Skip to content

v1.0

Choose a tag to compare

View all tags
@Nonary Nonary released this 25 Sep 22:28
· 7 commits to main since this release
v1.0
cbe8adf

Overview

Laptops with hybrid GPU setups dynamically switch between the integrated GPU (iGPU) and the dedicated GPU (dGPU) to balance performance and energy consumption. While this setup works well for most applications, streaming software like Sunshine can encounter issues if the GPUs used for display and streaming tasks don’t align.

This guide addresses these complications and provides a comprehensive, step-by-step solution to ensure that Sunshine consistently uses the correct GPU for streaming, preventing common issues such as streaming breaks and performance degradation.

The Problem

Hybrid GPU Dynamics

Modern laptops often feature both an integrated GPU (iGPU) and a dedicated GPU (dGPU). The operating system (OS) optimizes energy usage by dynamically assigning tasks between these GPUs based on current demands. While this approach enhances efficiency, it introduces complexities for certain applications, particularly streaming software like Sunshine.

Specific Issues with Sunshine

Sunshine relies on DXGI (DirectX Graphics Infrastructure) for capturing video. However, DXGI imposes restrictions when dealing with hybrid GPU setups:

  • GPU Mismatch: If your monitor is connected to a different GPU than the one Sunshine uses for streaming, you may experience:

    • No Video Received: Streams may fail to capture any video output.
    • Duplicate Output Failed Errors: Errors indicating that the output duplication for streaming has failed.

  • Windows API Limitations: Windows allows setting GPU preferences for individual processes, but this preference is immutable for the lifetime of the process. Since Sunshine is designed to run continuously:

    • GPU Switching: After a few streams, the GPU may switch again, causing Sunshine to break until the service is restarted.

  • Complex Display Configurations: In scenarios where the laptop display is managed by the iGPU and an external monitor (or dummy plug) is handled by the dGPU:

    • Display Configuration Challenges: You must switch the display to the dGPU and restart Sunshine to apply the correct GPU preference.
    • Profile Reversion Risks: Ensuring that the display profile doesn’t revert before Sunshine restarts is critical to maintaining streaming stability.

Root Cause Analysis

Approximately a year or two ago, efforts were made to mitigate these issues by introducing a DXGI probe utility. The core problem lies in how DXGI handles screen capturing:

  • Single GPU Binding: DXGI won’t allow screen capture if the display is connected to a different GPU than the one performing the encoding. This is problematic for setups with, for example, an Intel iGPU and an NVIDIA dGPU, where the system may default to using Intel’s QuickSync (iGPU) instead of the NVIDIA encoder (dGPU).

  • Process Lifetime Constraint: Once a GPU preference is set for a process like Sunshine, it cannot be changed without restarting the process. Given that Sunshine is intended to run continuously, any dynamic GPU switching by the OS can lead to streaming failures.

Solution

To address these challenges, a combination of software patches, virtual display drivers, and automation scripts is required. This comprehensive approach ensures that Sunshine consistently utilizes the dGPU for streaming, thereby maintaining performance and preventing interruptions.

Prerequisites

  • Sunshine Streaming Software installed and configured.
  • Administrative access to your Windows laptop.
  • Basic understanding of installing and running scripts.

Step 1: Install Patched Sunshine Executable

The GPU preference prober in the 0.23.0 release of Sunshine may incorrectly select the iGPU instead of the dGPU. This issue has been addressed in PR 3002 and is included in the pre-release versions of Sunshine. The official fix will be available in version 0.24, but until then, you need to install the pre-release version.

Important: Once you upgrade to the pre-release version, downgrading is not straightforward due to the introduction of new features.

Action:

  • Download Pre-release Sunshine:
    • Visit the Sunshine Pre-release Tags page.
    • Download any tag starting with v2024, as these contain the necessary GPU preference fix.

Step 2: Configure Virtual Display Driver

A virtual display ensures that the dGPU remains the primary GPU for streaming tasks, preventing the OS from switching to the iGPU.

  1. Download the Virtual Display Driver:

  2. Install the Driver:

    • Follow the installation instructions provided in the repository.
    • Ensure the virtual display is correctly set up and recognized by your system.

  3. Remove Adapter and Monitor Configuration from Sunshine:

    • Open the Sunshine Web UI and navigate to Configuration > Audio/Video.
    • Ensure that both the Output Name and Adapter Name fields are left blank. If these fields are populated, the automation script will not function correctly.

Step 3: Set Up Monitor Swap Automation

Automating the monitor swap ensures that your display remains consistently connected to the dGPU, preventing the OS from reverting to the iGPU.

  1. Download Monitor Swap Automation:

  2. Install and Configure:

    • Follow the installation guide provided in the repository.
    • Configure the automation tool to swap the display to the virtual display as needed, ensuring the dGPU remains active for streaming.

Step 4: Install GPU Preference Script

This script monitors Sunshine and restarts it if the GPU preference changes, maintaining a stable streaming environment.

  1. Download the Script from Releases:

  2. Configure the Script:

    • If Sunshine is installed in a non-default directory, update the settings.json file accordingly before installation.

  3. Install the Script:

    • Run install.bat by double-clicking it to install the script. Ensure you have administrative privileges during installation.

How It Works

  1. Hybrid GPU Monitoring:

    • The GPU preference script continuously monitors the GPU preferences assigned to Sunshine.

  2. Detect GPU Changes:

    • If the laptop's GPU switches from the dGPU to the iGPU (or vice versa), the script detects this change.

  3. Restart Sunshine:

    • Upon detecting a GPU preference change, the script automatically restarts Sunshine.
    • This action re-applies the correct GPU preference, ensuring Sunshine consistently uses the dGPU for streaming.

  4. Seamless Streaming:

    • The combination of the virtual display driver and monitor swap automation ensures that the dGPU remains the primary GPU for streaming tasks.
    • This setup minimizes disruptions, preventing issues like black screens and Duplicate Output Failed errors.

Important Notes

  • Stream Interruption:

    • Restarting Sunshine will cause your current stream to end momentarily. This is necessary to re-establish the correct GPU preference.

  • Delay in Stream Start:

    • There may be a slight delay when starting a new stream as the script ensures the correct GPU is in use.

  • Compatibility Considerations:

    • The upcoming built-in monitor profile restoration feature in Sunshine may conflict with this script, as it could revert display profiles that the script relies on.

  • Ensure Proper Configuration:

    • Double-check that both the Output Name and Adapter Name fields in the Sunshine Web UI are left blank to allow the script to function correctly.

Troubleshooting

  • Stream Not Starting:

    • Verify that the virtual display driver is correctly installed.
    • Ensure that the monitor swap automation is functioning as expected.

  • Script Not Restarting Sunshine:

    • Confirm that the script has the necessary administrative permissions.
    • Check the script’s log directory for detailed error messages or issues.

  • Duplicate Output Errors Persist or iGPU is Still Selected:

    • Revisit all steps in this guide to ensure none were missed, particularly the removal of monitor configurations in Sunshine.
    • Ensure that the Monitor Swap Automation Script is correctly set up, guaranteeing that your laptop maintains a display connected directly to the dGPU.

Additional Insights

Background on the Issue

Efforts to resolve these GPU switching issues initially focused on adding a DXGI probe utility to Sunshine. However, due to the inherent limitations of DXGI and the complexities of hybrid GPU management, a more robust solution involving external scripts and drivers was necessary.

Future Developments

The ideal fix would involve significant modifications to Sunshine’s architecture, such as running each streaming session in its own process. This approach would allow dynamic setting of GPU preferences as the laptop switches between iGPU and dGPU. However, this requires advanced development expertise and is beyond the current scope.

In the meantime, the provided workaround offers a practical solution for laptop users, ensuring reliable streaming performance by enforcing the use of the dedicated GPU.

Assets 3
Loading