Question / Help Low CPU usage, low bit rate, but still laggy footage (local recording)

[NMOLive]

I am currently experiencing an issue with OBS Studio. I upgraded my Central Processing Unit a few months ago to the i7-4790k from the i7-3770k and I seem to be dropping frames (thus the footage is laggy) at a low bit rate and a low CPU usage level. The CPU (and motherboard) is the only component that has been replaced (upgraded) and I never experienced any issues with my old setup.

Note: I am only performing a local recording. I am not streaming on any service while performing a local recording.

Does any one have any ideas to why this may be occurring? I have read the "frame drop" section of the forum post but nothing seems to be resolving the issue. In addition, I have tried to disable background functions, change recording destinations (even an SSD), reinstall the program, update the program, and even tried to overclock the CPU.

Thank you for taking the time to review this issue.

 

[Harold]

And if you use the recording presets in simple output mode?

 

[BK-Morpheus]

There are some rendering problems in that log (up to ~30% frame loss due to rendering stall/lag), which begs the question: Which frame limit do you have in your game?

 

[NMOLive]

And if you use the recording presets in simple output mode?

I tried to use the preset recording options in the simple output mode and it worked at 2500 video bitrate; recorded at 60 frames per second with 10% or less CPU usage. However, 2500 video bitrate is poor quality compared to the 110,000 video bitrate I used to record at with my previous processor.
Any ideas to why my system is all of a sudden refusing to meet the previous quality requirements that my previous CPU was able to achieve?

Thank you for your assistance thus far.

 

[NMOLive]

There are some rendering problems in that log (up to ~30% frame loss due to rendering stall/lag), which begs the question: Which frame limit do you have in your game?

For starters, I have the frame limit set to 200 frames per second in Battlefield 1. I typically get between 100-150 frames per second (depending on the map and player count). I have included an updated test recording:

Information about the recording:
1. Before recording, I was sitting at 120 frames per second, once I pressed record, the frame rate dropped to 105 frames per second. I am aware that the frame rate will drop due to the process of recording.
2. In a previous recording attempt, I enabled vsyn and the issue resolved itself. I am stumped to why vsyn has to be enabled to resolve this issue. I had never in my years of using OBS had to enable vsyn to resolve this form of an issue.

Thank you for your assistance.
Let me know if you have any ideas to why I am experiencing significant frame loss and what solutions are available.

 

[Osiris]

Enable vsync in your game.

 

[BK-Morpheus]

If you get between 100-150 fps ingame, the fps limit of 200 will not help at all.
To make sure, you get the GPU usage down to <90%, you might want to try 120fps or 90fps as an fps limit.
Vsync will limit your fps to the monitor refreshrate, that's the reason, why the GPU stopped to get overloaded, so OBS can render the frames fast enough.

 

[Harold]

The recording quality presets don't use a set number for their bitrate. They use a quality target and let the encoder decide on the bitrate they use.
Don't use "Same as stream" for the quality.

 

[NMOLive]

Enable vsync in your game.

While enabling vsync does resolve the issue. It adds a lot of delay in-game; A delay in responsiveness (feels sluggish). Is the issue more to do with the graphics processor or the central processing unit? If either of these pieces of hardware are causing the issue, would upgrading the hardware resolve the issue?

 

[BK-Morpheus]

It's not the hardware. If you can live with tearing, but not with higher input lag, then simply disable Vsync and set the fps limit lower (until GPU load drop under 95%).

 

[NMOLive]

If you get between 100-150 fps ingame, the fps limit of 200 will not help at all.
To make sure, you get the GPU usage down to <90%, you might want to try 120fps or 90fps as an fps limit.
Vsync will limit your fps to the monitor refreshrate, that's the reason, why the GPU stopped to get overloaded, so OBS can render the frames fast enough.

I have tried to set a frames per second limit but the issue still persists at my desired target bitrate. However, when I enable vsync, the issue is resolved. With that said, it creates a delay in responsiveness that I would prefer to no experience since it feels extremely sluggish compared to disabling vsync.

Would upgrading the central processing unit or the graphics card resolve the issue?

 

[NMOLive]

It's not the hardware. If you can live with tearing, but not with higher input lag, then simply disable Vsync and set the fps limit lower (until GPU load drop under 95%).

I will see what I can do to decrease the GPU load. I am just surprised that this issue is all of a sudden coming to light with an upgrade to my CPU. I went from an i7-3770k @ 4.00ghz to an i7-4790k @ 4.00ghz. It just seems odd that a previous generation CPU failed to show these signs.

 

[BK-Morpheus]

More CPU power = potential bottleneck moving from CPU to GPU :-)