Question / Help Certain games stuttering only in video

[MCBYT]

I've been having some issues with recording. Nothing too major, but as these recordings are going to made public to quite a few people, I want to attempt to get the optimal performance out of both my computer and OBS. I've followed a guide to optimize Windows 10 for gaming (just got a new PC), and now most of my games run well (A Story About My Uncle runs at 40fps, sadly). The only issue is that when recording Minecraft Java, every 20 seconds or so, the recording has a slight glitch where it displays something it displayed previously, if that makes any sense. Almost like it lags back to a previous point. I can provide a clip for an example. This happens on no other games, including Windows 10 Minecraft, my desktop, my browser, and even ASAMU, mentioned earlier. I can get 1080p60 smooth recording on my desktop and browser, and 1600x900 @48fps for Minecraft Windows 10. I think the problem may be me recording in Display capture instead of Game capture, but I will test that when I return home. I will also include a log when I get home.
Computer specs: i5 3.6ghz processor (cannot remember the model)
8GB RAM
500GB HDD
Windows 10 Professional
Intel HD 4600 Graphics
All in an Optiplex 9020 SFF computer with a 255w power supply.

Recording settings:1920x1080, 48fps, 25000 kbps
x264, ultra fast, mkv output
Audio recording from microphone and in-game at 128kbps

Turning down the resolution, frame rate, or bitrate has not stopped this issue. Changing from x264 to QuickSync or turning x264 from ultrafast to superfast, veryfast, or anything below ultrafast solves the stuttering, but in turn lowers the video framerate heavily (to 1-10 fps).

 

[Narcogen]

Please post a log with your issue! Here's how...

If only ultrafast doesn't stutter that means your CPU is overloaded, so trying to go to a slower preset will make things worse, not better.

When you say using quicksync lowers the framerate, do you mean it lowers the framerate of the recorded file? Because it shouldn't do that.

For recording you should use CRF or CQP rate control and not CBR and a bitrate. You're making the computer work too hard for no reason and creating larger files than necessary. Try a CRF setting around 22 or so and then adjust downwards to improve quality until you reach a setting where both the game and the recording are smooth and the computer isn't overloaded.

 

[MCBYT]

Yep, quicksync lowered the frame rate the first time I tried it, and the second time I tried it, it altogether gave me a black screen. No laptop, by the way. I'll attach the logs now, and try the CRF/CQP settings you recommended.

 

[MCBYT]

Neither of the settings changes helped. I got quicksync working, but the recording still stutters. Sending a log now.

 

[MCBYT]

hastebin.com/yoraheciti

 

[RytoEX]

That log doesn't show a recording attempt.

 

[MCBYT]

Hm. Let me redo.

 

[MCBYT]

hastebin.com/oxevacicot

 

[RytoEX]

Even on ultrafast, you're overloading both your CPU and iGPU. Try the following:

1. Use Game Capture instead of Display Capture.
2. Cap your game framerate.
3. Set OBS to 30 FPS instead of 48 FPS.
4. Reduce your game settings.

Additionally, record with CRF on x264, or CQP/ICQ/LA_ICQ on QuickSync. Recording with CBR isn't recommended. Record to FLV if you have single-track audio or MKV if you have multi-track audio.

You should be able to reduce CPU load by using QuickSync instead, but you've said you're having issues with that too. I didn't see a log showing an attempt with QuickSync though.

: Device Remove/Reset! Rebuilding all assets...

This line is worrisome. You may wish to check if you have any driver updates available for your iGPU. A better solution might be to install a discrete GPU of some kind, even a fairly old one like a GTX 760 would work.

 

[MCBYT]

1. I've tried that, it always ends up with a black screen for some reason.
2. Already capped at 60fps.
3. I could, but honestly I'd rather have 720p48 with a stutter than 720p30.
4. Already on the bare minimum settings other than a few particles.

CRF didn't help at all, I still got stutter (actually more than I did on CBR) and the quality dipped quite a bit.
I tried FLV and MKV, but neither import correctly into Sony Vegas, so I have to use MP4 unless I want to re-encode each video before importing them.
Tried QuickSync a bit before, but it ended up being the same as x264. Don't know why it didn't work the first time, either.
I'll see if I can find any GPU updates. I'm planning on getting a dedicated GPU, most likely the GTX 1030, soon, when I get my powerline adapters. For now, I'm just going to try to overclock my PC a bit and see if that helps.

 

[ThatHoboWhoSucksAtOBS]

hm. that's interesting, as i also have recording issues with Minecraft and only Minecraft, but instead of what you're describing I get very bad screen tearing when obs is running - not even recording or streaming, being open is enough for it to occur. I don't know any potential fixes for you besides trying a different version and seeing if the problem persists. for some reason, it only happens in Minecraft 1.7.10 and 1.8.9 for me. 1.13 is buttery smooth when recording, which isn't very helpful for my needs but might work for you (unless, of course, you're already playing in 1.13 and this issue is occurring). give it a try, and could you let me know what version of mc you're running currently?

 

[RytoEX]

If Game Capture failed to capture, we need to see a log of that happening. Have you tried running OBS as admin to ensure a successful capture?

Your system is clearly struggling to run OBS capturing at 48 FPS. Your options right now, without any additional information, seem to be to capture at 48 FPS with stutter or capture at 30 FPS without stutter.

CRF won't lower quality if configured correctly. Please refer to this guide for details on high quality local recordings.

You can remux FLV and MKV files into the MP4 container after recording. Remuxing is not re-encoding, and it takes just a few seconds in most cases.

There is no GTX 1030, only the GT 1030, which is not capable of NVENC. You'd be better off spending a bit extra on a GTX 1050 at minimum if you're set on a 10-series card. Though, I don't know what your PC case can actually hold.

Overclocking will only get you minimal gains at best, and at worst will produce system instability which can crash your encoders.

 

[MCBYT]

If Game Capture failed to capture, we need to see a log of that happening. Have you tried running OBS as admin to ensure a successful capture?

Your system is clearly struggling to run OBS capturing at 48 FPS. Your options right now, without any additional information, seem to be to capture at 48 FPS with stutter or capture at 30 FPS without stutter.

CRF won't lower quality if configured correctly. Please refer to this guide for details on high quality local recordings.

You can remux FLV and MKV files into the MP4 container after recording. Remuxing is not re-encoding, and it takes just a few seconds in most cases.

There is no GTX 1030, only the GT 1030, which is not capable of NVENC. You'd be better off spending a bit extra on a GTX 1050 at minimum if you're set on a 10-series card. Though, I don't know what your PC case can actually hold.

Overclocking will only get you minimal gains at best, and at worst will produce system instability which can crash your encoders.

I'll send a log of the game capture not working when I get home. I've not run OBS as administrator yet though, as it records without it. I'll try that.
I'll probably keep the 48fps for now, GPU should be coming within a week or two along with a powerline adapter to help me with my crappy USB adapter trying to connect to a router that's 20+ feet away behind 4 walls, a couch, and a fireplace.
CRF did lower quality compared to a solid bitrate. I'd say CRF at 23 (I believe default settings) was equivalent to something like 10,000 kbps. I tried both the default settings and the settings in the page, didn't help.
If I can remux in just a few seconds, then I'll try that out, see if it still imports well into Vegas. I don't think it's a container thing though, because some MP4's/MKVs work with Vegas (such as the MP4 recordings and my MKV Youtube intro) whereas some don't (e.g. MKV recording in OBS and my OLD intro that was MP4).
I meant GT 1030, I get them confused. Similar prefixes. SFF 1050 is twice the cost of an SFF 1030 though, so it'll be a while before I can get one of those. Honestly, I think I'll just use this 1030 for a few years and then upgrade to a GTX 1080 Mini.
I finished overclocking my GPU to the maximum stable settings, and although not helping the recording or in-game performance much, I can stream much stabler and it improves performance on other games such as Mirror's Edge: Catalyst, A Story About My Uncle, and Portal 2. I'll be overclocking my CPU at some point as well, but I want to research it to make sure I can overclock as safely and efficiently as possible.

hm. that's interesting, as i also have recording issues with Minecraft and only Minecraft, but instead of what you're describing I get very bad screen tearing when obs is running - not even recording or streaming, being open is enough for it to occur. I don't know any potential fixes for you besides trying a different version and seeing if the problem persists. for some reason, it only happens in Minecraft 1.7.10 and 1.8.9 for me. 1.13 is buttery smooth when recording, which isn't very helpful for my needs but might work for you (unless, of course, you're already playing in 1.13 and this issue is occurring). give it a try, and could you let me know what version of mc you're running currently?

Odd. Try switching your FPS in-game to V-Sync. Also, what packs are you using? How much RAM does your computer have, and how much is allotted to Minecraft?
I've tried 1.8.9 and 1.7.10, same issue. Will be trying 1.12 next.
Currently, I play on 1.7.10, but I'll be switching to 1.8.9 as soon as Badlion Client updates. These 1.7 animations are going to kill me, I swear. Messes up my sensitivity, too.

Sorry for the late replies, kinda forgot to check over the weekend and only remembered while at school. Should get most of this done tonight, since I've got about 5 hours by myself to work on projects, test, record, etc.

 

[RytoEX]

CRF did lower quality compared to a solid bitrate. I'd say CRF at 23 (I believe default settings) was equivalent to something like 10,000 kbps. I tried both the default settings and the settings in the page, didn't help.

CRF 23 might be too high for your quality needs. A CRF of 10-15 should be plenty high quality for everything but perhaps small text or during high-action with lots of different objects on screen.

 

[MCBYT]

CRF 23 might be too high for your quality needs. A CRF of 10-15 should be plenty high quality for everything but perhaps small text or during high-action with lots of different objects on screen.

I think pretty much everything will be high action. I'm usually rendering multiple landscapes at varying heights, along with 10-20 other players.

 

[Narcogen]

CRF 23 might be too high for your quality needs. A CRF of 10-15 should be plenty high quality for everything but perhaps small text or during high-action with lots of different objects on screen.

Isn't CRF 23 lower quality than CRF 10-15? I thought the highest quality CRF number was zero, and the lowest was 51?

 

[koala]

That's correct. I have a mnemonic for this: see the crf value as what is taken away from the video to shrink it. 0=nothing taken away, 50=everything taken away. It's not linear, though, and not technically correct, but it helps remembering the general direction. The same applies for the other quality based encoding methods in the hardware encoders (ICQ, CQP, QP).

 

[RytoEX]

Isn't CRF 23 lower quality than CRF 10-15? I thought the highest quality CRF number was zero, and the lowest was 51?

Correct. Higher CRF numbers are lower quality. That's why I suggested 10-15 instead of 23.

 

[MCBYT]

Correct. Higher CRF numbers are lower quality. That's why I suggested 10-15 instead of 23.

I'll try that out, and see if it helps the stutter. I turned my frame rate down from 48fps to 45fps, and it spikes half as much now, but hopefully with CRF I should be able to increase it back up to 48 or even 50.