Question / Help Stream looks blurry

[JMocks]

I was wondering how I could possibly make my stream look less blurry. My specs are:

Native Resolution: 1600x900
Gaming Resolution: 1600x900
CPU: AMD FX-6200
GPU: Nivdia GeForce GTX 660 Ti
RAM: 12gb G.Skill

I'm currently trying to stream Football Manager 14, which is mostly text based with some 3D moments in the match. The text and the 3D moments both look blurry on the stream. I think its due to me having to downscale the stream? Any help would be appreciated!

 

[Floatingthru]

Please post a log file if you would like more help, we gotta see all the settings you are using to see how we can fix this. viewtopic.php?f=5&t=97

 

[JMocks]

I had to attach the log file because it went over the 60k character limit...

This is a screenshot of what my stream looks like on my end:

 

[Floatingthru]

Well if the game is mostly text just stream at your native res so everything doesn't get downscaled. Windows 7 monitor capture is also killing your performance also. If possible leave aero enabled and use window capture. Don't really know much about this game, though since I am not European lol. The game doesn't seem that intensive, so if you hate how everything looked squished play at native res. Just know that there will be blurrying due to a lowish bitrate for that res, but if there isn't that much motion you should be fine. The stream will look clearer for sure. As always streaming is about experimenting until you get it right.

 

[FerretBomb]

Definitely get rid of the downscale, in a text-oriented game. If it's low-motion, it won't make too much difference.
Seconded on the Monitor Capture. It's super slow and terribad under Win7. Last-resort ONLY. Use window capture with Aero *ON* (allows OBS to pull from the offscreen Aero buffers directly), or Game Capture mode.

Also, run a 6MB test at http://www.testmy.net/upload as speedtest.net is worthless for livestreamers.

I'd recommend running at about 2000kbps if possible, with AAC 96kbps (or 128 is okay too, but will help save a little band). You can likely swing a 1600x900@30 stream at that rate... if it's TOO bad (and it may pixellate during full-screen 3D cutscenes; learn to live with it) then consider dropping to 25fps, or even 20. The greater image clarity will probably far exceed the reduction in motion-smoothness, and be worth the trade-off.

 

[JMocks]

How hard would it be to decrease the delay in the stream? For instance if I turn left, and then in the stream I turn left five seconds later. How would I decrease that so its like real time? And though there is a delay with the video, is it the same way with the audio? Basically, I want everything synced.

 

[FerretBomb]

There will always be at least a few seconds' delay when livestreaming. There is a ridiculously IMMENSE amount of work being done in those five seconds. You cannot eliminate it into a real-time thing. Period.

You'll have to enable recording of past broadcasts and check the VOD (video-on-demand) to see if the video and audio are synchronized. Or just ask a friend to tune in and tell you if the on-screen action matches up with the sound. They should be, but you may need to mess with offsets in some cases (like to get your mic to match up with your webcam if you use one).

 

[JMocks]

There will always be at least a few seconds' delay when livestreaming. There is a ridiculously IMMENSE amount of work being done in those five seconds. You cannot eliminate it into a real-time thing. Period.

You'll have to enable recording of past broadcasts and check the VOD (video-on-demand) to see if the video and audio are synchronized. Or just ask a friend to tune in and tell you if the on-screen action matches up with the sound. They should be, but you may need to mess with offsets in some cases (like to get your mic to match up with your webcam if you use one).

Just figured I'd ask because some streams look like they are in real time. And I dont plan on using a webcam. Thanks for your help FerretBomb.

 

[FerretBomb]

Cheers. Yeah, about the lowest delay you're going to get is about 4 seconds. That's if you're REALLY close to the ingest server, use a very low buffer, and are a partnered streamer (as I suspect partners are prioritized higher on stream replication and dissemination to local nodes). 6 seconds is considered good. 10 seconds is considered acceptable.