Bug Report [Somewhat Solved] Frame Skipping when in another Window while recording.

[Eli Middleton]

Difficult to explain so here's a video example...
OBS Frame Skipping Example (sorry about the mic)

Basically this is what happens while OBS is recording (and game is in Windowed, Borderless, or Fullscreen)...
Click on Game window = Video records @around 29fps (27.6%-33.0% encoder frame skipping applied to that 29fps)
Game window outputs around 150fps

Click on OBS window = Video records @Constant 60fps (0.0% encoder frame skipping)
Game window outputs around 29fps

I've already gone through 6 log files (3 being while clicked on OBS and 3 being in-game as I mentioned in the video)
If need be I can record two 5 minute videos doing both methods and upload the log files.



OBS Output Settings In The Example Video (Advanced>Recording)
NOTE: This is purposefully minimal settings, I simply used these to show it's not my CPU/GPU struggling.
Type: Standard
[x] Generate File Name without Space
Recording Format: mp4
Audio Track: 1 Only
Encoder: x264
Rescale Output [ ]
Custom Muxer Settings: (blank)
Rate Control: CRF
CRF: 20
CPU Usage Preset: ultrafast
Profile: high
Tune: (none)
[ ] Variable Framerate (VFR)
x264 Options: (blank)

Computer Specifics
Radeon Software Version - 16.12.2
Radeon Software Edition - Crimson ReLive
Graphics Chipset - AMD Radeon HD 7700 Series
Memory Size - 1024 MB
Memory Type - GDDR5
Core Clock - 1020 MHz
Windows Version - Windows 10 (64 bit)
System Memory - 12 GB
CPU Type - AMD FX(tm)-8300 Eight-Core Processor

 

[Eli Middleton]

Also no I cannot upgrade my Radeon Software Version as 17.x.x+ versions break my main monitor. I've also used previous versions of OBS Studio with none of these issues on both this and older versions of Radeon with no issue. (I'll be posting on ASUS/AMD later today as well and try to fix that)

If needed I can make 2 new log files with similar video settings. I can also record more game examples like Call Of Duty on max quality (my PS4 & Elgato do most of the work and yet my PC still does it with that as well)

 

[Xaymar]

Please post a link to a clean log file. To make a clean log file, first restart OBS, then start your stream/recording for ~30 seconds and stop it again. Make sure you replicate any issues as best you can, which means having any games/apps open and captured, etc. When you're done select Help > Log Files > Upload Current Log File. Copy the URL and paste it here.

 

[Eli Middleton]

Here are the log files as well as the videos recorded in case you want to see them as well.

Log File: Active window - Game.
Log
Video

Log File: Active window - OBS.
Log
Video

 

[Xaymar]

The issue is that OBS does not have enough GPU time available when its not active and this has more than one possible reason:

• You have a software that has 'Game Mode' enabled, such as Win 10 Creators Update, Avast, Memory Optimizer and similar.
• Your game is running at a framerate that stresses your GPU too much for anything else to run okay. Limit the games FPS to the exact framerate of your monitor and if it persists, lower the graphics settings.

 

[Eli Middleton]

The issue is that OBS does not have enough GPU time available when its not active and this has more than one possible reason:

• You have a software that has 'Game Mode' enabled, such as Win 10 Creators Update, Avast, Memory Optimizer and similar.
• Your game is running at a framerate that stresses your GPU too much for anything else to run okay. Limit the games FPS to the exact framerate of your monitor and if it persists, lower the graphics settings.

It's definitely not a 'Game Mode' or a game framerate stressing GPU.
This same issue happens when I'm using my PS4 & Elgato to record and the only thing running on my PC is OBS Studio and the background ElgatoHD60 drivers that take very little computer power.

EDIT: I also have the Xbox app's Game DVR disabled along with all of Xbox's features as well as I'm not using the Creator's Update early build either. Not to mention the game I was recording is a Steam game that should be unaffected by any 'Game Mode'. The game also had an FPS cap with lower than necessary graphics settings so it shouldn't have been pushing my GPU much.

 

[Eli Middleton]

Even when the PS4 is rendering the game and the Elgato is doing most of the recording/processing work the video will still stutter badly when clicking out of the OBS window.

 

[Eli Middleton]

Also really off-topic but just thought I'd mention using CRF 0 with ultrafast seems to cause the video to render in black & white in video editing software like Vegas Pro. This was found by me and another user a while ago and we found it a consistent result across 3 different people's computers (using Vegas Pro 12-14).

 

[Xaymar]

Well the issue still remains the same: Something is limiting OBS CPU or GPU time way below what it actually requires.

 

[Eli Middleton]

Well the issue still remains the same: Something is limiting OBS CPU or GPU time way below what it actually requires.

Does Windows 10 have some sort of active window priority setting because if I click on OBS the game lags, if I click the game then OBS lags, and if I click on my desktop both OBS and my game lag and the CPU/GPU doesn't focus on anything. It's like whatever I click on my GPU/CPU both forget about other windows even when I only have non CPU/GPU intensive things open (ie. like when I'm recording the PS4 via a capture card and the ONLY window is OBS it still lags when I click to desktop and barely any of my CPU+GPU power is being used.).

 

[Eli Middleton]

Is there anything here that could be causing this?

I forget if Surface Format Optimization should be On or Off

 

[Xaymar]

Usually the active window always has GPU and CPU priority. In Creators Update Microsoft added Game Mode, an option to even further restrict inactive programs to make games "run better". Sometimes games also include an inactive mode that reduces the framerate of the game while it isn't active (ex: FFXIV, Unreal Engine 4 based games).

The problem seems to be that:

• either OBS and the Game together do not have enough CPU or GPU time (Monitor CPU usage with Task Manager, GPU usage using AMD Radeon Wattman)
• or Something is actively reducing the priority or core affinity of inactive programs (such as the Game Mode mentioned already).

 

[Eli Middleton]

Found out my GPU has basically been focusing most of it's resources on whichever window is active...

So when OBS is recording high quality PS4 videos via capture card and I click on a different window OBS wouldn't get enough from the GPU (even if the other window isn't GPU intensive).

And if the game I'm recording doesn't have a FPS cap OR if the engine has spikes the GPU would compensate by maxing itself out for the active game window.

So when I was recording rFactor 2 and I was in game my GPU was at around 99% mainly focused on the game, but when I clicked on the OBS window the GPU would focus on OBS and the game would take a big fps hit causing the GPU usage to drop to around 80-90% usage.

 

[Eli Middleton]

So basically if I have to record while in a game like rFactor 2 I'll just have to use Fraps. OBS is doing better with most of my games that weren't capped before or in the PS4's case I just need to not be in other windows like video players or Chrome etc.

Still a shame that I can't make my GPU focus on OBS rather than the game (maybe I can but I don't know how.)
Maybe it's time for a GPU upgrade anyways xD

edit: I'm also going to try and record without my second monitor plugged in and see if it helps the GPU at all.