#VAAPI Stability Issues (Intel) - Where to post bug report?

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visual latch
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I've been using ErsatzTV the last few days (Debian 13, Docker), and it's been working... mostly fine other than some instability with hardware accelerated video encoding on a Intel Core i5 12th gen (i5-1235U, which is Alder Lake, I know the number is weird for that) and hardware decoding on a Intel Celeron N5105 running Kodi via LibreELEC 12.2.

I've been using VAAPI for this on both ends (QSV has massive AV desynch issues as mentioned in this (https://github.com/ErsatzTV/ErsatzTV/issues/2071) bug report making it unusable for me), and the hardware encoding... mostly behaves (it started crashing repeatedly at one point whenever subtitles would be rendered, but restarting the CPU fixed it).

However, the decoding fails completely on the Kodi install on my PC hooked up to my TV with VAAPI. It just either crashes Kodi instantly or audio plays without any visible video, and logs filling with FFMPEG errors (will post following this, post size limits).
(This happens with both HEVC and H.264.)

Should I report this as a bug to ErsatzTV, Kodi, FFMPEG, or the Intel VAAPI drivers? (Alternately if one of you could help me that would also rule. 🙂 )

ErzatzTV: 25.6.0-docker-amd64

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Kodi FFMPEG errors:

2025-09-16 18:26:42.726 T:1068    error <general>: ffmpeg[0x43b17150]: [hevc] Failed to end picture decode issue: 18 (invalid parameter).
2025-09-16 18:26:42.726 T:1068    error <general>: ffmpeg[0x43b17150]: [hevc] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
2025-09-16 18:26:42.726 T:1068    error <general>: ffmpeg[0x43b17150]: [hevc] Could not find ref with POC 0
2025-09-16 18:26:42.727 T:1068    error <general>: ffmpeg[0x43b17150]: [hevc] Failed to end picture decode issue: 18 (invalid parameter).
2025-09-16 18:26:42.727 T:1068    error <general>: ffmpeg[0x43b17150]: [hevc] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
2025-09-16 18:26:42.727 T:1068    error <general>: ffmpeg[0x43b17150]: [hevc] Could not find ref with POC 1
2025-09-16 18:26:42.727 T:1068    error <general>: ffmpeg[0x43b17150]: [hevc] Failed to end picture decode issue: 18 (invalid parameter).
2025-09-16 18:26:42.727 T:1068    error <general>: ffmpeg[0x43b17150]: [hevc] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture
2025-09-16 18:26:42.727 T:1068    error <general>: ffmpeg[0x43b17150]: [hevc] Could not find ref with POC 2

it then just kinda loops like that ad infinitum

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Unfortunately, disabling VAAPI on either end is not the greatest due to the underpowered nature of both systems (the i5 is in a very low power formfactor.)

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The Celeron N5105 can hardware decode HEVC at 2160p60 usually through Kodi, to be clear.

vital hill
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if you can reproduce bad behavior in etv itself, im happy to take a look

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!troubleshoot

daring craterBOT
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To troubleshoot content playback in ErsatzTV use the Playback Troubleshooting tool.

  1. Search for any content using the search bar.
  2. Use the overflow/three dots menu on content and select Troubleshoot Playback.
  3. Select the appropriate Playback Settings that trigger the undesired behavior.
  4. Click Play to start playback.
  5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until the undesired behavior is reproduced.
  6. Click Download Results to have ErsatzTV collect relevant troubleshooting logs (FFmpeg log, FFmpeg Profile, Hardware Capabilities, Media Info, etc) and compress them in a zip file.
  7. Post the zip in #1006572433039433830 along with a description of the problem to receive help.