Question / Help Blocky Stream

[Rich Andrews]

Hi guys, long time lurker, first time poster.

I have just spent £1k on a new PC to enable me to stream higher quality Xbox One gameplay via my growing YouTube channel. I was using a HP laptop to do it before at 720p/60 and the quality was ok-ish but I was having to stream with the superfast preset on that, so I thought I'd upgrade. I also wanted something a bit more powerful for video editing.

Anyway, my streaming quality is now worse for my viewers than when I was on my laptop and I just can't figure it out.

My log is here and also attached I hope:

https://gist.github.com/aecc5ced77c211d426b9e90d800f30d7

Is that all you awesome lot need to tell me that I spent my money for nothing haha?

Thanks a lot,
Rich

 

[RytoEX]

Log doesn't show a streaming attempt. Please start a stream, wait 30-60 seconds, and stop a stream before uploading the log file.

 

[Rich Andrews]

Thanks RytoEX , I'll do this asap

 

[Rich Andrews]

Log attached. Thanks again!

 

[Beardedbob]

Hi,

The log looks fine in terms of no lag but as its morning I'm either going blind or not 100% awake as I can't see the GPU you have in the log, therefore can you state?

The PC should be find to stream 720 @ 60fps and you could drop the cpu preset lower than veryfast but atm something else is causing the issue hence the gpu question.

 

[Rich Andrews]

Hi Beardedbob. Thanks for replying and looking at my log file.

I actually didn't spec a GPU for my rig because I thought the iGPU of the processor would be enough - I'm using x264 for the stream which is the CPU, isn't it?

My laptop also didn't have a GPU, I was exclusively using the I5 3210m in that for the stream and it was ok so, in my naivety, I thought a better CPU with a better iGPU would make the stream better!

Do you think a GPU would help?

Thanks again!

 

[Beardedbob]

The GPU as I found out recently is required for the downscale still even though you are x264 software encoding. I had lost a GPU and just throw in a cheap one and this caused me lag issues but in the log it was showing render lag. In your log this isn't present so I can't be sure if this is the issue.

If you have a dedicated gpu spare or can borrow one to test that's reasonable like a 680gtx up then give it a go and see otherwise maybe someone else can clarify or find something else visible in the log.

 

[Rich Andrews]

OK, thanks for that. I set the base resolution of the HD60 to 720 so no downscale is needed and the stream is still awful quality; theres ghosting and blockyness, but no stutter. CPU allocation to OBS is between 30-40% during the stream, the CPU isn't working hard at all, although I can't lower the preset from veryfast, as it falls over.

Stumped as to why my older, less capable laptop could do this better!

 

[Beardedbob]

can you post the latest log ta

 

[Rich Andrews]

Thanks

 

[Beardedbob]

Just checking can you check the HD60 in the video device capture source as its showing in the log as

video device: Elgato Game Capture HD
video path: __elgato
resolution: 1920x1080

 

[Rich Andrews]

It's definitely set to HD720 in the Elgato. Log attached. I might just have to live with it until I get a GPU. Thanks for your help

 

[RytoEX]

The GPU as I found out recently is required for the downscale still even though you are x264 software encoding. I had lost a GPU and just throw in a cheap one and this caused me lag issues but in the log it was showing render lag. In your log this isn't present so I can't be sure if this is the issue.

If you have a dedicated gpu spare or can borrow one to test that's reasonable like a 680gtx up then give it a go and see otherwise maybe someone else can clarify or find something else visible in the log.

As I understand it, the "Video Adapters" section of the log does not show when the OBS Studio renderer (Settings > Advanced) is set to OpenGL. Incidentally, OpenGL also tends to have a performance penalty on Windows, so it's usually better to leave it on Direct3D 11.

 

[Rich Andrews]

Oh, excellent. Thank you, I'll try that tonight!