Question / Help Downloaded new version and am now confused with settings

[Zephyr]

Here is my problem: I updated to a new version, I know I haven't updated in around a year-ish. But now when I go to my video encoding settings, the encoding level isn't there (4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2). I don't want to use presets because I don't know what these presets actually mean, I just want to record at 4.1 but the setting doesn't seem to be there anymore under Output>Recording. It used to be right under the profile (main, baseline, high, which is still there) but isn't anymore.

I'm using:
Windows 10
intel 8700k
Nvidia 1050ti
Encoding with a Nvidia NVENC h.264 encoder

Not sure what other information I should give, it should be right below the "profile" setting but isn't there. Is it removed or should I update something or is it hidden in settings somewhere? Does the level even matter? because as far as I know I use 4.1 to record at 720p but I'm not too smart with this stuff.

 

[Harold]

You don't need to set the level manually.
You also shouldn't save directly to mp4.

 

[Zephyr]

You don't need to set the level manually.
You also shouldn't save directly to mp4.

May I ask why I shouldn't? Not too familiar with tech stuff

 

[Tarumes]

very very very simple explanation
mp4 needs a index for every frame and if obs cant finish the file your recording is corrupt
mkv or flv do not have to finalize the video file.

and also refer to Harold´s Signature
"People need to stop saving directly to mp4. I could amputate both hands and still have enough fingers to count the number of good reasons to do so. "

 

[koala]

An mp4 file needs to be finalized on stopping of the recording. If this finalizing isn't take place, for example computer crashes, OBS crashes or hangs, or even if the disk gets full, the whole mp4 is unusable and irrecoverable. Instead, use mkv as recording format, because mkv is robust against these issues.

If you need to have mp4 as source material for postprocessing, record to mkv and convert to mp4 after recording. OBS is able to do this automatically. Enable Settings->Advanced->Recording->"Automatically remux to mp4 (record as mkv)". This isn't lowering the quality of the recording, it merely changes the container format without any quality change.

You asked about your recording settings. Don't use CBR for recording but CQP instead, and use a CQ level between 15-25 (lower values mean higher quality). This rate control ensures quality even on high motion scenes and doesn't waste disk space for low motion scenes. It's a mode that literally takes as much disk space as it is required to record with the given quality level (CQ level). Levels 18 and below usually appear as good as the original.