How to Use OBS Studio for Livestreaming

Edited 5 months ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) Studio is a popular, open-source software for video recording and live streaming. Widely used due to its robustness, free price, and platform independence, it supports Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. OBS Studio allows you to share your screen, add multiple video and audio sources, and broadcast them to streaming services like YouTube Live, Twitch, and Facebook Live. This guide will comprehensively cover how to use OBS Studio for live streaming, from installation to creating professional-quality streams.

Installing OBS Studio

To begin, you need to download and install OBS Studio. Visit the official OBS website and choose the appropriate version for your operating system (Windows, Mac or Linux). After downloading the installer, run it and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. Once installed, launch the software.

Setting up OBS Studio

When you open OBS Studio for the first time, you'll be asked to configure your settings. OBS offers an automatic configuration wizard that can set up the software based on your system specs and streaming goals. However, we'll go through the manual setup process for more control and introduce you to several important features of the software.

Interface overview

The main OBS Studio interface is divided into several major sections:

• Scenes: Scenes are a collection of sources such as video capture devices, screen captures, images, and more. You can switch between different scenes during your stream.
• Sources: Sources are the components within a scene. These include webcams, images, text overlays, and more.
• Audio Mixer: Control the audio level for each source.
• Scene transition: Set the transition effect when switching between scenes.
• Control: Control your stream/record session, including starting, stopping, and accessing settings.

Now, set up a simple scene to start streaming.

Creating your first scene

Adding sources

Click the “+” button in the “Scene” box to add a new scene. Name your scene something descriptive, like “Start Livestream.” Next, click the “+” button in the “Sources” box to begin adding sources to your scene.

For a basic setup, you'll want to include the following:

• Display Capture: Use this to stream your entire screen or a specific window. To add a display capture, select "Display Capture" from the list of sources and give it a descriptive name. Select the display you want to capture (if you have multiple monitors) and click "OK."
• Video capture device: If you have a webcam, select "Video capture device" to add your webcam feed. You can adjust your webcam's resolution and FPS here. Click "OK" when you're done.
• Audio input capture: Add your microphone as an audio source by selecting "Audio input capture." This will allow your microphone feed to be heard during the stream.

You can rearrange and resize sources by clicking and dragging them in the preview window. Right-click a source for additional properties, such as filters and transformations.

Scene changes

OBS Studio allows you to customize the transition effects that occur when switching between scenes. Click the "Scene Transition" dropdown list to choose presets such as "Cut" and "Fade" or add custom transitions for unique effects.

Set up audio

Audio is a key aspect of your live stream. OBS helps you manage audio through the Audio Mixer, where you can adjust levels for each source. Click the gear icon in the Audio Mixer pane to access advanced audio properties.

Below the "Mixer" section, you'll find options to adjust global settings for active inputs such as desktop audio and mic/aux. In the settings, you can assign devices and adjust the volume of outputs and monitoring.

To prevent clipping (distortion) due to excessive audio input, audio levels in the mixer should remain in the green-yellow range. Add audio filters such as noise gates and compressors to enhance microphone audio quality, which are available by right-clicking on your audio source in the mixer.

Configuring stream settings

Video settings

For the best streaming experience, you need to properly configure your video settings. Go to “Settings” in the Control Panel and click “Video”. Here, you should set:

• Base (canvas) resolution: The resolution you see in OBS. Usually set this to your monitor's native resolution.
• Output (scaled) resolution: This is the resolution that will be broadcast to the audience. A common setting here is 1280x720 for a balance of quality and performance.
• Downscale filter: Choose a quality level for downscaling, such as "Lanczos (sharpened scaling, 36 samples)". This provides a high-quality downscale.
• FPS (frames per second): 30 or 60 is the standard for most streams. Higher FPS leads to smoother video, but requires more resources.

Output settings

Click "Output" for settings that affect video encoding and bitrate. You can choose between simple and advanced output modes. For beginners, the simple mode is easier to understand:

• Video bitrate: Higher bitrates mean better video quality, but more demands on your internet connection. Around 2500 kbps for 720p is a good starting point and increases with resolution.
• Audio bitrate: Usually, this is set to 160 kbps for good audio quality.
• Encoder: If you have a strong CPU, use a software (x264) encoder. If you have a strong GPU, use a hardware encoder (e.g., NVENC for Nvidia GPUs).

Streaming across platforms

After you've set up your video and audio settings, it's time to configure your stream settings for a specific service.

Stream settings

Go to “Settings” and then “Stream”. Here, you need to select your preferred streaming platform from the service dropdown (e.g., YouTube, Twitch, Facebook Live). After selecting the service, paste your stream key into the appropriate field. This key is provided by the platform to connect OBS Studio directly to your streaming account.

Test your stream

It's important to test your stream before going live. Click "Start Streaming" in the control panel. Use the preview screen to see the quality of your stream, listen to audio levels, and make sure everything is running smoothly. Adjust any settings if necessary.

Most platforms offer the option to do a private stream or test stream before going live to your audience. Use these features to verify your settings without making your stream public prematurely.

Going live

Once your test stream is successful, you’re ready to broadcast live! Click “Start Streaming,” and OBS Studio will begin broadcasting on your chosen platform. While live, you can switch between scenes, monitor chat (on platforms where available), and interact with your viewers.

To end your broadcast, simply click "Stop Streaming." OBS Studio provides statistics on dropped frames and CPU usage during the stream, which can help diagnose performance issues.

Advanced tips and tricks

Increasing the quality of the stream

Experiment with other OBS features like:

• Visual Collection Manager: Create and manage multiple visual collections for different content types or themes without cluttering a single workspace.
• Studio Mode: Use Studio Mode to preview and edit scenes before broadcasting them live, ensuring a polished and professional stream.
• Plugins: Extend the capabilities of OBS with plugins from the community, such as StreamFX for visual effects and OBS WebSocket for remote OBS control.

Recording stream

OBS can also record your livestream simultaneously, allowing you to edit and post the recording elsewhere. In the "Output" settings under the "Recording" tab, configure where to save the recording, the file format, and the encoder settings. Make sure your system can handle both recording and streaming without any performance degradation.

Handling low system performance

If your system struggles with streamed performance:

• Lower the stream resolution and FPS.
• Use a hardware encoder if possible.
• Keep non-essential applications closed during your stream.
• Upgrade hardware, such as increasing RAM or switching to an SSD for faster OS performance.

Conclusion

OBS Studio is a powerful tool for livestreaming, offering flexibility and customization for both beginners and advanced users. By setting up your scenes and sources, configuring the right encoding settings, and practicing with test streams, you can create engaging and professional quality live broadcasts. As you become more comfortable with OBS, you can explore and integrate advanced features and plugins to further enhance your livestreaming capabilities.

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