Question / Help My Encoder Settings are too high-- dunno how to fix it.

[Jacemachine]

The gameplay itself is fine while I am recording... but afterwards, the recorded footage freeze-frames for moments at a time, while the audio continues.
Please take a look at a recent log, and tell me where I need to make adjustments.


00:21:10.976: CPU Name: AMD FX-8320E Eight-Core Processor
00:21:10.976: CPU Speed: 3214MHz
00:21:10.976: Physical Cores: 4, Logical Cores: 8
00:21:10.976: Physical Memory: 16349MB Total, 11980MB Free
00:21:10.976: Windows Version: 6.1 Build 7601 (revision: 23915; 64-bit)
00:21:10.976: Running as administrator: false
00:21:10.976: Aero is Enabled
00:21:10.977: Portable mode: false
00:21:11.142: OBS 21.1.0 (64bit, windows)
00:21:11.142: ---------------------------------
00:21:11.143: ---------------------------------
00:21:11.143: audio settings reset:
00:21:11.143: samples per sec: 44100
00:21:11.143: speakers: 2
00:21:11.145: ---------------------------------
00:21:11.145: Initializing D3D11...
00:21:11.145: Available Video Adapters:
00:21:11.151: Adapter 1: AMD Radeon (TM) R9 390 Series
00:21:11.151: Dedicated VRAM: 4269248512
00:21:11.151: Shared VRAM: 4026531840
00:21:11.151: output 1: pos={0, 0}, size={1920, 1080}, attached=true
00:21:11.151: output 2: pos={-1600, 98}, size={1600, 1200}, attached=true
00:21:11.157: Loading up D3D11 on adapter AMD Radeon (TM) R9 390 Series (0)
00:21:11.169: D3D11 loaded successfully, feature level used: 45056
00:21:12.178: ---------------------------------
00:21:12.178: video settings reset:
00:21:12.178: base resolution: 1920x1080
00:21:12.178: output resolution: 1920x1080
00:21:12.178: downscale filter: Bicubic
00:21:12.178: fps: 60/1
00:21:12.178: format: NV12
00:21:12.178: YUV mode: 601/Partial
00:21:12.179: Audio monitoring device:
00:21:12.179: name: Default
00:21:12.179: id: default
00:21:12.180: ---------------------------------
00:21:12.191: [CoreAudio encoder]: Adding CoreAudio AAC encoder
00:21:12.421: [AMF] Version 2.3.3 loaded (Compiled: 1.4.4.0, Runtime: 1.4.6.0, Library: 1;4;6;0;17.50.33.05;201803221826;CL#1530970).
00:21:12.521: [AMF] <Id: 2> Unable to create H265/HEVC encoder, error AMF_NOT_SUPPORTED (code 10)
00:21:12.521: [AMF] [H265/HEVC] Not supported by any GPU, disabling...
00:21:12.533: LoadLibrary failed for 'nvEncodeAPI64.dll': The specified module could not be found.
00:21:12.533: (126)
00:21:12.908: Couldn't find VLC installation, VLC video source disabled
00:21:12.921: No blackmagic support
00:21:12.934: ---------------------------------
00:21:12.934: Loaded Modules:
00:21:12.934: win-wasapi.dll
00:21:12.934: win-mf.dll
00:21:12.934: win-dshow.dll
00:21:12.934: win-decklink.dll
00:21:12.934: win-capture.dll
00:21:12.934: vlc-video.dll
00:21:12.934: text-freetype2.dll
00:21:12.934: rtmp-services.dll
00:21:12.934: obs-x264.dll
00:21:12.934: obs-vst.dll
00:21:12.934: obs-transitions.dll
00:21:12.934: obs-text.dll
00:21:12.934: obs-qsv11.dll
00:21:12.935: obs-outputs.dll
00:21:12.935: obs-filters.dll
00:21:12.935: obs-ffmpeg.dll
00:21:12.935: image-source.dll
00:21:12.935: frontend-tools.dll
00:21:12.935: enc-amf.dll
00:21:12.935: coreaudio-encoder.dll
00:21:12.935: ---------------------------------
00:21:12.935: ==== Startup complete ===============================================
00:21:12.946: Service '' not found
00:21:12.948: All scene data cleared
00:21:12.948: ------------------------------------------------
00:21:13.076: WASAPI: Device 'Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio)' initialized
00:21:13.099: WASAPI: Device 'Microphone (Blue Snowball)' initialized
00:21:13.124: adding 46 milliseconds of audio buffering, total audio buffering is now 46 milliseconds
00:21:13.441: Switched to scene 'Scene'
00:21:13.442: ------------------------------------------------
00:21:13.442: Loaded scenes:
00:21:13.442: - scene 'Scene':
00:21:13.442: - source: 'Game Capture' (game_capture)
00:21:13.442: ------------------------------------------------
00:24:18.300: adding 23 milliseconds of audio buffering, total audio buffering is now 69 milliseconds
00:31:04.669: Settings changed (stream 1, outputs, hotkeys)
00:31:04.669: ------------------------------------------------
00:33:54.349: Settings changed (outputs)
00:33:54.349: ------------------------------------------------
00:34:09.645: Settings changed (outputs)
00:34:09.646: ------------------------------------------------
00:36:44.847: ==== Shutting down ==================================================
00:36:44.853: Switched to scene '(null)'
00:36:44.854: WASAPI: Device 'Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio)' Terminated
00:36:44.871: WASAPI: Device 'Microphone (Blue Snowball)' Terminated
00:36:44.892: All scene data cleared
00:36:44.892: ------------------------------------------------
00:36:44.990: Freeing OBS context data
00:36:45.010: [Scripting] Total detached callbacks: 0
00:36:45.075: == Profiler Results =============================
00:36:45.075: run_program_init: 2837.64 ms
00:36:45.075: ┣OBSApp::AppInit: 35.101 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┗OBSApp::InitLocale: 1.73 ms
00:36:45.075: ┗OBSApp::OBSInit: 2777.47 ms
00:36:45.075: ┣obs_startup: 1.399 ms
00:36:45.075: ┗OBSBasic::OBSInit: 2345.92 ms
00:36:45.075: ┣OBSBasic::InitBasicConfig: 0.817 ms
00:36:45.075: ┣OBSBasic::ResetAudio: 0.368 ms
00:36:45.075: ┣OBSBasic::ResetVideo: 1035.86 ms
00:36:45.075: ┣OBSBasic::InitOBSCallbacks: 0.007 ms
00:36:45.075: ┣OBSBasic::InitHotkeys: 0.051 ms
00:36:45.075: ┣obs_load_all_modules: 754.769 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┣obs_init_module(coreaudio-encoder.dll): 10.225 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┣obs_init_module(enc-amf.dll): 328.633 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┣obs_init_module(frontend-tools.dll): 4.041 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┣obs_init_module(image-source.dll): 0.005 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┣obs_init_module(obs-ffmpeg.dll): 0.827 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┃ ┗nvenc_check: 0.815 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┣obs_init_module(obs-filters.dll): 0.029 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┣obs_init_module(obs-outputs.dll): 0.009 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┣obs_init_module(obs-qsv11.dll): 365.479 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┣obs_init_module(obs-text.dll): 0.691 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┣obs_init_module(obs-transitions.dll): 0.006 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┣obs_init_module(obs-vst.dll): 0.001 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┣obs_init_module(obs-x264.dll): 0.002 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┣obs_init_module(rtmp-services.dll): 0.019 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┣obs_init_module(text-freetype2.dll): 0.106 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┣obs_init_module(vlc-video.dll): 0.049 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┣obs_init_module(win-capture.dll): 0.14 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┣obs_init_module(win-decklink.dll): 11.173 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┣obs_init_module(win-dshow.dll): 10.204 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┣obs_init_module(win-mf.dll): 0 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┣obs_init_module(win-wasapi.dll): 0.005 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┗reset_win32_symbol_paths: 0.594 ms
00:36:45.075: ┣OBSBasic::ResetOutputs: 10.305 ms
00:36:45.075: ┣OBSBasic::CreateHotkeys: 0.471 ms
00:36:45.075: ┣OBSBasic::InitService: 1.832 ms
00:36:45.075: ┣OBSBasic::InitPrimitives: 0.357 ms
00:36:45.075: ┗OBSBasic::Load: 494.161 ms
00:36:45.075: obs_hotkey_thread(25 ms): min=0.003 ms, median=0.01 ms, max=10.639 ms, 99th percentile=0.124 ms, 100% below 25 ms
00:36:45.075: audio_thread(Audio): min=0 ms, median=0.119 ms, max=2.773 ms, 99th percentile=0.204 ms
00:36:45.075: obs_graphics_thread(16.6667 ms): min=0.238 ms, median=1.935 ms, max=327.428 ms, 99th percentile=2.292 ms, 99.9875% below 16.667 ms
00:36:45.075: ┣tick_sources: min=0.001 ms, median=0.013 ms, max=326.463 ms, 99th percentile=0.026 ms
00:36:45.075: ┣output_frame: min=0.232 ms, median=1.404 ms, max=51.597 ms, 99th percentile=1.677 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┣gs_context(video->graphics): min=0.142 ms, median=0.401 ms, max=49.394 ms, 99th percentile=0.596 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┃ ┣render_video: min=0.037 ms, median=0.099 ms, max=2.31 ms, 99th percentile=0.142 ms
00:36:45.075: ┃ ┃ ┃ ┣render_main_texture: min=0.004 ms, median=0.014 ms, max=0.59 ms, 99th percentile=0.028 ms
00:36:45.076: ┃ ┃ ┃ ┣render_output_texture: min=0.005 ms, median=0.038 ms, max=2.241 ms, 99th percentile=0.058 ms
00:36:45.076: ┃ ┃ ┃ ┣render_convert_texture: min=0.001 ms, median=0.026 ms, max=0.63 ms, 99th percentile=0.042 ms
00:36:45.076: ┃ ┃ ┃ ┗stage_output_texture: min=0 ms, median=0.012 ms, max=0.691 ms, 99th percentile=0.024 ms
00:36:45.076: ┃ ┃ ┣download_frame: min=0 ms, median=0.011 ms, max=10.132 ms, 99th percentile=0.023 ms
00:36:45.076: ┃ ┃ ┗gs_flush: min=0.044 ms, median=0.277 ms, max=49.258 ms, 99th percentile=0.465 ms
00:36:45.076: ┃ ┗output_video_data: min=0.53 ms, median=0.986 ms, max=9.811 ms, 99th percentile=1.201 ms
00:36:45.076: ┗render_displays: min=0 ms, median=0.488 ms, max=43.418 ms, 99th percentile=0.731 ms
00:36:45.076: video_thread(video): min=0 ms, median=0.003 ms, max=0.243 ms, 99th percentile=0.011 ms
00:36:45.076: OBSBasic::ResetOutputs: min=0.575 ms, median=0.601 ms, max=0.702 ms, 99th percentile=0.702 ms
00:36:45.076: =================================================
00:36:45.076: == Profiler Time Between Calls ==================
00:36:45.076: obs_hotkey_thread(25 ms): min=24.035 ms, median=25.001 ms, max=77.308 ms, 99.6759% within ±2% of 25 ms (0.101784% lower, 0.222317% higher)
00:36:45.076: obs_graphics_thread(16.6667 ms): min=1.278 ms, median=16.667 ms, max=327.437 ms, 99.6513% within ±2% of 16.667 ms (0.187741% lower, 0.160921% higher)
00:36:45.076: =================================================
00:36:45.126: Number of memory leaks: 0

 

[Boildown]

I don't see any actual encoding attempt in that log file.

Update manually to the latest OBS release if the auto-updater doesn't find a later version, that version is old.

Run OBS as Administrator.

Do a 5 minute minimum recording / stream of high action gameplay. Then exit OBS, this makes sure the file is completely saved to disk. Then find the log file and upload it.

 

[Jacemachine]

Thank you. I followed your steps and uploaded the log. Let me know if I am lacking in any details or information.

 

[Narcogen]

16:23:04.471: Video stopped, number of skipped frames due to encoding lag: 9038/36926 (24.5%)

Your CPU is overloaded. You've specified a CRF number of 12, which is extremely low. Try moving up to 20 and see how that does and see how low you can go while getting good performance.

 

[Boildown]

CRF values don't really affect CPU usage. And you're already on UltraFast.

I actually expect better performance than this from that CPU, do you have things other than your game and OBS running? Is your CPU overheating?

 

[Jacemachine]

CRF values don't really affect CPU usage. And you're already on UltraFast.

I actually expect better performance than this from that CPU, do you have things other than your game and OBS running? Is your CPU overheating?

I generally turn off things like Avast shield, and close anything that I don't need. I will often have Discord running if I am trying to record a multiplayer session.

I don't *think* the CPU is overheating, but to be completely frank, I wouldn't really know if it was. The fans don't seem to run harder than if I am playing another game.

This mostly happens when I play Hunt: Showdown though it has been cropping up again and again in some other game recordings.

I will look into the overheating CPU suggestion though. Thank you.