M1 Settings Help (WILD Setup)

[lankyandtheguy]

Hello OBS World! First time poster, relatively new streamer (about a month into the game).

Getting right into it...
My problem: random unstable bitrate/Frames missed/video issues while streaming. I've had the same amount of cameras and setup the entire time I've been streaming. First three streams at 1080x60/high profile/Faster over WiFi without a single hiccup. Since then I've had continuous hiccups. Here's what we got...

My Setup:

• M1 Mac Mini 16GB ram/256 SSD
• 1gb upload/download Fiber internet (CenturyLink that hits about 950 up/down consistently) with Cat8 ethernet cable running into the Mac Mini from new CenturyLink modem/router
• OBS 26.1.0
• 10 port USB 3.0 Hub out of one Mac Mini USB port
• Thunderbolt 3 USB hub out of one Thunderbolt port
• 6 GoPros into individual HDMI Capture Cards capturing 1080/30 plugged into the Hubs

My Current Settings: Keep in mind I have tested MULTIPLE setting arrangements in Twitch Inspector and have never once had any issues/unstable reports

• Encoder: Apple VT H264 Software Encoder (have bounced between this and x264 first time I had a problem, then switched back to Apple VT H264. Both were tested on Twitch inspector at different rates without a problem)
• Bitrate: Typically 4500 - Lowered when problems arise while live, and almost never fixes the issue
• Keyframe Interval: 2
• Profile: high
  • have switched to main, haven't usually noticed a difference, but would prefer stay on high I think?
• Use B-frames enabled
• Video Output: 720x60 fps
  • bounced between 1080x60/900x60/1080x30 and I don't think I've had issues at 30fps, but it is such a noticeable different at 60 and I'd love to stay there
• Downscale Filter: Bicubic 16samples
• Color Format: NV12 | Color Space: 709 | Color Range: Full
• "Disable macOS V-Sync & Reset macOS V-Sync on Exit" both checked
• Bind to IP: Default

Apologies for the long post - I just haven't had any luck yet finding an in depth review of M1 with OBS settings, and wanted to be thorough. I know it's only been a month, but in that month I've become a FULL blown OBS nerd.

Much love and thank you!

 

[WizardCM]

Dropped frames? Disconnecting? Follow the troubleshooting steps in our Connection Issues guide.

A clean log file is required to help fix your issue. To make a clean log file, please follow these steps:

1) Restart OBS
2) Start your stream/recording for at least 30 seconds (or however long it takes for the issue to happen). Make sure you replicate any issues as best you can, which means having any games/apps open and captured, etc.
3) Stop your stream/recording.
4) Select Help > Log Files > Upload Current Log File. Copy the URL and paste it in a response.

 

[nottooloud]

• 6 GoPros into individual HDMI Capture Cards capturing 1080/30 plugged into the Hubs
• 
  
• Video Output: 720x60 fps
  • bounced between 1080x60/900x60/1080x30 and I don't think I've had issues at 30fps, but it is such a noticeable different at 60 and I'd love to stay there

Puzzled by this. If your sources are all 30, how is 60 getting you benefit? It wouldn't even occur to me to try anything but 1080p30. Especially if it does indeed fix your problem.

 

[sirbryan]

Anecdotally....

You said 6 Go-Pros across the USB hub and the Thunderbolt dock?

I would try removing them one-by-one off the USB dock and see if that helps, and if you have the ports available, move them to the Thunderbolt dock. Or, move the USB hub to the dock.

Reasoning:

On my M1 MBP, I had issues running a single CamLink plugged into Apple's HDMI + USB + power dongle, such that it totally stops after a few minutes. (I didn't try it with Apple's USB-C to USB-A adapter.) For that event, I had to switch to my 2015 dual-core i7 MBP.

Yesterday, I had a CalDigit Thunderbolt dock on my M1 with the CamLink plugged into one of it's USB ports and had zero problems streaming the 1080i60 program over the dock's ethernet port for a couple of hours.

I thought I remember reading something about USB issues on Big Sur (and M1?). Perhaps by moving the load to the Thunderbolt dock, those issues are side-stepped.

 

[marshall409]

That setup does sound wild...impressed that it even works. What sort of capture devices are you using? As mentioned by someone else above, if your camera sources are 30p there is zero reason or sense in streaming at 60p.

 

[lankyandtheguy]

Puzzled by this. If your sources are all 30, how is 60 getting you benefit? It wouldn't even occur to me to try anything but 1080p30. Especially if it does indeed fix your problem.

I absolutely believed the same thing. But I have noticed a difference at 30 & 60 so my immediate thought was maybe the capture cards DO capture 60fps? They were reviewed by that shit Harris Heller and others to be really high quality for the price ($10-15/capture card - I'll try to find a link to them, but they're produced and sold by tons of different people on Amazon), and have actually done the job to my pleasant surprise. But the capture cards could definitely be the issue. HOWEVER, I have also had streams at 1080/60 without a single problem so Idk why the consistent issues now.

 

[lankyandtheguy]

Dropped frames? Disconnecting? Follow the troubleshooting steps in our Connection Issues guide.

A clean log file is required to help fix your issue. To make a clean log file, please follow these steps:

1) Restart OBS
2) Start your stream/recording for at least 30 seconds (or however long it takes for the issue to happen). Make sure you replicate any issues as best you can, which means having any games/apps open and captured, etc.
3) Stop your stream/recording.
4) Select Help > Log Files > Upload Current Log File. Copy the URL and paste it in a response.

Wish I woulda seen this before our stream this morning. If we have the same issue next time (which we did again today at 1080/30) I'll give it a rip. It's just tough because we don't wanna be running random streams while simultaneously building our community and trying to keep our viewer average high.

 

[lankyandtheguy]

Anecdotally....

You said 6 Go-Pros across the USB hub and the Thunderbolt dock?

I would try removing them one-by-one off the USB dock and see if that helps, and if you have the ports available, move them to the Thunderbolt dock. Or, move the USB hub to the dock.

Reasoning:

On my M1 MBP, I had issues running a single CamLink plugged into Apple's HDMI + USB + power dongle, such that it totally stops after a few minutes. (I didn't try it with Apple's USB-C to USB-A adapter.) For that event, I had to switch to my 2015 dual-core i7 MBP.

Yesterday, I had a CalDigit Thunderbolt dock on my M1 with the CamLink plugged into one of it's USB ports and had zero problems streaming the 1080i60 program over the dock's ethernet port for a couple of hours.

I thought I remember reading something about USB issues on Big Sur (and M1?). Perhaps by moving the load to the Thunderbolt dock, those issues are side-stepped.

I will absolutely give these different input sources a try. Great idea. I bounced our main cam into a separate input and streamed at 1080x30 today and still ran into issues about 2:30:00 into the stream, but seemed to be stable a quality prior.

 

[lankyandtheguy]

Since there's been a consistent response at the capture cards - I've attached a link to one that's similar at least (the exact one I purchased are no longer being sold by the Amazon store/user). Since I can't access the EXACT product description I purchased I don't know 100% for certain their capture abilities, but I do believe they're 1080x30. I streamed this morning at 1080x30, upping bitrate to 5250 | 32 sharpened samples | faster, and ran into the same problem.

https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Capture-Streaming-Compatible-Nintendo/dp/B08H273TZ8/ref=sr_1_6?crid=37ST3UAA68XO&dchild=1&keywords=hdmi+capture+card&qid=1609883709&sprefix=HDMI+cap%2Caps%2C205&sr=8-6

 

[WizardCM]

Wish I woulda seen this before our stream this morning. If we have the same issue next time (which we did again today at 1080/30) I'll give it a rip. It's just tough because we don't wanna be running random streams while simultaneously building our community and trying to keep our viewer average high.

You can also fetch it manually:

They're stored in ~/Library/Application Support/obs-studio/logs timestamped by launch time. Grab the one from that particular stream and upload it here directly.

 

[marshall409]

Yeah I've got one of those. They're fun to mess around with but live production with them is creative to say the least. They definitely don't do 60...but if they're all out of frame sync that could maybe explain why 60 looks better.

Also what platform are you streaming on? There should definitely be a way to do a private test stream that won't affect your audience or analytics at all.

 

[lankyandtheguy]

Yeah I've got one of those. They're fun to mess around with but live production with them is creative to say the least. They definitely don't do 60...but if they're all out of frame sync that could maybe explain why 60 looks better.

Also what platform are you streaming on? There should definitely be a way to do a private test stream that won't affect your audience or analytics at all.

Hey so far (outside of ... well ... the whole reason I'm making this post hahaha...) they've handled the job pretty well. I bought a couple of 1080 USB 2.0 and then a few 1080 USB 3.0, but neither purchase specified output frame rate. So I'm probably returning and thinking about trying the new ones (the link I sent your way) that claims 1080x60 output USB3.0.

Side question - would trying the Atem mini potentially solve my problem? (outside of only having 4 inputs. Probably input my 4 most used cameras into it)

I'm on Twitch, and have run probably 10 independent Twitch Inspector runs for 10 - 30 mins without a single fluctuation or reported frame rate drop regardless of output setting.