Question / Help Streaming with 2 Computers: Questions.

[ままし]

I would like to stream with two computers. One computer plays the video game and mirrors the monitor to the second computer, which will do all of the encoding. However I have a few questions about this process.
Will I be able to do this with a surrond vision setup on the main computer, but only mirror the middle monitor to the second computer? Could I do this with a HDMI cable? OR will I have to use a DVI splitter and let the cable mirror it to the second computer's capture card?

IE:
Computer 1: *monitor setup* Surround Vision / 3x monitors
[...][...][...]
.......^ with HDMI cable into the first computer and into the capture card of the second computer

Computer 2:
[...]
Mirror the middle monitor to the second computer


Then the second question is is my second computer strong enough to encode the mirrored monitor from computer 1 at 720p or 1080p if I only encode with the computer and nothing else? [Specs below]
Lastly, which capture card should I go with on my second computer? Any suggestions or tips for doing this kind of setup?
Avermedia Live Gamer HD?
Blackmagic Design Intensity Pro http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CN9GEA
ATI HD6850 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814102908

First computer:
CPU 2700k Overclocked to 4.5ghz
Asus Xonar DGX Audio Device [Audio Card]
16GB DDR3
Nvidia GTX 690, GT 430, On-board Video
2x SSD Raid0
Win8 64bit
OBS 64bit

Second computer:
AMD 720 BE 3x cores [default heatsink]
Asus M4A78 plus
GTX 570
DDR2 8GB
Windows 7 64bit

Links to streaming with 2 computers:
http://obsproject.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=2021
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmes ... _id=372142

 

[FerretBomb]

I use three monitors myself in a spanned setup (Windows sees it as three separate monitors). If you're doing this and have another output on the video card, you can set Windows to mirror the second display, and handle it at the OS level.

If you're using a 'contiguous monitor' mode (ATi's is Eyefinity) where Windows only sees a single large monitor, you will need to use a hardware splitter (preferably an ACTIVE splitter).

Also note that if you are using a microphone or webcam, for proper capture they will need to be plugged into the SECOND system. Meaning no in-game VoIP will work. You can use TeamSpeak/Ventrilo on the CAPTURE machine though, but any push-to-talk will not work (as you'll have to push it on an entirely different keyboard).

Is there a particular reason you need to use a second encoding system? Normally it simplifies things *greatly* if you just encode on your gaming system; if the encoding is interfering with gameplay, it's a better idea to just use the Set Affinity function of the Task Manager's 'Processes' tab to restrict the game to only certain cores, and OBS to the others.

 

[ままし]

I have set Set Affinity for the games and OBS on every other core. It does seem to help, but I am still receiving some lag ingame. This is reason I want to stream with two computers to take a big load off the gaming computer. So I am guess my main gaming computer isn't strong enough to game and stream at the same time? Trying to play Tomb Raider is impossible for me if I want to stream. :S

I am using surround vision, three monitors is now one, at least that's what Windows think. Regarding audio, I thought we could just plug an audio cable straight from first computer into the second computer's capture card. Though with this setup, I will need a Y splitter for audio.

 

[FerretBomb]

If the mic is plugged into your gaming system, you won't get mic audio on the encoding system unless you enable 'listen to this device' in the Recording Devices->Properties window for your mic settings, and you'll be able to hear yourself speaking as well on top of that. Would drive me insane within minutes.
Yes, you'll need a video splitter with a three-as-one monitor setup. Again, I'd recommend an ACTIVE one for best results. Costs a bit more, but it will be worth it with less headaches/incompatability issues.

Is there a particular reason you need to use single-monitor mode, instead of dropping to Spanned? If you're trying to play the game in Eyefinity/nVSurround, it likely isn't going to work out well in any case, as far as streaming goes. Definitely can work if you really, really want it to, but you'll find it significantly easier to just drop to Spanned mode whenever you plan to stream.

 

[ままし]

If I enable [Listen to this device] on the second computer, I wouldn't be able to hear myself on the first computer right? Because I am only listening to the first computer's audio? Or do I have to enable this setting on the first computer? If so, yes that wouldn't be reasonable by any stretch of the imagination. For an active DVI splitter, would you mind recommanding one to me? Could you please provide a link.

I only use single-monitor mode, "Span display with Surround" in the nvidia control panel to ensure I can play games with my three monitors. Is this the setting you are referring to? Also in Windows's Display mode, it comes up as one giant monitor. There is no other way to play games with three monitors other than this giant monitor setting right?

 

[FerretBomb]

If you have your mic plugged into your gaming PC, you will need to enable 'listen to this device' on that system for the encoding PC to be able to hear it. You will ALSO be able to hear it yourself, and not be able to adjust the mic volume in OBS (with the mic boost multiplier, or the separate mic slider).

If you have your mic plugged into the encoding PC, you will be able to set the volume in OBS, use mic boost, but will NOT be able to use in-game voice-comms. You will also need to run any TeamSpeak/Ventrilo/Steam Voice Chat on the encoding PC, and reach over to a second keyboard (hooked to the encoding PC) to use any push-to-talk setups.

Yes, that's the monitor mode I was talking about. I would strongly recommend only gaming on a single monitor (of the three) while streaming, instead. It will simplify matters greatly; especially as that is all that you will be sending to the stream anyway. Additionally, in games that do not handle ultra-panoramic displays well (almost all games written, at this point, with the exception of Burnout Paradise perhaps) if your HUD is pushed to the outer screens, anyone on-stream will not be able to see any of that, leading to a poor experience. But that's more of a production-values thing.
I can't recommend an active splitter as I have not used one myself in a long time. Active HDMI splitters are easier to come by though (if your monitors already use HDMI), but DVI should be available as well.
If I had to, this is the first product-link I found on Google, searching for 'active DVI splitter', and looks to be about the right price:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6817422028

NOTE: You do NOT want a dual-link DVI to 2x single-link passive DVI splitter! Those are designed for two spanned displays on a single PC, and may not work correctly on a mirrored mode (or if your video card does not support channel-splitting).