Question / Help Improving my stream quality

G

GM Rod

Member
Hello!

I started streaming earlier today.

I'm quite happy with how my audio and most things turned out, but I do need a few tips on improving it.

Here's a link to the saved video from the stream:
https://www.twitch.tv/gm_rod_/v/108822808

So there's a couple issues.

First, the general quality. I'm streaming using two computers.
The PC is irrelevant to this because it's just running the games.
The Mac is the one doing the streaming so all the tweaking would have to be done on it.
Here's what it is:
hTke4wf.png


So obviously, it's more than enough machine to handle streaming and everything else it needs to do.

But, if you look at the stream, it's absolute shit.
I'm positive there's people running streams on weaker machines and who have a LOT better quality.
This is a connection test:
N2Q2Fhj.png


So I also have a connection that's more than good enough to stream at 3500 bitrate, right?

After all this, I'm thinking it's OBS settings, so, looking at what's available, I see the "CPU Usage Preset" in the Advanced Output settings. It was on "ultrafast" which from what I understand, it's the setting that uses the least CPU, right?
On this Mac Pro, should I set it to "placebo"? Would this mac handle it?
I also added now an "opencl=true" command to the x264 Options line. Will this help as well?
Lastly I turned on "Rescale Output" and set that to 1280x720.
Will all of these settings solve my quality problem?
Is there anything else I should be doing?

Secondly, the Chroma Key.
If you watch it a bit, you'll see I have some issues with it. I successfully deleted the green screen, but something is still wrong because my headphones and part of my chair and stuff, show up as if they're being partially deleted too.
I'm thinking that's a lighting issue, but is it a setting I should change in the OBS filter? Or maybe the webcam itself?

Thank you if you read all this!
And thanks in advance if you, kind reader, decide to help me out!
 
amsyar ZeRo

amsyar ZeRo

Member
Okay, first of all, never use placebo. Not worth anything at all. Just use from slow to ultrafast(I recommend you use superfast). Second, if you see blurry things, that's normal. Even top streamers have that. Just shake it off. Third, I don't use Chroma Key, but you might have to tweak the settings to get it right.
 
G

GM Rod

Member
Ok why superfast? Like I'm trying to understand the criteria...

And no, they don't. Not like this where it's unwatchable almost.
 
Narcogen

Narcogen

Active Member
The CPU preset is how hard you want the CPU to work compressing a frame. The faster your CPU is, the harder you can tell it to work and the less bandwidth you would need for a given quality target. On this machine, why are you trying to minimize CPU usage?

If you've got a monster of a machine doing nothing but this stream, you don't need to set it to the highest possible speed setting.Try superfast or even veryfast.
 
G

GM Rod

Member
I'm trying to do the exact opposite. I want my CPU to work as hard as it can, hoping it will fix the quality.
But I'm unclear as to which settings make the CPU work harder and which make it lighter.
From what I understand so far, "Slower" makes the CPU work harder than "superfast", right?
Or is it the other way around?
 
Harold

Harold

Active Member
From what I understand so far, "Slower" makes the CPU work harder than "superfast", right?
Click to expand...
Correct. More advanced math for a better quality per bitrate ratio.

You hit MAJOR diminishing returns at about medium though.
 
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