Bug Report Game Capture with Switchable Graphics

[Wonka23]

So from what it looks like game capture isn't working correctly with my dedicated graphics (7970m). It will capture the game when I have the game running off my integrated graphics but when I run the game off the dedicated graphics the capture only shows a black screen with the mouse only. This explains why I can't get game capture to work now. Just need to have support for switchable graphics so it can hook onto the dedicated one.

Is this a fix on the software end or is this a driver issue?

Edit: Using the latest v0.472b version.

Open Broadcaster Software v0.472b - 32bit (´・ω・｀)
-------------------------------
CPU Name: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-3610QM CPU @ 2.30GHz
CPU Speed: 2295MHz
Physical Memory:  4095MB Total, 4095MB Free
stepping id: 9, model 10, family 6, type 0, extmodel 1, extfamily 0, HTT 1, logical cores 8, total cores 4
monitor 1: pos={0, 0}, size={1920, 1080}
monitor 2: pos={1920, 0}, size={1920, 1080}
Windows Version: 6.2 Build 9200 
Aero is Enabled
------------------------------------------
Adapter 1
  Video Adapter: Intel(R) HD Graphics 4000
  Video Adapter Dedicated Video Memory: 2153451520
  Video Adapter Shared System Memory: 2141450240
------------------------------------------
Adapter 2
  Video Adapter: Microsoft Basic Render Driver
  Video Adapter Dedicated Video Memory: 0
  Video Adapter Shared System Memory: 268435456
=====Stream Start=====================================================================
  Multithreaded optimizations: On
  Base resolution: 1920x1080
  Output resolution: 1280x720
------------------------------------------
Loading up D3D10...
Playback device Default
------------------------------------------
Using desktop audio input: Speakers (USB Sound Device        )
------------------------------------------
Using auxilary audio input: Microphone (Turtle Beach USB Audio)
------------------------------------------
Audio Encoding: AAC
    bitrate: 128
Using Window Capture
Using bitmap image
x264: using cpu capabilities: MMX2 SSE2Fast SSSE3 FastShuffle SSE4.2 AVX
x264: profile High, level 3.1
------------------------------------------
Video Encoding: x264
    fps: 30
    width: 1280, height: 720
    preset: veryfast
    CBR: no
    CFR: no
    max bitrate: 2500
    buffer size: 2500
    quality: 8
------------------------------------------
Total frames rendered: 24, number of frames that lagged: 0 (0.00%) (it's okay for some frames to lag)
=====Stream End=======================================================================
=====Stream Start=====================================================================
  Multithreaded optimizations: On
  Base resolution: 1920x1080
  Output resolution: 1280x720
------------------------------------------
Loading up D3D10...
Playback device Default
------------------------------------------
Using desktop audio input: Speakers (USB Sound Device        )
------------------------------------------
Using auxilary audio input: Microphone (Turtle Beach USB Audio)
------------------------------------------
Audio Encoding: AAC
    bitrate: 128
Using graphics capture
x264: using cpu capabilities: MMX2 SSE2Fast SSSE3 FastShuffle SSE4.2 AVX
x264: profile High, level 3.1
------------------------------------------
Video Encoding: x264
    fps: 30
    width: 1280, height: 720
    preset: veryfast
    CBR: no
    CFR: no
    max bitrate: 2500
    buffer size: 2500
    quality: 8
------------------------------------------
SharedTexCapture hooked
Total frames rendered: 2852, number of frames that lagged: 1 (0.04%) (it's okay for some frames to lag)
x264: frame I:12    Avg QP:11.69  size:   353
x264: frame P:723   Avg QP:13.03  size:    50
x264: frame B:2073  Avg QP:15.23  size:    40
x264: consecutive B-frames:  1.5%  0.1%  0.1% 98.3%
x264: mb I  I16..4: 100.0%  0.0%  0.0%
x264: mb P  I16..4:  0.0%  0.0%  0.0%  P16..4:  0.0%  0.0%  0.0%  0.0%  0.0%    skip:100.0%
x264: mb B  I16..4:  0.0%  0.0%  0.0%  B16..8:  0.0%  0.0%  0.0%  direct: 0.0%  skip:100.0%  L0:50.4% L1:46.2% BI: 3.4%
x264: 8x8 transform intra:0.0% inter:2.3%
x264: coded y,uvDC,uvAC intra: 0.2% 0.3% 0.2% inter: 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
x264: i16 v,h,dc,p: 98%  0%  2%  0%
x264: i8 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu:  0%  0% 75%  0% 17%  8%  0%  0%  0%
x264: i4 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu: 13%  8% 58%  1%  7%  6%  4%  1%  2%
x264: i8c dc,h,v,p: 100%  0%  0%  0%
x264: Weighted P-Frames: Y:0.0% UV:0.0%
x264: kb/s:10.65
=====Stream End=======================================================================

Profiler results:

==============================================================
frame - [100%] [avg time: 5.534 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1] [children: 92.4%] [unaccounted: 7.57%]
| scene->Preprocess - [0.126%] [avg time: 0.007 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
| video encoding and uploading - [92.3%] [avg time: 5.108 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1] [children: 40.6%] [unaccounted: 51.7%]
| | CopyResource - [0.777%] [avg time: 0.043 ms] [avg calls per frame: 0]
| | conversion to 4:2:0 - [0.0723%] [avg time: 0.004 ms] [avg calls per frame: 0]
| | call to encoder - [39.7%] [avg time: 2.197 ms] [avg calls per frame: 0]
| | sending stuff out - [0.0542%] [avg time: 0.003 ms] [avg calls per frame: 0]
==============================================================

 

[dodgepong]

OBS has to run on the same card as the game. Make sure OBS is running under the 7970m as well.

 

[Wonka23]

If I change OBS to the 7970m it still won't work. When on that card, it will only show black screen even on the Software capture where as software capture works on the Intel gpu. I read that it needs the intel gpu to run with aero and such for that part. So even with both running on the 7970m it still won't work. In the log file it looks like it isn't reading the 7970m properly. It reads the intel but displays the second adapter as "Microsoft Basic Render Driver".

 

[Lain]

I don't know how to force it. I don't have a laptop with this design. However, I do know that they should be forcable, so if you can find some way to get OBS to use the dedicated card instead of the intel then that's what you need to do for game capture to function.

Otherwise, you could always just run the game windowed, use the latest test build, and use "compatibility mode" in software capture to capture the game instead, which is a new method of capturing I recently implemented for these specific types of laptops that always have problems.

 

[Wonka23]

Alright I will try out your newest test build. I will do some digging and see if I can find a way to force OBS to use the 7970m also. If I find something I will be sure to reply here or just pm you.

I guess telling it to use the high performance setting '7970m' in the CCC won't always force it. Good to know!

 

[Lain]

The compatibility mode in software capture should definitely work. Others are reporting to me that it's working so far.

 

[Wonka23]

Yeah it works. Actually I never had a problem with software capture and windowed mode. I just lose a lot of performance when running the game in windowed or borderless so I was trying to use game capture. But I can't seem to figure out how to force OBS to use my 7970m. It sticks to the intel gpu. So black screen.

I got it put to high performance in the CCC but for some reason it won't stick. Weird. Ever since I got this laptop I have not had something weird happen with switchable graphics. I'm going to avoid it next time. lol

 

[karasahin]

Hi, I have the same exact problem. I can't video recording while my 7670M is active. It only recors black screen with sounds. I don't have any problems HD 4000, but it is not sufficent enough to play games and recording at the same time. Is there anything help to solve this problem? By the way, I hated, hate, and always will hate switchable graphics on notebooks. It is like cancer that cannot be cure.

 

[Lain]

Hm, if the game is recording when you have the OBS set to the intel, then the game must be running on the intel as well (which would definitely not be ideal). You'd want to make sure they're both on the nvidia. I'd probably have to see it first hand to know for sure what's going on though.

 

[karasahin]

Nvidia? Sorry, I forgot to mention it. 7670M is an AMD graphic card. I already did set OBS and the game on "High Performance" from Catalyst Control Center. Any software supports Directx 9.0c and later is switching to dedicated GPU. I get the sound, but only black screen.

 

[Lain]

AMD switchable graphics laptops aren't really all that supported -- the only way to capture with them is to run the game in a borderless/windowed mode and use window capture, with 'compatibility mode' checked.

 

[SDPhantom]

I have mine run fine in most games using AMD switchable graphics. As far as my settings, I have the global settings at "Maximize Performance" for both battery and plugged in. This makes it so any application not specifically set to run on the on-board GPU will run on the dedicated one. The difference between "Optimize Performance" and "Maximize Performance" is whether the default "Not Assigned" group is forced on the dedicated graphics or not.

PS. If you don't see "Maximize Performance" listed as an option, you may need to update your Catalyst drivers.

 

[Lain]

If you do have it working that's interesting, because I remember configuring someone else's computer for them and no matter what I tried I couldn't get it working. It's possible they changed it in more recent versions to add support.