# Windows vs Mac streaming



## mindesik (Jun 11, 2020)

Hi! I have tested OBS on Windows (bootcamp, 10 latest 2004 update) and MacOS (also latest Catalina) on same Macbook.
I have 16 inch Macbook Pro 2019 base model: i7-9750H 2.6 GHz, 16 GB of ram.
I'm using same settings (x264, 5000 kbpps, veryfast, high). No skipped, missed or dropped frames.

Can somebody explain, why Windows version of OBS streaming looks much smoother?

Here is examples with time codes, you will notice that mac video looks like it's skipping a few frames every second:
- Windows: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/648024058?t=00h04m06s
- Mac: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/647821461?t=00h56m08s


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## mindesik (Jun 15, 2020)

At the start of stream everything is fine, but after a minute preview and rtmp stream starts to stutter. Again, no skipped or missed frames.


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## Tangential (Jun 15, 2020)

I have a 2015 15” quad core i7 MBP and I’ve never had decent luck with x264. I always have to use apple hw encoder. Some things, like window sources are just super inefficient in macOS. Also if you neglect to check the sync settings and you run in studio mode you use up a lot of cpu.  These are just a couple of examples. In general, you can’t usually use the same tuning between windows and Mac because of os differences.


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## mindesik (Jun 15, 2020)

1) tried x264 and apple vt hw
2) not capturing screen or windows
3) using capture card live gamer ultra
4) tested with all different settings in obs


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## OBS_Cowboy (Jun 20, 2020)

Im in the same boat. USB 2 guitar cable. works until it doesnt then i get TONS of static. Have to close/re-open OBS to fix it. Very frustrating! Being as the static is also in the local recorded video file, can we assume Catalina is to blame? And how can we get Apples attention on this? Apparently theres a thread in MacRumors about newer Macs and USB 2 issues also. May be what this is for all of us?


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## Tangential (Jun 20, 2020)

I find that I have noise and lag issues with some USB devices in both Mac and Windows. In windows it tends to be just a lot of lag. For example, I have really nice CAD U37 table mic that is USB2. If it has been running for more than a few hours in Windows OBS, the lag is measured in seconds. Stopping/Starting OBS fixes it. On a mac, after it has run for a while it starts getting noisy and lagging (although not as much as in windows I think.) Both on my Windows systems are more powerful than any of my MacBook Pros so I don't think its hardware in either case and also no driver was needed in either case. I think that OBS either uncovers (or maybe causes) problems with some USB2 sound devices on USB3 ports.


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## mindesik (Jul 6, 2020)

No problems with usb audio interface or usb capture card. OBS starts to lag itself.


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