Brand-new gaming computer, Elgato Game Capture 4k60 pro mk2, still can't do consistent 60fps

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Kizzume

Kizzume

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In the past, when I've talked about this on these forums, y'all always blamed my issues on not having a good enough of a video card. I previously had a 1060 card from 2016. Now I have an RTX 5070 and the same problem remains. Sure, the problem isn't QUITE as bad, but it's still there. I've exhausted Grok and Gemini's suggestions, worked with them for probably 5 hours trying to troubleshoot this (and I worked with AI for many hours before I got this new computer as well). I didn't want to bug y'all on the forum about this again, but I've ran out of options.

And the framerate glitches are not just in the recording, but also when I'm not recording or streaming. It can be seen in the OBS window. I was led to believe that if I got better hardware, that this problem would cease to exist, but here it is in full force.

The video source is my Sony A7SIII camera, hooked to my Elgato Game Capture 4k60 Pro mk2. I was told by people here that they have no issues with that video capture device on OBS. Well now I have a brand-new gaming computer with an RTX 5070, a new OBS profile, and the same issues I've had in the past remain.

Sure, I could turn on buffering, but then it would be out of sync with my microphone. Perhaps when people use this capture device for gaming, and not a camera, they can turn on the buffering, since it doesn't really need to be in sync with their microphone in those cases, and perhaps that's why people didn't notice an issue. I don't know.

Attached is the latest log file, as well as I have it linked. I really hope someone can figure this out. Again, it can be seen in the OBS window when I'm not even recording or streaming. It's clearly not a streaming or recording setting, it's something else, and I hope there's an answer.

Thanks. And sorry for my frustration. I really didn't want to bug you again about this issue, but as I said, I've run out of options.

 

Attachments

The log file don't have an actual output session in it which is needed.

1) Restart OBS.
2) Start your stream/recording for about 30 seconds. Make sure you replicate any issues as best you can, which means having any games/apps open and captured, etc.
3) Stop your stream/recording.
4) Select Help > Log Files > Upload Current Log File and copy the URL in here
 
Perhaps I didn't record long enough to get the results you were asking about. I did 30 seconds this time. Having said that, it honestly sounds to me like you're going to try to troubleshoot recording settings, which I've already established is not the source of the problem.

Think of it like this: Imagine if I was on a forum that's all about fixing cars, and I made a post asking for tips on how to tune the timing on my engine, and instead of getting replies telling me how to adjust the timing, people replied with telling me how to tune the transmission.

Sure, the transmission is important, and if I was ALSO having problems with the transmission, then tips on how to tune it would be helpful, but the transmission is further down the line from the engine. The engine is the problem, and that's what I need help with.

In this case, the way OBS is handling the video source is the problem. How OBS handles recording itself is further down the line from how it handles the video source to begin with. Again, this problem can be easily seen before I've ever started recording or streaming. It occurs when I'm just trying to view the video feed. Just saying.

 
Well, after several hours of talking and troubleshooting with AI again, I'm led to believe (who knows how accurate the information really is) that the problem is the fact I'm using a Sony A7SIII as the video source, and that the Elgato Game Capture 4k60 Pro mk2 doesn't play well with it; according to AI, it apparently only works flawlessly with game consoles and other computers as the video source. Even the Elgato 4K Game Capture Utility is giving me slightly glitchy framerates with my Sony A7SIII. Not as bad as in OBS, but still glitchy.

As I've said before here on this forum when I was having problems with this capture card on my old computer, it's even glitchier, like way glitchier, when I use 30fps or 24fps. It works best in 60fps. AI has told me that it wasn't designed around doing lower framerates, so the support for those framerates is extremely limited. Again, who knows how accurate the AI (mainly Grok, sometimes Gemini) really is.

I guess I must have made a poor choice in buying the Game Capture 4k60 Pro mk2 for the purposes that I use it for. It had great reviews, but that's for people who actually use it to capture games, the purpose it was designed for.

Perhaps someone might have some recommendations for a more reliable card for what I need it for. Maybe in many months I'll be able to afford getting a better capture card. This new computer is going to take a while for me to pay off, I'll have to be thrifty for quite a long time.

In the meantime, I may end up going back to using the Cam Link again and sticking with 30fps, or just put up with the glitchy framerate. I mean, creators like Benny Johnson (what an awful person) and many others always have really glitchy framerates. Perhaps I'm unrealistically expecting perfection, but when I spend this kind of money on a new computer, I honestly didn't think that it was that unrealistic of an expectation.

What's weird is that before I installed the latest studio drivers for my 5070 graphics card, and was using the drivers that Windows had automatically installed, it seemed that I had less glitchiness in OBS using this video capture card, but maybe it was just a fluke. Supposedly the studio drivers are what was supposed to work the best, but maybe that information is incorrect.
 
Kizzume said:
Perhaps I didn't record long enough to get the results you were asking about. I did 30 seconds this time. Having said that, it honestly sounds to me like you're going to try to troubleshoot recording settings, which I've already established is not the source of the problem.
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No, it is a function of what gets captured in a log... and a LOT more is captured including some performance metrics.
Recording is easier, the same log can be accomplished from Streaming. Not the request (as noted in pinned post in this forum regarding help/support requests refers to Streaming or Recording.. the settings of which can be relevant, but it is more than that. Check the logs for yourself to see.

As for spending time with AI... be sure to understand the limits of AI, and why most consumer AI is well known for hallucinating (making shit up... seriously does it ALL the time). I always recommend following links to source materials as important (if not critical) context, caveats, etc may be found

Beware your tone... we all get frustration, but we all all volunteers here, helping each other out. And your reply indicates you don't actually know what you are talking about (the car analogy is wrong on many levels.. and that lack of understanding is the problem, and not everyone is willing/interested in taking the time to fully educate you (and you didn't ask). So when asking for help, realize that folks ask for things (as posted in pinned post in this forum which you ignored... a bad sign) for a reason. Attitude may well get you ignored.
 
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A couple of educated observations
1. sometimes real-time video encoding software just works, and its wonderful when it does. But real-time video encoding is HIGHLY computationally intensive... things have to be properly configured ... this includes at Operating System level, all the background process and applications, the encoding software (OBS Studio, in this case) AND the physical connection of sources, drivers for hardware etc.

2. In my experience, there are VERY few folks that adequately configure their Operating System. And that is a little less than those that know to do real-time hardware resource performance monitoring while doing a resource intensive task. Why less, because knowing how to troubleshoot is even harder than knowing what to look at and for.

My suggestion (as I've repeated in these forums for years), is that when you have an external source 'challenge', then remove OBS Studio from the equation (and that means being aware of OBS Studio, locked resource, and OS level background process implications... ie, if you think not using OBS Studio mean minimizing it, then realize you really misunderstand. OBS Studio needs to be NOT running at all).
- In general case, troubleshoot without the PC at all, ie connect to a monitor.. (not always possible depending on Source)
- in your case, the next step is to test at Operating System level... [as with all such testing, disable auto-start applications that aren't needed, reboot PC, let PC settle (at least a few minutes, maybe more.. depends), do NOT start ANY non-required application. Then, to test the Source (capture card) use native OS tool to capture video feed ... and check it.
To ensure smooth operation, You must to understand (or usually pay someone who does) the implications of base OS settings for Display, as well as default Audio, refresh rates. And when using a video capture, that the OS and OBS Studio settings are aligned

3. And then beware piss-poor plugins like streamelements, and others, that are highly correlated with problem systems.

4. As for which drivers are 'best'.. that depends, like saying which car is 'best'.. it is an invalid questions as the answer depends on requirements/expectation that aren't stated.
5. As for Sony to Elgato 4K (or any HDMI capture device) ... the issue is to match camera output (ex. recognizing that 60Hz is not close enough to 59.97Hz) to capture device settings match to OS and OBS Studio configs. I don't have an Elgato so I can't comment on its device firmware/driver maturity, stability, etc. As for 60fps from console vs camera... should NOT make any difference. but exact refresh rate, color depth, and other specific signal details... sure, absolutely can make a difference

6. And then there is understanding USB Root hub on your PC, why different USB ports may perform differently, how other USB devices can interfere. This is all basic stuff. And PC vendors don't always make it easy to understand which USB ports are CPU vs chipset connected... TL:DR don't assume all USB ports will perform the same and that other USB devices, regardless if in use or not, may have an impact.
 
Lawrence_SoCal said:
No, it is a function of what gets captured in a log... and a LOT more is captured including some performance metrics.
Recoding is easier, the same log can be accomplished from Streaming. Not the request (as noted in pinned post in this forum regarding help/support requests refers to Streaming or Recording.. the settings of which can be relevant, but it is more than that. Check the logs for yourself to see.

As for spending time with AI... be sure to understand the limits of AI, and why most consumer AI is well known for hallucinating (making shit up... seriously does it ALL the time). I always recommend following links to source materials as important (if not critical) context, caveats, etc may be found

Beware your tone... we all get frustration, but we all all volunteers here, helping each other out. And your reply indicates you don't actually know what you are talking about (the car analogy is wrong on many levels.. and that lack of understanding is the problem, and not everyone is willing/interested in taking the time to fully educate you (and you didn't ask). So when asking for help, realize that folks ask for things (as posted in pinned post in this forum which you ignored... a bad sign) for a reason. Attitude may well get you ignored.
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I really appreciate your response. This reply I'm quoting and the one following are the best responses I've ever gotten on this forum in all the years I've been on it.

Good point about what information the log collects.

So again, I really appreciate you at least talking about other possibilities of possible culprits to my framerate issues. Thank you. I'm sorry for seeming ungrateful, and I'm sorry for my poor attitude.
 
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Looking at your log
- I see one monitor at a different refresh rate.... search this forum on OS issues with that, in some cases. Depending on details (outside my expertise), that may be fine. But, you are frustrated and tried lots of things, so for basic simplicity, change that 120 refresh rate monitor back to 60 like the others (see you own log for which monitor)

- Also, I'm aware of the new Fragmented MP4 recording format... BUT, I've also read posts where that hasn't worked out... so I normally avoid helping people who ignore the older OBS Studio version big red warning about not Recording to MP4... auto-remux from MKV only takes ~15 seconds (for me, on a SATA SSD with a 12GB Recording) .. I'm not sure if that warning is still there in latest release (haven't used it yet). But regardless, if this content is important to you, I consider using the tested longer MKV format. For me, the auto-remux is fine, and is not a hindrance in our workflow, so it is not worth the potential issue of recording to MP4 (Traditional or Fragmented)... I get why Recording to MP4 may be a streamline in some highly automated rock-solid setups, but otherwise it strikes me as lazy ... just my $0.02, I'm sure there are those that would argue otherwise, so don't feel compelled to take my word for this
this would NOT be related to your problem ... just a general observation

What has been reported previously is some AMD BIOS/firmware issues. So some research on your motherboard and BIOS, and BIOS settings may be worth your time... I would not put this high on a root-cause probability list, but with time you have already invested, something to not overlook

Having no idea your Operating System sophistication level, I'll advise that in case you aren't aware... background apps can cause all kinds of gremlins on a system that needs optimal performance. M$ auto-starts all kinds of things (Office, Edge, etc) to overcome their own bad programming (OS and app) ... and other apps do the same. etc. Hence my comment about pruning the OS auto-start apps, not starting unnecessary apps, etc., especially while testing... avoid unnecessary variables in the troubleshooting process.
 
If you look at the HDMI output specs given by Sony for that camera, non starter.
1780598585877.png
 
Thanks. If I use 60fps on the main monitor, I can't play 24fps videos without horrible judders, because newer Nvidia cards have dropped the 3:2 pulldown conversion to convert 24 to 60fps, so it's a random jittery mess unless I have my screen set for 120. Gotta love upgrades that are actually downgrades in some areas. Besides, 120fps handles 59.94fps better than a monitor set for 60fps.

The Sony puts out 59.94fps, not a true 60fps, and as I keep doing research, the Elgato Game Capture 4k60 pro mk2 has problems with anything other than a true 60fps. This is why it does even worse at 30fps, and is completely unusable at 24fps. I'll be buying the AVerMedia GC553Pro next month, and hopefully that will solve my problems.
 
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rockbottom said:
I would bag 4k with that camera. Your set-up is better suited for 1080p.
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Awful advice. You have to be trolling at this point, trying to push my buttons. You can't possibly be serious. This isn't a webcam, it's a $3,000 camera. The Elgato Game Capture 4k60 pro mk2 has the same problem in 1080p. It's a piece of garbage card that only handles pure 60fps, regardless of resolution. It can't handle 30fps, it even handles 24fps worse than that. It's total trash.
 
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Record 4k directly to the camera, all good. The HDMI output sucks for a live feed. You should have been aware of what you were buying, not the correct piece of equipment for the job.
 
No, it doesn't. It works fine on the CamLink, flawless, perfect 30fps and 24fps, no problems at all. You're either a troll or you have no idea what you're talking about and post on this forum to make yourself feel more important and relevant.
 
No not a troll, just somebody that make sure he knows what the @#$^ he is buying before dropping 3k. Good luck with the 4k. I'm done in this thread as this is clearly not an OBS issue.
 
rockbottom said:
No not a troll, just somebody that make sure he knows what the @#$^ he is buying before dropping 3k. Good luck with the 4k. I'm done in this thread as this is clearly not an OBS issue.
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I agree that it's not an OBS issue--but I only was able to figure this out with the help of hours of troubleshooting with Grok. The only reason why I thought it was an OBS issue is because when I've talked about problems with this capture card here on this forum in the past, I was told it works perfectly for other people and that I either didn't have OBS options set correctly, or that my old 1060 graphics card was the culprit.

Now I know the capture card is the issue, specifically that it's not a good match/pair for my camera, and I need to get something else. As I said, it works beautifully with the CamLink, not a problem in the world with it, but that's because the CamLink is designed around cameras. I'm crossing my fingers that AI is giving me good information and that the AVerMedia GC553Pro will give me better results. We shall see. At worst case, I can always stick with the CamLink and use 30fps.

And just so you know, I didn't get the camera solely to use in OBS, I make nature and city walking videos and more lately I've been using an anamorphic widescreen lens to give that cinematic feel. People like you are absolutely toxic and arrogant, you destroy the good nature of forums like this. You should join Reddit, you'd fit right in.
 
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Kizzume said:
Awful advice. You have to be trolling at this point, trying to push my buttons. You can't possibly be serious. This isn't a webcam, it's a $3,000 camera. The Elgato Game Capture 4k60 pro mk2 has the same problem in 1080p. It's a piece of garbage card that only handles pure 60fps, regardless of resolution. It can't handle 30fps, it even handles 24fps worse than that. It's total trash.
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You wrote without doing your research. Rockbottom is a long-established, very reasonable person, who has helped many and shown great patience with those I was more than ready too, and occassionally did flame. he was NOT trolling you in the slightest. Remember, you were the one who started with attitude.

What rockbottom found was that your camera doesn't support 4K 60p output, its highest 4K output is 30p. Now, might a firmware update have changed that and the web page not updated? sure. But that is your camera and for you to check/research. And your replies would imply you misunderstand the implication of mismatched refresh & fps rates, and aligning on even multiples (including with monitors).

So, rockbottom is correct, if your camera can't output true 4K 60fps, then you should decide to get a new capture card (and adjust your after settings and config, AFTER doing real (not AI) research on refresh rates; OR, a new camera; OR, drop camera output to 4K30 or 1080p60. or continue to have the problems you are having, recognizing it is NOT an OBS Studio issue.

If you switch to new capture card and use HDMI out at 59.94fps, be sure to understand that saying 120fps will handle that better than 60fps represent a fundamental misunderstanding. period. until you correct that, your results are likely to disappoint. As part of that education process, I'd recommend not only OBS Studio discussions on this issue, but also conversations in video editing forums/context. Some video editing output tools will handle a mismatch of frame rates as you have better than others (and not in real-time, which requires its own specific compromises)... if you go that route, that naturally means not livestreaming.
And, realize that using more than 30fps for your camera makes sense ONLY if you have high motion action on that camera view. If the camera is looking at you, then you are wasting resources... completely. Doing screen capture at 60fps and camera at 30fps will be a MUCH better match, much better results, than 59.94 and anything else. Again, plenty of discussions on this exact recommendation in this forum over the years
Good luck
 
Lawrence_SoCal said:
You wrote without doing your research. Rockbottom is a long-established, very reasonable person, who has helped many and shown great patience with those I was more than ready too, and occassionally did flame. he was NOT trolling you in the slightest. Remember, you were the one who started with attitude.

What rockbottom found was that your camera doesn't support 4K 60p output, its highest 4K output is 30p. Now, might a firmware update have changed that and the web page not updated? sure. But that is your camera and for you to check/research. And your replies would imply you misunderstand the implication of mismatched refresh & fps rates, and aligning on even multiples (including with monitors).

So, rockbottom is correct, if your camera can't output true 4K 60fps, then you should decide to get a new capture card (and adjust your after settings and config, AFTER doing real (not AI) research on refresh rates; OR, a new camera; OR, drop camera output to 4K30 or 1080p60. or continue to have the problems you are having, recognizing it is NOT an OBS Studio issue.

If you switch to new capture card and use HDMI out at 59.94fps, be sure to understand that saying 120fps will handle that better than 60fps represent a fundamental misunderstanding. period. until you correct that, your results are likely to disappoint. As part of that education process, I'd recommend not only OBS Studio discussions on this issue, but also conversations in video editing forums/context. Some video editing output tools will handle a mismatch of frame rates as you have better than others (and not in real-time, which requires its own specific compromises)... if you go that route, that naturally means not livestreaming.
And, realize that using more than 30fps for your camera makes sense ONLY if you have high motion action on that camera view. If the camera is looking at you, then you are wasting resources... completely. Doing screen capture at 60fps and camera at 30fps will be a MUCH better match, much better results, than 59.94 and anything else. Again, plenty of discussions on this exact recommendation in this forum over the years
Good luck
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He was looking up stats for when you have it in pal/european mode, which only lists 50fps as being the max. The camera handles 59.94 just fine. It handles 59.94fps motion just fine, beautifully, flawlessly. The issue is the card. I get occasional glitches in the framerate with this card.

Also, you didn't read what I said about this card. It handles 30fps and 24fps even worse than 59.94, and it has the same problem in 1080p. It's a garbage card. The CamLink does this much better, it handles 30fps and 24fps flawlessly.

All this and you want to claim that it's AI that gives bad advice. There are several reasons why I only use this forum as a last resort. Same with Adobe forums, where the answer is always that I didn't spend enough money on my equipment.
 
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Your stupidity nothing to do with OBS. I gave you the specs & you're in denial like 30% of the USA. The Camera HDMI output is a non-starter @ 4k/60FPS.
 
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