Question / Help Camera Limit? 3 work fine, 4th has problems

A

Ari Michael Gibson

New Member
Hey there,
I do freelance work online helping people setup OBS to match their needs. I've been working with this one guy, who is trying to setup a live stream to Facebook. He's using Advanced Scene Switcher to switch between cameras, each one is a different scene.

The cameras have all been pretty buggy throughout the process, but I've made everything work. When first starting OBS, they didn't show up, but after fixing graphics settings through the Nvidia control panel, they are visible. Except for one. No matter which camera, one of the scenes never displays. It's either frozen, or just a blank screen.

I'm also wondering if this might be something to do with a scene limit. He has duplicate scenes setup, for automatic transitions with different effects.

Any thoughts? Thanks!

Logs: https://gist.github.com/3bdc6af69a4e7cfc011a86ebaf007dd1
 
Harold

Harold

Active Member
The problem is most likely a limitation of either the specific computer (most likely) or the camera drivers.

OBS does not impose any such limits.

USB hubs should NEVER be used with webcams.
 
A

Ari Michael Gibson

New Member
Ok, that's a start. It's a great PC, and just using Microsoft Lifecam 3000 HD drivers. And, he doesn't have enough ports for all the cams to be plugged into the laptop. I think there are 2 in a hub, which work, and 2 in the PC, one of which is having issues.
 
Harold

Harold

Active Member
You're still hitting usb limitations with that.

OBS has been tested with up to 5 usb webcams, although with no usb hubs involved.
 
S

sam686

Member
To reduce USB bandwidth...
1. can reduce webcam resolution, at a cost of pixelation.
2. Turn on "Deactivate when not active", if using just one camera on each scene.

Ideally, it is best to have each webcam on their own USB controller with PCI-E USB cards, which isn't possible on a laptop that only have 1 or 2 USB controllers. (device manager, view devices by connection)
 
A

Ari Michael Gibson

New Member
Anyone have other ideas? Bump
Still want this to work on a laptop, if not I'll get a desktop.
I have Deactivate when not active enabled on all of them, but still get a black screen.
 
Last edited:
Trane DePriest

Trane DePriest

New Member
Harold said:
The problem is most likely a limitation of either the specific computer (most likely) or the camera drivers.

OBS does not impose any such limits.

USB hubs should NEVER be used with webcams.
Click to expand...

I am getting similar problems... But, I installed a UASP PCIe 7 port USB 3.0 card into a i7 VR ready box...
I want 7 Logitech C920's ... Any tips on settings to make this happen smoothly?
 
Trane DePriest

Trane DePriest

New Member
Anyone try a Marantz Turret or two in their setup? I would like to install 4 of them, with a Logitech C920 plugged into their USB 3.0 ports for wideshots per turret. I hope the 7 port UASP USB card can help achieve this lofty goal.
 
Saantiago Barreiro

Saantiago Barreiro

New Member
Hello all of you.

In advance, thanks for your help.

Same issue, somo specifics of my case. I have an i7 3rd generation, with 8GB of RAM windows 7 (all effects and parafarnalea removed). HD 1Tb 7200 64 cache. GeForce GTE550 TI graphic card, two 1920x1080 monitors.

When all cameras are connected with only the original camera cable it works fine, although two of the four cameras are connected to a usb 3.0 hub. Cameras must be set to 1280x720 (HD), at 1920x1080 (FHD) the forth camera fails to work ok at once. Still 1280x720 is good enought

The issue shows when the fourth camera is connected (3 and 4 are at the hub) with an extensión cable (10 meters amplified). The screen kind of breaks or cuts in pieces and cannont build the frame.

If a connect all the cameras with extensions, cameras 1 to 3 work fine, but still, the 4th, connected by means of the hub (or not) fails in the same manner.

After some reading, it is a matter of USB HOST issues. Some PCs have two or three or four USB HOSTs, if two cameras are connected to the same HOST, the chances are that the issue will show.

But from my view point, it is not only a USB HOST issue, since, in my setup, it will work perfect if 4 cameras are connected wihout extension cable. Of course, not always can I skip the extensions.

THE QUESTIONS

Based on I need 4 cameras (2 mor will be perfect), the questions are:

1) might the pci to usb card help?
https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com...&qid=1563760412&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1#
2) might 16 or more GB of ram help?
3) why is the extension an issue too?

Regards!
 
Harold

Harold

Active Member
Do not use usb hubs. USB bandwidth routing as well as plug and play device IDs won't play nice.
Ram won't help.
The extensions are not the issue (I have tested with 82ft extension cables all connected to motherboard ports, 5 cameras)(
 
Saantiago Barreiro

Saantiago Barreiro

New Member
Harold said:
Do not use usb hubs. USB bandwidth routing as well as plug and play device IDs won't play nice.
Ram won't help.
The extensions are not the issue (I have tested with 82ft extension cables all connected to motherboard ports, 5 cameras)(
Click to expand...

Thanks Harold, you are right in both the no no hubs and that the extensions by them selves are not the issue, was recreating the scenary and history. When individual host (no hubs) are use, there is no problem. In regard to the PCI to USB card, what will be the recomendation? I understand that, this cards holds a host (no hub) for each port.

Regards
 
Harold

Harold

Active Member
The exact one you linked is pci not pci-express.
The 4 EXT quad bus pci-e one would be the best option out of the list.
 
S

sebake

New Member
Trane DePriest said:
I am getting similar problems... But, I installed a UASP PCIe 7 port USB 3.0 card into a i7 VR ready box...
I want 7 Logitech C920's ... Any tips on settings to make this happen smoothly?
Click to expand...
Hy Trane did you manage to make it work with 7 logitech cameras c920? i also have 6 of them and i only manage to make 4 work and 1 zoom camera
 
G

garyv615

New Member
I've got the same problem. I'm using an Osprey 450 E . It has 4 composite inputs, but I can only get 3 to work at once. When I go to properties, then check video, the camera shows up there. You can see the image in the little monitor. Something is glitchin' All four work in my vidblaster program. Any incite will be appreciated.
 
M

mdsboldc

New Member
I realize this is an old thread, but since it's the one I found when trying to solve the subject problem, I thought I'd add my solution here. What finally worked for me was to go into the properties for each camera and hit the 'Defaults' button. Then I'd re-select my camera and adjust parameters, if needed. I had tried Disabling When Not in Use, reducing the use of hubs, using lower resolution etc and nothing worked. Once I went back to defaults first, it's worked flawlessly since. I could keep the cams enabled all the time, didn't need to reduce resolutions, worry about which USB ports or hubs I used, nothing. It all works fine all the time now. I'm using a CamLink 4K for my camcorder and 3 USB webcams.
 
L

LeeHockHin

New Member
Hi mdsboldc,
Thanks for your solution. Can you please re-state your solution with more details as I am not so familiar with OBS. Maybe an example?
Thanks in advance.
 
P

p8n

New Member
I too came across this thread with a similar problem. I have 2xLogi930, 2x new streamcams,1 x C170, 1 x SDI CCTV via Camlink and 1 other (I forgot what it is). I also use Zoom. I have a i7- and 32GB, 2x Startech 4x direct port USB cards. USB hubs should definitely NOT be used for cameras. I could only ever get 1 camera working through a hub. 3 of the cameras are on 30m active extensions. Generally it works, I also have Voicemeeter and Behringer UMC1820 with 8 mikes. However, Occasionally I go to a scene which may use two cameras and one gives no picture. I remove that camera from the scene, re-add as a new video input capture source and select that camera and it works. I then have to change all the other scenes also that use that camera. I did have deactivate when not in use but there was always a slight delay for the picture to come up so changed to leave active. Then when back again to deactivate. Don't know why from time to time one camera doesn't work and have to re-add it as a new source.
 
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