Question / Help Optimal Macbook Settings for low CPU usage

[stereohead]

I am trying to optimse OBS settings so that the CPU is not hammered as much by OBS. The reason for this is to make it available to the DJ software i use to stream my DJ mixes to Facebook and Youtube.

Currently i cannot stream the video and run the DJ software (traktor) at the same time, it causes audio dropouts and stuttering.

I notice that there are some settings under 'Output' that allow you to choose the 'Apple VT H264 Hardware Encoder' for streaming. Will this free up the CPU for other applications while streaming?

Any other recommendations would be welcomed.

 

[TickleMeOzmo]

Stream at a lower resolution, use a different encoder. Encoding IS a CPU intensive process. You are doing it twice perhaps 3 times.

One, you are doing it in Traktor. On the fly, you are generating (stunning) visuals based on the audio data. Secondly, wherever it's being output to, it needs to be injected INTO OBS. There could be an intermediary transcoding step if it's not Syphon. Finally, you are RE-ENCODING the heavily visualized data AGAIN to the stream.

You are transcoding 2 or 3 times. You are essentially taking a picture of a picture (perhaps, even again, of a picture). Each of those steps needs to know about the frame before, and re-encode it. Your CPU literally has to do the work TWICE or THRICE.

Do you remember the scene in Spaceballs where DarkHelmet gives the order to go to Colonel Sanders, then Colonel Sanders gives the order to go to the Driver? And DarkHelmet flips out because he just wants to talk directly to the Driver and "just go"? You are doing that.

 

[stereohead]

Just to be clear...

you are generating (stunning) visuals based on the audio data.

OBS is streaming my webcam, not the DJ software running on the desktop. I have a scene which contains an image and the video from the webcam.

Stream at a lower resolution, use a different encoder

How do i use a different encoder in OBS on a Macbook?

 

[TickleMeOzmo]

Oh, I thought you were taking the data visualizations output of Traktor and streaming it. I apologize. None of what I said applies.

Can you send a picture of what you are streaming? Unless Traktor is abusing CPU, there should be no problem, but again, I don't want to misunderstand the problem.

 

[stereohead]

Oh, I thought you were taking the data visualizations output of Traktor and streaming it. I apologize. None of what I said applies.

No worries.

I solved it by using the Apple H264 Hardware Encoder and reducing the output resolution to 720.

It now streams well and doesnt affect the DJ software.

 

[amsyar ZeRo]

Hello!

@stereohead Hmm, you're using the Apple H.264 Hardware Encoder. May I know your settings for the encoder? And does the stream have lags while using the encoder?

 

[stereohead]

@amsyar ZeRo see pics below...

Output...

Video....

 

[amsyar ZeRo]

Thanks!

 

[marcosbacon]

These are actually high cpu consuming settings, right? I'm way below that and my CPU is making everything go slower. Any help would be well appreciated.

Macbook Pro 2016 • 3,3GHz i7 • 16gb • Intel Iris Graphics 550 1536MB