Question / Help Lags during Stream with x.264 Codec but NVENC seems better / confused

[MrDubhead]

So i was Using the x.264 Codec on my last few Live Streams and everybody told me that there was like 2-3 Seconds where the Picture just stands still etc. Within OBS everything looked fine. Ingame I didn't got any issues at all. Now I switched to NVENC and everybody told me in the Stream that everything runs fine and Smooth now.

My Specs are:

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System Information
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Time of this report: 5/22/2017, 13:21:32
Machine name: DESKTOP-AV11987
Machine Id: {49EC82F1-9B8C-4B00-BA63-964413C5D3C2}
Operating System: Windows 10 Home 64-bit (10.0, Build 14393) (14393.rs1_release_sec.170427-1353)
Language: German (Regional Setting: German)
System Manufacturer: MSI
System Model: MS-7758
BIOS: V2.4
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3570K CPU @ 3.40GHz (4 CPUs), ~3.4GHz
Memory: 16384MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 16332MB RAM
Page File: 5307MB used, 13457MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 12

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Display Devices
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Card name: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce GTX 1070
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Type: Full Device
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_1B81&SUBSYS_85991043&REV_A1
Device Status: 0180200A [DN_DRIVER_LOADED|DN_STARTED|DN_DISABLEABLE|DN_NT_ENUMERATOR|DN_NT_DRIVER]
Device Problem Code: No Problem
Driver Problem Code: Unknown
Display Memory: 16312 MB
Dedicated Memory: 8145 MB
Shared Memory: 8166 MB
Current Mode: 2560 x 1080 (32 bit) (160Hz)
Monitor Name: AOC Q3583
Monitor Model: Q3583
Monitor Id: AOC3583
Native Mode: 2560 x 1080(p) (59.978Hz)
Output Type: Displayport External

OBS Log with NVENC witch runs fine:

https://gist.github.com/8230915289e736ee3953cdceb12ae0c3


Any Solutions to use it with x.264 cause I heard that NVENC isn't that good with low Bit rates. But 2500 isn't that Low or am I
wrong ?

Greetings



--

Ad Note : I guess my CPU is crap or am I wrong ?

Stream was at 720p. 30FPS @ 2500Bitrate.


Thanks so much for any help you can provide.

 

[koala]

Nvenc is almost as good as x264. On 4-core CPUs like yours it's usually better than x264, because the application you're streaming needs CPU power and x264 encoding also needs CPU power, so they stomp on each other. Using nvenc frees the CPU demand and gives the application all available power as well as encoding, which now takes place on the GPU.

So your experience is absolutely right and not confusing. Continue using NVENC. It's better to have slightly worse encoding quality with smooth video and no lags and no pauses instead of slightly better encoding quality but choppy video with lags and longer pauses due to insufficient encoding power. Most people won't even notice the difference between a x264- and a nvenc-encoded video, but everyone notices choppy video of course.

See here for the same video encoded with all the available encoders for comparison: https://obsproject.com/forum/posts/252221

 

[MrDubhead]

Thanks for the Quick Answer ! :)

Right now its on Default on Preset should I switch to

nvenc "high quality"

?

I think the GTX 1070 OC STRIX should handle it or am I wrong ?

 

[Lain]

Yea, as koala said, NVENC would naturally run better on that computer. NVENC is a hardware encoder, with the specific purpose of improving performance (at the cost of a little bit of quality, although actually a 1070 wouldn't lose any quality). That CPU is not ideal for software encoding (which is what x264 is for).

So I would recommend using NVENC because it'll improve performance, as you yourself have discovered. On that 1070 it should also look just about as good as x264 anyway (at its default 'veryfast' preset at least), as the 1000 series NVIDIA GPUs have very high quality encoding.

 

[MrDubhead]

Thanks again. Will do more Testing the next days ! :)