Advice: OBS > Encoding Server > YouTube, FB etc.

[thisiszeev]

Hi All

I discovered OBS after doing an online course on video production, editing and broadcasting. The course didn't name OBS, it just covered theory, but after googling and finding/testing several commercial solutions that had very steep learning curves, I came across a subreddit that had a post about OBS. So I downloaded, and within an hour I was operational. So let's just say I am hooked.

I am now building a complete rig:
1. I have a desktop PC running Debian 11 and it has a basic GPU that can do pretty decent H.264 encoding.
2. I have 2x core i5 laptops running Debian 11 with SSD, 8GB RAM and second 1TB HDD.
3. I have HDMI to USB Capture that does only 5fps at 1080p but it fits my needs perfectly.
3. I have a Core2Duo running Debian 11 with 4GB RAM for displaying the live stream off YouTube.
4. I have a Hercules DJConsole DMX2 (I use for mucking around with bedroom DJing {I am 43 and like to pretend I am 23 sometimes} - this device is mappable via MIDI as the PC sees it as MIDI.
5. I have a professional JTS USB Microphone with supporting headphones.

I want to use the one i5 to capture and edit in real time, so to speak, my live stream. It has the built in display with an external display. Need the real estate for that one, and it is the one that the HDMI capture is plugged into (not using this to record my second laptop, but rather for recording external devices that output HDMI, such as TV Sticks etc.)

The second i5 is the one I am working on to do my training live streams.

So i5#2 send raw video via Gbe LAN to i5#1 which is use the DJ desk to control OBS on. The mic is also connected to this laptop, as well as the HDMI capture, when needed.

I want the i5#1 to then send the video stream to the desktop for multiple encoding to YouTube, FB and more, using ffMPEG. Unless there is a more efficient way?

My network is fully 1Gbe.

The Core2Duo will just be used to display the finished product from various platforms so I can ensure that my viewers are getting the product.

I am rather experienced with Linux and Debian, but relatively new to OBS (it's been less than a year) as well as still cutting my teeth on ffMPEG.

TIA.

Ze'ev

 

[Lawrence_SoCal]

You asked about efficiency but have lots of systems. Which is more important, efficient/effective setup, or not spending money on newer, more powerful gear?
I ask as having multiple computers adds LOTS of complexity, and isn't generally recommended unless you really know what you are doing
And beware thermal throttling for laptops doing real-time video compositing and encoding
and slight nomenclature tip - in real-time, I've heard it referred to as adjusting (changing) your video layout composition (vs editing)

Another consideration is that as you get more sophisticated with your setup, it is not uncommon to add plugins, chroma-keying, noise cancellation and/or compression, etc... all which consume CPU cycles (some more than others). So beware starting with a setup that is nearly maxing out system resources