Question / Help Low Stream Performance

N

Nimor

New Member
Good day OBS community. I've managed to come to a point of utter frustration trying to make a decent quality stream with the new PC I've build. My problems vary from random droped frames to stream stuttering, but the most annoying thing would be the large buffering on twitch, every 8-10sec the video starts buffering. I've tryed every possible settings combination (or so I believe) with no acceptable results...
To start off:

PC Specks:
CPU: Intel 4770K (clocked to 4,6 GHZ)

GPU: Asus Radeon R9 290X

RAM: Kingston HyperX Beast 16GB DDR3

SSD: Corsair Force Series GS 128GB

CABLE ISP:
3210737902.png


The games I've tested are: World of Warcraft, Dota2 and Hearthstone (ultra settings). I'm able to safely go to a CPU preset of: medium, without any noticable impact on my rig, any lower and I get droped frames. Thing is even dough my connection seems strong enough for any quality stream after trying a setup wizard with a licensed copy of Xsplit all settings are set for 720p with 2100 bitrate?! best combination I've achieved with OBS was with 2600 bitrate and 1.50 downscale with acceptable buffering. Higher quality => longer and more often buffering. Haven't managed to achieve a buffering free stream with any kind of downscale etc. and by that I mean to a point that it's watchable. I'm kinda a freak when it comes to video quality so I'm aiming to achieve the best "watchable" quality I can (60 FPS would be best).
I use a leptop with a different internet connection to test my stream, but the same results have been confirmed by friends/viewers.

The problem could be my connection has spikes altough I'm not sure how to confirm this or twitch.tv simply sucks! Nevertheless I'm reaching out for help from fellow streamers to get the settings up to perfection in order to squeez as much performance as possible out of my PC before tinkering with bitrate numbers.

Best regards, Nimor.

Log:

Code: 
15:28:12: Open Broadcaster Software v0.591b - 32bit (´・ω・｀)
15:28:12: -------------------------------
15:28:12: CPU Name: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4770K CPU @ 3.50GHz
15:28:12: CPU Speed: 3500MHz
15:28:12: Physical Memory:  4095MB Total, 4095MB Free
15:28:12: stepping id: 3, model 60, family 6, type 0, extmodel 1, extfamily 0, HTT 1, logical cores 8, total cores 4
15:28:12: monitor 1: pos={0, 0}, size={1920, 1200}
15:28:12: Windows Version: 6.1 Build 7601 S
15:28:12: Aero is Enabled
15:28:12: -------------------------------
15:28:12: OBS Modules:
15:28:12: Base Address     Module
15:28:12: 00C50000         OBS.exe
15:28:12: 50120000         OBSApi.dll
15:28:12: 5CB00000         DShowPlugin.dll
15:28:12: 62150000         GraphicsCapture.dll
15:28:12: 620F0000         NoiseGate.dll
15:28:12: 59150000         PSVPlugin.dll
15:28:12: ------------------------------------------
15:28:12: Adapter 1
15:28:12:   Video Adapter: AMD Radeon R9 200 Series
15:28:12:   Video Adapter Dedicated Video Memory: 3221225472
15:28:12:   Video Adapter Shared System Memory: 1073676288
15:28:12:   Video Adapter Output 1: pos={0, 0}, size={1920, 1200}, attached=true
15:28:12: =====Stream Start: 2013-12-21, 15:28:12===============================================
15:28:12:   Multithreaded optimizations: On
15:28:12:   Base resolution: 1920x1200
15:28:12:   Output resolution: 1280x800
15:28:12: ------------------------------------------
15:28:12: Loading up D3D10 on AMD Radeon R9 200 Series (Adapter 1)...
15:28:12: ------------------------------------------
15:28:12: Audio Format: 44100hz
15:28:12: Playback device {0.0.0.00000000}.{cbfc5838-6be3-43d2-89e1-680695611b2c}
15:28:12: ------------------------------------------
15:28:12: Using desktop audio input: Speakers (3- Razer Megalodon)
15:28:12: Using 7.1 surround speaker setup
15:28:12: ------------------------------------------
15:28:12: Using auxilary audio input: Microphone (3- Razer Megalodon)
15:28:12: ------------------------------------------
15:28:12: Audio Encoding: AAC
15:28:12:     bitrate: 80
15:28:12: Using graphics capture
15:28:12: Scene buffering time set to 400
15:28:12: ------------------------------------------
15:28:12: Video Encoding: x264
15:28:12:     fps: 40
15:28:12:     width: 1280, height: 800
15:28:12:     preset: medium
15:28:12:     profile: high
15:28:12:     keyint: 80
15:28:12:     CBR: yes
15:28:12:     CFR: no
15:28:12:     max bitrate: 2600
15:28:12:     buffer size: 2600
15:28:12: ------------------------------------------
15:28:12: MMDeviceAudioSource: Frequency for device 'Speakers (3- Razer Megalodon)' is 1536000, samples per sec is 48000
15:28:12: MMDeviceAudioSource: Frequency for device 'Microphone (3- Razer Megalodon)' is 192000, samples per sec is 48000
15:28:15: Using RTMP service: Twitch / Justin.tv
15:28:15:   Server selection: rtmp://live-fra.justin.tv/app
15:28:15:   Interface: Intel(R) Ethernet Connection I217-V (ethernet, 100 mbps)
15:28:15: Completed handshake with rtmp://live-fra.justin.tv/app in 492 ms.
15:28:16: SO_SNDBUF was at 8192
15:28:16: SO_SNDBUF is now 65536
15:28:20: SharedTexCapture hooked
15:43:31: GraphicsCaptureSource::NewCapture:  eliminating old capture
15:43:31: SharedTexCapture hooked
15:52:16: GraphicsCaptureSource::NewCapture:  eliminating old capture
15:52:16: SharedTexCapture hooked
16:06:56: GraphicsCaptureSource::NewCapture:  eliminating old capture
16:06:56: SharedTexCapture hooked
16:07:02: Exit signal received, terminating capture
16:07:07: Total frames encoded: 93366, total frames duplicated: 40 (0.04%)
16:07:07: Total frames rendered: 93354, number of late frames: 7 (0.01%) (it's okay for some frames to be late)
16:07:07: RTMPPublisher::SocketLoop: Graceful loop exit
16:07:07: Average send payload: 7081 bytes, average send interval: 20 ms
16:07:07: Number of times waited to send: 0, Waited for a total of 0 bytes
16:07:07: Number of b-frames dropped: 0 (0%), Number of p-frames dropped: 0 (0%), Total 0 (0%)
16:07:07: Number of bytes sent: 786307336
16:07:07: 
16:07:07: Profiler time results:
16:07:07: 
16:07:07: ==============================================================
16:07:07: video thread frame - [100%] [avg time: 0.261 ms] [children: 21.1%] [unaccounted: 78.9%]
16:07:07: | scene->Preprocess - [0.383%] [avg time: 0.001 ms]
16:07:07: | GPU download and conversion - [20.7%] [avg time: 0.054 ms] [children: 17.2%] [unaccounted: 3.45%]
16:07:07: | | flush - [14.9%] [avg time: 0.039 ms]
16:07:07: | | CopyResource - [1.92%] [avg time: 0.005 ms]
16:07:07: | | conversion to 4:2:0 - [0.383%] [avg time: 0.001 ms]
16:07:07: Convert444Threads - [100%] [avg time: 0.281 ms] [children: 98.9%] [unaccounted: 1.07%]
16:07:07: | Convert444toNV12 - [98.9%] [avg time: 0.278 ms]
16:07:07: encoder thread frame - [100%] [avg time: 0.639 ms]
16:07:07: ==============================================================
16:07:07: 
16:07:07: 
16:07:07: Profiler CPU results:
16:07:07: 
16:07:07: ==============================================================
16:07:07: video thread frame - [cpu time: avg 0 ms, total 46.8 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
16:07:07: | scene->Preprocess - [cpu time: avg 0 ms, total 0 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
16:07:07: | GPU download and conversion - [cpu time: avg 0 ms, total 46.8 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
16:07:07: | | flush - [cpu time: avg 0 ms, total 46.8 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
16:07:07: | | CopyResource - [cpu time: avg 0 ms, total 0 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
16:07:07: | | conversion to 4:2:0 - [cpu time: avg 0 ms, total 0 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
16:07:07: Convert444Threads - [cpu time: avg 0.002 ms, total 390.002 ms] [avg calls per frame: 2]
16:07:07: | Convert444toNV12 - [cpu time: avg 0.002 ms, total 374.402 ms] [avg calls per frame: 2]
16:07:07: encoder thread frame - [cpu time: avg 0.005 ms, total 514.803 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
16:07:07: ==============================================================
16:07:07: 
16:07:07: =====Stream End: 2013-12-21, 16:07:07=================================================


Last game capture log:
2013-12-21, 15:28:12: we're booting up: 
15:28:12: CaptureThread: attached to process Hearthstone.exe
15:28:12: D3D9 Present
15:28:13: NV Capture available
15:28:13: FBO available
15:28:13: GL Present
15:28:13: (half life scientist) everything..  seems to be in order
15:28:20: D3D9EndScene called
15:28:20: D3DPRESENT_PARAMETERS {
15:28:20: 	BackBufferWidth: 1920
15:28:20: 	BackBufferHeight: 1200
15:28:20: 	BackBufferFormat: D3DFMT_A8R8G8B8
15:28:20: 	BackBufferCount: 1
15:28:20: 	MultiSampleType: D3DMULTISAMPLE_2_SAMPLES
15:28:20: 	MultiSampleQuality: 0
15:28:20: 	SwapEffect: D3DSWAPEFFECT_DISCARD
15:28:20: 	hDeviceWindow: 133454
15:28:20: 	Windowed: false
15:28:20: 	EnableAutoDepthStencil: false
15:28:20: 	AutoDepthStencilFormat: D3DFMT_D24S8
15:28:20: 	Flags: None
15:28:20: 	FullScreen_RefreshRateInHz: 60
15:28:20: 	PresentationInterval: 2147483648
15:28:20: };
15:28:20: successfully set up d3d9 hooks
15:28:20: D3D9Present called
15:28:20: DoD3D9GPUHook: success
15:28:20: D3DSURFACE_DESC {
15:28:20: 	Format: D3DFMT_A8R8G8B8
15:28:20: 	Type: D3DRTYPE_SURFACE
15:28:20: 	Usage: D3DUSAGE_RENDERTARGET 
15:28:20: 	Pool: D3DPOOL_DEFAULT
15:28:20: 	MultiSampleType: D3DMULTISAMPLE_2_SAMPLES
15:28:20: 	MultiSampleQuality: 0
15:28:20: 	Width: 1920
15:28:20: 	Height: 1200
15:28:20: };
15:28:20: successfully capturing d3d9 frames via GPU
15:43:31: D3D9Reset called
15:43:31: ---------------------- Cleared D3D9 Capture ----------------------
15:43:31: failed to get d3d9 swap chain to initialize hooks
15:43:31: D3D9Reset called
15:43:31: ---------------------- Cleared D3D9 Capture ----------------------
15:43:31: successfully set up d3d9 hooks
15:43:31: D3D9EndScene called
15:43:31: D3D9Present called
15:43:31: DoD3D9GPUHook: success
15:43:31: D3DSURFACE_DESC {
15:43:31: 	Format: D3DFMT_A8R8G8B8
15:43:31: 	Type: D3DRTYPE_SURFACE
15:43:31: 	Usage: D3DUSAGE_RENDERTARGET 
15:43:31: 	Pool: D3DPOOL_DEFAULT
15:43:31: 	MultiSampleType: D3DMULTISAMPLE_2_SAMPLES
15:43:31: 	MultiSampleQuality: 0
15:43:31: 	Width: 1920
15:43:31: 	Height: 1200
15:43:31: };
15:43:31: successfully capturing d3d9 frames via GPU
15:52:15: D3D9Reset called
15:52:15: ---------------------- Cleared D3D9 Capture ----------------------
15:52:15: failed to get d3d9 swap chain to initialize hooks
15:52:15: D3D9Reset called
15:52:15: ---------------------- Cleared D3D9 Capture ----------------------
15:52:16: successfully set up d3d9 hooks
15:52:16: D3D9EndScene called
15:52:16: D3D9Present called
15:52:16: DoD3D9GPUHook: success
15:52:16: D3DSURFACE_DESC {
15:52:16: 	Format: D3DFMT_A8R8G8B8
15:52:16: 	Type: D3DRTYPE_SURFACE
15:52:16: 	Usage: D3DUSAGE_RENDERTARGET 
15:52:16: 	Pool: D3DPOOL_DEFAULT
15:52:16: 	MultiSampleType: D3DMULTISAMPLE_2_SAMPLES
15:52:16: 	MultiSampleQuality: 0
15:52:16: 	Width: 1920
15:52:16: 	Height: 1200
15:52:16: };
15:52:16: successfully capturing d3d9 frames via GPU
16:06:55: D3D9Reset called
16:06:55: ---------------------- Cleared D3D9 Capture ----------------------
16:06:55: failed to get d3d9 swap chain to initialize hooks
16:06:56: D3D9Reset called
16:06:56: ---------------------- Cleared D3D9 Capture ----------------------
16:06:56: successfully set up d3d9 hooks
16:06:56: D3D9EndScene called
16:06:56: D3D9Present called
16:06:56: DoD3D9GPUHook: success
16:06:56: D3DSURFACE_DESC {
16:06:56: 	Format: D3DFMT_A8R8G8B8
16:06:56: 	Type: D3DRTYPE_SURFACE
16:06:56: 	Usage: D3DUSAGE_RENDERTARGET 
16:06:56: 	Pool: D3DPOOL_DEFAULT
16:06:56: 	MultiSampleType: D3DMULTISAMPLE_2_SAMPLES
16:06:56: 	MultiSampleQuality: 0
16:06:56: 	Width: 1920
16:06:56: 	Height: 1200
16:06:56: };
16:06:56: successfully capturing d3d9 frames via GPU
 
FerretBomb

FerretBomb

Active Member
Bear in mind, if you are a non-partnered streamer the recommended maximum bitrate is 2000kbps. At-current, it appears all non-partnered streams are being served from the San Francisco CDN server; really not the best location for EU streamers/viewers, obviously. Until Twitch fixes their new video delayvery system though, the only 'fix' is to use a lower bitrate until the buffering goes away. Again, they recommend 2000kbps as the MAX for non-partners; many are running at 1500 and lower to try to combat all the new HLS problems.

The logfile shows zero dropped frames though, so can't really help much with that. If you're dropping frames though, it's a network issue between your system and the twitch ingest server you are using. The fixes for that are A> switch ingest servers, or B> lower your bitrate until it stops dropping frames. Not much we can do there, when it's a network issue, not a local/OBS issue.
 
N

Nimor

New Member
Thank you for the info,
2000 bitrate limit?! what garbage.. How are you suppose to partner if you can't get a decent stream up?

I'm currently useing the Frankfurt server.
1.50 Downscale with 60 FPS
1200 bitrate + 1200 buffersize, no noticeable quality improvement if i go any closer to 2000kbit, seems to be buffering free up to 1600. Any point in increaseing the buffersize and leaveing a lower bitrate?

I've actually never tested such low bitrates, I'm surprised of the results. I guess I could squeez a bit more quality with 25-30FPS and "low" CPU preset but I'm not sure it's worth it, video quality on high motion scenes is still crappy :-<.
 
FerretBomb

FerretBomb

Active Member
2000 is more than enough for a good-quality 720p@30fps stream; even at 1500 it's quite acceptable. 60fps is a luxury, to be frank; much the same as streaming at 1080p.
Increasing buffer-size past bitrate-matching is not recommended, except in severe cases of intermittent network issues. Even then, it's situational. Best bet is to match bitrate and buffer, or use a slightly lower buffer.

Yes, a lot of people DUMP on the bitrate to unnecessary levels (seriously, 3500kbps for 720@30?). 1500 is enough for 720@30 on just about anything except a FPS, MMO or racing game. 2000 is more than enough even for those. You *might* be able to squeeze 720@45 out of 2000, but you'll likely get some blocking visible in high-motion events.

Really though, I got my start on 720@30 at 2000kbps. Only added on 1080 after getting partnered, as it was a realistic option at that point. Only a small sub-section of viewers go fullscreen at all though; many just turn you on for background noise, or leave you popped-in while they're browsing other sites. Most aren't there because you have the most beautiful stream available (even if it might help retention, over a stream that looks like complete crap). Really, the biggest turn-off for a viewer is if you're buffering constantly... which just happens, with the new video system. :b I'd advise going at whatever rate minimizes the buffering your viewers receive.
 
N

Nimor

New Member
LtRoyalShrimp said:
If you don't mind me asking, what kind of cooling do you have to get your 4770k to 4.6Ghz?

-Shrimp
Click to expand...

I've got a Noctua NH-D14 (air cooling) temps peeked at 86C on stress tests, wich is common, usually arround 55-60C on normal high performance use, games, video rendering etc. Note that my motherboard handles the OC more or less by itself I just select the desired frequency and activate "adaptive mode" wich means the CPU gets the minimum amount of voltage needed and multipliers change on the fly so I don't get massive temps when I'm just idleing on the desktop :)

@FerretBomb, I agree that 60FPS is a luxury, I noticed you play LoL as far as I know the game runs at massive FPS as any MOBA game, streaming such at 30FPS simply looks "bleah" when it comes to movement. I'm thinking of giving up on twitch.tv, I find the amount of network interference simply outrageous, I did some tests on gamecreds.com and it runs the way it should with my specks and ISP, I'll give more feedback when I return from work. I just can't let go of the quality aspect, I wan't to stream to a crowd interested in my specific content and watch new content and progression raids in World of Warcraft :).
 
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