prioritize h.264/avc 444 graphics mode for remote desktop connections

Hi, I have been researching how to enable hardware encoding on my work laptop so that my remote desktop experience is a little better.

Anyway, I did some research on this and I was able to (sort of) get hardware encoding running on the laptop (the remote system). However, it only works with the standard RDP client included with windows, mstsc.exe

I have issues with mstsc when I use multiple keyboards etc, but the new RDP Store app has none of these issues. The experience with app and its features are quite good compared to mstsc

So anyway, I enabled these two options

• Prioritize H264
• Configure H264

in group policy.

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To check I connected with mstsc.exe and I got this from the event log

AVC hardware encoder enabled: 1, encoder name is Intel® Quick Sync Video H.264 Encoder MFT. Server: ----

Image

As per my research Event 170 means hardware encoding is enabled, as also stated in the Log message.

However when I connect via the Remote Desktop Store app, I get this event

The client supports version 0xA0400 of the RDP graphics protocol, client mode: 2, AVC available: 0, Initial profile: 2. Server: -----

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The RDP store app has very little way of configuring anything for a connection.

Is there anyway I can make the RDP store app connect the same way as mstsc.exe ?

Edit System Configuration : Thinkpad L480, Intel Core i5 8250U, Intel UHD Graphics 620 (Kaby Lake)

submitted by /u/tHeSiD
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:)

Windows RDP (Remote Desktop) can I force to disregard GPU?

RDP before Windows 10 had its own graphics driver to convert the rendered
screen into network packets to send to the client, which used exclusively the CPU. Window 8 was the first to start using the GPU.

Since Windows 10 build 1511 and Windows Server 2016, RDP uses the AVC/H.264
codec in order to support larger screens than full HD.
This codec uses the GPU,
but only under certain conditions and for full desktop sessions,
but otherwise falls back to using the CPU as before.

Using AVC/H.264 is now the default, but you may disable it using
the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) and drilling down to :

Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Remote Desktop Services -> Remote Desktop Session Host -> Remote Session Environment.

Set the the following policies to Disabled
to disable the use of the AVC/H.264 codec :

• Configure H.264/AVC hardware encoding for Remote Desktop connections
  
• Prioritize H.264/AVC 444 Graphics mode for Remote Desktop connections
  

In any case, non-full desktop sessions should not currently
use the GPU (but this could change without notice).

References :

• Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) 10 AVC/H.264 improvements in Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview
  
• Configure H.264/AVC hardware encoding for Remote Desktop Connections
  

The last reference contains this text :

This policy setting lets you enable H.264/AVC hardware encoding support for Remote Desktop Connections. When you enable hardware encoding, if an error occurs, we will attempt to use software encoding. If you disable or do not configure this policy, we will always use software encoding.

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