Question / Help Multiple NDI Streams on Gigabit Network laggy

exR

exR

New Member
Hey there :)

Our Setup:
  • HPE ProCurve 1800-24G -> Gigabit Network
  • 6 Gaming PCs streaming via OBS and the NDI Plugin to ...
  • ... 1 Encoding PC
Today we've done our first test stream, you can watch the VoD here:
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/233372847

We've already had some lags before while testing it offline but thought we've fixed it by reducing the video resolution in OBS on these 6 gaming PCs to 720p60 instead of 1080p60. This should reduce the needed bandwith in our network right? Our encoding PC was running at up to 600Mbit/s incoming network workload.
But while streaming live today the lags returned like you can see in the VoD.
Is there any way to get those 6 PCs streaming to our encoding PC without lagging? Is our network limiting it or is the NDI plugin faulty?
Near the end of the VoD one of these 6 PCs stopped streaming after a player restarted it but the images were still laggy.

Any suggestions how to improve the stability of these NDI streams?
Do you think the network is the limiting factor or is the error elswhere?
I would also like to start using Voicemeeter's VBAN to start streaming every single mic to the encoding PC but I'm afraid to overload our network even more.
 
exR

exR

New Member
Harold said:
We'd need the session log from that event.
Click to expand...

I'm at home right now, but could provide one on thursday.
Is the log of the last session still available even after shutting down OBS and the PC completely?
 
Boildown

Boildown

Active Member
I don't see any network issues in that log, just you messing with your webcam over and over and over again.
23:54:15.141: Output 'adv_stream': Total frames output: 1625655
23:54:15.141: Output 'adv_stream': Total drawn frames: 1624436 (1625783 attempted)
23:54:15.141: Output 'adv_stream': Number of lagged frames due to rendering lag/stalls: 1347 (0.1%)
23:54:15.141: Video stopped, number of skipped frames due to encoding lag: 6268/1625712 (0.4%)
Click to expand...
Not great but pretty good, especially for the old Xeon you're using as your encoding CPU.

I would test with just one NDI input and see if its good, then add the rest one at a time, checking after each one. Oh yeah, decide how you want your webcam set and stick with it, you were getting errors about it already being in use. Not sure if you were trying to use it again too soon after making a change or if you have another program accessing it. Don't have another program accessing it.
 
exR

exR

New Member
Boildown said:
I don't see any network issues in that log, just you messing with your webcam over and over and over again.

Not great but pretty good, especially for the old Xeon you're using as your encoding CPU.

I would test with just one NDI input and see if its good, then add the rest one at a time, checking after each one.
Click to expand...

Yea seems like this old Mac Pro does not have USB 2.0 or at least not the USB Port which supports our FullHD Webcam, only 800xXXX worked, that's why ;)

Okay I'll try further
Also found some approaches at the plugin site:
https://github.com/Palakis/obs-ndi/issues/43
https://github.com/Palakis/obs-ndi/issues/59
 
exR

exR

New Member
Update:

I have tried many solutions, bcut nothing worked.
- Using NewTek's Scan Converter Software instead of OBS on the Gaming Rigs
- Using my Laptop (i7 7700HQ, GTx 1060 6GB) as encoding machine
- Upgrading the network adapter by combining both Gbit ports to a 2 Gbit/s connection

Nothing worked
The only solution by now is disabling 2 of those 6 PCs and only streaming 4 to my encoding PC.
Is OBS somehow the limiting factor?
 
exR

exR

New Member
Harold said:
Apparently not. Did you apply the second network adapter as a link aggregation group?
Click to expand...
Seems so :/
Correct, enabling LACP at the switch

But task manager only tops out at 600Mbit/s when all 6 PCs are streaming via NDI, so network should not be the problem

Next thing I'll check, which I haven't done yet, if NewTeks Studio Monitor does also playback laggy video or not, if not the problem seems really to be at OBS side
 
Harold

Harold

Active Member
It SHOULD be working past the 1gbit barrier, assuming that the LACP algorithm is actually getting the right math to split the connections
 
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jmdoohan

New Member
Did you end up finding a solution to this? I’m having the exact same issue. Tried both high end desktop PC with P5000 and high end laptop, both blue screened when anything of high FPS came in on more than 4 PCs.
I’ve got it working on a Mac mini but it freezes a lot and drops frame rate from 50 down to ~45. Lowering frame rate of everything down to 25 seems to help a lot BUT I can still see the NDI streams stuttering and dropping some frames.
Network usage is 600Mbit/s. Not sure where to turn to next (maybe 2x deck link 4-way HDMI cards) ?
Any pointers / advise ?
 
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