By /
Stream Ready: OBS 101 — Noob’s Journey
Noob’s Journey

Stream Ready: OBS 101

From zero to “yo we’re live.” Clean video, clear audio, bitrate that fits your pipe, and scenes that just work.

Why OBS (and how to not overthink it)

OBS is free, powerful, and not actually scary. You only need five things dialed: upload headroom, the right encoder, sane resolution/FPS, basic scenes, and a simple audio chain. Do the simple things right and the stream looks pro without melting your PC.

Golden trio: Stable upload > Resolution > Preset flex.

Gear Basics (minimum viable stream)

PC / Laptop

  • Quad+ core CPU. If you’ve got an NVIDIA GTX 16xx / RTX (Turing+), use NVENC. Intel iGPU (11th+): Quick Sync. AMD Radeon (RDNA2+): AMF.
  • 16–32GB RAM. SSD for the OS and recordings.

Net

  • Wired Ethernet preferred. If Wi-Fi, sit near the router (5/6 GHz), avoid crowded channels.
  • Target upload for streaming: at least 2× your video bitrate for safety.

Mic & Cam

  • USB mic beats headset mic. Point it at your face, 6–10 inches, gain low, mouth off-axis.
  • Any 720p/1080p webcam works. Lighting > expensive camera.

Console?

  • Use an HDMI capture card with HDMI passthrough to your monitor/TV.
  • Plug console → capture card → PC by USB 3.0. Set the source to the card in OBS.

Quick Pre-Flight (copyable)

Pre-flight:
• Ethernet if possible; close launchers/updates.
• Headroom: stream bitrate ≤ 50% of upload.
• Use GPU encoder (NVENC/QuickSync/AMF) for gaming.
• Output 720p60 or 1080p30 if upload is tight.
• Audio: 48 kHz, mic + desktop, monitor off to avoid echo.

Bitrate Calculator (keep it stable)

Inputs



Use your platform’s limit or leave 6000



Result

Result: —

OBS output suggestions:
• Output (Streaming)
  - Encoder: NVENC (or your GPU’s)
  - Rate control: CBR
  - Bitrate: —
  - Keyframe: 2
  - Preset: Quality (start) / P6-P7 modern NVENC
  - B-frames: 2
• Audio: 48 kHz, 160 kbps AAC
• Video: Base = monitor res; Output = — @ — FPS

Rules of thumb: keep stream bitrate ≤ ~50% of your tested upload; if unstable, drop FPS first, then resolution.

Core OBS Settings (safe defaults)

Output → Streaming

  • Encoder: NVENC/Quick Sync/AMF (use GPU if you’re gaming).
  • Rate Control: CBR · Keyframe: 2
  • Preset: Quality (or P5–P7 for modern NVENC). Tune: High Quality.
  • Profile: High · B-frames: 2

Output → Recording

  • Type: Standard · Format: MKV (safer) → auto-remux to MP4 if needed.
  • Encoder: GPU; Rate Control: CQP 18–23 (lower = better).
  • Separate track for mic (Track 2) to edit later.

Video

  • Base (Canvas): Your monitor res.
  • Output (Scaled): From the calculator (e.g., 1280×720).
  • Downscale: Bicubic (sharper) or Lanczos if GPU headroom allows.
  • FPS: 60 for action, 30 for comfy upload/CPU.

Audio

  • Sample rate: 48 kHz · Channels: Stereo.
  • Add mic + desktop as separate sources. Disable “monitor” to avoid echo.

Scenes & Sources (one-minute setup)

Essential Scenes

  • Live: Game Capture (or Display), Webcam, Overlays.
  • BRB: Image/loop video + muted mic, music.
  • Starting Soon: Static image + countdown.

Sources (order matters)

  • Bottom: Game/Display → Browser widgets → Alerts → Webcam → Text.
  • Right-click webcam → Filters → Chroma key or Crop/Pad for clean framing.

Copy: One-minute Scene Build

Scene build (1 minute):
• Add Scene “LIVE”.
• Sources: Game Capture (or Display) → Audio Input (mic) → Audio Output (desktop) → Video Capture (webcam) → Browser (alerts).
• Right-click mic → Filters: Noise Suppressor (RNNoise) → Noise Gate (-45 open/-55 close) → Compressor (ratio 3:1, threshold -18 dB, makeup +4 dB).
• Add Scene “BRB” with image + music (separate audio track).

Audio Chain (make it crisp)

Filters (mic)

  • Noise Suppression: RNNoise or Speex (mild).
  • Noise Gate: Close ~-55 dB, Open ~-45 dB (adjust to taste).
  • Compressor: Ratio 3:1, Threshold ~-18 dB, Attack 6 ms, Release 100 ms, Makeup +3 to +6 dB.
  • Limiter (optional): Ceiling -3 dB to avoid clipping.

Mic Technique

  • 6–10 inches, slightly off-axis; pop filter helps.
  • Lower input gain; speak up. Fix room echo with a blanket behind the mic if needed.

Console Capture (Switch/PS/Xbox)

  1. Console HDMI → capture card IN; capture card OUT → TV/monitor (zero-lag passthrough).
  2. USB 3.0 from card → PC. In OBS: Add Video Capture Device → pick the card → set resolution/fps type to “Custom.”
  3. Audio: enable “Use custom audio device” on the card, or route console audio into your PC sound input.
  4. If HDCP blocks video (PS/Apple TV etc.), disable HDCP in console settings for gameplay.

Test & Go Live (low stress)

  1. Run a 5-minute recording first: same settings as streaming. Watch for stutter/echo.
  2. Do a private/unlisted stream to check VOD quality and dropped frames.
  3. If frames drop due to network, lower bitrate or FPS. If due to encoder, lower preset or resolution.

Troubleshooting (fast fixes)

Dropped frames (network)

  • Use Ethernet. Cap bitrate to ≤ 50% of upload.
  • Lower FPS to 30 before dropping resolution.
  • Close cloud sync/launchers; avoid Wi-Fi extenders.

Encoding overloaded

  • Switch to GPU encoder; lower preset (e.g., P5 → P4).
  • Reduce Output resolution or FPS.
  • Limit in-game FPS to free headroom.

Audio echo / delay

  • Disable “Monitor” on mic/desktop. Keep only “Monitor Off.”
  • If capture card audio lags, set a small sync offset (e.g., 100–200 ms) in Advanced Audio Properties.

Black screen (Game Capture)

  • Run OBS on the same GPU as the game (Laptop: set to High-perf GPU).
  • Use Capture specific window or fall back to Display Capture.

Your Stream Notes

Leave a Comment

Scroll to Top