High CPU use, poor output quality to Zoom. Help!

[smcdave]

Hello wonderful people. I have a problem with the workstation CPU being maxed out sometimes and it's causing a drop in resolution and video quality to the OBS output. That output is sent to Zoom & YouTube and also recorded directly.

I've noticed that the CPU use shown in OBS is not the same as that shown in Task Manager. Currently it's displaying 10% in the software and 16% in task manager. Sometimes during a service it reads 40% in obs and nearly 60% in task manager. Obviously Zoom is using a fair bit and some minor processes as well but to have the CPU at 100% is so annoying! I don't have any dropped frames.
OBS is using the GPU (4GB Quadro K4100M) but not as much. I can't use the Nvidia NVENC encoder as it doesn't work. Apparently the card is too old for the newest version of OBS.

I've already reduced output to 720p, 30FPS and streaming at 2500. What else can i do?

Here's a log file, it might make sense to a whizz out there!

BTW I have noticed this max CPU fault happens when the microphone is set at 44.1 or 48MHz as it used to be all matching and recently defaulted to 44.1 so I reset it back.

https://obsproject.com/logs/0wBc6W1gOIhcKRXE

On a separate but related note, I still really struggle with audio to and from Zoom. Why can't there be a simple button like the Virtual Camera is for video?!

 

[rockbottom]

Not much meat on the bone & you are correct, not the correct version of OBS to be running. Can't use any of the hardware encoding. The last version of v27 would be better for that hardware but then you have to deal with the plugins/NDI...

No encoding lag but AOV AV1 can cripple my 12900k... SVT is the production encoder but x264 would be an even better option, less CPU load.

There is rendering lag, if NDI is disabled, it will probably stop. It looks like you may have the NDI v5 runtime installed, along with Tools v6. If, so remove the v5 runtime. It's included with Tools.

10:18:53.720: [obs-ndi] obs_module_load: you can haz obs-ndi (Version 4.13.2)
10:18:53.720: [obs-ndi] obs_module_load: Qt Version: 6.6.2 (runtime), 6.6.2 (compiled)
10:18:53.720: [obs-ndi] load_ndilib: Trying 'C:/Program Files/NDI/NDI 6 Tools/Runtime/Processing.NDI.Lib.x64.dll'
10:18:53.720: [obs-ndi] load_ndilib: Found NDI library at 'C:/Program Files/NDI/NDI 6 Tools/Runtime/Processing.NDI.Lib.x64.dll'
10:18:53.771: [obs-ndi] load_ndilib: NDI runtime loaded successfully
10:18:53.772: [obs-ndi] load_ndilib: NDIlib_v5_load found
10:18:54.134: [obs-ndi] obs_module_load: NDI library initialized successfully ('NDI SDK WIN64 12:45:30 May 6 2024 6.0.1.0')
10:18:54.148: [obs-ndi] preview_output_init('OBS Preview')
10:18:54.149: [obs-ndi] +ndi_output_create('OBS Preview'...)
10:18:54.149: [obs-ndi] ndi_output_update('OBS Preview'...)
10:18:54.149: [obs-ndi] -ndi_output_create('OBS Preview'...)

11:45:51.831: Output 'adv_stream': stopping
11:45:51.831: Output 'adv_stream': Total frames output: 119961
11:45:51.831: Output 'adv_stream': Total drawn frames: 119993 (120035 attempted)
11:45:51.831: Output 'adv_stream': Number of lagged frames due to rendering lag/stalls: 42 (0.0%)
11:45:51.832: warning: 2 frames left in the queue on closing
11:45:51.842: ==== Streaming Stop ================================================
11:45:51.874: [ffmpeg muxer: 'adv_file_output'] Output of file 'E:/OBS Recordings/2024-05-12 10-39-10.mkv' stopped
11:45:51.874: Output 'adv_file_output': stopping
11:45:51.874: Output 'adv_file_output': Total frames output: 120021
11:45:51.874: Output 'adv_file_output': Total drawn frames: 119993 (120035 attempted)
11:45:51.874: Output 'adv_file_output': Number of lagged frames due to rendering lag/stalls: 42 (0.0%)
11:45:51.875: ==== Recording Stop ================================================
11:45:51.881: warning: 2 frames left in the queue on closing
11:46:51.009: User switched to scene 'Welcome'
11:46:58.249: ==== Shutting down ==================================================
11:46:58.249: Virtual output stopping
11:46:58.256: Output 'virtualcam_output': stopping
11:46:58.256: Output 'virtualcam_output': Total frames output: 158307
11:46:58.256: Output 'virtualcam_output': Total drawn frames: 158213 (158309 attempted)
11:46:58.256: Output 'virtualcam_output': Number of lagged frames due to rendering lag/stalls: 96 (0.1%)

 

[rockbottom]

I would run OBS as Admin.

Some Scenes have multiple Window captures, only 1 per is recommended to avoid inference.

I also noticed the mic & capture device are @ 44k.

 

[smcdave]

Thank you!. Not sure what 'meat on the bone' means?

I almost always forget to run OBS as admin. I'm not gaming, just broadcasting church services!

I didn't know about probs with multiple window captures. I do sometimes have powerpoint in twice and same with zoom windows!
I do have a lot of scenes that have built up over 4 years and they probably need a spring clean.

Interesting on the NDI, i've only just updated to v6 so will remove v5. I only use it to bring powerpoint in from another pc to reduce workload on the streaming machine. ironic that it may be working it harder!

The encoder thing is annoying. I was using NVENC for ages and it was fine but then the 'upgrades' stopped it working. I was pointed to AV1 as a best option but found the SVT one not great so went with AV1.

Are you suggesting I drop down to x264 instead? or revert to v27? I like the newer features like Youtube control panel. I've not got my head around audio monitor plugin - it's supposed to simplify things?!!

I have changed the mic/capture settings to be at 48k, i'll repost after next Sunday to see if things have improved.

 

[rockbottom]

Not much meat on the bone, I was referring to that system being weak.

SVT AV1, production encoder is much easier on the CPU. AOM AV1 is the Reference encoder.

If you stay with the current version of OBS, use x264. It will require less CPU than either of the AV1's.

With that hardware, I would have never updated OBS past 27 but that's just me.

 

[rockbottom]

I'm looking at NDI, if you're going to rollback, You'll need that v5 runtime & NDI Plugin somewhere around v4.9.0.

 

[smcdave]

Thanks for the follow up, I get it now. I don't think of a DELL M6700 workstation with i7 CPU and 4GB GPU, SSDs and 32GB RAM as weak but I guess it is on the old side. I only started using OBS in 2020 and always thought newer versions as they came out would improve things!

I'll look into rolling back, but not before broadcasting a wedding to Hong Kong!

I've got another laptop with another OBS issue - it's one i tried to use for PP only, and it only shows powerpoint capture as white screens. i've gone even more retro now and use Zoom to send the PP output from one pc to another. such a faff!

 

[rockbottom]

It's gen 3, barely minimum spec for OBS & now there's no option(s) for HW encoding placing the load completely on the CPU.

I wouldn't try the rollback either if the wedding is this week, but with some testing & adjustments, things should be improved by the time you go live.