Question / Help How OBS utilize GPU, gpu vs greenscreen and what gpu for OBS?

[doman18]

I dont want talk about encoding with GPU - theres plenty info about that. Theres also many info about gaming-streaming sets. But there is very little info about OBS utilising GPU without gaming. AFAIK OBS uses gpu for scene compositing, overlays, resizing etc. What about greenscreen?
1. Do gpu have any influence in it?
2. Do such things like core/memory clocks, memory bus width have any influence in streaming?
3. Is it true that even cheapest separate GPU is better that iGPU for OBS?
4. What cheapest gpu do i need for OBS if im not gaming?

 

[Boildown]

1) OBS needs an "ok" GPU.
2) Do you mean on the CPU or GPU? CPU, yes; GPU, not really. The GPU just needs to be not the low-end kinds and it should be fine. For example, GTX 750 is good, GT 630 is bad.
3) Not entirely, see 2) above. The lowest end GPUs aren't good enough. A step or two above them is needed. Many iGPUs are also bad. From Intel, any iGPU from Haswell and onwards may work, but previous iGPUs might not.
4) If you have a Haswell or later with Quicksync, try the iGPU. Otherwise I'd get a GTX 750 or 950. If you have used parts available, look for something like a GTX 460, GTX 550ti, GTX 650, or better. The GTX 2xx series is bad across the board though. I haven't used an AMD GPU in years, but anything that retailed at over $100 in the past 5 years when new should be ok.

 

[dping]

I dont want talk about encoding with GPU - theres plenty info about that. Theres also many info about gaming-streaming sets. But there is very little info about OBS utilising GPU without gaming. AFAIK OBS uses gpu for scene compositing, overlays, resizing etc. What about greenscreen?
1. Do gpu have any influence in it?
2. Do such things like core/memory clocks, memory bus width have any influence in streaming?
3. Is it true that even cheapest separate GPU is better that iGPU for OBS?
4. What cheapest gpu do i need for OBS if im not gaming?

Do add to what boildown said, the GPU needs to support a certain feature set in D3D10 to function effeciently to which most iGPUs are behind the ball on this one.

This applies mainly when rescaling/downscaling the video lets say from 1080 to 720. the raw 1080 could very well run better in these cases.

Just about all dedicated DX11/12 GPUs will support D3D10 feature set so this is the reason.


Note that just because it says its DX10 compliant, doesn't mean it supports every D3D10 feature set. the same goes for iGPUs.

Skylake and all GCN AMD APUs are the exception of this rule but is still recommended to use a dedicated GPU if you can do this.

 

[doman18]

So Gt 730 or R7 240 wont be enough right?

As for CPU i was thinking about i7-5820k

 

[dping]

So Gt 730 or R7 240 wont be enough right?

As for CPU i was thinking about i7-5820k

a R7 240 is DX12, not sure about the GT 730, I would assume it could to scaling since its only last gen.

 

[Boildown]

No idea on R7 240. I wouldn't risk a GT 730 since the GT 630 wasn't good enough, and the update from 630 > 730 wasn't much. If you already have it, test it and let us know. If you're thinking about buying it, spend a little more and get a GTX 750 or 750 Ti (last I looked the Ti was actually cheaper).

 

[dping]

No idea on R7 240. I wouldn't risk a GT 730 since the GT 630 wasn't good enough, and the update from 630 > 730 wasn't much. If you already have it, test it and let us know. If you're thinking about buying it, spend a little more and get a GTX 750 or 750 Ti (last I looked the Ti was actually cheaper).

R7 240 isn't strong for gaming, but will do fine with some lite scaling. it is a GCN 1.0 card so it is considered fully DX12 (11.2 feature level) compliant

 

[doman18]

For now we dont use any scaling but when we do it probably will be from 1080p to 720p. We also planning to switch from webcams to camcorders+grabbers but then we'll set 720p on camorders or grabbers so again, scaling wont be needed much.

 

[dping]

For now we dont use any scaling but when we do it probably will be from 1080p to 720p. We also planning to switch from webcams to camcorders+grabbers but then we'll set 720p on camorders or grabbers so again, scaling wont be needed much.

When I talk about scaling, I'm speaking of going from base resolution and downscaling.