FYI: macOS Virtual Cam on OBS 26.1

[Joonga]

Frustrating: sometimes it works (in fact only twice), most doesn't. Always the same: problems in teams (everything looks just ok, but other participants don't get the video feed), and all good for the rest (zoom, web, ...).

Finally I solved the problem installing NDI (NDI runtime and NDI virtual input) and the OBS ndi plugin (I had to remove code signature from OBS with xcode to avoid crashing). Then, activate obs output to ndi (in the tools menu), select obs input from ndi, and then in Teams I can now select the NDI virtual camera. All works fine now.

An alternative I've found is using snap camera: in snap settings, select the obs virtual camera as input, use no filters, and in teams select snap virtual camera as input. Although it also works, and more straightforwardly (no obs plugins, no ndi installation in the system), looks like snap camera uses lots of resources compared to NDI, which is more efficient.

HTH!

 

[t320569]

I had the same issues on Mac 10.15.7, OBS 26.1 and I used all of the above methods for Zoom. After reinstalling and refollowing everything for a while I tried to go through the logs and see if I could find a solution there. The logs can be found using this URL Include a log file if you have an issue, instead of Upload/Last log I choose, show log files and opened the last one while having OBS open. I saw a line stating that it can't copy data from dir 1 to dir 2. So I created the folder it wanted to copy to manually restarted OBS and TADAAAAA the button is activated and now shows stop Virtual Camera. Restarting Zoom again I can see now the OBS Virtual camera and can use it....

As so many have been struggling with this, I thought I update you all with my process. Yes, by the way I used the sudo codesign --remove-signature /Applications/zoom.us.app to strip the code signature from Zoom. I have not tried any updates. Would love to hear from you....

 

[thomaslfessler]

Color space conversion by Virtual Cam adds an excessive amount of red to the image. Basically, what you see in OBS, or what you record as a video, is NOT what's broadcast over Virtual WebCam. I have OBS Setup for rec709 color format, but Virtual Cam converts the color format to YUYV...

Does anyone have any ideas how to get past this one?

 

[thomaslfessler]

Color space conversion by Virtual Cam adds an excessive amount of red to the image. Basically, what you see in OBS, or what you record as a video, is NOT what's broadcast over Virtual WebCam. I have OBS Setup for rec709 color format, but Virtual Cam converts the color format to YUYV...

Does anyone have any ideas how to get past this one?

Recap: The image output from the OBS Virtual Cam is overly saturated with RED.

Details: OBS's internal conversion from the current color format to UYVY that's used in the output of an image by the integrated Virtual Cam OBS Plugin, results in the image being overly saturated with red. Happens with Rec 709, etc. Looking at the source code, there is probably a bug in the math or the configuration of the embedded libraries used to complete the conversion.

Work Around: I created a LUT that reduces red saturation in the image. Applying the LUT to my camera source, I adjusted the reduction of red saturation to an acceptable level while watching the Virtual Cam output in Webcaminoid.

 

[profej]

TLDR:
When reinstalling OBS to troubleshoot and getting stuck at the point where the virtualcam plugin in V26 won't start, make sure to check that the folder /Library/CoreMediaIO/Plug-Ins/DAL/ exists, otherwise OBS will not find the expected installation location.

Long version:
I'm on Catalina 10.15.7 and the Virtual Camera plugin built into version 26.1.2 wouldn't even launch. I tried uninstalling/reinstalling earlier versions of OBS and nothing worked. I already deleted the earlier separate plugin from version 25 and couldn't figure anything out until I double checked to see that I'd followed the directions in the first post on this thread.

Make sure OBS is closed, and then do the following:

1. Open a new Finder window
   
   
2. Hit "CMD+SHIFT+G", then enter /Library/CoreMediaIO/Plug-Ins/DAL/
   
   
3. Delete the file named obs-mac-virtualcam.plugin - you might be asked for your password to confirm the deletion
   
   
4. Hit "CMD+SHIFT+G" again, now enter /Library/Application Support/obs-studio/plugins
   
   
5. Delete the folder named obs-mac-virtualcam - again, you might be asked for your password

When I went to triple check that I had properly deleted the now deprecated plugin from /Library/CoreMediaIO/Plug-Ins/DAL/ I noticed the folder was gone. I then had a hunch that the reason OBS couldn't start the virtual cam after it prompted me for my admin password was that the folder it was expecting to install the now included (in V26) virtualcam plug-in into wasn't there. I manually created a folder path for /Library/CoreMediaIO/Plug-Ins/DAL/ in the system library folder not my user library folder and it worked. The next time I tried to start virtual cam in OBS it prompted me for my password, installed the plug-in and started right up. It works in Zoom, Quicktime, and all my other apps. This may not work for everyone, but I hope it can help some folks. I am currently running 26.1.0.

Update: I tried to update to 26.1.2 and OBS kept crashing. I reinstalled 26.1.0 and it kept crashing until I deleted the obs studio folders in application support and the virtual cam plugin in /Library/CoreMediaIO/Plug-Ins/DAL/ BEFORE reinstalling 26.1.0. It's now back to working again.

 

[keylevel]

Webex update - virtual cameras are working again (OBS Virtual Camera, NDI Video and others), starting from version 14.2.

 

[Want To Learn]

Does work in ProPresenter 6

Not working in:
- Facetime
- Photo Booth
(it seems these programs offer no option to change camera)

Also doesn't work in Quicktime either.

 

[jjost]

Webex update - virtual cameras are working again (OBS Virtual Camera, NDI Video and others), starting from version 14.2.

I have Webex version 41.2.4.15 for the Mac, and the OBS virtual webcam is not working in Webex for me. It works fine in Zoom.

 

[Volker Stolz]

Also doesn't work in Quicktime either.

Some qualification there: the virtual camera is available in QuickTime here on Catalina, but always shows the "OBS no transmission"-still, whereas in Zoom it works as expected, showing "no transmission" vs. virtual camera when starting/stopping camera.

 

[orush]

Is there any update on the Teams situation? I got the camera to work, but the quality is so bad that it is totally unusable.

 

[keylevel]

I have Webex version 41.2.4.15 for the Mac, and the OBS virtual webcam is not working in Webex for me. It works fine in Zoom.

Strange. It's stopped working in Webex again.

 

[MartyB]

Strange. It's stopped working in Webex again.

I have Webex 41.2.4.15. OBS Virtual Camera was working yesterday. Today it isn't visible at all.
Have tried OBS 26.1.2 now back on 26.1, no different.
OBS Virtual Camera is visible and working fine in iMovie but not in Webex.
Any ideas anyone?

 

[tripletopper]

By the way yesterday was the first time I had obs 26.1 and I learned of the virtual camera. I turned it on thinking it was a way to let my camera be a virtual camera outbound to my Android as a second USB monitor but apparently adding that feature messed up that exact feature I was looking for, that was working perfectly fine before the virtual monitor code was added in.

Is there anyway I could turn off virtual camera mode permanently? I don't need the infinite tunnel of copies of my obs program on my screen in a vortex.

It asked me if I wanted a virtual camera the description said it'll help you take the camera as a unit outbound. Then suddenly after I enable it there's no way to permanently disable it and it's ruining my normal outbound path to my Android 10 phone. Any way to disabled the feature permanently instead of having it always be on in the background?

Also similarly for my iMac on an older version is there a way to disallow the built-in FaceTime camera to be one of cameras in the selection list crowding out other cameras?

 

[einermeiner]

I found a workaround for using OBS Virtual Cam in MS-Teams. Start Teams in your browser as 365 webmode and you can choose the Virtual Cam as Device. Not sure how stable...but I will test it.

 

[Sunday Afternoon]

Recap: The image output from the OBS Virtual Cam is overly saturated with RED.

Details: OBS's internal conversion from the current color format to UYVY that's used in the output of an image by the integrated Virtual Cam OBS Plugin, results in the image being overly saturated with red. Happens with Rec 709, etc. Looking at the source code, there is probably a bug in the math or the configuration of the embedded libraries used to complete the conversion.

Work Around: I created a LUT that reduces red saturation in the image. Applying the LUT to my camera source, I adjusted the reduction of red saturation to an acceptable level while watching the Virtual Cam output in Webcaminoid.

I've noticed the same thing - any chance you're willing to share your LUT?

 

[Sunday Afternoon]

Recap: The image output from the OBS Virtual Cam is overly saturated with RED.

Details: OBS's internal conversion from the current color format to UYVY that's used in the output of an image by the integrated Virtual Cam OBS Plugin, results in the image being overly saturated with red. Happens with Rec 709, etc. Looking at the source code, there is probably a bug in the math or the configuration of the embedded libraries used to complete the conversion.

Work Around: I created a LUT that reduces red saturation in the image. Applying the LUT to my camera source, I adjusted the reduction of red saturation to an acceptable level while watching the Virtual Cam output in Webcaminoid.

Did you file a bug report? https://github.com/obsproject/obs-studio/issues

 

[keylevel]

I have Webex 41.2.4.15. OBS Virtual Camera was working yesterday. Today it isn't visible at all.
Have tried OBS 26.1.2 now back on 26.1, no different.
OBS Virtual Camera is visible and working fine in iMovie but not in Webex.
Any ideas anyone?

Ok, this is really strange - it's back to working for me again. Webex has updated to 41.2.7.1. Both NDI and OBS Virtual Camera are available (and various other devices).

 

[thomaslfessler]

I've noticed the same thing - any chance you're willing to share your LUT?

Of course. Attached is a copy of the LUT I created to reduce the red-push in Virtual Camera.

 

[deejayraz]

Hi
Really need help here please.

I know there is a struggle using Big sur 11.1 with OBS Virtual Cam

I am trying to use OBS with Streamyard for a gig and i cannot get it to detect OBS as a camera.

Can someone please help me with this? I have an important gig tomorrow and i really need to detect OBS.

I have obs 26.1 the older version not 26.2.1

Please if someone can help

 

[mondocongo]

Note that in OBS Studio v26.1 on macOS, if you already have the original version of the virtual camera plugin from johnboiles, you may need to uninstall it first before using the built-in version of the plugin:

Make sure OBS is closed, and then do the following:

1. Open a new Finder window
   
   
2. Hit "CMD+SHIFT+G", then enter /Library/CoreMediaIO/Plug-Ins/DAL/
   
   
3. Delete the file named obs-mac-virtualcam.plugin - you might be asked for your password to confirm the deletion
   
   
4. Hit "CMD+SHIFT+G" again, now enter /Library/Application Support/obs-studio/plugins
   
   
5. Delete the folder named obs-mac-virtualcam - again, you might be asked for your password

Now you are set to use OBS' built-in virtual camera plugin

Step 5 folder does not exist?!