What is this error message I am getting once I hit record?

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webjeff2002

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dodgepong

Thread 'Please post a log with your issue! Here's how...'

OBS Studio creates a log file each time you run it which contains very useful diagnostic information. Without a log file, it's much harder for any support volunteers to figure out problems and your post may be ignored.

To upload a log file, go to the Help menu > Log Files > Upload Last Log File. "Last Log File" is for the last session (the last time you ran OBS). In some cases you may be asked to select "Current Log File" instead, which is for the current session.
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R1CH said:
dodgepong

Thread 'Please post a log with your issue! Here's how...'

OBS Studio creates a log file each time you run it which contains very useful diagnostic information. Without a log file, it's much harder for any support volunteers to figure out problems and your post may be ignored.

To upload a log file, go to the Help menu > Log Files > Upload Last Log File. "Last Log File" is for the last session (the last time you ran OBS). In some cases you may be asked to select "Current Log File" instead, which is for the current session.
1744134625077.png



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Click to expand...
 
That is an almost 14 year old CPU. so you are going to have to be VERY careful with OBS Studio settings, and Operating System optimizations to get real-time video encoding to work. As in, expect to spend some material amount of time learning nuances of OS and OBS Studio operations, balancing hardware resource load vs capabilities, etc. doable, but not 'Easy button' simple

That said, Others know far more than I, but to get started
- Record to SSD not HDD if possible/practical. otherwise you'll need to monitor Disk I/O for bottlenecks
- To start/test, avoid rescaling while Recording (rescale later, when real-time performance isn't as important)
you have Display of size={1600, 900}
then -- base resolution: 1920x1080 & output resolution: 1536x864
that is not a good combination, especially with performance limited system. I believe lowest computational load is to set Base and output to same resolution. And no point in a resolution large than your display. I suspect (but listen to others at a higher authority level than myself, to set your base and output to 1536x864 and then make sure any to NOT use Display capture, but Window capture with capture area sized manually to fit that 1536x864
- Re-encoding video loses quality (as video is lossy compressed), so record at higher resolution/bitrate than desired final output (like maybe 2X?)
- Probably best to avoid USB camera feed at 60fps... that is extra load for no good reason (most presumably) on such constrained hardware
- Optimize Operating System by disabling background processes that aren't needed... this is an art, not science, and takes skill to not mess things up in the process... Easy things are the auto-start items (I tend to disable all except hardware related. Browser, etc can all be started when I want them, I don't want/need them running all the time consuming RAM and CPU cycles)

- Your log indicates QuickSync is available for video encoding - your should use that instead of H.264 which I believe is CPU based. Ideally you'd offload to a discrete GPU with encoding ability, but you don't have that, so try testing with QuickSync
- beware thermal throttling
- use Performance and/or Resource monitor to check RAM, Disk, CPU usage and bottlenecks
 
Sorry, no, I'm haven't looked for a Windows optimization video for OBS Studio on really old hardware. I pieced together some observations based on decades of IT experience, and 6 years with OBS Studio and watching these forums.

Realistically - I'd start with
1. OBS Studio settings and change Base and Output resolution
- if you don't know how to do that, use the Quick Start Guides on this site (under Help), or I use documents, not videos, and I like the free eBooks by PTZ Optics/streamgeeks https://streamgeeks.us/ Online Resources - The OBS Superuser Guidebook
2. checking to see if your version of OBS Studio supports the old QuickSync feature on that Intel CPU. You might need to use an older version of OBS Studio? (not sure if that is true or not). Search for your CPU, the i5-3320M probably anything in the i5-3xxxM range, and see what you find. In some cases (not specific to your CPU, I recall reading some folks having to change to older OBS Studio version, and in other cases driver setup, or that it simply won't work).
- *If* QuickSync doesn't work and the technology I'm mentioning is over your head, then most likely you either
  • have a steep learning curve ahead of you,
  • find someone to do or assist with the OS and OBS Studio optimization & settings for you
  • OR
  • get a much newer, more powerful computer than what you have so that you don't have to be so attentive to fine tuning
    • real-time video encoding is VERY computationally demanding. It is normal for a computer to be able to do lots of things, but struggle with such encoding. It is why many modern devices (computers, phones, cameras, have dedicated chip(s) for just encoding
Sorry, I'm sure that isn't what you want to hear... but trying to get real-time encoding working on old hardware is a real art, and can be tricky to balance workloads and available hardware.
 
webjeff2002 said:
some of what you are saying is over my head?
Click to expand...
- your computer is too old
- obs doesn't support Quicksync as encoder on a computer that old
- use x264 as encoder instead of Quicksync
- you might need to reduce resolution and fps to get a fluid video instead of a slideshow, since x264 is very CPU demanding and your CPU is very old and was already quite weak even when it was new.
 
@koala - with a computer too old to run Win11, might this be a case of maybe testing with last release of OBS Studio v27 or??
my thought is that this computer needs to be replaced or reformatted with Linux soon anyway, so maybe a test with old OBS Studio version that would support the ancient QuickSync on that CPU? granted, original poster will struggle due to under-powered system, but maybe enough to start the OBS Studio learning process??
@webjeff2002 - *IF* you do test with an older OBS Studio, recognize that most newer plugins won't work with older OBS Studio (you will have to check compatibility on each plugin separately, and possibly use old versions of plugins)

Granted, after this Oct 2026 when free Win10 Extended Security Updates ends, this computer should not be connected to network, and certainly not Internet (assuming already signed up and getting ESU (Win10 OS) updates. If not getting ESU updates now, then it shouldn't be network connected now, and not something I'd work on/with).
 
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