Is a macbook pro good for streaming?

[Nass86]

No ... it's not. OBS runs like complete and utter crap on macOS. I've been using OBS on 3 different machines over the last 7 months and had nothing but problems. The latest machine I was using was a brand new MacBook Pro i7 quad-core with 16GB RAM. OBS uses an extreme amount of CPU (350%+), it crashes often with the logs show nothing about why, browser plugin doesn't work, etc. I was starting to think that OBS was a terrible piece of software until I ran it on a Windows box (with onboard Intel graphics card, no discrete card) and it runs like a dream compared. So I've ditched using macOS for streaming.

You need to figure out why this is. Something isn't set up right, or other applications are choking it. You basically need to leave your macbook to do the streaming and either NOTHING else, or very little.

I'm running 2011 iMac and 2015 Macbook Pro and I can definitely get them to work.

 

[mooonlite102938]

You need to figure out why this is. Something isn't set up right, or other applications are choking it. You basically need to leave your macbook to do the streaming and either NOTHING else, or very little.

I'm running 2011 iMac and 2015 Macbook Pro and I can definitely get them to work.

you could try closing other tabs, allocating more ram to obs (and the thing your recording)

 

[Nass86]

you could try closing other tabs, allocating more ram to obs (and the thing your recording)

How would you allocate more ram to OBS? I’d be interested to try it.

 

[Sikosis]

You need to figure out why this is. Something isn't set up right, or other applications are choking it. You basically need to leave your macbook to do the streaming and either NOTHING else, or very little.

I'm running 2011 iMac and 2015 Macbook Pro and I can definitely get them to work.

Yeh, it was a dedicated MacBook Pro used for nothing else but streaming. Even using lower bitrates for the video didn't help.

Specs: MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports) i7 2.8GHz/16GB RAM/512GB SSD running macOS Mojave.

But given how great OBS is running on Windows, I doubt I'll ever go back to using it on a Mac and I primarily use Macs at work and home too.

 

[Nass86]

True mate. If you have a working Windows set up there isn't anything better in terms of reliability and function (and I hate Windows, but I have one too with NVENC from 2012 that runs rings around the macs and its not even a gaming graphics card!)

 

[OBSquad]

a brand new MacBook Pro i7 quad-core with 16GB RAM. OBS uses an extreme amount of CPU (350%+),

My Macbook has only 8GB, albeit with a 6-core i7 and for all the issues I have had with OBS crashing (usually a dodgy plugin or camera connection), the CPU usage has remained fairly conservative at around 10-20%.

I'm toying with the idea of giving browser-based production a go - something like Restream or Lightstream... I just don't know how well they'd function. I might just be swapping the occasional OBS crash for a Google Chrome crash.

 

[twindux]

No ... it's not. OBS runs like complete and utter crap on macOS. I've been using OBS on 3 different machines over the last 7 months and had nothing but problems. The latest machine I was using was a brand new MacBook Pro i7 quad-core with 16GB RAM. OBS uses an extreme amount of CPU (350%+), it crashes often with the logs show nothing about why, browser plugin doesn't work, etc. I was starting to think that OBS was a terrible piece of software until I ran it on a Windows box (with onboard Intel graphics card, no discrete card) and it runs like a dream compared. So I've ditched using macOS for streaming.

Sorry, but I've used both and while a Mac is not always perfect, it's also not "utter crap"

I've been using a 6 year old MacBook Pro to send 1080P30 and 1080p60 to YouTube live multiple times per week without incident for 10 months. 3+ inputs via HDMI capture devices and/or iOS Camera.

Using Windows, especially if you're a Mac user, brings with it its own rat's nest of problems.

One secret to avoid CPU overload is to use Hardware Encoding for the stream (assuming you have a machine with) and do NOT use Studio Mode on older machines.

 

[mooonlite102938]

what does studio mode do? I mean, I know what it does, but how does it help?

 

[twindux]

what does studio mode do? I mean, I know what it does, but how does it help?

If you mean what does it do, it previews the next scene.

Turning it off makes is so your computer does not need to render two scenes (Live plus preview)...it only has to render the live scene...

 

[JohnBBeta]

No ... it's not. OBS runs like complete and utter crap on macOS. I've been using OBS on 3 different machines over the last 7 months and had nothing but problems. The latest machine I was using was a brand new MacBook Pro i7 quad-core with 16GB RAM. OBS uses an extreme amount of CPU (350%+), it crashes often with the logs show nothing about why, browser plugin doesn't work, etc. I was starting to think that OBS was a terrible piece of software until I ran it on a Windows box (with onboard Intel graphics card, no discrete card) and it runs like a dream compared. So I've ditched using macOS for streaming.

I disagree - not utter crap over here - stable too - I'm running OBS on a 2020 13" i5 and streaming in 1080p30 to twitch doing all this shizzz at http://www.twitch.tv/johnbbeta - most recent version of OBS, MacOS Catalina. c20 scenes - god knows how many sources, media, 4 camera, browser overlays. Working fine even at those limits. CPU rarely up to 50%.

 

[JGebauer]

Sorry, but I've used both and while a Mac is not always perfect, it's also not "utter crap"

I've been using a 6 year old MacBook Pro to send 1080P30 and 1080p60 to YouTube live multiple times per week without incident for 10 months. 3+ inputs via HDMI capture devices and/or iOS Camera.

Using Windows, especially if you're a Mac user, brings with it its own rat's nest of problems.

One secret to avoid CPU overload is to use Hardware Encoding for the stream (assuming you have a machine with) and do NOT use Studio Mode on older machines.

Can you let us know your specs and settings?
I have not been able to get a reliable 1080p stream on my 2015 MBP, but perhaps yours is just a better model?

 

[JohnBBeta]

Can you let us know your specs and settings?
I have not been able to get a reliable 1080p stream on my 2015 MBP, but perhaps yours is just a better model?

I upgraded to a June 2020 pretty much top end 13" MBP specifically so I could squeeze more out of it. My previous 2016 first gen touchbar wasn't quite cutting it (though at that point I wasn't fully up on OBS). I output at 4800bitrate as my connection is a bit too crap to handle much

2.3 ghz i7
32gb ram
iris plus graphics 1536

wish id got a 16" with the dedicated ghraphics card as elgato camlinks wont play nice with this one & had to give up on using anything other than webcams, or iphone with obs camera app - tech specs require dedicated GFX card - other than that its handling a lot of stuff!

 

[twindux]

Can you let us know your specs and settings?
I have not been able to get a reliable 1080p stream on my 2015 MBP, but perhaps yours is just a better model?

This is to YouTube live 1080p60. I know the 10000kbps is a little much, but it's not a problem

Beyond these, I do NOT use Studio Mode.

With any of the 15" or 16" machines, the key IMHO is to use the hardware encoder, which frees up the CPU to render the UI and preview and manage all the input sources.

 

[mooonlite102938]

epic. I also recently realized that if you use x264 encoder then actually that's literal trash. It can barely render 360p, at least for me.

 

[Nass86]

x264 on mac can be outstanding if you shut everything down and shrink OBS. I've found they just don't like doing anything else. Not sure if its the same with the new ones. But when you do that.. yeah it can look fantastic.

 

[mooonlite102938]

yeah but the thing is, that wont work, since I record discord(me and my friends talking), then minecraft, then obs, then youtube for the stream

 

[cesardelarge]

I disagree - not utter crap over here - stable too - I'm running OBS on a 2020 13" i5 and streaming in 1080p30 to twitch doing all this shizzz at http://www.twitch.tv/johnbbeta - most recent version of OBS, MacOS Catalina. c20 scenes - god knows how many sources, media, 4 camera, browser overlays. Working fine even at those limits. CPU rarely up to 50%.

Hey man! I've been trying to use my Elgato HD60s+ on a Macbook Pro 2019 / Intel Core i5 Processor / Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645 1536 MB / 8 RAM and it's lagging. Can't seem to work it out within the settings. Would you mind helping me out please?

 

[Mark Late]

Hi guys. I'm using a Macbook Pro 2015 with i7 x4 core 2,5hz, AMD Radeon 2GB graphics and 16 GB RAM.
The camera is a GoPro 8.
What kind of settings would you recommend for this machine? Or maybe it's too old?...
I usually do DJ streamings with Traktor Software and Now Playing at the same time.
Thanks for your help.