Problems streaming using both Xsplit and OBS Studio

[Mega Gengar]

Hey all,

So I am having some issues streaming, tried both XSplit and OBS Studio.

On my end I have no fps lag what so ever but on the stream/vods end it looks like fps spikes I'm not entirely sure though. I've tried a few games such as WoW, Fallout 4 and Doom all of which I have 60 fps while streaming.

My PC specs are:

• CPU - Core i5-2500K OC'd @ 4GHz
• GPU - nVIDIA GTX 970 @ 1080p
• RAM - 8GB DDR3 1666MHz

My settings in Xsplit are:

• Codec - x264
• Server - Sydney (In Australia, MS is 8)
• Bitrate - 2100, CBR
• Resolution - 720p at 30 FPS

For OBS Studio:

• Codec - x264
• Server - Sydney
• Bitrate - 2000
• Resolution - 720p at 30 FPS

Any help would be super appreciated, thanks!

EDIT: Helps if I actually post my speedtest.. http://www.speedtest.net/result/5345655481.png

[Zogarth]

Hm, can you upload a video of your stream with an example? Can be a lot of things honestly.

[Mega Gengar]

Here is a recent VOD I recorded. Sorry in advanced, I'm terrible at the MP in this. https://www.twitch.tv/facultygoat/v/67952335

[Evolixe]

MS and Bandwidth aren't everything. The connection needs to be rock-solid for streaming. In the sense that it doesn't experience hiccups.
I'm not quite sure how you could test it.. but basically if your connection spikes from 8ms to 200ms back and forth for a couple of milliseconds every so often.. that could very easily be your problem.

You can try to increase the buffer a bit, generally recommending 150 to 200% of the bitrate.
And you could outright increase the bitrate itself to maybe 2500 and see what happens then.

[Barnabas]

Your preset is very fast?

[Mega Gengar]

Your preset is very fast?

Sorry I'm pretty new to this, not sure what you mean?

Also is OBS Studio better than Xsplit or about the same?

[Cilraaz]

Sorry I'm pretty new to this, not sure what you mean?

He means your x264 CPU Preset in OBS/Xsplit. It's usually "veryfast" by default.

Also is OBS Studio better than Xsplit or about the same?

I haven't used Xsplit in a few years. I like OBS's functions and ease of use.

For your streaming issue, try running a Ping Test, rather than a speed test. Specifically, you're looking for a high jitter rate, which would be bad for streaming.

[Mega Gengar]

Thanks will give it a go now.

I've found that between the two Xsplit seems to stream better but that could be just me not knowing what settings to use and such.

- - - Updated - - -

For your streaming issue, try running a Ping Test, rather than a speed test. Specifically, you're looking for a high jitter rate, which would be bad for streaming.

Here is my pingtest:

Is anyone able to help me with the settings for OBS? I'd love to use it over Xsplit since it's free and seems to be less system intensive but I just can't get it to stream well.

[Cilraaz]

Is anyone able to help me with the settings for OBS? I'd love to use it over Xsplit since it's free and seems to be less system intensive but I just can't get it to stream well.

The pingtest looks great. I don't think your internet is at all a problem for streaming.

You said that you're streaming to the Sydney server. I'm assuming that's based on the ping responses in Xsplit's settings? If so, then I can skip the suggestion to "find the best streaming server".

What settings did you need help with in OBS? I'm fairly fluent with the software and would be willing to help. Personally, I like OBS as it has pretty much all of Xsplit's premium capabilities for free. I don't find that it's overly system intensive (at least not any more so than any x264 on-the-fly encoding), though.

[Mega Gengar]

The pingtest looks great. I don't think your internet is at all a problem for streaming.

You said that you're streaming to the Sydney server. I'm assuming that's based on the ping responses in Xsplit's settings? If so, then I can skip the suggestion to "find the best streaming server".

What settings did you need help with in OBS? I'm fairly fluent with the software and would be willing to help. Personally, I like OBS as it has pretty much all of Xsplit's premium capabilities for free. I don't find that it's overly system intensive (at least not any more so than any x264 on-the-fly encoding), though.

My OBS settings are:

• Encoder - NVENC H.264 (found this to work better)
• CBR
• Bitrate - 3500
• Keyframe Interval - 2
• Output Resolution - 1280 x 720
• FPS - 30
• Downscale Filter - Bicubic

This is a VOD of what those settings gave me: https://www.twitch.tv/facultygoat/v/68102209

I did a lot of messing around with settings and so far this was the best I could get. 1080p and 60fps were a no go. I don't mind 720 but would of been nice to stream at 60 but oh well.

I tried recording a video directly to my PC to see if it was on my PCs end but it worked flawlessly with no jitter.

[Cilraaz]

My OBS settings are:

• Bitrate - 3500

This is a potential problem. You are not a partnered streamer, so they tend to choke out your bandwidth a bit. You're also limiting your audience, as anyone with bandwidth too low to view your stream will get constant buffering. On top of being choked a bit by Twitch, non-partnered streams go direct to users as encoded. Partners' streams have the option for users to change stream quality.

I have historically used (and seen suggested in multiple places) a bitrate of 2000. At 720p/30, it seemed to have the best balance of quality and lack of buffering problems. I don't know if it would lead to the choppiness you're seeing in your VOD, though. If too high of a bitrate is being choked out by Twitch, it potentially could be the cause, but I'm not sure I've seen it before.

If you're using OBS in your local recording, it would be doing the same encoding, just without the upload. As we believe we've eliminated your internet as a problem, the local recording should be equal to the stream/VOD.

Edit: I also have no experience with NVENC. If lowering your bitrate results in the same issue, I would probably suggest using the default x264 encoder, at least for testing.

[Mega Gengar]

Setting it to 2000 helped a bit. I tried x264 and it made it much choppier for me, I think my CPU is just getting old so the NVENC helps to relieve some stress.

[Cilraaz]

I'm sure NVENC helps, since it offloads the encoding (though your 2500K should be more than capable). I just have had no experience with using it, so I wasn't sure if there were any potential issues with it and OBS or Twitch.

Are you also checking your stream live, as opposed to just checking the VOD afterward? Twitch could be having some strange issue with VODs. Their tech has been known to have strange issues from time to time.

[Mega Gengar]

I'm sure NVENC helps, since it offloads the encoding (though your 2500K should be more than capable). I just have had no experience with using it, so I wasn't sure if there were any potential issues with it and OBS or Twitch.

Are you also checking your stream live, as opposed to just checking the VOD afterward? Twitch could be having some strange issue with VODs. Their tech has been known to have strange issues from time to time.

Yeah been checking both live and on the VOD. Also checking from another PC in the house and having one of my friends check for me. It seems to be going pretty well now at 2000 for the bitrate so thanks heaps