Troubleshooting Streaming with OBS
OBS is very powerful, free studio software available on Windows, Mac, or Linux, that lets you go live with EventLive platform, and use variety of inputs: web-cameras, DSLRs (via USB or HDMI-USB capture card), but also lets you add pre-recorded videos, screen-share, images, overlays, and much more!
See our guide on how to go live to EventLive with OBS Studio.
If your OBS live stream is lagging, here's how to troubleshoot:
- Settings -> Video tab -> Output (Scaled) Resolution: 1280x720
- Settings -> Output tab -> Bitrate set to 1500 Kbps
- Restart the stream
If OBS tells you "Encoding Overloaded! Consider turning down video settings or using a faster encoding preset." or your CPU usage is very high, your computer does not have enough processing power to process the video in real time with the current settings.
It's possible that your computer is overheated, entered power saving mode, or that other apps are slowing it down.
- Is your computer too hot? Put it in shade, plug it into power outlet, close all unnecessary applications including browser windows.
Stop Streaming, Open OBS Settings
- Output tab: Choose Output Mode: Advanced
- Output tab: Encoder: Choose Hardware Encoder if available, or else:
- Output tab: CPU Usage Preset: Choose superfast.
- Output tab: Tune: Choose zerolatency.
- Video tab: Output (Scaled) Resolution: 1280x720.
- Video tab: Common FPS Values: Choose 30, or even 24.
- Video tab: Downscale Filter: Bilinear
- Restart the stream
If you are streaming and recording in OBS, it can slow it down even more. If possible, record to your camera instead.
If you have a high number and growing of Dropped frames % or your indicator is Yellow or Red in the bottom right corner, then it's an issue with your internet connection. Your upload channel is not sufficient for your stream settings.
- Open Settings
- Output Tab: Lower your Bitrate. You can lower by 500 kbps until the problem resolves.
- Output Tab: Rate Control: CBR.
If that did not help:
- Stop the stream
- Video tab: Output resolution: switch to 1280x720. It will look better with lower bitrates.
- Video Tab: Choose lower FPS like 30 or even 24.
- Restart the stream
- Try an alternative internet connection
If your video is not in sync with audio, here's what to check:
- Are you using an external camera? Turn the in-camera image stabilization off. Image stabilization adds delays to the video feed.
- Are you using a capture card? Cheaper capture cards can introduce delay to your video.
You can also fix the sync problem by choosing Advanced Audio Properties on your audio in Audio Mixer:
- If you're using a CamLink you might need to unpair and re-pair it.
- Make sure you're on the right Scene, and check the properties of your Video Source
Check your OBS settings to enable Automated Reconnect:
- Restart OBS
- Apply solutions from Internet upload problems section
- Are you being throttled? If you're using an unlimited plan that has data caps at high speed, it might be an issue
- Try a different connection
See our guide on how to go live to EventLive with OBS Studio.
If your OBS live stream is lagging, here's how to troubleshoot:
Quick!! Fix all my problems NOW!! The bride is walking down the isle
- Settings -> Video tab -> Output (Scaled) Resolution: 1280x720
- Settings -> Output tab -> Bitrate set to 1500 Kbps
- Restart the stream
Performance Problems
If OBS tells you "Encoding Overloaded! Consider turning down video settings or using a faster encoding preset." or your CPU usage is very high, your computer does not have enough processing power to process the video in real time with the current settings.
It's possible that your computer is overheated, entered power saving mode, or that other apps are slowing it down.
Quick solutions:
- Is your computer too hot? Put it in shade, plug it into power outlet, close all unnecessary applications including browser windows.
Stop Streaming, Open OBS Settings
- Output tab: Choose Output Mode: Advanced
- Output tab: Encoder: Choose Hardware Encoder if available, or else:
- Output tab: CPU Usage Preset: Choose superfast.
- Output tab: Tune: Choose zerolatency.
- Video tab: Output (Scaled) Resolution: 1280x720.
- Video tab: Common FPS Values: Choose 30, or even 24.
- Video tab: Downscale Filter: Bilinear
- Restart the stream
If you are streaming and recording in OBS, it can slow it down even more. If possible, record to your camera instead.
Internet Upload Speed problems
If you have a high number and growing of Dropped frames % or your indicator is Yellow or Red in the bottom right corner, then it's an issue with your internet connection. Your upload channel is not sufficient for your stream settings.
Quick solutions:
- Open Settings
- Output Tab: Lower your Bitrate. You can lower by 500 kbps until the problem resolves.
- Output Tab: Rate Control: CBR.
If that did not help:
- Stop the stream
- Video tab: Output resolution: switch to 1280x720. It will look better with lower bitrates.
- Video Tab: Choose lower FPS like 30 or even 24.
- Restart the stream
- Try an alternative internet connection
OBS audio / video sync problems?
If your video is not in sync with audio, here's what to check:
- Are you using an external camera? Turn the in-camera image stabilization off. Image stabilization adds delays to the video feed.
- Are you using a capture card? Cheaper capture cards can introduce delay to your video.
You can also fix the sync problem by choosing Advanced Audio Properties on your audio in Audio Mixer:
No image from camera?
- If you're using a CamLink you might need to unpair and re-pair it.
- Make sure you're on the right Scene, and check the properties of your Video Source
OBS would not reconnect?
Check your OBS settings to enable Automated Reconnect:
OBS was streaming fine but suddenly stoped?
- Restart OBS
- Apply solutions from Internet upload problems section
- Are you being throttled? If you're using an unlimited plan that has data caps at high speed, it might be an issue
- Try a different connection
Updated on: 16/11/2021