Installation Guide

This guide will walk you through installing and configuring Vulkan Media Player in your Unreal Engine project.

Prerequisites

Before installing Vulkan Media Player, ensure your system meets these requirements:

System Requirements

Linux

• Operating System: Linux distribution with Vulkan support
• GPU: Vulkan 1.3+ compatible graphics card
• Drivers:
  • Mesa 23.0+ (for open-source drivers)
  • Latest proprietary drivers (NVIDIA/AMD) with Vulkan Video extension support
• Vulkan SDK: Vulkan SDK installed (for development)

Windows

• Operating System: Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
• GPU: Vulkan 1.3+ compatible graphics card
• Drivers: Latest GPU drivers from manufacturer

Unreal Engine

• Version: Unreal Engine 5.0 or later
• RHI: Vulkan RHI must be enabled
• Build: Development or Shipping build configuration supported

Verification: Check Vulkan Video Support

Before proceeding, verify your GPU supports Vulkan Video extensions:

Linux

# Install vulkan-tools if not already installed
sudo apt-get install vulkan-tools

# Check Vulkan Video extension support
vulkaninfo | grep -i "VK_KHR_video_decode"

# Expected output (at minimum):
# VK_KHR_video_decode_queue
# VK_KHR_video_decode_h264  <-- Required for H.264 support

If you don't see these extensions, update your GPU drivers or check the Troubleshooting section.

Windows

Use one of these tools to verify Vulkan Video extension support:

• GPU Caps Viewer
• GPU-Z
• Vulkan Info (included in Vulkan SDK)

Look for VK_KHR_video_decode_queue and VK_KHR_video_decode_h264 in the extensions list.

Installation Methods

Method 1: Clone from GitHub (Recommended)

1. Clone the Repository

   cd YourProject/Plugins
   git clone https://github.com/UnrealSolutionsLtd/VulkanMediaPlayer.git

2. Or Download as ZIP

   • Go to the GitHub repository
   • Click Code → Download ZIP
   • Extract to your project's Plugins folder

3. Expected Folder Structure

   YourProject/
   └── Plugins/
       └── VulkanMediaPlayer/
           ├── Source/
           ├── Resources/
           ├── Content/
           └── VulkanMediaPlayer.uplugin

4. Regenerate Project Files

   • Right-click your .uproject file
   • Select Generate Visual Studio project files (Windows) or equivalent

Configuration

Enable Vulkan RHI

Vulkan Media Player requires Vulkan RHI to be enabled:

Project Settings

1. Open Edit → Project Settings
2. Navigate to Platforms → Linux (or your target platform)
3. Under Targeted RHIs, ensure Vulkan is added
4. Set as default RHI if needed

Command Line (for testing)

Launch your game with Vulkan RHI:

# Linux
./YourGame.sh -vulkan

# Windows
YourGame.exe -vulkan

Verify Installation

To verify the plugin is installed correctly:

1. Check Plugin List

   • Open Edit → Plugins
   • Search for "Vulkan Media Player"
   • Verify it shows as Enabled

2. Check Output Log

   • Open Window → Developer Tools → Output Log
   • Look for: LogVulkanMediaPlayerModule: VulkanMediaPlayer module starting up

3. Test Media Source

   • Create a new Media Player asset
   • Create a Media Source (File Media Source)
   • Try opening a video file
   • Vulkan Media Player should appear as an available player

Troubleshooting

Plugin Won't Enable

Issue: Plugin checkbox is grayed out or shows an error

Solutions:

• Ensure you're using Unreal Engine 5.0 or later
• Verify your platform is supported (Win64, Linux, LinuxARM64)
• Check the Output Log for specific error messages
• Rebuild the plugin from source if using manual installation

Vulkan RHI Not Available

Issue: Vulkan option not showing in Project Settings

Solutions:

• Install latest GPU drivers
• Install Vulkan SDK
• Verify GPU supports Vulkan 1.3+
• On Linux, install vulkan-tools and mesa-vulkan-drivers

Module Compilation Errors

Issue: Plugin fails to compile

Solutions:

• Ensure you have a valid C++ development environment
• Update to latest Unreal Engine patch version
• Clean intermediate files: Delete Intermediate/ and Binaries/ folders, then rebuild
• Check that all dependencies are installed

No Hardware Acceleration

Issue: Videos play but CPU usage is high

Solutions:

• Verify Vulkan Video extension is supported (run vulkaninfo)
• Update GPU drivers to the latest version
• Check that Vulkan RHI is actually being used (check Output Log)
• Some older GPUs may not support Vulkan Video decode

Platform-Specific Notes

Linux

• Ensure you have the correct Vulkan loader installed
• AMD users: Use Mesa 23.0+ or latest AMDVLK drivers
• NVIDIA users: Use proprietary drivers version 525+ for best support

Windows

• Windows 11 generally has better Vulkan support
• Ensure Windows Media Feature Pack is installed
• Some antivirus software may interfere with Vulkan - add exceptions if needed

Next Steps

Now that Vulkan Media Player is installed:

1. Follow the Quick Start guide to play your first video
2. Learn about Video Playback features
3. Join our Discord community for support

Getting Help

If you encounter issues:

• 💬 Join our Discord for community support
• Email support: [email protected]
• Check the GitHub repository for updates and issues

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