SOLVED: Docker Container - Playback failed due to a fatal playback error

[pennywise134]

I installed Jellyfin in a Docker container on my Beelink mini PC running Ubuntu. The installation itself appears to have been successful, I can configure and populate my libraries—but whenever I try to play a video file, I get the error:

"Playback failed due to a fatal playback error."

I previously had Jellyfin running successfully as a bare-metal install on the same machine, but I’m running into this issue with the Docker container.

Has anyone encountered this before? What troubleshooting steps should I take? I've attached a log file for review.

Thanks in advance for any help!

CPU: i3 1220p
RAM: 24GB DDR5
OS: Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS

[TheDreadPirate]

You checked "Allow encoding in AV1 format", which the i3-1220P does not support. It only support DEcoding AV1.

This table on wiki will help you check the correct boxes. Use the Alderlake column.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Quic...d_encoding

[pennywise134]

You checked "Allow encoding in AV1 format", which the i3-1220P does not support.  It only support DEcoding AV1.

This table on wiki will help you check the correct boxes.  Use the Alderlake column.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Quic...d_encoding

Would that cause a fatal playback error even if the files that are failing to play aren't in AV1 format? The files I'm trying to play are all HEVC.

[gnattu]

> Would that cause a fatal playback error even if the files that are failing to play aren't in AV1 format? The files I'm trying to play are all HEVC.

Yes. You are using a browser that reports av1 support but not hevc support (likely firefox) which caused server to transcode to av1 and that is the problem because your hardware does not have av1 hardware encoder. With that disabled the server will transcode to h264 instead.

[pennywise134]

Yes. You are using a browser that reports av1 support but not hevc support (likely firefox) which caused server to transcode to av1 and that is the problem because your hardware does not have av1 hardware encoder. With that disabled the server will transcode to h264 instead.
[/quote]

I unchecked the "Allow encoding in AV1 format" box, and I'm still getting the fatal error. Any thoughts?

I attached the ffmpeg log, let me know if there are any other log files I should gather.

Also, here are the contents of my docker-compose.yml file:

version: '3.8'
services:
  jellyfin:
    image: jellyfin/jellyfin
    container_name: jellyfin
    restart: unless-stopped
    network_mode: "host"
    volumes:
      - ./configconfig
      - ./cachecache
      - /media/lucas/GOLDmedia
    environment:
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
      - TZ=America/Toronto

[TheDreadPirate]

Oh. You didn't pass the GPU into the container.

https://jellyfin.org/docs/general/admini...ial-docker

Both the device and the render group need to be passed into the container.

[pennywise134]

Oh.  You didn't pass the GPU into the container.

https://jellyfin.org/docs/general/admini...ial-docker

Both the device and the render group need to be passed into the container.

Ahhh, yes my bad I missed that step. Thank you! I confirmed transcoding is working after adding the below to the yml file. Itseems to be working without passing the render group...is that step necessary?

devices:
      - /dev/dri : /dev/dri

[TheDreadPirate]

Since you are running the container as root, no. If you wished to run the container as an unprivileged user, you would.

[pennywise134]

Since you are running the container as root, no.  If you wished to run the container as an unprivileged user, you would.

great, thank you very much for your help. I'm glad this is finally working!