Intel Arc VAAPI Driver Support on Linux (Ubuntu 24.04) - B580 GPU

[MotoDC]

Hello crew (and hopefully Intel team),

I'm currently testing Intel Arc (B580 Battlemage) support under Linux, using Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.

Here’s the setup:
- Hardware: Intel Arc B580 + Alder Lake CPU (iGPU currently disabled for testing)
- OS: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
- Kernel: 6.8.0-xx (stock 24.04 kernel)
- Drivers: xe kernel module is active; intel-media-driver is installed (VAAPI stack via iHD driver)
- VAAPI Status: `vainfo` detects the GPU via iHD driver, lists supported codecs (H.264, HEVC, AV1, VP9, etc.)

Problem:
- When attempting VAAPI hardware transcoding (via Plex server or direct ffmpeg), hardware initialization fails.
- Specific error logged: "Failed to initialise VAAPI connection: 18 (invalid parameter)"
- Plex server ultimately falls back to CPU transcoding.

Questions:
- Is there additional configuration needed to make Arc B580 fully usable under VAAPI in Ubuntu 24.04?

- Is Intel's plan for Arc moving forward to maintain VAAPI support, or is the shift to oneVPL/Level Zero now the only supported pathway for Arc GPUs on Linux?

- If VAAPI on Arc is considered deprecated or "best-effort" today, what is the recommended Linux stack (driver, libraries, API) for video acceleration today and for near-future applications?

I am happy to test updated driver packages, patched media-driver versions, or alternative configurations if it would help if anyone has any pointers.

Thanks for the help!

EDIT: Adding link the plex forums post on the same topic: https://forums.plex.tv/t/roadmap-for-plex-linux-hardware-transcoding-with-intel-arc-gpus-onevpl-support/915452

[DhannielM_Intel]

Hello MotoDC,

Thank you for posting in the community. I will review your questions internally and provide you with an update as soon as possible.

Best regards,

Dhanniel M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[DhannielM_Intel · Accepted solution]

Hello MotoDC,

Thank you for your patience. To address your question thoroughly, the drivers utilize the Intel Media Driver for VAAPI, which requires applications to access the media stack via the oneVPL/MediaSDK dispatcher or directly through Libva.

For more detailed information, please visit the GitHub link provided: https://github.com/intel/media-driver

In general, the application will need to be updated accordingly. Additionally, the recommended kernel version for Battlemage GPUs is 6.12 or Ubuntu 24.10. If you need any further clarification, please feel free to reach out.

Best regards,

Dhanniel M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[DhannielM_Intel]

Hello MotoDC,

I am following up if you have seen the information that I have provided. Let me know if you have any further inquiries on this matter, please don't hesitate to reach out to me.

Best regards,

Dhanniel M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[DhannielM_Intel]

Hello MotoDC,

Since I haven't heard back from you, I will close this inquiry now. If you need further assistance, please submit a new question, as this thread will no longer be monitored.

Best regards,

Dhanniel M.

Intel Customer Support Technician