Question / Help Not sure what GPU is needed for recording

[bugattikid2012]

So I'm thinking about getting a cheap GPU for my build for recording/streaming with this program (and Kazam on Linux ( let me know if you know of a better Linux recording software)) but I'm not sure what GPU is needed to record games. I couldn't find much help on the interwebz so I've come here. I'm putting a 4770k in my build so it'll have that integrated GPU in it, could that record games and if so, what settings will it record at? Can it still encode the h.264 codec and keep the file size small and quality good? If that's not enough (I'm not really expecting it to work, more or less just hoping it will), what is? I have an old Nvidia card around here somewhere but I'm going to have to look for it. It's like a 8800 or something around that. Not at all game worthy, but it may be enough to record. Also I'm doing this because I'm trying to be able to record without hurting my frames. If I just simply put this old card on the PCI 16 port it should work for what I want, correct? I shouldn't have to even hook it up to a monitor is what I'm thinking. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know. Sorry for typos, I'm on the Ipad and it's 3 am... Thanks for any help!

 

[dodgepong]

I'm not exactly sure what you mean...are you recording on the same computer that you're playing? Is there an GPU already in the computer? What GPU do you want to put into the computer?

 

[bugattikid2012]

Yes I will have a GPU already in this computer. I'm wanting to use a second GPU to do all the recording work so it won't effect the performance of the other GPU. It's not SLI, the second card is going to be purely for recording and other minor stuff. I'm wondering what kind of GPU is needed to run this program. Will the integrated card work or will I need a better one (like the old 8800 or whatever it is).

 

[hilalpro]

From what I've read so far there's really nothing to gain from an extra dedicated GPU in your case.. If you're willing to spend money on an extra GPU then it's probably best to just get a more powerful GPU than the one you're planning to have as your main/gaming GPU.

 

[bugattikid2012]

Ok since nobody seems to understand what I'm asking I'm going to break it down more. OBS uses a GPU to do all of the encoding and processing of the video input to save it as a file, or to stream it. I'm curious as to how much power is needed in a GPU so that OBS can use it to do it's magic. I currently own an older GPU that may be powerful enough to record with, but I am not sure. I will NOT be gaming with this GPU, and the other GPU will not be used to record gameplay (if this works as I am hoping it will). As my parts have not come in the mail yet, there is no way I can test this GPU out yet. I am asking if anyone knows how poor a GPU can be and still be able to record gameplay with this GPU. I would prefer to use my integrated graphics to record, but I doubt it will be powerful enough. If anyone owns a 4770k (or other intel processor that contains the same integrated card) you could test this for me if you don't mind. If you own a crap graphics card similar to a nvidia 8800 or so you could test this for me. If you helped code this amazing piece of software you probably have an idea of what GPU is needed to record or stream games with. In other words, if the integrated card won't record games with this software, and my 8800 or whatever won't do it, what is the crappiest card that will? Thank you for your time.

 

[bugattikid2012]

One way to call what I'm doing is getting a capture card without the downsides of a capture card... No input delay, cheaper, full quality, etc, but it only works for that one computer? So I'm essentially turning a graphics card into an amazing capture card for one single computer

 

[dodgepong]

The 8800 is not powerful enough for OBS. It's actually a really really slow card.

 

[bugattikid2012]

Darn I was hoping it would be able to barely run it. If it can't, I'm guessing the integrated card can't either. Do you know what is the minimal card to record with this? If the 880 or whatever can't do it I probably won't buy the second one, but in case I do get it, I would like to know. I'd guess probably an amd high 5000 or low 6000? Btw the other card I'm talking about is an nvidia just to make sure you didn't mis understand. And yes, as I mentioned several times I know that card is a piece of crap, but it was given to me, so I was kinda just hoping it would do something useful... How do you know it will not run it btw?

 

[hilalpro]

Yes they both can't but how do you turn a graphics card into an amazing capture card for one single computer period ?

 

[bugattikid2012]

By using OBS to record with, you simply use the cheap card for recording and the amazing one for gaming. In the setting you can choose which GPU to use, you know that right?

 

[hilalpro]

Yes but how would that work exactly ? OBS would want direct access to your main GPU that's doing the work.

 

[bugattikid2012]

Ummm... you realise that by setting it to use a certain GPU, it makes it use that GPU to do the work, right? Kinda self explanitory how that works...

 

[hilalpro]

Sorry, let me rephrase that - OBS would want direct access to your main GPU that's doing the game graphic's processing.

 

[bugattikid2012]

Yes, but the extra load from recording on that GPU would be much less, correct? Not just a little less, but MUCH less in ratio to not doing it.

 

[bugattikid2012]

In other words, what's the system requirements for OBS? I guess that's what i'm looking for. I should've thought to ask for this sooner lol.

 

[bugattikid2012]

Turns out the old card is a Nvidia 8400 GS so it's an old piece of crap. It only has 256 mb of ddr2 ram lololol. If I had to guess, I'd say it would take a nvidia 560 or better to run this, can anyone confirm? I wouldn't buy a low end nvidia btw as amd has better price to performance at the low levels of cards and chips. I'm just not too familiar with amd so I don't know a good estimate of what kind of card will do what.

 

[dodgepong]

A 560 is certainly good enough to run OBS. And some integrated cards can run OBS fine, too.

The issue you're going to run into is that you can select the GPU that OBS runs on, but if you want to use Game capture, you have to run OBS on the same GPU that the game uses, too. So chances are you will have to run both the game and OBS on the same GPU.

 

[bugattikid2012]

Oh I didn't know that. What's the real benefit of doing game capture over something that captures the whole monitor? I know of course it'll only pick up the in game video and it'll work in full screen, but I use full border less if I have the option. Also the only really resource intensive games I play are bf4 and soon to be assassins creed 4 because it's coming with my graphics card, so I'm sure they both have border less options. Does game capture have less of a performance impact or something? And besides game capture, what's the best recording option?

 

[dodgepong]

Game capture is the best capture method that OBS has. It's very fast, and uses no CPU. It is faster than using a capture card. If you don't want to use game capture, you could use Window capture with Aero enabled, or buy a capture card (though that is a lot of money to spend on something that is not really necessary or terribly useful for a single-PC streaming setup). Monitor capture is not recommended unless you're on Windows 8.