OBS video stream freezes after switching Windows users

[mbnny]

Hi, I'm having this nagging issue on a Windows 10 (Pro) machine. We're using the latest updated version of OBS and VLC for Windows.

When streaming from a VLC video playlist into OBS, when I switch users (ie when I lock the screen the workstation with the active VLC and OBS instances, and then log in with another Windows 10 user account) OBS eventually stops streaming (it just shows a still-image of where the video left off). VLC keeps the video playing, but OBS cuts the stream. The switching of the Win10 user... seemingly... causes the OBS stream to freeze. The only way to remedy the situation is to switch users again (lock the screen, then log back in with the original user who has the open instances of VLC & OBS.) Then OBS will automatically start playing the video again. Then, if I switch users again, the problem will eventually happen again. I say "eventually" because the especially odd thing is that the OBS stream doesn't die right away after the user-switch. Sometimes it takes a while for it to crap out. But this will only occur, again, when the main Win10 user (the one with the open instances of VLC and OBS) locks workstation and another user logs on.

Any ideas on how to fix? Is there a .log file that I might be able to analyze in VLC and/or OBS? Might it be something in the Windows 10 power saver settings or Control panel video or audio settings? I was looking in OBS and also VLC settings but I didn't see anything that indicated it would pause video like this.


Any help or direction would be GREATLY appreciated!

 

[mbnny]

Also to clarify, I'm using VLC with NDI plug-in to stream into OBS (also with NDI plug-in)

 

[Lawrence_SoCal]

Sounds like an OS initiated de-prioritization of process(es), which I'd expect when active user changes
Lock and switch users? why not use Run As, and only have 1 user profile logged in?

 

[mbnny]

Sounds like an OS initiated de-prioritization of process(es), which I'd expect when active user changes
Lock and switch users? why not use Run As, and only have 1 user profile logged in?

Thanks Lawrence for responding. Maybe run-as will get rid of the issuet. Will have the user try this. And will report back results. We need another user to be able to log in (with another account unfortunately). So we cannot have 1 user profile logged in as you suggested. Need to switch users quickly by locking on and logging on with the other.

 

[mbnny]

mmmmmh normal when the user change the programms will go into sleep to free CPU resources and make the datas save !
and when the desktop has no redener device obs cant grab it !

Will see if I can do a run-as and report back the results. There's also several logins running which I noticed which I can't identify what they do. Will document and post them here when I have more time. Gotta reboot server now and try a run-as.

 

[Lawrence_SoCal]

Thanks Lawrence for responding. Maybe run-as will get rid of the issuet. Will have the user try this. And will report back results. We need another user to be able to log in (with another account unfortunately). So we cannot have 1 user profile logged in as you suggested. Need to switch users quickly by locking on and logging on with the other.

I'd look to fix whatever is the reason for needing to quickly switch users on PC that is livestreaming [makes no sense]
Use Run-As if required for a specific process.... otherwise, you are using the OS in a way that wasn't intended

 

[mbnny]

Run-As SYSTEM account doesn't help. Setting the priority of process to REALTIME doesn't seem to help. Also with Windows 10, under Settings, System, Display, Graphics settings, I was able to assign the OBS app to run specifically through the GPU. None of these things though seems to have helped. Not logging in with another account is not a solution to this. Need to find a true solution asap.

 

[mbnny]

I may look running OBS as a Windows service. But really why should I be having to do this?

 

[Lawrence_SoCal]

Run-As SYSTEM account doesn't help. Setting the priority of process to REALTIME doesn't seem to help. Also with Windows 10, under Settings, System, Display, Graphics settings, I was able to assign the OBS app to run specifically through the GPU. None of these things though seems to have helped. Not logging in with another account is not a solution to this. Need to find a true solution asap.

none of those were things I suggested, and no, I wouldn't expect to make any difference / help

We need another user to be able to log in (with another account unfortunately). So we cannot have 1 user profile logged in as you suggested. Need to switch users quickly by locking on and logging on with the other.

Saying you want to do something doesn't mean it is a reasonable request. I suspect this isn't possible with 1 PC and an OBS livestream (as the code is currently written).

do you understand what Windows does with user processes when you Fast User Switch? do you understand the difference between User and System processes, Windows Services, and implications in terms of GUI display (as it applies to an interactive app like OBS)?

What you are asking is something I don't expect to be able to be made to work with a reasonable amount of effort ... but I could be misunderstanding something [ you could re-code/compile OBS, but why?]. You didn't provide a use case that would explain why anyone would have a situation where User A would log onto PC, start OBS [a GUI interactive app] (under whatever security context), and then want to lock that user session, and Fast User Switch to User B WHILE an OBS livestream is running on that same machine ... sorry, I can't fathom a reason for this... really.. there may be a good reason, but my gut reaction is that is a silly/stupid idea representing a complete misunderstanding how the operating system works.
[sorry, you seem to gloss over my prior indication NOT to do this.. so my wording only intended to reflect that this wasn't a casual dismissal]
again... there could be a perfectly reasonable explanation... but this thread doesn't include it.

Why does the 2nd user need a full desktop session logon while OBS is already running a livestream? is is for security reasons that User B can't be trusted with access to User A's desktop session and User A not there to monitor? And User B not doing anything related to livestream? is so, a desktop OS and single PC for an interactive App like OBS is a complete mismatch of requirements. in such a scenario, {and I'm just making this up as food for thought}
- If User A around... then have User A start a Virtual Desktop session (not locking User A's session) or VDI session, or whatever, that User B would be locked into, and could only log in. When done, they'd log out, with User A session running the whole time. [If User A around, then User A could Run-As whatever app User B needed, let User B authenticate, do whatever, then exit that app]
OR
I'd think about running OBS on its own machine (PC #2). User A would remote into that machine (not using RDP) from PC #1 (maybe KVM, or other remote access software). Then, when you Fast User Switch away from User A on PC #1, then only thing impacted is the DISPLAY of a user session (with OBS running unaware on PC #2)
again... just trying to think outside the box

 

[koala]

Unfortunately, there cannot be a fix or workaround. Windows removes access to the GPU if the current user is switched away or if the lockscreen is active. So OBS has no device to render on any more, and so it isn't able to produce any output while it isn't running with the current user or while the screen is locked.

 

[mbnny]

There are plenty of reasons one would need to share a workstation that can have multiple interactive accounts logged in at the same time. Main reason being we don't have that many computers, but we have multiple helpers here at different times in the office. And ust because a person steps away from machine and locks account, and the someone else later logs in, doesn't mean.. for instance, that the massive file copy running in the background in the locked account should stop running. There should be no reason why OBS should stop streaming either. But now the current situation: In an effort to continue troubleshooting and isolating the problem, we deleted all other interactive login local Win10 accounts on the machine. And now we're using only use the one account. But still, occasionally the stream will stop.. seemingly randomly. Is there a tool that I can use to figure out why this is happening? Perhaps Windows performance monitor set to gather certain process related data points over time? Maybe can be our hardware resources? Really wanna get to the bottom of this problem.

 

[FerretBomb]

There are plenty of reasons one would need to share a workstation that can have multiple interactive accounts logged in at the same time. Main reason being we don't have that many computers, but we have multiple helpers here at different times in the office. And ust because a person steps away from machine and locks account, and the someone else later logs in, doesn't mean.. for instance, that the massive file copy running in the background in the locked account should stop running. There should be no reason why OBS should stop streaming either. But now the current situation: In an effort to continue troubleshooting and isolating the problem, we deleted all other interactive login local Win10 accounts on the machine. And now we're using only use the one account. But still, occasionally the stream will stop.. seemingly randomly. Is there a tool that I can use to figure out why this is happening? Perhaps Windows performance monitor set to gather certain process related data points over time? Maybe can be our hardware resources? Really wanna get to the bottom of this problem.

Please provide a logfile from a livestreaming session where the disconnection occurred, and we can try to diagnose what happened on the back end to cause it.

That said, OBS is a livestream production tool, and not a video jukebox or surveillance system relay. It is not meant to be run as a background service, headless, or with 24/7 uptime.
If you are trying to drive nails with a pipe wrench, you WILL run into problems.