Question / Help Capture Device for iOS gaming and stream quality

[Str8UpJack]

Hi.

I've been lurking a bit and responded to a few posts I thought I could help out with. I like to stream World Of Tanks Blitz from my iPad. I've been tweaking settings in OBS but I think I've just hit a performance wall with my current set up.. Here is what it looks like:

Macbook Pro 13", mid 2010 model. 2.4 GHz intel core 2 duo, 4 gb 1067 DDR3, NVIDIA 320M 256 MB

OBS 0.8.3 - settings I have settled on:​

OUTPUT Tab / MODE simple

• bitrate 2500 ( my internet speeds are quite good.. around 30K down and normally 24-28K up / Verizon FIOS )
• bitrate ( audio ) 128
• retry delay 2
• max retries 20
• CBR enabled
• Encoder - veryfast

Video Tab

Renderer Open Gl
Base reso 1280x800
scaled reso 640x400
downscale filter Bicubic sharpened scaling 16 sampls
Integer FPS Value 25

Other Info

I have safari open when streaming to monitor the stream.. so it's OBS, REFLECTOR and SAFARI apps running
I am using DISPLAY capture mode and have overlays to hide the areas I don't want to cap
I'm running a dual monitor setup.

To get the iOS gameplay to my MBP, I use REFLECTOR ( airplay )


My twitch channel has several highlights that you can view to see the quality I'm getting. It's not bad at all, IMO but it would be nice to improve it a bit.. at least once per stream someone will say it is laggy.. I guess they are comparing my stream to that of other streamers with a better setup. - www.twitch.tv/str8upjack

What I am wondering is would using a video capture device in place of Reflector make a significant improvement to encoding quality or will the specs of my MBP just limit me to where I am at currently? Would the Capture device do the heavy lifting of encoding the video?

Thanks!

 

[dodgepong]

Can you post a log?

 

[Str8UpJack]

This is the log from the last stream I broadcast.. Thank you!

 

[dodgepong]

Does it help if you reduce the x264 preset to ultrafast? Looks like your poor dual-core CPU is getting pretty taxed. That GPU isn't doing you any favors, either.

 

[Str8UpJack]

I will use that and see what happens... I don't know much about CPU speeds and pushing them.. Would it be advised not to stream for long periods of time based on what you were seeing in the log report??? This is all I have for the time being and if streaming is going to tax my CPU to a premature death then I would rather give up steaming for the immediate future.

 

[dodgepong]

You don't really have to worry about hardware damage, your CPU will shut itself off long before it becomes in danger of physically causing harm. Heat could be an issue, though, if you're running it at 100% for extended periods.

 

[acurazine96]

Why use Reflector to capture your iOS gameplay? Just use QuickTime with your iPad plugged in. Lot less processor-intesive and doesn't even rely on WiFi. Open Quicktime -> File -> New Movie Recording -> (dropdown arrow by record button -> select your iPad. Then window capture that space. :)

 

[RaverX3X]

For streaming Ios though obs... (sense you have 2 screens)
Changes from what you posted.
Set your encoding to ultra fast. (even the dual core i5 with HT (haswell) under mac os wont do very fast (does under windows).

set your upload to 2200 max. (reason being is non partner streams are limited to 2300 kbps anything above is wasted and makes it harder for your viewers to see) Non Partner level transcoding on twitch end.)

Use quicktime to capture your ipad to obs and do it as a screen capture then set it to only capture your quicktime window. (best quality your going to get)