Question / Help What's Bottlenecking My FPS?

[TheWaldo]

Hiya, first time poster here.

I'm testing local recording of gaming footage in 720p at 30 fps (using the guide for local recording in high quality), but I'm encountering quite heavy FPS lag.

As my pc is getting on a bit, I'm suspecting my hardware is the culprit and not some setting I got wrong, but at the same time I seem to read posts where people are able to record OK with about the same hardware (and even on laptops). Needless to say I'm a bit confused.

Here's a log! I included 2 tests, one with CBR on and 5k bitrate, and one with it off and 0 buffer, as specified in the HQ recording post. As you can see, neither really 'works'.

So, what's bottlenecking me the most here? CPU? GPU? Settings after all? And is there any way I could still record in 720p?

Thanks any and all in advance for your replies, if you have further questions do let me know.

 

[Jack0r]

CPU and probably slightly the GPU.
I used a similar QuadCore CPU in a 2 PC setup as the encoding box. 720p 30fps nearly needs all its power already, playing a game on the same machine was not possible.

 

[TheReaperV11]

You can try this:
Set bitrate about 50 000 Kb/s or even more
Enable CBR
Set x264 preset to superfast or ultrafast

The faster x264 preset, the lower usage of CPU, but the lower the quality. That's why you need to set that high bitrate to make it look better. This should make it smoother. If you don't mind the FPS of video, you can change it to 25, it will also lower CPU usage. Most movies, you know, the ones with actors and stuff, are at about 25 FPS or even less, so it doesn't always have to be 30 :) You can later render it to 30 FPS and people on YT or whatever, wouldn't even recognize it is 25 FPS :D