_stream.py

@@ -284,6 +284,24 @@ class TestTranscodeCommand:
         )
         assert cmd[cmd.index("-vf") + 1] == "scale_vaapi=format=nv12"  # not a software scale
 
+    def test_cpu_decode_uploads_the_frames_to_the_gpu_encoder(self):
+        # A source the GPU cannot decode (VC-1 Advanced on Gen 9.5): the CPU decodes, the frames go to
+        # nv12 and up to the GPU, and h264_vaapi encodes. No -hwaccel: asking the GPU to decode is what
+        # failed.
+        cmd = stream._ffmpeg_cmd(
+            self.SRC, 0.0, self.OUT, None, transcode=True, hw=True, cpu_decode=True
+        )
+        assert "-hwaccel" not in cmd
+        assert cmd[cmd.index("-init_hw_device") + 1] == f"vaapi=va:{stream._VAAPI_DEVICE}"
+        assert cmd[cmd.index("-filter_hw_device") + 1] == "va"
+        assert cmd.index("-init_hw_device") < cmd.index("-i")
+        assert cmd[cmd.index("-vf") + 1] == "format=nv12,hwupload"
+        assert _venc(cmd) == "h264_vaapi"
+        assert "libx264" not in cmd
+        assert (
+            cmd[cmd.index("-force_key_frames") + 1] == f"expr:gte(t,n_forced*{stream._SEG_SECONDS})"
+        )
+
     def test_hdr_tonemap_uses_the_opencl_graph(self):
         # The HDR/10-bit HW path: VAAPI decode → OpenCL tonemap → VAAPI encode. Gen 9.5 can't tonemap in
         # the VAAPI VPP, so this is the only HW route for a 10-bit/HDR source.
@@ -365,19 +383,48 @@ class TestWantHw:
             is True
         )
 
-    def test_auto_falls_back_to_software_for_a_non_decodable_source(self, monkeypatch):
-        # AV1 / MPEG-4 ASP (XviD) aren't decodable on Gen 9.5 → the GPU can't feed its own encoder.
+    def test_auto_falls_back_to_software_for_a_codec_neither_path_knows(self, monkeypatch):
+        # AV1 is neither GPU-decodable on Gen 9.5 nor on the CPU-decode list (it can be 10-bit HDR).
         self._policy(monkeypatch, "auto")
-        self._hwsafe(monkeypatch, True)  # decodability gate must fire BEFORE the probe
+        self._hwsafe(monkeypatch, True)  # the codec gate must fire BEFORE the probe
         monkeypatch.setattr(stream, "_render_node_present", lambda: True)
         assert (
             stream._want_hw(None, _FakeItem(codec_video="av1"), transcode=True, src=self.SRC)
             is False
         )
-        assert (
-            stream._want_hw(None, _FakeItem(codec_video="mpeg4"), transcode=True, src=self.SRC)
-            is False
-        )
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("codec", ["vc1", "mpeg4", "msmpeg4v3"])
+    def test_auto_cpu_decodes_what_the_gpu_cannot_and_still_encodes_on_it(self, monkeypatch, codec):
+        # Measured on prod (UHD 630, iHD 25.2.3): "No support for codec vc1 profile 3", so every VC-1
+        # HW session died and fell back to libx264 (~19 s to start). Decoding on the CPU and encoding on
+        # the GPU produced three segments in ~5 s (VC-1 1080p) and ~1 s (XviD, DivX SD).
+        self._policy(monkeypatch, "auto")
+        self._kind(monkeypatch, stream._VK_HWSAFE)
+        self._opencl(monkeypatch, True)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(stream, "_render_node_present", lambda: True)
+        assert stream._select_encode(
+            None, _FakeItem(codec_video=codec), transcode=True, src=self.SRC
+        ) == (True, False, True)
+
+    def test_auto_a_cpu_decoded_codec_that_is_not_8bit_sdr_stays_software(self, monkeypatch):
+        # The upload path converts to nv12 for the encoder; only an 8-bit SDR picture is known to come
+        # through it unchanged.
+        self._policy(monkeypatch, "auto")
+        self._kind(monkeypatch, stream._VK_SDR10)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(stream, "_render_node_present", lambda: True)
+        assert stream._select_encode(
+            None, _FakeItem(codec_video="mpeg4"), transcode=True, src=self.SRC
+        ) == (False, False, False)
+
+    def test_on_cpu_decodes_a_codec_the_gpu_cannot(self, monkeypatch):
+        # "on" trusts the GPU, but asking it to DECODE a codec it is known not to decode only buys the
+        # fallback's wasted second; the upload path is the GPU route for such a source.
+        self._policy(monkeypatch, "on")
+        self._opencl(monkeypatch, False)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(stream, "_render_node_present", lambda: True)
+        assert stream._select_encode(
+            None, _FakeItem(codec_video="vc1"), transcode=True, src=self.SRC
+        ) == (True, False, True)
 
     def test_auto_hdr_source_falls_back_to_software_without_opencl(self, monkeypatch):
         # A decodable HEVC that is true-HDR (PQ/HLG) can't use scale_vaapi=format=nv12 (Gen 9.5), and with
@@ -388,7 +435,7 @@ class TestWantHw:
         monkeypatch.setattr(stream, "_render_node_present", lambda: True)
         assert stream._select_encode(
             None, _FakeItem(codec_video="hevc"), transcode=True, src=self.SRC
-        ) == (False, False)
+        ) == (False, False, False)
 
     def test_auto_hdr_source_uses_hw_tonemap_with_opencl(self, monkeypatch):
         # With the OpenCL runtime present, a true-HDR HEVC tone-maps on the GPU (VAAPI decode → OpenCL
@@ -399,7 +446,7 @@ class TestWantHw:
         monkeypatch.setattr(stream, "_render_node_present", lambda: True)
         assert stream._select_encode(
             None, _FakeItem(codec_video="hevc"), transcode=True, src=self.SRC
-        ) == (True, True)
+        ) == (True, True, False)
 
     def test_auto_10bit_SDR_source_uses_software_not_tonemap(self, monkeypatch):
         # F1 regression: a 10-bit *SDR* (bt709) source is NOT HDR, so it must NOT get the hable HDR tone
@@ -411,7 +458,7 @@ class TestWantHw:
         monkeypatch.setattr(stream, "_render_node_present", lambda: True)
         assert stream._select_encode(
             None, _FakeItem(codec_video="hevc"), transcode=True, src=self.SRC
-        ) == (False, False)
+        ) == (False, False, False)
 
     def test_auto_8bit_source_uses_plain_hw_not_tonemap(self, monkeypatch):
         # An 8-bit SDR source takes the plain full-GPU scale path — never the tonemap graph — even where
@@ -422,7 +469,7 @@ class TestWantHw:
         monkeypatch.setattr(stream, "_render_node_present", lambda: True)
         assert stream._select_encode(
             None, _FakeItem(codec_video="hevc"), transcode=True, src=self.SRC
-        ) == (True, False)
+        ) == (True, False, False)
 
     def test_off_forces_software_even_for_a_decodable_source(self, monkeypatch):
         self._policy(monkeypatch, "off")
@@ -460,7 +507,7 @@ class TestWantHw:
         monkeypatch.setattr(stream, "_render_node_present", lambda: True)
         assert stream._select_encode(
             None, _FakeItem(codec_video="hevc"), transcode=True, src=self.SRC
-        ) == (True, True)
+        ) == (True, True, False)
 
     def test_on_10bit_SDR_uses_plain_hw_not_tonemap(self, monkeypatch):
         # F1 regression under "on": a 10-bit SDR source is NOT HDR, so even with OpenCL present "on" must
@@ -471,7 +518,7 @@ class TestWantHw:
         monkeypatch.setattr(stream, "_render_node_present", lambda: True)
         assert stream._select_encode(
             None, _FakeItem(codec_video="hevc"), transcode=True, src=self.SRC
-        ) == (True, False)
+        ) == (True, False, False)
 
     def test_on_without_opencl_is_plain_hw(self, monkeypatch):
         # "on" with no OpenCL runtime → plain HW, tonemap=False, regardless of source class (the runtime
@@ -483,7 +530,7 @@ class TestWantHw:
         monkeypatch.setattr(stream, "_render_node_present", lambda: True)
         assert stream._select_encode(
             None, _FakeItem(codec_video="hevc"), transcode=True, src=self.SRC
-        ) == (True, False)
+        ) == (True, False, False)
 
 
 class TestColdStartWarmup:
@@ -620,6 +667,30 @@ class TestTranscodeStartSession:
         assert cmd[cmd.index("-vf") + 1] == "scale_vaapi=format=nv12"  # no SW cap
         assert kwargs.get("preexec_fn") is None  # GPU encode is cheap — never niced
 
+    def test_a_cpu_decode_session_encodes_on_the_gpu_and_falls_back_to_software(
+        self, capturing_env, monkeypatch
+    ):
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            stream, "_select_encode", lambda db, item, transcode, src: (True, False, True)
+        )
+        seen = {"n": 0}
+
+        def flaky_wait(path, timeout=20.0, proc=None):
+            seen["n"] += 1
+            return seen["n"] > 1  # the upload session yields nothing; the software respawn does
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(stream, "wait_for", flaky_wait)
+        s = stream.start_session(
+            db=None, user_id=7, item=_FakeItem(codec_video="vc1"), start_s=0.0, transcode=True
+        )
+        (up_cmd, *_), up_kwargs = _CapturingProc.calls[0]
+        assert "format=nv12,hwupload" in up_cmd and _venc(up_cmd) == "h264_vaapi"
+        if os.name == "posix":  # the decode is CPU work: niced like a software transcode
+            assert up_kwargs.get("preexec_fn") is stream._sw_child_preexec
+        (sw_cmd, *_), _ = _CapturingProc.calls[1]
+        assert _venc(sw_cmd) == "libx264" and "format=nv12,hwupload" not in sw_cmd
+        assert s is not None and s.hw is False and s.cpu_decode is False
+
     def test_hdr_tonemap_transcode_threads_the_opencl_graph_and_flags_the_session(
         self, capturing_env, monkeypatch
     ):