# Suggestion - Pause Feature for recording.



## Kane (Mar 31, 2017)

I'm sure this has been asked in the past but now that Studio is shaping up well I love to see a pause feature. It could save me 100's of hours of hands on work if I could pause my recordings do my things and resume without issues. This would be one the best advancements when doing Let's Play Videos etc.

I love to see this and whatever I can do to help it out I would love.


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## Kane (Apr 27, 2017)

I noticed no replies to this. I don't know if bumping old threads is bad or good I think be silly so I thought I make a list of this feature being requested and listing them in this thread sort the master of all pause button requests.

There is more but it gets a but messy. Not always suggestions / direct out questions for pause but some are in other threads part way down trying figure out where pause is and such.

But it's an example of how highly requested this feature has been. With now the buffer stuff they offer and such I feel were close to being able to have this feature added without too many issues. 

Of course this thread is only request / hope to better OBS this not a Hey devs you are lazy and slow. I think we did not even have the tech in OBS Classic to even add such a function and of course fleshing out core features for OBS Studio was a must for quite a while. But now things been ironing out really well I thought was important to remind people how highly requested this feature has been.

Thanks!

https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/suggestion-pause-button.5398/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/pause-recording.50528/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/how-to-pause-when-youre-recording.23101/
https://obsproject.com/forum/thread...during-recording-then-resume-recording.35325/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/pause-recording.24625/f
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/does-obs-have-a-pause-recording-option.27873/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/pause-recording-function.55950/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/pause-and-resume-recordings.26512/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/recording-pause-recording-time.14556/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/can-you-pause-your-recording.17221/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/how-to-pause-a-video.47590/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/recording-pause.32888/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/feedback-and-suggestion-pause-recording.12905/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/pausing-and-resuming-recording.21922/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/pause-during-recording.25897/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/pause-countdown-timer-for-local-recording-video-splitter.5045/
https://obsproject.com/forum/thread...ound-during-pausing-recording-stopping.32345/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/pause-option.35663/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/game-capture-pausing-halfway-through-recording.55092/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/pause-resume-recording-negate-post-record-splicing.58045/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/suggestion-putting-in-a-pause-button.63378/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/plug-in-pause-button.45143/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/feedback-and-suggestion-pause-recording-2.13083/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/pause-button.59788/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/start-pause-stop.7548/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/ability-to-pause.22676/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/amazing-software-please-add-a-pause-feature.9142/
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/ui-should-be-imporved.12152/


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## Brian Pool` (Apr 27, 2017)

I am instructing  K-12 teachers how to use OBS Studio to record classes and post them to a Google Calendar or classroom site for review or intervention activities.  Many times we stop for student activities in the middle of a class and we would REALLY like a pause button as well during recording.  I realize there are many inputs on this already but wanted to chime in on the academic advantages of this.  Thanks for all you do, this is a great project!


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## Fenrir (Apr 27, 2017)

We've definitely heard this suggestion, as evident by the numerous posts you were able to find with people requesting this feature. This has been low priority for a few reasons.

First, it's not as simple to implement as one would imagine.

Second, and probably more importantly, a feature like this is generally handled in post production when creating a video. There are a dozen free video editors out there that do simple cut/stitch functions for combining or splitting video files, and adding this feature into OBS itself doesn't add much value for the effort required to implement it.

Lastly, I would like to make it clear that this is my own personal opinion, but it encourages lazy content creation. Taking the 5 minutes to learn a simple video editor can add a TON of professionalism and quality to any uploaded final products you create. We have a decent starting point here: https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/post-production-tools-you-can-use.234/


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## Kane (Apr 28, 2017)

So if I record 16 hours of footage in 30 minute chunks a day. Could I process all that within a few minutes? Issue with tools like that is the time it takes to actually render. Even worse for people who make raw Let's Play Footage. It's a Let's Play series NOT a edit up series. The truth is some people don't know what a Let's Play series anymore is and just assume 99% of it should be edited now.

Either way it seems like a lot of people been looking for this feature. In the end the competitors are slowly adding in features in that will make me end up sadly switching fully. It's sort of who gets to what first. 

Either way I'm just going by numbers of requests and making a suggestion thread.

I'm not here to make excuses why something can't be done.


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## Fenrir (Apr 28, 2017)

Kane said:


> So if I record 16 hours of footage in 30 minute chunks a day. Could I process all that within a few minutes? Issue with tools like that is the time it takes to actually render. Even worse for people who make raw Let's Play Footage. It's a Let's Play series NOT a edit up series. The truth is some people don't know what a Let's Play series anymore is and just assume 99% of it should be edited now.
> 
> Either way it seems like a lot of people been looking for this feature. In the end the competitors are slowly adding in features in that will make me end up sadly switching fully. It's sort of who gets to what first.
> 
> ...



You seem to be a bit confused about what OBS is. OBS is not a company, it's not competing for market share or profits.

Features and functionality will get added as it makes sense for them to, and as the active contributors have the desire to. It's open source, if you want a feature you are more then welcome to add it yourself and make a PR.

You don't see the requests and issues we do every single day. There's FAR more important features, functionality, and bug fixes that take priority over something like this. My point was only that the request has been heard, and it will be addressed when it makes sense to. Have you seen the Windows 10 Creator Update thread? That's a huge issue that takes priority over just about everything else, because of how much the changes Microsoft made are affecting users normal operation of the program.

Your own personal wants and needs do not reflect the community as a whole.


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## slamdown (May 3, 2017)

if your live streaming be nice to have pause button, or we on a break bit,


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## dodgepong (May 3, 2017)

slamdown said:


> if your live streaming be nice to have pause button, or we on a break bit,



If you're livestreaming, just switch to a scene that says "Be Right Back!" or what have you. No need for a pause button in that context.


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## Kane (May 3, 2017)

Fenrir said:


> You seem to be a bit confused about what OBS is. OBS is not a company, it's not competing for market share or profits.
> 
> Features and functionality will get added as it makes sense for them to, and as the active contributors have the desire to. It's open source, if you want a feature you are more then welcome to add it yourself and make a PR.
> 
> ...


I know it's not a company. I'm just giving you my opinion as a user. What direction I chose due to what reasons. Consider it feedback via the suggestion. 

Thanks.


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## richardw (May 30, 2017)

A "pause" feature would make this a killer app.  It is already very good.  For my purposes, I absolutely need a pause feature!  This would save so much time.  If I have to go back and edit out portions, my production time just became significantly longer.  It would be very easy to implement.


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## Fenrir (May 30, 2017)

richardw said:


> A "pause" feature would make this a killer app. ....  *It would be very easy to implement*.



No. It would not be easy to implement.


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## richardw (Jun 1, 2017)

Fenrir said:


> No. It would not be easy to implement.



Why not?  It would just stop writing.  After pause, it would continue writing.  Other video programs have this feature.  I find it hard to believe that it would be very difficult to add.


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## Osiris (Jun 1, 2017)

Well it is, if it were that easy to add it, it would have already been implemented.


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## Fenrir (Jun 1, 2017)

richardw said:


> Why not?  It would just stop writing.  After pause, it would continue writing.  Other video programs have this feature.  I find it hard to believe that it would be very difficult to add.



By all means, go ahead and add it then if it's so simple.

I really don't want to come off as rude here, but you clearly have no idea what you're talking about and you're making wild assumptions on the difficulty of implementing features and functionality that you know nothing about. We're not withholding this feature to spite end users, it's just very low priority as already explained in this thread.


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## Kane (Jun 17, 2017)

richardw said:


> Why not?  It would just stop writing.  After pause, it would continue writing.  Other video programs have this feature.  I find it hard to believe that it would be very difficult to add.


ETA when you will have this feature done :)?


Anyways, 

As time goes on and they add more recording advance features and such it will prob have some the parts needed to have it work done they might just add it in then. I'm thinking that just adding it in now would be a bit too much work and effort but if it complements other things their working on then it might happen.

Sadly it's one feature I would pay for or donate of course that's not how OS works nor should it. I used competitor recording software but it's always a dirty feeling and they also have their own limitations.

Either way for now just have to spend 10 times more effort in cutting up my own videos or just not using it period. 

Either way if the time ever does come it will be a big game changer for me.


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## Turtlation (Jun 24, 2017)

Hey can you please add the pause button in the next update? I really really need it to start my YouTube channel and it is really useful. I can't find an editing software that is free and will let me cut stuff so I would really appreciate if you added a pause button. And if not could you possible tell me an editing software that could do such a thing that is free? Thank you.


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## Fenrir (Jun 24, 2017)

Turtlation said:


> Hey can you please add the pause button in the next update? I really really need it to start my YouTube channel and it is really useful. I can't find an editing software that is free and will let me cut stuff so I would really appreciate if you added a pause button. And if not could you possible tell me an editing software that could do such a thing that is free? Thank you.





Fenrir said:


> We have a decent starting point here: https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/post-production-tools-you-can-use.234/


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## Kane (Jul 6, 2017)

Maybe someday. If you want I suggest using ffmpeg. It's simple to use via commandline and much better then most tools posted. Takes seconds to merge videos.

That being said still a pain in the ass. If I had OBS Pause I could pause many dozens of times but I'm too lazy to make sure I lay it out correctly and such.


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## elimjohnson (Jul 23, 2017)

Fenrir said:


> First, it's not as simple to implement as one would imagine.
> 
> Second, and probably more importantly, a feature like this is generally handled in post production when creating a video. There are a dozen free video editors out there that do simple cut/stitch functions for combining or splitting video files, and adding this feature into OBS itself doesn't add much value for the effort required to implement it.
> 
> Lastly, I would like to make it clear that this is my own personal opinion, but it encourages lazy content creation. Taking the 5 minutes to learn a simple video editor can add a TON of professionalism and quality to any uploaded final products you create. We have a decent starting point here: https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/post-production-tools-you-can-use.234/




Its so sad that *4* years after this thread (https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/suggestion-pause-button.5398/) what was described as an easy feature to implement and would be shortly is still not in OBS.  I know this was not primarily intended to be a recording program but never the less...the feature set is there and *TONS* of users want to be able to pause their recordings as i do.  Its the only reason i joined this forum and the only failing of OBS on the recording side so far that i have seen.  Other programs can do this without fail so it escapes me how after so long this is still not available.

I know all the arguments about how OBS is not a company, its a streaming program and this and that and this blah blah blah...it just seems strange to me that end users who have driven the need and success of this program are not satisfied but instead told how to do things they don't want to do in order to cover for the fact that pausing their recording is still not possible.

Second, video editing programs (of which I know how to use more than a few) don't usually handle clips well when trying to merge them and push effects etc... across all clips at one time.  Therefore, the pause feature would come in handy so you get a merged clip for any type of editing you want.  Not all editors are created equal and not everyone can afford the ridiculously priced programs that can do anything you could possibly want.

Lastly, as I said i know more than a few editors and regardless of whatever you may feel about lazy content creation, it is of no concern to people who would like a pause feature added for whatever their needs may be.

Making assumptions about what other people need to or don't don't need to accomplish based solely on your opinion is never a good idea...know that before making poorly argued statements in the future.


By the way, I would like to hear from someone with a clue who can tell me how much of a donation pool we have to get going in order to get this feature into the program once and for all because it is far overdue.


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## Fenrir (Jul 23, 2017)

https://www.upwork.com/

Feel free to make a request for a developer to add the feature here, or just be patient and wait for it to be addressed when time and development resources allow. It has nothing to do with money. It has everything to do with priorities and the amount of users a feature or function will affect. Your "tons and tons" of users who want something like this are a tiny fraction of the OBS community as a whole.

And check your entitlement at the door, please. I'm generally an extremely patient person, but I have absolutely ZERO tolerance for this kind entitlement. You don't come in here and make demands as an end user who is given the program for free and act like you're owed something. That's where I draw the line. and I'm locking this thread now. Call it "mod abuse" or "censorship" or whatever else you want.

The request has been heard, loud and clear. Please show some patience and understanding to people outside your own individual situations.


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