Question / Help Low Quality and Pixalated stream

[LSG]

I've used the settings it recommends me, maybe I am missing something or you can suggest something better. I'm streaming an MMO right now and the motions are pretty fast from all the animations and that causes the pixalation and no one wants to watch what they can't see clearly. I am limited by my internet connection not my hardware. These are all my settings and what we are working with.
Hardware:
Processor: Core™ i7-2600K Processor, 4GHz w/ 8MB Cache
CPU Cooler: H100 Corsair Liquid Cooler
Motherboard: GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3
Memory: Vengeance LP 16GB DDR3 1600MHz
Videocard: GTX 570 1.2 GB DDR5
OBS:
Encoding:
Use CBR: Checked
Enable CBR padding: Checked
Quality Balance: 8 (But greyed out)
Use Custom Buffer Size: Unchecked
Max Bitrate: 1300
Buffer Size: 1300
Codec: AAC
Bitrate: 128
Format: 48khz stereo
Broadcasting Settings:
Mode: Live Stream
Streaming Service: Twitch / Justin.tv
Server: US Midwest: Chicago, IL (I'm central Canada)
Auto-Reconnect: Checked
Minimize Network Impact: Checked
Video:
Video Adapter: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570
Custom: 1366 x 768 (because my main monitor is a 32" tv and that's it's recommend resolution.
Resolution Downscale: 1.50 (910 x 512)
Filter: Lanczos (best detail, 36 samples)
FPS: 60 (Doesn't affect my processor much, no hardware lag what so ever)
Disable Aero: Checked
Advanced:
Use Multithreaded Optimizations: Checked
Process Priority Class: Above Normal
Scene Buffering Time: 400
Disable encoding while previewing: unchecked
allow other modifiers on hotkeys: checked
x264 CPU preset: fast
x264 Encoding profile: high
keyframe interval: 2
Use CFR: Checked
Allow 61-120 fps entry in video settings: unchecked
Audio: All unchecked.


Log file below.

Spoiler

22:52:55: =====Stream Start: 2013-10-28, 22:52:55===============================================
22:52:55: Multithreaded optimizations: On
22:52:55: Base resolution: 1366x768
22:52:55: Output resolution: 908x512
22:52:55: ------------------------------------------
22:52:55: Loading up D3D10 on NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570...
22:52:55: ------------------------------------------
22:52:55: Audio Format: 48000hz
22:52:55: Playback device Default
22:52:55: ------------------------------------------
22:52:55: Using desktop audio input: Headset (Sound Blaster Tactic(3D) Sigma)
22:52:55: ------------------------------------------
22:52:55: Using auxilary audio input: Microphone (Blue Snowball )
22:52:55: ------------------------------------------
22:52:55: Audio Encoding: AAC
22:52:55: bitrate: 128
22:52:55: Using graphics capture
22:52:55: Scene buffering time set to 400
22:52:55: ------------------------------------------
22:52:55: Video Encoding: x264
22:52:55: fps: 60
22:52:55: width: 908, height: 512
22:52:55: preset: fast
22:52:55: profile: high
22:52:55: keyint: 120
22:52:55: CBR: yes
22:52:55: CFR: yes
22:52:55: max bitrate: 1300
22:52:55: buffer size: 1300
22:52:55: ------------------------------------------
22:52:55: MMDeviceAudioSource: Frequency for device 'Headset (Sound Blaster Tactic(3D) Sigma)' is 352800, samples per sec is 44100
22:52:55: MMDeviceAudioSource: Frequency for device 'Microphone (Blue Snowball )' is 192000, samples per sec is 48000
22:52:55: SharedTexCapture hooked
22:52:57: Using RTMP service: Twitch / Justin.tv
22:52:57: Server selection: rtmp://live-ord.justin.tv/app
22:52:57: Interface: Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller (ethernet, 100 mbps)
22:52:57: Completed handshake with rtmp://live-ord.justin.tv/app in 195 ms.
22:52:58: SO_SNDBUF was at 8192
22:52:58: SO_SNDBUF is now 65536
23:07:47: Total frames encoded: 53509, total frames duplicated: 19 (0.04%)
23:07:47: Total frames rendered: 53516, number of late frames: 2 (0.00%) (it's okay for some frames to be late)
23:07:48: RTMPPublisher::SocketLoop: Graceful loop exit
23:07:48: Average send payload: 8978 bytes, average send interval: 50 ms
23:07:48: Number of times waited to send: 0, Waited for a total of 0 bytes
23:07:48: Number of b-frames dropped: 0 (0%), Number of p-frames dropped: 0 (0%), Total 0 (0%)
23:07:48: Number of bytes sent: 159579560
23:07:48:
23:07:48: Profiler time results:
23:07:48:
23:07:48: ==============================================================
23:07:48: video thread frame - [100%] [avg time: 0.704 ms] [children: 36.6%] [unaccounted: 63.4%]
23:07:48: | scene->Preprocess - [0.142%] [avg time: 0.001 ms]
23:07:48: | GPU download and conversion - [36.5%] [avg time: 0.257 ms] [children: 20.6%] [unaccounted: 15.9%]
23:07:48: | | flush - [18%] [avg time: 0.127 ms]
23:07:48: | | CopyResource - [2.27%] [avg time: 0.016 ms]
23:07:48: | | conversion to 4:2:0 - [0.284%] [avg time: 0.002 ms]
23:07:48: Convert444Threads - [100%] [avg time: 0.214 ms] [children: 98.6%] [unaccounted: 1.4%]
23:07:48: | Convert444toNV12 - [98.6%] [avg time: 0.211 ms]
23:07:48: encoder thread frame - [100%] [avg time: 0.505 ms]
23:07:48: ==============================================================
23:07:48:
23:07:48:
23:07:48: Profiler CPU results:
23:07:48:
23:07:48: ==============================================================
23:07:48: video thread frame - [cpu time: avg 0.034 ms, total 1856.41 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
23:07:48: | scene->Preprocess - [cpu time: avg 0 ms, total 0 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
23:07:48: | GPU download and conversion - [cpu time: avg 0.014 ms, total 795.603 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
23:07:48: | | flush - [cpu time: avg 0.009 ms, total 483.601 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
23:07:48: | | CopyResource - [cpu time: avg 0.002 ms, total 140.4 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
23:07:48: | | conversion to 4:2:0 - [cpu time: avg 0.001 ms, total 62.401 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
23:07:48: Convert444Threads - [cpu time: avg 0.092 ms, total 9921.66 ms] [avg calls per frame: 2]
23:07:48: | Convert444toNV12 - [cpu time: avg 0.091 ms, total 9828.06 ms] [avg calls per frame: 2]
23:07:48: encoder thread frame - [cpu time: avg 0.006 ms, total 327.602 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
23:07:48: ==============================================================
23:07:48:
23:07:48: =====Stream End: 2013-10-28, 23:07:48===================================

So since I'm lacking in a decent internet connection, I tried making it harder on my hardware to give a better quality stream. Maybe I've tweaked settings wrong, I would like a clear 480p at least if I can lol

 

[alpinlol]

you cant really stream with 60 fps and that low bitrate ... just not going to work as first try something like

1280x720 or actually in your case no downscale since its 1366x768

30 fps
cpu preset fast
and drop audio bitrate to 96

if the stream is still blurry downscale by 1.25 and if its still not looking good try 1.5

 

[LSG]

so should I leave it at 1366x768? because it's already downscaled to 1.5

 

[FerretBomb]

Drop your framerate to 30.
Trying to stream at 60fps is putting about double the demands on your low upstream; sending only 30 frames per second will allow almost twice the bandwidth for each frame, meaning a significant visual quality increase (especially as it's not linear).

If you have extra CPU cycles, drop to a slower encoding preset.

Also, run a 6MB test at http://www.testmy.net/upload as speedtest is next to worthless for livestreamers.

Generally, around 1500kbps is the recommended for a passing quality 720p@30fps stream, with 2000 being better.
2500kbps is recommended for a passing quality 720p@60fps stream.


If it was me, I'd eliminate the downscale and just run at 30fps, while looking for an ISP with better upstream packages available. Definitely drop audio to AAC-96 (audio bitrate isn't factored into the 'bitrate' setting, that's only video) to give yourself some more margin for error/fluctuation.