Hello Everyone,
I have been having this issue since I started using OBS (back when it was just the Classic version). I think it has something to do with my card itself, or some sort of special USB management Windows does in the background.
My installation works perfectly for a time. I can stream or record with little impact for hours and so forth, with no issues. It is only after I conclude a session that the issue will eventually occur.
I run a USB capture card (Avermedia ExtremeCap U3) plugged into a KanexPro Composite-to-HDMI converter.
When no game is playing, the converter outputs its own internal 'no signal' image to the capture card. Therefore, the capture card is always taking in some input (even when not being used to play/record gameplay).
Let's say that I conclude a stream and then just for fun decide to do another the next day. If I try to open OBS Studio after having it closed for a day (with the capture card plugged in, powered, and everything), it will freeze if I try to start a recording/stream because it apparently cannot access the USB capture card.
Also, the software (and RECentral too) will display a black / blank screen when the issue comes up, instead of the expected 'no signal' image from the external converter hardware. In order to kill OBS, I either have to use Task Manager or unplug the capture card.
It seems that if the USB capture card is not being used for a time, it will go into a sort of 'sleep mode' and become inaccessible for all programs. There's two workarounds I've devised and neither work well.
W1: Leave OBS Studio running forever. It will make the laptop computer run hot due to the fact that OBS will continue to take in signal even in the background, but at least it will keep an open channel with the USB card and prevent it from going to sleep. However, long-term heat isn't good for a laptop.
W2: Disconnect and reconnect the capture card (or leave it not connected and connect when ready). This does mean the card will be forced to 'stay awake' and accessible, but more-than-occasionally this will cause a crash/BSOD due to something I don't understand very well (the errors aren't clear to me).
I am not sure what to try next, aside from building a separate recording computer with a non-USB capture card that would hopefully not 'go to sleep' when not being used for long periods of time.
I appreciate any assistance you can provide me. Thanks!
I have been having this issue since I started using OBS (back when it was just the Classic version). I think it has something to do with my card itself, or some sort of special USB management Windows does in the background.
My installation works perfectly for a time. I can stream or record with little impact for hours and so forth, with no issues. It is only after I conclude a session that the issue will eventually occur.
I run a USB capture card (Avermedia ExtremeCap U3) plugged into a KanexPro Composite-to-HDMI converter.
When no game is playing, the converter outputs its own internal 'no signal' image to the capture card. Therefore, the capture card is always taking in some input (even when not being used to play/record gameplay).
Let's say that I conclude a stream and then just for fun decide to do another the next day. If I try to open OBS Studio after having it closed for a day (with the capture card plugged in, powered, and everything), it will freeze if I try to start a recording/stream because it apparently cannot access the USB capture card.
Also, the software (and RECentral too) will display a black / blank screen when the issue comes up, instead of the expected 'no signal' image from the external converter hardware. In order to kill OBS, I either have to use Task Manager or unplug the capture card.
It seems that if the USB capture card is not being used for a time, it will go into a sort of 'sleep mode' and become inaccessible for all programs. There's two workarounds I've devised and neither work well.
W1: Leave OBS Studio running forever. It will make the laptop computer run hot due to the fact that OBS will continue to take in signal even in the background, but at least it will keep an open channel with the USB card and prevent it from going to sleep. However, long-term heat isn't good for a laptop.
W2: Disconnect and reconnect the capture card (or leave it not connected and connect when ready). This does mean the card will be forced to 'stay awake' and accessible, but more-than-occasionally this will cause a crash/BSOD due to something I don't understand very well (the errors aren't clear to me).
I am not sure what to try next, aside from building a separate recording computer with a non-USB capture card that would hopefully not 'go to sleep' when not being used for long periods of time.
I appreciate any assistance you can provide me. Thanks!