Question / Help QuickSync General Guidelines?

[HitmanJustin]

So as some of you may or may not know, I have a 4770K and therefore use Quicksync to encode my streams. I was hoping the quality would be a bit better, but maybe its just because I don't have my settings correct with QuickSync.

I was wondering does anyone here have any good tips for setting up OBS for optimal quality using Intel Quicksync. I really don't know anyone else personally who use QuickSync, so I was hoping to come here for some help. Examples like higher bitrates? certain FPS's or Resoutions? Maybe any custom x264 encoder settings that will help quicksync out. Any and All input would be so helpful.

I was also wondering how much "slower" you can set the CPU preset

 

[Krazy]

QuickSync ignores custom x264 settings, so the only thing that helps quality is changing res/fps/bitrate. Lower res/fps at same bitrate will look better. QuickSync on your CPU should actually be better quality than Sandy/Ivy QuickSync. It's almost on par with the veryfast preset, apparently.

Presets are also ignored by QuickSync. That's the tradeoff to using a hardware encoder, unfortunately. You don't really get many options to play with.

 

[HitmanJustin]

Oh okay gotcha, shoulda figured that when nothing was changing with the presets. Do any of you guys have any actual experience with using it? like does quicksync work better with higher FPS or a HIgher bitrate?

 

[Krazy]

I'm not sure what you mean by asking if it works better with higher FPS/bitrate.

QuickSync needs more bitrate to achieve equal quality with the default preset for x264 in OBS. I wouldn't really go above 60fps using QuickSync but bitrate is definitely the most limiting factor.

 

[HitmanJustin]

Well what im trying to get at is there a certain FPS/Bitrate setting that makes it look less choppy/grainy?

Heres a recent stream (if you would be so kind as to skip around and watch a few minutes of to see what im getting at) this is set at 2500 kb/s bitrate and 30fps: http://www.twitch.tv/hitmanjustin/b/470005293
I dunno how to put my finger on it but it looks a bit choppy like im getting 17-20fps instead of 30fps, its also a bit more grainy then I would like (however I don't know if i'll get any better with Quicksync).

I've been told (By LethalFrag) that you really shouldn't go any higher than 2500kb/s. But since were talking about QuickSync would it be helpful to push it a little higher? Also does being set at 30fps make it just seem choppy to me? or am I crazy?

 

[Krazy]

I think part of it might be the 30fps, yeah. You're likely watching the VOD immediately after playing the game, where the framerate is higher so that colors your perspective a bit. Try going up to 60fps and 3000 bitrate and see if that looks better.