Decode H.264 Input using Hardware (GPU)

[Bensam123]

I suspect this won't make it into OBS as it seems development has pretty much halted, but decode support would be great for sources. This applies to not only incoming data streams like rtmp and video playback, but also for sources.

Some of the most widely used webcams like the c920 use H.264 encoding and decoding is still being done on the CPU, which is why you get such high CPU utilization when trying to use 1080p.

 

[Osiris]

OBS classic is dead, but it does support several capture devices that send h264 video to the pc.
Adding that to a scene requires it to be decoded.

 

[Bensam123]

Considering the number of people that use Classic and that Studio still has a lot to be desired as far as reliability, usability, and features I don't think adding this to the 'request' pool is far fetched. It really should've been done years ago when I requested it. If not for classic, then for studio.

Yup, we're talking about decoding here, thanks for clarifying that. Hardware decoding now days is traditionally done on the GPU since like 2003. This is a pretty big oversight.

 

[Jack0r]

Changed the topic title so it makes more sense.

 

[Harold]

Considering the number of months (11 as of this post) since the last meaningful update to classic, I highly doubt ANYTHING requested for classic is going to get implemented.

Also, do you have proof that the decoding is happening on the CPU?

 

[Jack0r]

Well, to my knowledge if its a webcam it uses directshow (in Windows), so its probably a question of how directshow delivers the stream to the plugin and how this is accelerated -> a question for Jim to look at in OBS-Studio.
If its a video source it would be the task of the video source plugin or media source in Studio. The media source has a hardware decoding switch and should use it when possible by default. The Video Source for Classic is not developed anymore and as far as I remember did not offer this switch.

 

[dodgepong]

There will absolutely be no more features added to OBS Classic by the dev team. Only maintenance changes that are absolutely necessary. The latest meaningful update to OBS Classic was one that made it such that it needed to be updated even less.

If you don't like Studio, then work with us to make it better. Don't ask for the return of Classic, because it absolutely will not happen.

 

[Bensam123]

Well, to my knowledge if its a webcam it uses directshow (in Windows), so its probably a question of how directshow delivers the stream to the plugin and how this is accelerated -> a question for Jim to look at in OBS-Studio.

If its a video source it would be the task of the video source plugin or media source in Studio. The media source has a hardware decoding switch and should use it when possible by default. The Video Source for Classic is not developed anymore and as far as I remember did not offer this switch.

This would very much be appreciated, not just for Webcams, but also RTMP streams. There was mention of adding RTMP input in Studio, but I'm pretty sure that still hasn't been done (nor has h264 decoding for it). Turning on my webcam shouldn't use 30% additional processor. Turning down resolution is just a workaround.

RTMP support for lan encoding is still on my radar. Really wish this would see some light of day. I asked for that years ago and I'm pretty sure it still hasn't made any headway.

 

[dodgepong]

You can add an RTMP source via Media Source. It can play anything that FFmpeg can play.