Question / Help Comparison Between GeForce Experience and OBS

Trisar

New Member
Alternative Title: Am I Doing Something Wrong Here?

Hello,

I've been trying to use OBS Studio recently to stream/record game footage for my friends to watch me play. And, if I can ever muster up the nerve, the world at large maybe.

Unfortunately, I've been having a problem with OBS Studio and Overwatch. OBS Studio seems to have some truly massive frame lag no matter what I do when recording Overwatch. I've had varying success recording other games but it just seems to hate this one. GeForce Experience, however, records it without any issues. So I'm wondering if I just have something set wrong and this is fixable. I love OBS and would be tickled if I could use it for all my recording needs.

To reduce the variables involved, I put the game into fullscreen mode to test it, so the OBS one has a bit of a hitch at the start from tabbing back in.

OBS Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpdgVC54zX0&feature=youtu.be
GeForce Experience Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTsoGrx6YB8&feature=youtu.be
Log file: https://gist.github.com/anonymous/98a15bbc916e4390f5e21ae6fae1d4c2

The log file shows 973 lagged frames, so I'm sure that's related. I'm just not sure what's causing it.
 

C-Dude

Member
To add on to what @Osiris has said.

Limit your fps in Overwatch to free up resources to do the encoding. That should fix your frame drops.

Next, you need to either increase bitrate or increase compression. It depends if you are streaming to youtube or twitch.

Twitch you will want to use a bitrate of 3000 you would want to decrease your output resolution to 1280x720. And change your CPU preset to veryfast or faster

For youtube you will want to use the NVENC encoder. You can still stream in 1080p but you need to increase your bitrate to around 8500 for 1080p60.
 

Trisar

New Member
Qapla'! Turning that off gave me a beautiful recording when using just the RECORD function. The stream, however, is still somewhere south of workable. CBR, 8500, veryfast. 4195 dropped frames, 308 lagged frame. All of this will be in the log but trying to summarize.

Working recording for posterity: https://youtu.be/51cmZ5VKyZw
Livestream test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LludQz_cZfY
Log: https://gist.github.com/83bf992e53b597ef3643ed0529f76c62

Based on a brief Google search, I'm assuming the reason multi-adapter compatibility was kicking my recording in sensitive areas is because OBS Studio was trying to find a second graphics card when I haven't got one?

EDIT: And lest I forget--Overwatch is already limited in game to the display's framerate.
 
Hi,

1080p @ 60fps is still lagging your cpu for streaming even with ultrafast preset on x264, this with overwatch is alot for a 4th gen i7 4core cpu, have you OC the 4790k?

could try 1080p @ 30fps or 720p @ 60fps.
 

Trisar

New Member
Hauled it down to streaming at 720 with 3000kbps bitrate. It's still dropping some but it's at what I would consider an acceptable range.

Wish I'd brought this here sooner because that one little option messing me up on everything else was frustrating beyond belief.

Thank you, Osiris, C-Dude, and Beardedbob for your help!
 
Np, if you are playing less intensive games then you might get it back to 1080p @ 60fps just keep an eye on the log for drops / lags.
 

C-Dude

Member
I think you misunderstood me, for 1080p60 you want to use the NVENC encoder not x264. Use x264 for 720p. You would need quite a powerful CPU to encode 1080p60 with x264. Switch to NVENC for 1080p60 and use x264 at up to 720p60 at veryfast or faster preset. Compression is what uses a lot of processing power. x264 compresses videos great and they can look good at low bitrates, however it performs worse at high resolutions. NVENC gets much better performance at high resolutions but doesn't compress a lot. Which is fine for streaming to youtube since youtube lets your stream at such a high bitrate. You can see what bitrates youtube recommends for live streams here. I'd recommend going around at least 500 or so under the max they recommend to be safe and make sure you don't go over.

Also overwatch has some settings that cause terrible framerates. Such as Dynamic Reflections. If you disable framecap and lower settings make sure you are getting well above 60fps. (Try getting your framerate to around 80 average with no less than 70 minimum) thus when you cap you will be freeing enough CPU and/or GPU to do the encoding.

In short, x264 for 720p60, NVENC for 1080p60. Lower game settings if still getting lag.
 

Trisar

New Member
You're correct, C-Dude, I actually completely misunderstood you. I think I missed you mentioning the NVENC encoder for streaming in 1080@60. I was still trying the x264 and ended up doing 720@60. Switched to NVENC, 8500kbps, no rescaling and 8500kbps and it came out pretty beautifully. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ew89neziczY if you want to see it.

I knew about Google's recommendations for UPLOADING, didn't know they had one for streams, too. That's a good reference and going in my bookmarks.

Thank you again for the help and advice!

EDIT: And the log so you can see I followed your advice and it WORKED: https://gist.github.com/1eee0fc970c328ae098d247175918115
 

C-Dude

Member
looks great! glad I could help.

FYI you are still dropping a couple of frames

19:28:58.086: Output 'adv_file_output': Number of lagged frames due to rendering lag/stalls: 129 (1.5%)

Nothing major but just in case you really care I'm sure with a bit of tweaking you could fix that.
 
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