Question / Help Recording and stream stutter - No missing frames.

cjbisho

New Member
Hello,

I've recently decided to try the nvenc encoder and can't get a clear recording or stream using it so I'm hoping some genius out there can help me out.

I don't show any dropped or missing frames due to rendering, encoding or network lag.

For testing purposes, I'm only doing recordings right now as I figure once that's working, the stream will follow suit.

Video examples of what I consider "stutter":

1920x1080 test:

1280x720 test:

Log files (included three as I'm not sure how they're created...I tried to do one for each test above..restarting obs in between each test):


My gpu, cpu and memory all look good (below 60% utilization) during testing so it doesn't seem like anything is getting maxed out or can't handle the encoding etc.

I usually have a two-monitor setup, but am only using my main monitor for testing right now. The monitor resolution is 3440x1440 and am adjusting the base canvas in obs to control the output. One other note, my monitor is overclocked to 120 hz...a setting built into the monitor functionality...not 3rd party overclock.

Thanks for any suggestions/help!

-Chad

P.S. One other note, I'm using the obs settings recommended here: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/guides/broadcasting-guide/
 

cjbisho

New Member
I figured it out...it ended up being the refresh rate on my monitor...especially when using two monitors...one at 120hz and the other at 60hz.

I think the most important things were to set the "Limit capture framerate" in the game source capture in obs and then I also set the "Max Frame Rate" in the Nvidia control panel to be 60fps.
 

Sarguhn

New Member
Just made an account to post here. I've been struggling with this as well and found the sollution, at least for me.

All the tips everywhere are the same, turn off game mode, your GPU must be overloaded etc. but all hogwash in my case.

What worked for me:
NVIDIA control panel -> manage 3d settings -> Low latency mode == OFF

Restart OBS and presto! Smooth buttery playback, with preview on or not, with settings cranked up to ultra (Tomb raider on ultra, 3440x1440) and OBS didn't break a sweat.

So, try that.

Haven't tried setting the low latency mode to off on a special profile for only OBS, i set the setting as standard.

Hope this works for you as well!
 

cjbisho

New Member
Thanks so much for you reply!

I've since been trying new settings again as I'm still getting stutters in my streams (Warzone in particular). I've removed the Max Frame Rate change I mentioned above because I don't want to restrict my display to only 60fps when it can go higher...that's the whole point of it!

So, back to the drawing board for me...

*Also, I did check for the low latency mode setting and it was already off, but thanks!
 

Sarguhn

New Member
Also, as per forum post on the nvidia forums by Nvidia themselves, game mode in win10 should be ON
The encoder will recognise this and prioritise the encoding over the games so you'll get less fps in-game but smooth encoding
 

cjbisho

New Member
Thanks! Yep, I've tried both on/off. After further review, I believe my issue is only when streaming COD Warzone...other games look perfect.

I'm getting over 60fps in-game so I don't think it's a performance thing..and as I said above, none of the hardware is being over-worked.

I've just found other threads in the forums discussing this stuttering issue with Warzone in particular so I'm hoping to find an answer soon.
 

cjbisho

New Member
Alrighty...so I think having more fps than 60 (but less than an multiple...120, 180 etc) causes the stuttering.

The other games I play keep a constant 120 fps, but in Warzone I only get 65-72.

So I set the "Max Frame Rate" in the Nvidia control panel to be 60fps for Warzone only and that seems to greatly help.

I also set the max fps within the Warzone settings to be 60fps.

I still get to 61 or 59 while in-game which I think causes some stuttering, but it's only in certain areas and rare.

For now, I think I'm good-to-go.
 

socksMK2

New Member
I've since been trying new settings again as I'm still getting stutters in my streams (Warzone in particular).
Believe me when I tell you, I literally went through this entire process maybe 2 weeks ago tops. OBS runs in DX9/DX11 or what have you. Warzone by default is DX12 enabled, exclusively. There is no DX11 or DX12 in-game setting. Capturing the game in DX12 when OBS is running DX11 or what have you causes this insane stutter for no conceivable reason other than OBS [afaik] doesn't support the capture of DX12 programs. By afaik, I mean, from what I've read and researched into this subject, OBS doesn't have any native support for DX12 whatsoever. If I'm wrong, please inform me otherwise and I'll update this post. Regardless, I can attest that this proposed 'fix' of mine works in my system and a few others at the minimum.

How can you fix this? I followed this thread for a different problem people were having [that didn't have Windows 10, thus no DX12 support]. The steps are identical to fix the issue by making Warzone run in DX11:

CoD DX11 1.png


CoD DX11 2.png


CoD DX11 3.png


NOTE: disable raytracing in-game and other DX12 exclusive features or you might run into an entirely other set of problems.

That SHOULD fix the stuttering. I know it has for me personally and 2 other colleagues of mine who stream. It's specifically Warzone for them, but I've tried other games that utilize DX12, albeit optional/ able to be toggled, (e.g. The Division 2, Battlefield V) and the same stuttering occurs in them when in DX12, but not in DX11.

I hope this resolves your stuttering issues. I literally registered just to reply to this thread. lol.

edit: post 1 & post 2 [of many] where I discovered DX12 being a potential culprit.
quote from reddit somewhere (missing source):
"Otherwise, just let me clarify. You're saying that somehow your streaming PC, which is receiving footage from your gaming PC via a connected capture card, somehow produces more lag when the gaming PC is using the DX12 renderer... but that you don't see this effect yourself while playing?

Pretty much that. The stream (on twitch) starts getting choppy as soon as he switches BFV to DX12. It shows up just fine in the preview on OBS and as a local recording, but as soon as he goes live he is dropping frames. Doesn't matter what resolution, preset, encoder etc. only with BFV DX12 though."
 
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cjbisho

New Member
Thanks so much for this! While it didn't resolve my issues entirely, I do think it's better. I still think my issue revolves around my main monitor's refresh rate (being over 60fps) as if I set my max frame rate to 60fps, the stream looks good. From what I've gathered, if my video card could get 120fps in-game, I'd probably be fine (as is the case with most other games I stream...ie, Rocket League and CSGO), but I don't...I get somewhere between 55-70 depending on the location in-game. Because of that, the stream stutters until the fps stabilizes to 60fps.
 

socksMK2

New Member
Thanks so much for this! While it didn't resolve my issues entirely, I do think it's better. I still think my issue revolves around my main monitor's refresh rate (being over 60fps)…
Glad it helped at least a bit. I overlooked the fact that you're running dual monitors and such. My apologies for that.

I should've clarified in my post that I personally run a single 1440p 144 Hz G-Sync display with a 2080 Ti and use 'game capture' as opposed to 'display capture'. I suppose it's a YMMV solution to set Warzone to DX11 as it's only part of the equation.

I hope you can dial in those last few things to get the quality to meet your presentation standards. Fill us in if you ever find the solution — whether it be a future GPU upgrade or whatever else it may be down the road. :)
 
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