Duplicated frames unless using capture card

[wiliextreme]

I noticed duplicated frames in many places of my recordings even though the gameplay on my monitor is smooth.

Factors I excluded:
- codec: tried uncompressed, NVENC and h264 with different presets/bitrates
- software: tried OBS and Shadowplay
- HDD: tried different SSD and nvme
- capture method: tried Display Capture and Game Capture
- vsync: tried on and off
- framerate: tried 60, 144 and unlocked
- performance: CPU and GPU are barely used, 0 dropped frames, but those duplicated frames are still present
- drivers: updated to the latest NVIDIA drivers, tried both Game Ready and Studio
- windows 10 game mode: tried on off
- running obs as admin

I solved this problem by connecting PC to Elgato Capture Card and then using it as Video Device in OBS - this way I record exactly what is sent to my monitor and there is no single duplicated frame. But it still makes me wonder why I can't record normally and have to use this capture card "hack" instead.
Has anyone also encountered such a bug and found a solution?

Spoiler: example log

15:25:56.008: [x264 encoder: 'recording_h264'] preset: veryfast
15:25:56.008: [x264 encoder: 'recording_h264'] profile: high
15:25:56.008: [x264 encoder: 'recording_h264'] settings:
15:25:56.008: rate_control: CBR
15:25:56.008: bitrate: 30000
15:25:56.008: buffer size: 30000
15:25:56.008: crf: 23
15:25:56.008: fps_num: 60
15:25:56.008: fps_den: 1
15:25:56.008: width: 2560
15:25:56.008: height: 1440
15:25:56.008: keyint: 250
15:25:56.008:
15:25:56.012: ---------------------------------
15:25:56.013: [FFmpeg aac encoder: 'Track1'] bitrate: 160, channels: 2, channel_layout: 3
15:25:56.013:
15:25:56.013: ---------------------------------
15:25:56.014: [FFmpeg aac encoder: 'Track2'] bitrate: 160, channels: 2, channel_layout: 3
15:25:56.014:
15:25:56.020: ==== Recording Start ===============================================
15:25:56.020: [ffmpeg muxer: 'adv_file_output'] Writing file 'F:/z_trash/obs_temp/2021-10-31 15-25-56.mp4'...
15:27:04.366: [ffmpeg muxer: 'adv_file_output'] Output of file 'F:/z_trash/obs_temp/2021-10-31 15-25-56.mp4' stopped
15:27:04.366: Output 'adv_file_output': stopping
15:27:04.366: Output 'adv_file_output': Total frames output: 4050
15:27:04.366: Output 'adv_file_output': Total drawn frames: 4101

 

[rockbottom]

It's not a bug, just do the math.

 

[wiliextreme]

here are some workarounds

Interval stutter / jitter / duplicated frames bug - workarounds

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obsproject.com