The OBS Superuser

Guidebook:
Open Broadcaster Software Features
and Plugins for Power Users

PAUL RICHARDS
Copyright © 2021 Paul Richards

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 9798777163578
 DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to the StreamGeeks Community.

 CONTENTS

Acknowledgments i

1 An update on the updates Pg 1

2 Customizing OBS to work for you Pg 8

3 Optimizing your OBS production Pg 21

4 Core OBS features Pg 28

5 Video Filters in OBS Pg 37

6 Audio Filters in OBS Pg 44

7 Plugin to the Plugins Pg 54

8 Multiple RTMP streaming destinations Pg 60

9 Advanced Scene Switcher Pg 65

10 Source Docks Pg 70

11 Source Record Pg 74

12 Replay Source Pg 78

13 NDI® Plugin Pg 82

14 Audio Monitor Plugin Pg 100

15 Working with Virtual Audio Cables Pg 104

16 Filter Hotkeys Pg 109

17 PTZ Camera Controls Pg 112

18 Animated Lower Thirds Pg 114

19 Background Removal Pg 119

 OBS Super User Guidebook

20 Using Virtual Sets with OBS Pg 124

21 Closed Captions for OBS Pg 129

22 Using Web-Captioner with NDI Pg 135

23 OBS Color Monitor Pg 139

24 Using IP video with OBS Pg 145

25 Using VDO.Ninja with OBS Pg 148

26 Using NDI at StreamGeeks Pg 151

27 Using RTSP video with OBS Pg 161

28 Using SRT video with OBS Pg 166

29 Choosing a computer for OBS Pg 170

30 Conclusion Pg 187

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 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I’d like to acknowledge the work done by developers around the world who
have contributed to the OBS project. OBS is of course an open source project
maintained by a community of developers who donate their time to create this
amazing product for the world.
 OBS Super User Guidebook

1 AN UPDATE ON THE UPDATES

Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) is an open source software designed

for live streaming, and video production. The project was originally
created by Hugh “Jim” Bailey and released in August of 2012. Fast
forward an entire decade, and developers from around the world
collaborate and contribute to the project making it possible to have up
to date and stable versions of the software for Windows, Mac and
Linux operating systems. OBS is the result of a large community of
developers working together to create a flexible software solution for
audio visual projects ranging from live streaming to video distribution
and beyond. If you use the software regularly, you should seriously
consider supporting the project financially on either Patreon or
OpenCollective.

In 2016, OBS “Classic” was replaced by OBS “Studio” which has

since become the primary version. OBS has announced many new
versions over the years and each release includes a slew of updates to
the platform. Before each new version is released a “release candidate”
is made available on GitHub. GitHub is a code repository which is a
popular destination for open source software developers. The release
candidate is always made open to the public to download and test out
the new features, updates and bug fixes. During the release candidate
phases, users report bugs and test out new features as the developers
work to bring an official bug-free version to the world. Oftentimes new
features may only be released for Windows, with Mac and Linux
updates planned for future releases. In general, the development team
at OBS does a great job of crowd-sourcing ideas for future feature
updates.

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OBS has been built with an open API that allows developers to
contribute to the main project or provide separate project add-ons
called plugins. Plugins are open source modules that are created by
individual developers who contribute new feature enhancements for
OBS by adding code to the plugins folder of OBS. In this way, plugins
have become a popular way for developers to contribute to the project
without compromising the quality of the core program. In fact, many
plugins that prove their popularity and reliability are eventually built
directly into the core OBS application, after thorough testing.

This book will include detailed reviews of the top plugins available to
make OBS more powerful for video production. Plugins do vary in
quality and reliability, because they can be released by any developer
willing to make one. Plugins are often released in a BETA phase, as
developers are testing new features and allowing users to give input. For
the purposes of this book, only plugins that have been thoroughly
tested are included in the list.

The Unofficial Guide to OBS and OBS Advanced.

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This book is the sequel to The Unofficial Guide to OBS which was written
to help novices get up to speed with the software. If you are unfamiliar
with OBS, you should start with The Unofficial Guide to OBS first and
then read this book. The OBS Super User Guidebook, is written for those
who wish to push the boundaries of what OBS is capable of using new
plugins and video production standards such as NDI and SRT.

Updates to your OBS version will be shown in a dialog box.

So before you get started, review this list of updates that have come
available in the past five versions of OBS to familiarize yourself with
the software.

Core OBS Studio Features:

● Ability to create an unlimited number of scenes with a variety of

multimedia sources.
● Ability to transition between these scenes with a preview and
program/output window.

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● Ability to create an unlimited number of layers in each scene

made of audio and video sources.
● Ability to capture a long list of sources including audio devices,
web-browser sources, screen capture (displays and games),
images, slideshows, media sources (video files and live RTSP
video), and text (including data from .txt files).
● Ability to record video in a variety of formats and bitrates.
● Ability to live stream video to a content delivery network.
(CDN) via an RTMP stream with customizable bitrates
○ New versions include easy authentication methods with
popular CDNs such as YouTube and Twitch.
● Ability to capture a screen or window in a variety of high quality
formats.
● Integrated audio mixer with live audio preview meters.
● Ability to add filters to audio and video sources to enhance and
customize the effect.
○ Default video effects include image mask, crop, color
correction, scale, scroll, color key , sharpen and chroma
key.
○ Default audio effects include gain, video delay, noise
suppression, and gate.
● Ability to use hotkeys to quickly use most functions in OBS
including scene transitions and overlays.
● Ability to quickly hide, show, or lock individual sources inside a
scene.
● Ability to output video as a virtual webcam (for use with
software such as Skype or Zoom).
● Ability to customize the entire project resolution to any size
(even portrait modes such as 1080x1920).
● Ability to customize the theme.
● Ability to drag and drop interface elements and customize the
software layout.

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● Ability to display real time statistics for software and computer

performance.

OBS v23

● NVENC encoding – This feature for Windows users allows

you to improve video performance when using NVIDIA
graphics cards.
● New Audio Filters - New audio limiter and expander filters
have been added. These filters can be applied to audio sources.
● Luma Key Filter – This filter can be used to remove a specific
color from the background on a video or image and make it
transparent. This is useful for green screens and overlay effects.

OBS v24

● Dynamic Bitrates – Great for increasing the quality of your

live streams especially if bandwidth or network congestion is an
issue.
● Custom Docks – Custom docks allow you to bring websites
into your OBS dashboard which is ideal for live chat rooms and
other controls. This feature does work with local HTML on
your computer.

OBS v25

● SRT output – This feature allows you to work with SRT

(Secure Reliable Transport). The implementation in OBS is still
rough but it does work.

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● Scene Collections – Scene collections allow you to group

together scenes and organize your projects. This allows you to
load up projects quickly and easily.
● T-Bar – This is a popular video production tool used to
transition between your preview and output screens. This is
ideal for use in Studio Mode.
● Volume Lock – In OBS you have the ability to lock sources in
place. This feature is now available for audio sources as well so
the mix is not changed by accident.
● Source List Icons – A beautiful feature in OBS 25 was the
addition of icons for each source type. This is very helpful for
new and advanced users.

OBS v26

● Virtual Camera Support – This feature allows you to output

your video from OBS and bring it into another program like
Skype or Zoom. The virtual webcam brings any video in the
output of OBS into any software that uses a webcam to ingest
video.
● Source Toolbar & Media Playback – The media source
toolbar is very helpful for scrubbing through video assets inside
of OBS.
● AI Noise Suppression – This feature helps with noise
suppression and can improve the audio quality for most
microphones.
● Screenshot Capabilities – The ability to quickly take
screenshots is now available and available via hotkeys.
● Movable Dock UI – The moveable Dock UI makes organizing
your OBS dashboard easier and more fluid.

OBS v27

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● Undo/Redo – This is one of the most-requested features for

OBS user new and old. Fixing mistakes with the undo button
can be done with a simple “CTRL + Z” or “CMD + Z” on
MacOS. Redoing an option is also available with “CTRL + Y”
or “CMD + SHIFT + Z” on MacOS.
● Browsers Docks – This feature has been available on
Windows since OBS 24, but it was released for both Mac and
Linux users in OBS 27.
● Source Visibility Transitions – Toggling to a source now
allows you to choose a transition in and transition out option.
You can choose any transition type available in OBS including
stingers.
● Track Mattes for Stingers – The ability to quickly take
screenshots is now available and available via hotkeys.
● Movable Dock UI – The moveable Dock UI makes organizing
your OBS dashboard easier and more fluid.

Key Takeaways:

1. OBS is a highly flexible video production solution that

has been created by a large community of developers.
2. Each year new versions of OBS are released with new
features that make OBS more powerful.

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2 CUSTOMIZING OBS TO WORK FOR YOU

Once you have become comfortable with OBS, you may want to start
customizing the OBS software. OBS allows users to customize many
settings including the overall theme and positioning of each major user
interface element. You will notice the ability to resize areas of OBS with
your mouse by hovering over the edge of a particular area. For example,
if you hover your mouse under the main video area you will notice you
can click and drag the side to resize the element. You can also click and
drag the top bar of an element to drag the entire element into a new
space to reorganize the OBS interface. You can also click and drag
entire interface elements outside of the main OBS application in order
to create a dedicated space in a new window. Some core OBS elements
such as Scenes and the Audio Mixer offer alternate layout options. For
example, the image below shows the default audio mixer moved to the
side and put into a vertical mode.

OBS shown with various customization options.

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To further customize the OBS interface you can use a feature called
Browser Docks which allows you to add new interface elements to
OBS by adding web-browser sources. A popular way to use this feature
is to add a panel to display the chatroom from a live stream. To do this
you can click View, and select Docks, and click Custom Browser.
This will open up the custom browser docks area where you can add an
unlimited number of web-browser sources with names you can
reference. Once you create one it will appear in a window you can place
anywhere you like in the OBS interface.

Custom browser docks can be added to OBS from the View menu.

Browser Docks can be used in a variety of creative ways to enhance

your OBS experience. For example, if you are using a pan, tilt and
zoom (PTZ) camera, you can dock PTZ camera controls on the side of
your OBS interface. For example, PTZOptics offers open source
camera control codes which you can use to control robotic cameras
inside of OBS. The control codes are essentially HTML files that you

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can put on your local computer. Browser Docks can be used for
web-sites on the public internet or HTML files on your local computer.

Docks can be placed in most areas of the OBS interface.

In the example above, you will notice that the OBS instance has
multiple PTZ cameras connected to the system via Network Device
Interface (NDI). NDI is an advanced video source option that is
available via a plugin which will be discussed later in this book.
Browser Docks can be placed on top of one another. When you drag
and drop a Browser Dock on top of an existing dock, OBS will create
a tab for you to switch between them. If you know how to write HTML
code you can customize the size, shape and look of your Browser
Docks to fit into the theme you are using.

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Themes can be selected in the OBS settings and edited from the main
OBS themes folder.

As you are customizing your OBS interface, you should be aware of the
OBS Themes that are available. Themes will update the entire OBS
interface color scheme along with the size and shape of most buttons.
The default themes include Arci, Dark, Default, and Ranchi. It is
possible to create your own OBS Theme by using QSS which is a
subset of CSS2. You can also find custom themes available on the
internet. The theme files for OBS can be found in the
/data/obs-studio/themes/ folder on your computer. If you would
like to customize an OBS theme it is recommended that you start by
editing an existing theme. The Ranchi theme which was developed by
Joel Bethke in 2017, is open source and includes great documentation.
The online course for this book will walk you through some basic
customizations that you can do with a standard text editor.

Another helpful customization option many advanced OBS users like is

called Stats Dock. The Stats Dock can be enabled in the View tab,
under Docks and Stats. Once enabled you can drag this interface

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element to a space inside your OBS interface. This dock will display live
statistics about your computer and the video production. For example,
the Stats Dock will let you know the status of your live stream,
whether you are recording and if there have been any dropped frames.
Other important statistics include the amount of harddrive space
available for your recordings and the total CPU usage.

Note: There are two Stats Dock options. One is dockable and the other
is not. If you want to dock your stats panel use the Stats option found
inside the docks dropdown menu.

Another decision you may decide to make is whether or not to use

Studio Mode. When enabled Studio Mode will give you two windows
inside your OBS production environment very much like a traditional
video production switcher. Studio Mode is designed to allow
producers the ability to preview scenes before transitioning them to the
output area which is being live streamed and/or recorded. The main
benefit of this is the ability to preview and edit scenes before they go
live. You also gain the ability to choose a custom transition type for
every scene switch including the T-bar transition type. The T-Bar
transition allows producers the ability to cross-fade between the
preview and output scenes by dragging the T-Bar from left to right
across the screen. The drawback to Studio Mode is that it takes up
space inside your interface and requires more clicks to switch between
scenes.

Professional productions enjoy studio mode but many experienced live

streamers have found useful work-arounds. For example, without using
studio mode you can still choose custom in and out transitions for each
scene. Many productions will then use simple hotkeys or USB
connected controllers like the Elgato StreamDeck to switch between
scenes without the need for a preview window. Professional

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productions that have camera operators use the preview window as a

way to notify camera operators that their camera is “up next” by using a
Tally Light. Tally Lights are indication lights that communicate with
on-air talent and camera operators letting them know which source is
live and which source is about to be live. Tally Lights and other
professional hardware designed for OBS will be covered in more detail
in an upcoming chapter.

OBS scenes can be displayed in a variety of ways and customized for

your application.

You can also customize the way OBS organizes scenes. The default
view for Scenes is a simple list. But since OBS 26 a Grid View view has
become available which makes each scene available as a button. You
can turn Grid View on by right clicking the scenes area and selecting
Grid View. Once enabled each scene will show up as a button which
for some users is easier to click. You can also customize the size, color
and shape of these buttons by editing your OBS theme file. An easy
way to do this, is to create a copy of the current theme. Try naming the

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copy something else such as new-theme.qss. You can then update the
code for QListWidget#scenes::item with the code below.

QListWidget#scenes::item {
min-height: 55px;
}

Another simple form of OBS customization is good old fashioned

organization. OBS scenes themselves can be organized into a list and
include helpful information for quick reference. This is especially useful
if you are designing an OBS production system for volunteer operators.
The following list of scenes comes from the Trinity United
Church in North Bay, Ontario, Canada. John Roberts, the audio visual
technician there has shared a list of tips for organizing OBS scenes and
sources to be more productive.

0. 10:00 – Live Streaming off – setup and testing– camera & sound ON
1. 10:15 – start Live Streaming – “Live streaming will start at
10:20am” – camera & sound OFF
2. ~10:20 – prelude – live - Pre-Music: 2 choir pods
3. 10:29 - Display copyright notice
4. 10:29½ - Today's Image – William Blake: “Eternity is in love with
the productions of time.”
5. 10:30am - Welcome (Minister in pulpit)
6. hymn 1 - CALL TO WORSHIP (Kids Song): “LIKE A ROCK”
– video
7. Prayer of Confession: (Minister near table)
8. Family Story: “Martin’s Big Words” by Doreen Rappaport and Bryan
Collier (Minister P-I-P)
9. An Extra Video: Free Film for Martin Luther King Jr. Day
(saltproject.org) – video
10. Introduction to Scripture: (Minister at table)
11. Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 – video
12. hymn 2 - VU 60 Come all Ye Faithful (vs.1,2,3,5) – video
13. Sermon: “In the Flesh” – 3 pictures

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14. hymn 3 - VU 31 "O Lord How Shall I Meet You" – video

15. Offertory Prayer and Prayers of the People (Minister at table)
16. lords prayer - VU 959 – video
17. Brief Hymn Introduction: (Minister at table)
18. hymn 4 – VU 266“AMAZING GRACE” – video
19. Gratitudes and Blessing (display the "Dial for Hope" Number?)
(Minister at table)
20. benediction – VU 422 "God Be with You" – video
22. postlude – live

This OBS scene layout allows the volunteer OBS operators to know
exactly when each scene should be used because the time is in the title.
The tech team then builds all the segments in the worship script into
OBS, with each segment being a scene. They do not recreate the OBS
session each week. Instead they just modify the previous week’s setup
as needed for the next week.
The kind of things they do change week-to-week.
o The order of the segments, although they don’t change all that
much.
o If a segment is “live” or a “video.” One of the key points of the
“Hybrid Services” is that any given segment can be delivered
live in the Sanctuary, or via video.
o For the live segments they have to know what to do with the
camera, so who is it and where will they be?
o And they look for any “special effects” they have to build into
OBS. Examples from this are pictures their minister wants
displayed during his sermon, and the “Dial for Hope” phone
number to be displayed during the Gratitudes and Blessing
segment.
On Sunday mornings all they have to do is start streaming. The
volunteers can simply click through the OBS scenes in sequence. They
get the full script prior to the service, and that allows them to be better
prepared for upcoming scene changes. They also work with the
minister to determine how he’ll be cuing the special effects.

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OBS interface shows the scenes they built for the sample worship
script.

John Roberts says, “We don’t use OBS in Studio Mode. This would give
us a “Preview” and a “Program” window, and lots of neat transitions.
But it doesn’t match the way we build our scenes – it can’t preview the
next camera preset since we only have 1 camera and it can’t move until
we switch to that scene. I expect we’ll switch to “Studio Mode” for our
“Post-COVID
Services” when the
scene structure will
be entirely
different.”
John also
explained their
setup process,
“Once we’ve built
all the scenes, we
run a quick test. We start recording and run each scene long enough to
get into some audio, and test the microphone for the live scenes. Then
we stop recording and play the video to make sure every scene

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functions as we expect it to. As we get better at all of this there is likely

less need to run this test, but we’re still doing it.”

Customizing Sources with Folders

John also explained how he uses folders inside each scene to quickly
switch between live and pre-recorded segments. “With some scenes in
our Hybrid Services, like hymns and scripture, being live one week and
a video the following week, we have built scenes to enable this
flexibility. Rather than rebuild the scene every time it changed, we have
both live and video sources built into the scene, and simply “hide” the
one we don’t need. For example, hymn 1, you’ll see this week is a video
source and the “if video” folder is visible.”
Extra scenes for various show starting points

John has also designed various scenes to switch between depending on

the start point of the session. John explains, “Our minister moves
around during his segments. Using a PTZOptics camera and the HTTP

commands we have created several scenes that we use to move the

camera. These are virtually identical scenes, with the only difference
being the PTZ camera preset that’s called in each scene. The “START”
scene has a wide camera setting that’ll allow the minister to move from
the pulpit down to the stage. The “LEFT” and “RIGHT” scenes each

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cover ½ the stage, and allow the tech operator to follow the minister as
he moves back and forth.”
Adding Hotkeys to Source Names
John also uses OBS Hotkeys to toggle special effects on and then off
again. In the picture to the right, you’ll see that the “Dial for Hope”
source can be toggled with a [Ctrl]+[Shift]+H key combination. This is
well labelled so the streaming tech knows what to do.
Hotkeys can do a lot more than this simple task but the integration of
the Hotkey sequence into the source title is an innovative way to
remind OBS operators which set of keys is needed to use the specific
feature in the interface.

Standardization and Cloud Integration

Another tip John
shared is the idea
of standardization
of files and source
names. Organizing
the files your OBS
system uses allows
you to easily
update and replace
files using a
cloud-based
system such as Google Drive or Dropbox. For example the, “hymn 1
(Media Source)” refers to an actual file on the computer called “hymn

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1.mp4.” By using that name they can easily swap that file with next
week’s first hymn. This way there’s nothing to change in the OBS setup.
This can be done locally on the computer, or set up to sync with files
on a shared drive from Dropbox.
This can also be used for text files, which display things like credits for
live music, and the date of the service. Those files have self-explanatory
names like “prelude.txt,” “postlude.txt,” “hymn 1.mp4,” and “date.txt.”

You can remotely update the files your OBS system uses with a cloud
based service such as Google Drive or Dropbox.
John explains, “We’ve taken this a step further by using various utilities
to get these files in place. I update the files in a directory on my hard
drive, which is then synced to my Dropbox, which is then synced to the
Streaming PC’s hard drive. So I simply update or replace the file in that
folder on my hard drive, and within a few minutes the Streaming PC
has the file and is all set.”
As you can see OBS can be tuned to fit the needs of almost any
production. The open source nature of OBS allows you to customize
both the interface and the workflow of your project. Some
organizational tips are obvious and they can easily improve the
efficiency of your video production. Other OBS customizations require
plugins which will be covered in the upcoming chapters. However you
plan to use OBS, make the interface your own, by customizing the

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available themes, interface elements, scenes and sources to fit your

project's requirements.

Key Takeaways:

1. OBS is a highly customizable open source video

production software.
2. OBS is open source and you can take the code and
customize it to fit your needs.
3. The OBS interface in totally configurable and
dockable panels allow you to further customize the
interface.
4. Good old fashion organization can go a long way to
making your OBS productions more efficient.

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3 OPTIMIZING YOUR OBS PRODUCTION

In this chapter, you will learn how to optimize your OBS production by
using the settings available in OBS to fit your specific needs. Most users
of OBS are using the software for live production, live streaming
and/or recording. The more that you plan to do with OBS, the more
important it will become to use the correct system settings. In general,
OBS will allow you to customize your project to fit almost any
resolution or frame rate. Therefore, OBS is capable of pushing your
computer beyond its limits and a good understanding of your hardware
and its limitations is required to optimize OBS properly. While you are
using OBS, you should keep an eye on your computer's resource
management tool. Windows computers can use Task Manager, and
Mac OS uses Activity Monitor.

Monitoring your computer resources can be done with Activity

Manager on Mac or Task Manager on Windows.

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The process of encoding video is very CPU intensive. In fact, you may
get a warning from OBS that says “Encoding Overload!” when you
have maxed out your computer's processing capabilities. The first tool
you should have open is “Stats.” Stats is a tool that is available from the
View dropdown menu which keeps tabs on your CPU usage, disk space
availability and memory usage. In the Stats, one area you should keep
an eye on is dropped frames. There are two main reasons for dropped
frames and OBS breaks them out into “Frames missed due to
rendering lag” and “Frames missed due to encoding lag.” Frames
missed due to rendering lag are caused by your graphics processing unit
(GPU) and this is common when OBS uses a graphics card that is also
being used for other graphics intensive software such as video gaming.
Frames missed due to rendering lag refers to your computer's inability
to actually create each frame of video in real time. “Skipped frames due
to encoding lag” has to do with your computer's processing capabilities
when you are streaming or recording. Encoding is the process of
recording or streaming the rendered video inside of OBS. Encoding
requires your computer to compress the video you are working with
and either stream or record it.

Before you can determine the source of dropped frames or other

processing related issues you must make sure that your OBS system is
set up properly. The first step is to put your “Output Mode” into the
“Advanced” mode in the Output tab found in Settings. This allows
you to have full control over the streaming and recording profiles used
for encoding. It is here that you can set the bitrate which is the amount
of compression OBS will use to encode your video. The lower the
bitrate the lower the quality of your video will be. The first step is to
choose the correct Encoder. If you have an NVIDIA graphics card,
you should choose the NVENC option from the encoder drop down
menu. If you have an AMD graphics card you should choose AMF.
Some newer Intel processors also have a QuickSync option you can

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use without the need for a dedicated graphics card. If you are relying
only on your computer's CPU for encoding you should choose x264.

Pro Tip: Windows computers will sometimes require you to specifically

enable OBS to work with your graphics card. For NVIDIA graphics
cards this can be done using the NVIDIA Control Panel. In this
control panel, you can click Manage 3D Settings and add OBS to the
list of programs which should use the NVIDIA graphics card.

Unless it’s necessary for your production, you should avoid having OBS
scaling your video content because it adds unnecessary video
processing. Inside the Video tab of the Settings menu you should set
your Base (Canvas) Resolution to the same Output (Scaled)
Resolution. In the Video tab you can also set your project's frame rate.
The higher the frame, the more processing power it will take to encode
the video. If you do not need 60 frames per second, reduce this frame
rate to 30 or 24. Going from 30 frames per second to 60 almost
doubles the amount of bandwidth needed to live stream your video.

Pro Tip: Always make sure that your cameras are set to the same
resolution and frame rate as your OBS project.

The 180 degree shutter speed rule can be used to match your camera's
shutter speed to the frame rate of your project. If you are using 30fps,
set your camera's shutter speed to 1/60th of a second. If you are using
60fps, set your camera's shutter speed to 1/120th of a second. This will
ensure a natural looking video with a normal amount of blur.

Once you have settled on your project's resolution and frame rate, you
should consider the bitrate you would like to record and stream with.
Many people have to work with a limited amount of bandwidth and
therefore need to perform a bandwidth test to determine the maximum

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amount of bandwidth they can use. If you are limited by bandwidth you
can consider recording your project locally at a higher bitrate than you
are streaming. This allows you to keep a higher quality file on your
computer for distribution after your live stream.

Common Streaming Resolutions:

Resolution Pixel Count Frame Quality Bitrate

Rate
4K 30fps 3840x2160 30fps High 30Mbps
4K 30fps 3840x2160 30fps Medium 20Mbps
4K 30fps 3840x2160 30fps Low 10Mbps
1080p60fps 1920x1080 60fps High 12Mbps
1080p60fps 1920x1080 60fps Medium 9Mbps
1080p60fps 1920x1080 60fps Low 6Mbps
1080p30fps 1920x1080 30fps High 6Mbps
1080p30fps 1920x1080 30fps Medium 4.5Mbps
1080p30fps 1920x1080 30fps Low 3Mbps
720p30fps 1280x720 30fps High 3.5Mbps
720p30fps 1280x720 30fps Medium 2.5Mbps
720p30fps 1280x720 30fps Low 1.5Mbps

Example bitrates for streaming in a variety of resolutions and frame

rates.

Once you have selected a bitrate for your project you should consider
which rate of control you will select in OBS. Constant bitrate (CBR) is
the most common rate of control. Constant bitrates do not fluctuate
even when OBS may be able to intelligently use less bandwidth for
scenes without complexity. Adaptive bitrate (ABR) allows OBS to adapt
the bitrate to the scene in which you are streaming and reduce or
increase it as necessary. Variable bitrate (VBR) is similar to adaptive

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bitrate in the sense that it attempts to increase or decrease the bitrate

based on what is needed for your given scene. The main issue with
ABR and VBR comes when scenes change quickly and there is a split
second where the pixels aren’t quite right. If you are using an AMD or
NVIDIA graphics card you may have access to the CQP rate of control
which can be used for ultra high quality video recordings. As with most
high quality recordings, CQP will take up a lot of hard drive space. If
you do not have access to CQP the best way to increase your video
recording quality is to simply increase the bitrate.

In the Advanced section of the OBS settings there is a Network area.

Here you can select “Dynamically change bitrate to manage
congestion” in order to reduce dropped frames. This option allows
OBS to automatically adapt the bitrate regardless of the encoding
settings you have set in the Output tab. While you are here consider
checking the box for “Enable network optimization” as a way to
further optimize OBS. You should also always use the “Bind to IP”
option to make sure OBS is using your hard-wired ethernet connection
instead of a WiFi connection.

Now that you have optimized your settings inside of OBS it’s time to
take a closer look at your sources. The best practice rule of thumb is to
make sure all of your video sources match the resolution and frame rate
of your project. But in some cases, you may not need the full
1920x1080p video from a camera if you are only using it in a
picture-in-picture area of a specific scene. It goes without saying that
you should remove any sources that are not necessary to your

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production. If you do not need all your sources at full resolution,

reducing their resolution and frame rate can make your production
more efficient.

Other computer wide optimizations include closing programs that are

running in the background and taking up precious processing power. If
you must run additional programs while you are using OBS, you should
increase the Process Priority option in OBS to Above Normal or
High. In the Advanced settings section you can set process priority in
OBS to take priority over other applications in use on your computer.

Another small detail for those who are using OBS on a laptop is to look
into the Power Settings. Windows computers can be put into
“Performance Mode” in the Power Settings which will significantly
improve the performance. Another tip is to launch OBS in
Administrator Mode to make sure OBS is gaining access to the
privilege necessary to operate properly. It is possible to spread more
ambitious OBS productions over the processing power of multiple
computers using NDI. NDI will be covered in more detail later, but it’s
worth noting that multiple computers can be used together. Many video
productions now use multiple computers to offload specific tasks such
as screen capture or video gaming. The video can then be sent back to
the main OBS production computer and therefore spread out the
processing power necessary for the entire production.

Key Takeaways:

1. OBS can scale to fit almost any production

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environment. The further you push the software, the

most important it becomes to optimize your settings.
2. OBS will start to drop frames if your computer’s
hardware cannot handle the video processing you have
set up.
3. OBS has advanced settings that can be used to
optimize the software to fit your needs.
4. OBS features live statistics you can use to monitor
your computer's resource usage.

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4 CORE OBS FEATURES

In this chapter, you can learn about the core features of OBS every user
should know about. OBS is full of powerful filters and audio visual
enhancements that are available in the core software package without
the need for plugins. Many OBS features are overlooked, because they
are somewhat hidden in a busy interface or otherwise not explained to
users. Other features, take a decent amount of know-how to make them
useful or require a plugin to make them work smoother for some users.
For example, the Image Mask/Blend filter can be used to turn a
rectangular webcam video into a circle or another shape. Another
example is the Color Correction filter, which can be used with a color
checker card on camera to color match multiple cameras together.

The OBS interface will include a Preview and Output screen side by
side when in Studio Mode.

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Source controls are found on the right side of the Sources area.

One commonly overlooked area of OBS is the source lock and visibility
buttons. These two buttons can be used to toggle between on and off
states for locking and viewing an individual source. The lock button is
ideal for locking one source in place so that it cannot be accidentally
moved. The visibility buttons can be used in a few interesting ways
especially with the use of the Move Transitions plugin and Hotkeys. For
example, you can set up a move transition animation to slide a source
into the screen when the visibility button is clicked. You can also create
an animation to remove the source when the visibility state is off. This
allows you to animate portions of your OBS production based on
visibility states. In an upcoming chapter, you will learn how to use this
feature with a variety of remote control applications such as Touch
Portal. Touch Portal will allow you to create custom buttons to toggle
visibility states on and off which can include animations once you have
the Move Transitions plugin setup.

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More complicated scenes in OBS can benefit from animations and

hotkey controls.

The example above, shows a scene with three layers. The bottom layer
is a live video feed from a camera. The next layer is a sidebar video
which is set to play on loop. The top layer is a PNG file that is used as
an informational square displayed to support the content being
discussed in the video. These informational squares can have
animations that allow you to bring multiple images on and off screen
easily by toggling the visibility status of each. You can manage the order
of layers for each source by selecting a source and clicking the up and
down arrows in the source management area.

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Hotkeys are set up in the Settings area.

Hotkeys are a tool to quickly access functions inside of OBS like

streaming or recording from your keyboard or other USB connected
input devices. Hotkeys can be set up to do almost any function inside
of OBS and each time that you create a scene or add a source, new
Hotkey options are added. You can set up Hotkeys in the OBS
Settings area. At the top of this section there is a search bar to quickly
find the Scene or Source that you would like to control. For example,
you can set up a specific key on your keyboard to switch to a specific
scene. You can also set up Hotkeys to show or hide individual sources.
You should consider using two keys to trigger a Hotkey in order to
avoid accidentally triggering a Hotkey. For example, try using SHIFT
+ another key and putting the key sequence into the source name for
easy reference.

By default, OBS allows you to start and stop many core functions with
Hotkeys including recording and streaming. Plugins that you install
may add additional hotkey options for you to use. For example, the
Filters Hotkey plugin will allow you to toggle on and off the visibility

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of filters. Another plugin that will be reviewed later on in the book

allows you to use hotkeys to record the video of an individual source.

The Multiview shows scenes available in OBS up to eight.

Another tool advanced OBS users generally grow to love is called the
Multiview. Multiview is available in the View tab and it can be used in
full screen mode or as a resizable window. Multiview allows you to
quickly view a mix of source and scenes on a secondary monitor or as a
small window on any screen. By right-clicking anywhere on the
Multiview you can choose to change the viewing perspective from
full-screen to windowed or vice-versa. You can also choose to keep the
Multiview “on-top” of all other windows.
There is a new plug-in called Source Docks which allows you to dock
a preview of any source inside the OBS interface. By default the
Multiviewer will show you your preview and output screens side by
side followed by eight scenes for preview purposes.

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The Audio Mixer is an area of OBS that every superuser should be

familiar with. By right clicking on the Audio Mixer you can choose to
change the layout from vertical to horizontal. You can also access the
Advanced Audio Properties for each audio source you have inside of
OBS. If you right click on a single audio source you have the ability to
lock the volume, manage it’s visibility in the mixer, rename the source
and apply audio filters.

One common issue many OBS users has to do with audio

synchronization. Many times audio is being processed by OBS faster
than video sources which require more bandwidth and processing
power. To fix this problem, you can simply add delay to the audio
source using the “Sync Offset” option. The easy way to do this is to
add delay in increments of 25ms. You can record videos of yourself
talking and holding up your hand as you count to five.
In the online course, I have included a video sync tool that you
can download properly syncing up audio and video sources inside OBS.
This tool will help you figure out how much latency there is between
your video and audio sources. With this tool you will be able to
determine how much delay you need to add to your audio sources to
make them sync perfectly with the video.

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The tool is a video file which includes audio clicks used for
measuring latency recorded via OBS. This is a video you can play on a
laptop or screen in your space and record it through the camera and
microphone you are testing in OBS. Simply point the camera you
normally use for your recordings toward the screen where the video is
playing and also place your microphone where it can pick up the sound
coming from the video.
This audio/video syncing tool is broken up into three parts.
The middle section has a vertical scale that measures milliseconds for
accuracy. Beside it is a marker that moves from the top of the scale and
falls to the zero mark every second. Every time the marker reaches the
zero mark on the scale, the clicking sound happens. On the left of the
scale, there is a bigger version of the marker that allows you to read the
position of the marker on the scale.

The Audio Video Sync Test tool is a 10 second video that includes
information you can use to sync audio and video in OBS.

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At the bottom of the screen, there is a row of color-coded

boxes that gives you an idea of how far your audio source is from zero.
You can use this to visually gauge how much delay you need to add to
your audio. Usually, audio is processed faster than video inside your
computer. That is because audio demands fewer resources from your
computer, and the system can process it faster than it does the video
stream. As a result, there may be a mismatch in timing between audio
and video. The video will play a clicking sound with every one second
that passes, and your microphone should capture that sound. You can
use the sound recorded in the test video to sync up your audio and
video properly. After the recording has been saved, import the video
into a video-editing software.

Inside your video-editing software, look at the audio track from

your recording. You should notice several peaks in the sound. All those
sound peaks occurred every one second in real time. You can use this
information to match those peaks in the soundtrack with the video.
The idea is to mark the difference between when the sound peaks occur
and when the marker on your scale reaches zero on the video. If they
do not match, then you must add delay.

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To add delay in OBS, go into your audio source, and navigate to

“Advanced Audio Properties.” Look for “Sync Offset” and based on
what you see in the video editing software, enter a number to indicate
the amount of latency you want in the audio. Oftentimes around 50-100
milliseconds of latency can be added to sync up audio and video
sources.

Key Takeaways:

1. Filters can be applied to any source in order to

enhance the video or audio in a variety of ways.
2. OBS sources can be locked to secure a complicated
scene and avoid accidental movement.
3. OBS sources can have visibility toggled on and off.
This can become a very useful tool when paired to
animations and hotkeys.
4. Hotkeys allow you to quickly trigger a long list of
functions available inside of OBS.

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5 VIDEO FILTERS IN OBS

Video filters can be applied to any Source or Scene by right clicking on

the title and selecting Filters. New Filters can be added to OBS when
specific plugins are installed. Similar to Sources, Filters can have their
visibility toggled on and off in the Filters management window. By
default, OBS organizes Filters into Audio/Video Filters and Effect
Filters. You can add a filter by selecting the “+” plus button, which
will open the Filter and allow you to adjust the Filter settings. There is
a plugin called OBS Filter Hotkeys that will allow you to toggle the
visibility on and off for Filters using Hotkeys without having to open
the Filters management window.

A Filter management window is available for each individual source and

scene.

Here is a list of Filters available in OBS by default.

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Scene and Source Filters

● Scene and Source Filters

○ Image Mask/Blend - This filter can be used to apply a
mask to any source. The mask is uploaded to OBS in
the form of a file which should only have two colors or
a transparent background. You can then choose the
color or mask/blend type.
○ Crop - This filter allows you to resize the input by
removing the top/bottom/left/right sides.
○ Color Correction - This filter allows you to adjust the
colors in your source. This filter is especially useful in
combination with the OBS Color Monitor plugin.
○ Scroll - This filter will move your input (generally text)
across the screen. You can choose between vertical and
horizontal movements.
○ Color Key & Chroma Key - Color and Chroma Key
filters are used to select a color in the source and make
it transparent. Both have similar functions but work
differently, so experimentation with each is necessary in
most cases.
○ LUT Filter - LUT stands for Look Up Table. LUT
filters can be applied to sources in order to apply a
visual filter to the source.
○ Sharpen - This filter can be used to sharpen the source
image.

The Image Mask/Blend feature is a great filter to use to add a new

level of production quality to your videos. Anyone can set up a simple
picture and picture setup with a webcam and screen capture. But those
who take the time to set up a custom image mask for their webcam

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overlays, really show they care about their production quality. An image
mask can be added to any source and it will essentially use an image
mask file to make all areas of the source transparent where the selected
mask color is. For example, if you take an image of a black circle and
select black for the image mask color, the filter will make the outside
white areas transparent in the source.

Images work well in black and white when applied as an image/mask

filter.

An interesting way to use Image Masks is on top of a video file. You

can create a black and white image as your mask file to represent a
graphical layout for your production. For example, you can draw out a
lower third, a chat room area and perhaps a top-bar area. You can use
this image mask file on a video source that has slow colorful
movements. The image mask in this case will show the video playing in
just the areas of your mask, which can be used as an animated layer in
your production.

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Image mask shown with circle webcam video.

Another popular way to use this feature is to change the shape of a

webcam input. Try changing the shape of your webcam image and
creating an animated background element together. In this way, you can
create an animated outline around your webcam image. This is shown
in the online course tutorial videos with this book.

The Color Correction filter is your main tool for color grading and
color matching cameras and live video sources in OBS. When you are
working with multiple cameras inside of OBS, sometimes you need to
match the colors coming into OBS. It’s always best to start with
matching the actual on-camera settings. For example, you can make
sure each camera is set to the same frame rate, shutter speed, and
aperture. Once your cameras are coming into OBS with matching
exposure and color balance settings, you can use the OBS Color
Monitor plugin to make educated decisions about the camera's
exposure. The OBS Color Monitor plugin will be reviewed in detail in
an upcoming chapter, but in short this plugin will allow you to quickly
see graphical information about the exposure and color of video
sources. This will allow you to see if your cameras are over-exposed, or

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need color adjustments. You can then use the Color Correction filter
to see how your adjustments are affecting your sources the way
professional color grading is done in a production studio. Color grading
is technical in nature but it’s a learnable process that takes the
guesswork out of color matching multiple cameras.

Color monitoring scopes can be added to the OBS interface as a side

panel.

The Color Correction filter gives you access to Gamma, Contrast,

Brightness, Saturation, Hue Shift and Opacity. The Gamma adjustment
affects the gray scale in between full black and full white. When
adjusting the Color Correction filter it is highly recommended that you
use the Color Monitor plugin to see the effects you are having on your
selected source. Using the Color Monitor plugin you can check out the
Waveform Monitor in OBS to see how Gamma will affect your
image. You will see the middle range of your image being lifted or
lowered as you adjust the Gamma slider. You can use the Contrast
adjustment to affect the gain used to bring full white and black range
either closer together or further apart. Again using the Waveform
Monitor, you will be able to see if you are crushing the blacks or

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clipping the white parts of your image. Brightness is used to adjust the
overall brightness of the image. Saturation adjusts the vibrancy of each
color and Hue Shift will actually change all colors in the image. Using
the Vectorscope Monitor you can see how Saturation and Hue Shift
affect the color of your image. Finally, Opacity will adjust the
transparency of the entire filter’s effect on the image.

LUT files are stored on your computer and used by OBS to apply the
filter.

LUT Filters are a popular tool used by video producers and social
media managers. LUT stands for Look Up Table and they represent
colors that can be applied to sources. You can find free LUT filters
available for download on OBSProject.com. Once downloaded, in
order to stay organized, you should put the LUT Filter files in the OBS
program folder inside obs-plugins/obs-filters/LUTs. You can apply a
LUT just like any filter and once open you can start by browsing for the
LUT you would like to add. Most LUTs are named by the mood they
are designed to portray. For example, you can apply a LUT for cinema,
teal and orange, documentary style and others. Once you have selected

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a LUT you have one adjustment bar that determines the amount the
LUT will be applied to your source video.

Key Takeaways:

1. Image Mask filters can be used to hide areas of

sources in OBS and create new unique production
opportunities.
2. New filters can be added to OBS with the addition of
plugins.
3. LUT filters can be used to change the color scheme or
mood of your video sources.
4. The visibility status of Filters can be adjusted in the
Filters management window. Filter visibility can be
toggled on and off using Hotkeys with the Filter
Hotkeys plugin.

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6 AUDIO FILTERS IN OBS

Audio filters are designed to enhance audio inputs in OBS. When you
are working with audio filters it’s important to remember that audio
device filters can be used in a chain. This is because the order in which
you use each filter will affect the sound that you get in the end.

Here is a list of default OBS audio filters.

● Audio Device Filters

○ Compressor - The compressor can be used to make an
audio source sound more full. Compressors allow you
to limit audio peaking beyond 0dB by making loud
noises quieter when they peak. The main compressor
adjustment is called Ratio and the higher the ratio the
more compression will be used to reduce the loudness
of audio when peaking. The Compressor includes a
Threshold setting you can use to set the audio level at
which the compressor should start working. The Attack
and Release settings allow you to adjust how quickly
the compressor effect will ramp in and out when the
Threshold is reached. An Output Gain can be used to
increase the overall volume after the compression effect.
■ Sidechain Compression (aka Ducking) -
Sidechain compression can be used to
automatically adjust the volume of an audio
source to make room in the audio mix for
another audio source such as a microphone
input. For example, you can apply a sidechain
compressor to a background music track to

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automatically reduce volume when you are

speaking through a microphone.
○ Expander - An expander can be used to remove
unwanted background noise by setting a low level
threshold for audio that you want removed. The
expander works similar to a compressor but on low
level noise. Therefore, the expander has similar features
such as a Threshold, Attack and Release.
○ Gain - Gain can be used to increase the volume of a
source. If possible, the gain should be adjusted before it
is captured into OBS to avoid unwanted noise.
○ Invert Polarity - Only used to help with phase
cancellation issues which is an audio phenomenon that
reduces the audio's overall strength.
○ Limiter - Limiters are a specialized type of compressor
that are designed to be used at the end of an audio
processing chain. Limiters are used to limit audio from
peaking above 0dB.
○ Noise Gate - The noise gate is a simplified version of
the expander. You can set a level of noise on your audio
input that you want to be automatically muted.
○ Noise Suppression - This filter is effective at removing
low level noise from computer fans and other electronic
devices. When the filter is set to 0 it is off. You can
adjust the noise suppression to remove background
noise but keep in mind that the filter will affect the
overall sound of the source as well.
○ VST Plugins - Support for VST 1 and 2 plugins is
available in the core installation of OBS.

Most audio experts will recommend that you start with the following
audio chain order.

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1. Noise suppression
2. Gate
3. EQ
4. Compression

Default OBS compressor settings.

Before you start enhancing your audio with any chain of audio filters,
you should always start by optimizing the gain of the audio system first.
This can be done with any hardware audio mixer or directly in the
operating system by using the Windows, Mac or Linux audio settings.

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Default audio settings can generally be found in the operating system

control panel.

When you are adjusting the incoming audio gain, speak loudly and
watch the audio meter. You want to adjust the gain so that the loudest
audio is a few levels below the max level. This will ensure that the audio
coming into OBS is clean and undistorted.

OBS offers two unique noise suppression options.

When you are adding audio filters, it’s highly recommended to use
headphones so that you can clearly hear the adjustments you are
making. Start with a Noise Suppression or Expander to remove any
unwanted noise from the background of your audio. You do not want
to use too much noise suppression or you will distort the audio. Use
just enough to remove any background hum or noise that may be
coming into OBS. OBS offers two default noise suppression options
which are Speex (low CPU usage, low quality) and RNNoise *good
quality, more CPU usage).

Next you can add an Audio Gate to automatically mute the

microphone when you are not speaking. A well configured audio gate is
designed to naturally mute background audio in between breaths and
sentences as you speak. A poorly designed audio gate may overreact to
make your voice sound unnatural and choppy. The most important
level to adjust is the Gate level. This is the level at which audio will be
muted when you are not speaking. Here you are looking for a
noticeable audio level that captures the sound of breathing but not so

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high that it would capture actual speech. It’s recommended to use one
of the free VST2 plugins for OBS from Reaper.fm for optimum
performance. The ReaGate plugin can be installed on any Windows
computer and added to OBS using the VST 2 plugin filter option.

ReaGate is a free VST 2 plugin available for use with OBS.

There are a few tricks you can apply to a Noise Gate to make it sound
more natural. If you have a deep voice you can use a High Pass Filter
around 80 Hz to make the audio gate sound more natural. If you are
using the default OBS Noise Gate there is no option for using a high
pass filter. If you find the noise gate makes your voice sound unnatural
you will want to adjust the Attack and Release settings to tune how
quickly the filter affects your voice. It’s a good idea to record a few tests
as you adjust the noise gate. Try listening with your headphones and
focus on the beginning and ending of words to make sure the gate is
not turning on or off too quickly.

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Next, you can work on an EQ. An EQ can make a voice or other audio
source easier to hear and understandable for listeners. Unfortunately,
there is no default EQ for OBS and you will need to use a VST 2
plugin to gain this functionality. Using an EQ takes some getting used
to but you can apply some best practices to get started. If you are
creating an EQ for the human voice, you can use basic high-pass and
low-pass filters to remove unwanted noise and enhance the vocals. Male
voices and female voices differ in the frequencies they generally exhibit.
Male voices range from 80 to 500 Hz. Female voices range from 175 to
1180 Hz. Most EQ interfaces will show a graphical display that starts at
20 Hz and goes up to 20 kHz. Since the human voice generally starts at
80 Hz, there is no reason to include audio from frequencies below this
area. Between 80 and 120 Hz is the lower bass sound of the voice and it
is very important for intelligibility. In between 200 and 300 Hz is the
boom of a voice which gives it its fullness. Between 300 – 1000 Hz you
will hear the reflections of the room. Finally, between two and three
kHz you can usually add clarity to your voice. Regular telephone calls
generally max out at 3 kHz. Between five and 15 kHz is what is called
sibilance which provides minimal nuances in the human voice.
Anything above 15 kHz is not needed for most audio capture systems.
In fact, you can trim out some unwanted high-pitched sounds by
removing these higher frequency EQ bands.

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ReaEQ is a plugin available from Reaper.fm.

The final stage for most audio chains is the Compressor. OBS does
offer a built-in compressor you can use with any audio source. The
compressor will help “level out” your audio throughout an entire
period of time when you may speak louder or softer at various times.
The main compressor adjustment you want to start with is the Ratio.
The Ratio adjusts the entire compression that is added to your audio.
Adjusting the Ratio is easy to listen for, because the effect makes your
voice sound more and more like a radio host. Once you have the ratio
you like, you will need to set the Threshold. The Threshold is the
level at which your compression ratio will start to kick in. To set the
Threshold speak loudly and determine where you would like the
compressor to limit your audio from peaking at the top end of your
loudest moments.

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ReaXcomp is a free VST plugin from Reaper.fm.

The default OBS Compressor offers a very interesting feature called

Sidechain/Ducking. Once you have configured a professional audio
chain, you may want to apply the Sidechain/Ducking feature to other
audio sources you have in your audio mix. Sidechain/Ducking will
take the audio levels from your microphone and automatically lower the
audio from other sources when it is active. This is a great way to
automatically mix together your audio sources when you want the
audience to be able to better hear your voice over other audio sources
playing the background.

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The Sidechain/Ducking feature is found in the Compressor filter

settings.

You can apply a Sidechain to any audio source with the Compressor
filter. The Sidechain/Ducking dropdown menu is the last option in
the default OBS Compressor filter. This is where you can select the
audio source you would like OBS to use to effectively reduce the audio
with. When you create this filter, name it specifically for
“Sidechain/Ducking” so that you can remember the purpose of this
filter is different from a normal compressor because it takes it’s
direction from the selected Sidechain audio source. When you create
this filter, you will be able to adjust how much the audio “Ducks” when
your selected microphone is active. Therefore, you can set the
Threshold, Attack, and Release just like a regular compressor.

Key Takeaways:

1. Audio is always one of the most important portions of

a video production.
2. OBS offers default audio filters that can be used to
enhance your audio production
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3. OBS also supports VST plugins which provide

additional enhanced audio adjustment capabilities with
higher quality graphical interfaces.

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7 PLUGIN TO THE PLUGINS

The core OBS Studio application features a robust API that developers
use to create plugins to extend the functionality of OBS. Plugins can be
found to do everything from instant replay to automatic scene
switching making OBS as powerful as many paid video production
software suites. Plugins for OBS can be found in the resources section
of the OBS Forum page (https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/).
In order to download a plug-in you will generally be directed to GitHub
because all OBS plugins must be open source. Github is a social source
code sharing website that allows software developers to interact and
share their work. By default, OBS plugins on the website are sorted by
their last update. You may find it more useful to filter the 120+ OBS
Studio plugins by “most downloaded” or “best rated” to find the
most reliable and useful plugins.

Pro Tip: All the plugins in this book are outlined on GitHub with
download links at https://github.com/streamgeeks .

OBS Plugins can be sorted with Filters in the Forums page.

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After sorting through dozens of OBS Studio plugins, the following list
has been compiled of the top plugins for OBS. Each plugin in this list
will be reviewed in greater detail in an upcoming chapter.

● Plugins for Production

○ Multiple RTMP Output - This plugin allows
you to stream to multiple CDNs at the same
time via RTMP. This is popular for live
streaming to YouTube and Facebook at the
same time for example but does require extra
upload bandwidth to work properly.
○ Advanced Scene Switching - This plugin is
designed to automatically switch between OBS
scenes based on a variety of triggers such as
audio, media, and Hotkeys. It can be used to
switch to a specific camera for example, when a
microphone becomes active.
○ Source Docks - This plugin allows you to dock
any source inside the OBS interface. This is a
great way to quickly view and control media
inside of the OBS interface.
○ Source Record - This plugin creates a filter you
can use to record a specific source
independently from the main video recording.
○ Replay Source - This plugin allows you to
create live instant replays using OBS. It allows
you to apply a filter to any given source which
will record the video for instant playback in your
computer memory. This plugin offers the ability
to use hotkeys and play video back in slow
motion. This is a great plug-in for sports
productions.

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○ NewTek NDI® Integration - This plugin

allows you to connect OBS to NDI® video
sources in a couple different ways. First you can
bring NDI® video sources on your network
into OBS by adding NDI® as a source.
Additionally you can output video from your
OBS production as an NDI® source on your
network. And finally, you can add an NDI®
output filter on any source. This allows you to
output individual sources as NDI® outputs on
your network.
● Plugins for Audio
○ Audio Monitor - This plugin allows you to use
a filter to route audio to any virtual or physical
audio output available on your computer. This is
often used to send an audio output from OBS
to software such as Zoom using a virtual audio
cable.
○ Virtual Audio Cables - While these are not
officially a plugin, they will enable you to use
OBS in new and powerful ways. Virtual Audio
Cables are technically audio drivers which can
be used to route audio on your computer using
OBS.
● Plugins for Control
○ Websockets - The OBS Websockets plugin
creates an API you can use to remotely control
OBS. There are many plugins available that use
this API.
○ Filter Hotkeys - This plugin allows you to use
Hotkeys to turn Filters on and off. This is ideal

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for toggling effects on and off during a

production.
○ PTZ Controls - PTZ camera controls are
available to operate PTZ cameras from the OBS
interface. This is ideal if you have PTZ cameras
that you are working with inside of OBS.
● Plugins for Graphics
○ Animated Lower Thirds - This plugin allows
you to control animated lower thirds with a
dockable controller. The dockable controller is
well designed for managing lower third content
and the animations used.
○ Move Transitions - This plugin allows you to
control transitions for individual sources as they
move with scene transitions. Therefore,
individual sources can move in and out of
scenes with custom effects as you switch
between scenes.
○ Closed Captions - While this is not technically
a plug-in, Web-Captioner is one of the best tools
for closed captions. Web-Captioner takes an
audio output from OBS and creates an HTML
web-page that can be brought back into OBS
with the closed captions.
○ Background Removal - This plugin uses an
advanced neural network to remove the
background of images and video sources. This
allows you to apply an audio/video filter to any
image or video and replace the background with
something else. This is popular for green screen
applications used to create virtual sets or blurred
backgrounds.

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○ OBS Color Monitor - This plugin adds crucial

tools for color grading which include a
Vectorscope, a Waveform and a Histogram.
These tools allow you to properly color balance
live video sources. A Vectorscope is a visual
representation of color in a live video source. A
Waveform Monitor is considered the
counterpart to the Vectorscope and it handles
exposure and brightness. The Histogram
displays red, green and blue colors for the select
source on a graph.

Each of these plugins will help you gain new capabilities inside of OBS.
The process of installing a plugin into OBS is very straightforward. All
you need to do is copy and paste the plug-in files that you download
directly into the plugins folder for OBS on your computer. The OBS
plugin folders can be found in the locations below.

Windows:

32-bit plugins folder = C:\Program Files (x86)\OBS\plugins

64-bit plugins folder = C:\Program Files\OBS\plugins

Mac:

Applications/OBS.app/Contents/Plugins

Here are the steps you can follow to install any OBS plugin.

1. Download the plugin files from GitHub

2. Unzip the files on to your computer
3. Copy and paste them into the OBS plugins folder

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4. Launch the OBS application

Once you have completed the steps above, the plugin you have installed
should become available inside of OBS. It’s really that simple. Some
plugins make installation even simpler with an installation wizard that
handles this process for you. The following chapters will outline each
plug-in on the list and the capabilities they add to OBS. You can pick
and choose which plugins will add value to your production and watch
the online tutorial videos available in the Udemy course with this book
to see how they work. In some cases, plugins can be used together to
create new functionality the developers didn’t intentionally plan out. So
enjoy each plug-in overview and keep an open mind to the abilities each
adds while you think about the overall functionality of OBS.

Key Takeaways:

1. Hundreds of developers have created plugins for OBS

that extend the functionality of the software.
2. OBS plugins are easy to install manually and some
developers even include auto-installation wizards to
make the process easier.
3. All OBS plugins are open source and can therefore be
customized to fit your needs.
4. This book includes reviews for a long list of reliable
plugins that can significantly increase the capabilities
of OBS for your video productions.

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8 MULTIPLE RTMP STREAMING DESTINATIONS

As content creators seek to grow their audiences and reach new people,
many want to begin streaming to multiple platforms. For example,
streamers with channels on YouTube may want to expand their
audience to Facebook. Gamers streaming to Twitch may also like the
stream to be available on YouTube. In the past, OBS users were limited
to streaming to one platform. To send streams to multiple places, many
users had to change to different production software or use a
third-party service to restream the OBS output to multiple platforms.
While re-streaming with cloud-based streaming providers is a great way
to reduce computer processing and upload bandwidth requirements,
many OBS users have computers and internet speeds that can handle
streaming to multiple destinations simultaneously. The Multiple RTMP
streaming plugin makes it possible to stream to as many destinations as
your computer and internet connection can handle.

Multiple RTMP Output is easily configured using standard RTMP

server and key information.

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Installing Multiple RTMP Output

The Multiple RTMP Output plug-in is available for Mac and PC and
can be downloaded from the OBS website
https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/multiple-rtmp-outputs-plugi
n.964/. Self installation wizards are available for the Mac and Windows
versions. This is the best route for most users. If you would like to
install the plug-in manually, extract the .zip file and place the plug-in
files in the correct folder on your computer. When you are done, restart
OBS.

Using Multiple RTMP Output

If the plug-in is installed correctly, you should see it as a floating panel
in the upper left corner. This is a dockable panel, so you can move it
around and place it anywhere in the OBS user interface.

1. If it is not already configured, set up your primary stream as usual.

You can access the primary stream configuration in the Settings menu
in the Stream tab and more advanced options in the Output tab.
2. Go to the Multiple RTMP Output Panel and click Add New Target.
3. Manually enter the RTMP Server and RTMP Key
4. Under Video Settings, it is recommended that you leave all settings
as "Get from OBS." This will enable Multiple RTMP Output to use the
main OBS output and stream it to the additional server. There may be
occasions when you want to use a separate encoder and settings, but
know that it will significantly increase the demand on your computer's
CPU. See more below under Bandwidth and CPU Concerns.
5. Under Audio Settings, it is again recommended that you use the
“Get from OBS” option. But, again, you do have the option to use a
separate audio source. This could be ideal for sending out a stream in
another language for example.
6. Under Other Settings, click Sync start with OBS if you want the
second stream to start automatically with your primary stream.
7. Repeat this process to add any additional RTMP outputs.

Bandwidth and CPU Concerns

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Before sharing your first stream to multiple platforms, you will want to
pay attention to the use of bandwidth and your computer's CPU. First
of all, even though Multiple RTMP Output can use the primary output
of OBS, it will still be using up additional bandwidth in order to stream
to multiple platforms. Therefore, adding just one additional target will
nearly double the bandwidth used. This is an especially important
consideration if you have limited upstream bandwidth.

Try running a bandwidth test to get an idea of your available upload

and download speeds. You can do this quickly by Googling “speed test”
and following the instructions from Google. As a general rule, your
upload bandwidth should be roughly double your total bitrate for all
your streams. So, if you have an upload bandwidth of 10 Mbps, you
would not want to send more than 5 Mbps. For example, if your
primary stream is 2500 Kbps, a second stream would double that,
giving you 5000 Kbps which is equal to 5Mbps.

Adding another target could take your bandwidth use past the guideline
of half your available upload bandwidth. While it is possible to get away
with using more than half the upstream bandwidth, you will want to do
extensive testing to be sure there aren't any problems. You can monitor
your bandwidth usage using your computer’s monitoring application
such as Task Manager on Windows.

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Task Manager appears in the Performance view with Ethernet selected.

As covered in the setup instructions, it is recommended that you set the

video settings of your secondary sources to "Get from OBS." This
takes advantage of Multiple RTMP Output's ability to share the
encoding work with the primary OBS output. If you do opt to encode a
second stream separately, know that this will significantly impact your
CPU. Adding a third source will add even more to your computer's
load. Whatever settings you choose, just be sure that your PC or Mac
can handle the extra work without dropping frames or crashing. This is
where you can monitor your computer's performance while streaming
using the OBS Stats.

How Multiple RTMP Output is Being Used

Houses of Worship
Many houses of worship are using live streaming to reach a larger
audience. Some may have started streaming on YouTube and now want
to expand to Facebook live or vice versa. Houses of worship often run
on minimal technology budgets, so purchasing new software or using a
third-party service might be out of the question. Now they can use
Multiple RTMP Output right inside OBS.

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Gaming
Gamers are using Multiple RTMP Output to stream their gameplay and
commentary to multiple gaming and social media sites. Gamers with
the proper hardware can even take advantage of the option to use
multiple encoders. This way, they can send videos with different bitrates
and resolutions to match the streaming platform.

Pros and Cons

Pros: It’s Free and easy to setup. It can eliminate the need for a
third-party restreaming services. It does not require excessive CPU
power when correctly configured.
Cons: It can push the limits of upstream bandwidth when sending
multiple streams. It can be highly demanding on CPU when using
separate encoders for each stream.

Alternatives to Multiple RTMP Output

Currently, the only other options for streaming to multiple servers from
OBS are third-party services like Castr or Restream.

Key Takeaways

1. Before this plug-in, OBS users have had to rely on

third-party services to capture their stream and
restream it to other sites.
2. Now users can stream to multiple live streaming
servers without ever leaving OBS.

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9 ADVANCED SCENE SWITCHER PLUGIN

Many OBS users handle all the aspects of video production by

themselves. In these cases, there is no dedicated producer or engineer.
Instead, the streaming host is also the producer, director, camera
operator, and technical director. Thanks to the flexibility and
customization possibilities of OBS Studio, the software works great for
solo operators who learn how to use Hotkeys and controllers such as
the Elgato StreamDeck. However, it still doesn't hurt to have some help
keeping everything running. Advanced Scene Switcher adds switching
automation to OBS with a powerful plug-in that features a bunch of
options to help producers automate scene switching.

Installing Advanced Scene Switcher

You can install Advanced Scene Switcher in the same manner as most
other OBS plug-ins. It is available for download on the OBS website
https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/advanced-scene-switcher.39
5/  For this plug-in, you will download one .zip file. When you extract
it, you will see the auto-installers and files for Mac, PC, and Linux. Use
of the auto-installer is recommended unless you have experience adding
plug-ins manually.

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Advanced Scene Switcher opens into a management window.

Using Advanced Scene Switcher

After installation is complete, relaunch OBS. You can access Advanced
Scene Switcher in the Tools menu. The Advanced Scene Switcher
dialog box can be a bit overwhelming at first. Fortunately, you won't
likely need more than a couple of those tabs. However, a look through
them will introduce you to the possibilities of Advanced Scene
Switcher.

In the General tab, you will find some of the global settings you may
need to revisit once you get some automations set up. One thing to
note here is the Status section, where you can choose to automatically
start the switcher when you start recording, streaming, or both. There is
also an option to start the switcher on startup if it was running
previously.

The rest of the tabs cover all the possible ways to use Advanced Scene
Switcher. As you review the options available on each tab, notice that
they all work on the same basic concepts – triggers and actions.
Setting up automated scene switching is about assigning the trigger and
action each will initiate.

● Scene Triggers - This allows you to trigger actions based on

scene changes. For example:   When Camera 1 is active, start
recording after 2 seconds.
● Video - Video can monitor a video source and trigger an action
when the source matches a predetermined video file. That
action switches to the scene you pre-select. The trigger can also
be set to engage when the source does not match or if it has
changed.
● Audio - Monitors any audio source and triggers an action when
the levels go above a certain threshold (or below a threshold)
for a set amount of time, it will trigger a scene switch the scene
you choose. This can be used to switch camera views when
specific microphones become active.

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● Sequence - Automatically switches to a scene when another

scene becomes active.
● Idle - Switches to a preset scene if there are no keyboard or
mouse inputs for a set time.
● Time - Can trigger a scene change based on the day and time.
● File - Triggers a scene based on the contents of a file. You can
also write the name of the current scene to a file and use the
contents of that same file to select the next scene.
● Media - Automatically switches scenes based on the current
state of a media source. For example, when a media source
ends, switch to a title slide.
● Region - Can automatically trigger a scene based on the
cursor's position.

These are just some of the commonly used available trigger options.
Next, you can set up an example trigger and action. For this example,
try switching to the scene for your camera immediately after a video
finishes playback.

Example Use:

1. In OBS, go to Tools, Advanced Scene Switcher.

2. Select the Media tab.
3. Click the + in the lower-left corner.
4. Moving from left to right, choose your media source.
5. After "state is," choose "Played to end" from the dropdown menu.
6. Leave the next two boxes as is and then choose Camera 1 as the
scene to switch to.

If you would like to try your first automated transition, go to the

General tab of Advanced Scene Switcher and check to see that it is
active. If not, just click the Start button.

How Advanced Scene Switcher is Being Used

Gaming

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Gamers have enough to pay attention to without manually switching

scenes. With Advanced Scene Switcher, gamers can automate nearly
every transition in their stream while keeping their hands free.

Video Podcasts
Advanced Scene Switcher can keep shows moving along with
automation. Producers can have countdown timers trigger intro videos
which can then switch to a camera and microphone.

Houses of Worship
The Advanced Scene Switcher is very popular with houses of worship.
Since they often rely on volunteers and can sometimes be shorthanded,
this type of automation really helps.

Sporting Events
The fast pace of sporting events, plus the use of pre-recorded videos,
graphics, and transitions, make Advanced Scene Switcher popular with
sporting event streamers. It will be especially beneficial for those
covering school and local sports where you don't have an entire
production crew. Automating some of the switching duties can let
broadcasters focus on the game.

Pros and Cons

Pros: It’s free. It offers powerful automation.
Cons: The interface can be intimidating at first.

Alternatives to Advanced Scene Switcher

Advanced Scene Switcher appears to be the only plug-in currently
available for automating scene switching in OBS.

Key Takeaways

1. If you want to automate some of the switching work in

OBS, Advanced Scene Switcher is a great option.
2. Don't be overwhelmed by the many options, just
choose what you will benefit from.

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3. You may only need one or two automations to make

significant improvements in your workflow.
4. You can always add more as you learn the plug-in and
consider other places where automation can help.

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10 SOURCE DOCK PLUGIN

OBS offers a flexible interface that allows users to customize the layout.
One thing that couldn't be added as a dockable panel with the ability to
preview sources. The Source Dock plug-in for OBS Studio allows users
to create a dockable window inside the interface for any source. In
addition, each panel can be customized to provide audio level meters,
volume adjustments, and media controls you can access on the fly.

Installing Source Dock

Source Dock can be downloaded from the OBS website.
https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/source-dock.1317/.
Download the version for your system (PC, Mac, and Linux ).
Installation wizards are available for the Mac and Windows versions.
This is the best route for most users. Otherwise, extract the .zip file and
place the plug-in files in the correct folder on your computer. When
you are done, restart OBS.

Source dock includes additional controls for the sources you are
monitoring.

Using Source Dock

To create a dockable panel from any source in OBS, go to Tools and
select Source Dock. In the dialog box, select the source you wish to
dock. Be sure the Visible box is checked.

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Check or uncheck boxes below the various features that you want to
appear in the dock. These can be adjusted later.

● Preview – This will show a thumbnail of any video source.

● Volume Meter – This will enable the audio level meters for the
source.
● Audio Controls –This will allow you to adjust the levels of the
sources from within the Source Dock window.
● Switch Scene –This will enable the source to be sent to the
program output when clicked on in the panel.
● Show Active – This will display Active in green when the
source is active.
● Properties - This adds a button to access the properties of the
source
● Filters - This adds one-button access to filters assigned to the
source.
● Text Input – This displays a text area for notes. This could be
used to display the Hotkey combination used to display the
sources or other information.
● Scene Items – This displays scene layers and enables toggling
of each item.

Next, click Add. The panel will appear. Click and drag it like any other
panel. From there, you can adjust and rearrange the panel’s location.
While Source Dock can be used with any input type, it is especially
useful with live web pages and media sources.

Using Source Dock with a Web Page

Add a Browser Source to any scene in OBS. You can use any website
you like for the URL. Once the input is created, go to Tools and select
Source Dock. Add the browser source and be sure the Visible and
Preview boxes are checked. Click Add and then click and drag to drop
the panel to your preferred location. Now notice that if you click into
the preview window in the panel, you can use your mouse to interact
with the live website. You can scroll and click when the source is live or
when it is inactive. This is ideal for getting up to date website
information ready for display.

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Using Source Dock with a Media Source

Add a Media Source to any scene. Be sure that the Local File is
checked. Click Browse to locate a video file on your computer. If it is a
short video, you may want to check the box next to Loop. Click OK.
Now once again, go to Tools, Source Dock. Choose the media source
you just created. Be sure the Visible, Preview, Volume Meter, Audio
Controls, and Media Controls are checked and click Add. Drag and
drop the panel to your preferred location. Now you will see that you
have complete control of the media source. You can start, stop, or
replay the media. You can also see the audio levels and adjust them via
a slider.

Using Source Dock with a Live Video Source

Add a Video Capture Device to any scene. Go to Tools, Source
Dock and choose the Video Capture Device you just added as the
source. In most cases, you will only need to check the boxes for
Visible, Preview, and Switch Scenes. Click Add. Drag it to where you
would like it to dock, and you now have a dedicated preview monitor
that you can place nearly anywhere in the OBS interface.

How is Source Dock Being Used?

Live Multi-Camera Productions

It is now possible within OBS to have a preview monitor window for
every camera and pre-recorded video. There would be no need for the
Studio Mode Preview Window as you could see all sources
simultaneously. With the Switch Scenes option selected for each input,
switching would be as easy as clicking the preview of the source you
wish to send to the program output.

Houses of Worship
Many houses of worship use multi-camera setups, and many of them
are operated by volunteers. Using Source Docks, someone can
configure a layout with each camera or other video source displayed in
a preview panel. Then, once the service starts, the volunteer operator
would only need to click the next desired input.

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Training Videos
Some training videos rely heavily on sharing web content. With Source
Dock, any Browser Source can be docked. If it is configured correctly,
instructors can interact with the web page from within the Preview
window. This makes displaying the web content so much simpler for
instructors since the whole thing happens within the OBS interface.

Pros and Cons

Pros: It’s Free. It’s easy to install and to set up.
Cons: It is difficult to find any downsides to this plug-in.

Alternatives  to Source Dock

Source Dock appears to be the first and only of its kind. Users looking
for more limited docking capabilities may want to look into the Custom
Browser Docks feature in OBS.

Key Takeaways

1. If you want to be able to preview input sources in

dockable panels in OBS, you need to install the Source
Dock plugin.
2. Whether you want to interact with web content via a
preview window or control of pre-recorded videos,
Source Dock can do it.

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11 SOURCE RECORD PLUGIN

Source Record allows you to record any source in OBS while

simultaneously streaming or recording the main output of OBS. In
other software and hardware platforms, this is referred to as an Isolated
Output (ISO). ISO recordings are ideal for post production because
they do not feature the overlays and graphics found in a full Scene and
therefore can be used to easily recreate new content. Using Source
Record, you can record as many sources as your computer can handle
independently from the main video recording.

Source Record can be applied as an Effect Filter on available sources.

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Whether you are recording the screen and a camera for video gameplay,
streaming a sporting event with multiple cameras, recording a class
session with various camera angles, or any other application, you may
need to make a separate recording of just one source. You may want a
clean copy of the screen share for example or a wide shot for
post-production editing. In some cases, there are additional camera
angles that won't be used in the primary production, that can be saved
in the event they are needed later. The ability to record a “clean-feed”
of any source can be a powerful video production tool. Source Record
brings this functionality to OBS via an easy to apply filter.

Installing Source Record

Source Record can be downloaded for PC, Mac, and Linux from the
OBS website at https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/ Download
the version for your system. Depending on your system and the version
you download, it may include a self-installer. Otherwise, follow the
instruction to place the plug-in files in the correct folder on your
computer. Once you are done, restart OBS, and you will be ready to go.
Source Record will now be available as a filter for any source.

Setting Up Source Record

Launch OBS normally. If you don't already have sources and scenes set
up, go ahead and add one or two. Otherwise, you can work with the
setup you already have.

1. Choose the Source or Scene you wish to record by itself. There will
be times that you want to record just a source by itself. However, if
you're going to include more than one layer, like an overlay, you will
want to set up a Scene with the Source Record filter.
2. Right-click on either a Source or the Scene you want and select
Filters.
3. In this dialog box, click + to add a filter.
4. If you installed Source Record correctly, you will see it at the bottom
of the list. Select it.
5. When you see Source Record in the list of filters, click on the eyeball
icon next to it. This will toggle Source Connect off until you are ready.

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6. In the dialog box, choose your Record Mode. This will be the
trigger for your recording. For example, if you choose Streaming,
Source Record will begin recording your selected source or scene at the
same time you start streaming.
7. Choose the path to save the files in the correct folder.
8. Select your recording format. .mkv is recommended for most
applications since, if your computer goes down, it will retain the
recording up until that point. With other formats, like MP4, all the data
will be lost if the recording is interrupted before it is finalized. MP4 is
very popular as well for its high quality to file size ratio.
9. Review the additional advanced settings. Note that there is an option
to record a separate audio track. This could be useful if you want to
record a video source, plus an external microphone.
10. When ready, toggle the eye icon back on and press close.

Now, whenever you begin to stream, record, or start whatever action

you set as Record Mode, OBS will start recording your selected source
or scene. You can repeat this whole process up to two more times to
record a total of three isolated recordings. Another plug-in called Filter
Hotkeys will allow you to start and stop Source Record with the click of
a button.

How is Source Record Being Used?

Gaming
A gamer streaming to a platform like Twitch may want to send a
multi-layered output with a screen capture for the gaming system, a
camera capturing their reactions as they play, and an overlay with
information about the streamer. However, they may also want to be
able to record their gameplay at full quality for posting on YouTube.
Or, maybe the gamer wants to record full quality video from their
camera for use in later post-production. With the Source Record
plug-in, any source can be recorded separately at full quality.

Houses of Worship
Houses of worship often use volunteers to produce live video.
Unfortunately, inexperienced operators are more prone to the

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occasional switching or camera operating error. With Source Record, it

is simple to create separate recordings of up to three cameras. This way,
any glitches can be edited before the service is uploaded for on-demand
viewing. Social media teams could also access all the camera angles for
sermon clips or music performances.

Sporting Events
Sports streamers have long needed a way to record an isolated output.
The raw footage without any overlays is excellent for highlight reels. It
is also helpful to record multiple individual cameras to capture the best
view of a play. Often, the best angle is not from the camera that was
streaming at the moment. With Source Record, up to three cameras can
be saved independently for later review and post-production.

Pros and Cons

Pros: It’s free. It adds ISO capability to OBS. It’s easy to use.
Cons: There are glitches for some users and configurations.

Alternatives To Source Record

Currently, there are no other plug-ins that offer this type of
functionality. This makes Source Record the only presently available
option other than switching to another platform such as Wirecast,
ECamm Live, or vMix.

Key Takeaways

1. Source Record allows you to record as many sources

as you can with your computer using OBS.
2. ISO recording is a popular feature in other live
streaming platforms, and it adds crucial functionality
to OBS.
3. It may be a worthwhile addition to OBS, even for
those who aren't currently in need of it. The need to
record a source separately could come up at any time.

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12 REPLAY SOURCE

Instant replays are a great way to enhance video content for sporting
events and video gameplay. While OBS does now have built-in basic
replay functionality, Replay Source offers a more powerful and flexible
replay solution as an OBS plug-in.  Instant replays can add considerable
production value to many types of content. Replay Source makes it easy
to add this functionality to OBS and activate it with one or two
keystrokes.

Installing Replay Source

Installing Replay Source requires a few more steps than most of the
other plug-ins. However, none of the steps are particularly complicated.
Moving through the steps actually goes quite quickly. The installation
process requires changes to OBS settings, downloading and installing
the plug-in, loading a script, and setting up hotkeys.

OBS Settings
Before you begin the actual installation, a few settings need to be
adjusted in OBS.

1. Enable the Replay Buffer in OBS – In OBS, go to the Settings

menu and select Output and then the Replay Buffer tab. If you don't
see the Replay Buffer tab, check that Output Mode is set to
Advanced. Next, check the box to activate Replay Buffer.
2. Set Buffer Maximum – This is the length of the clip it will
continually capture and make available for replay.
3. Set Video Format and Path – U nder the Output settings, click
Recording. Here you can choose the preferred file format and the path
to the directory where files should be kept. Make a note or take a
screenshot of this location for a later setup step.
4. Automatically Start Replay Recording – If you will be using
Replay Source regularly, you will want to set it to begin automatically so
that the replay will be there when you need it. The whole concept of

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the feature is that, by recording continuously, you can always access the
last few seconds of your recording and always be ready for a replay.
5. Load the Replay Script – In OBS, go to Tools and select Scripts.
Hit + and add the Instant-Replay.lua file from the directory. Select
Replay next to Media Source. Click Close.

Installing the Plug-in

Depending on your computer's operating system and the current
version, it may include a self-installer. If you are not comfortable
moving files around your computer, the self-installer would be the best
option. Otherwise, follow the instruction to place the plug-in files in
the correct folder on your computer. When done, restart OBS, and the
plug-in should be ready to use.

Once you have installed the plug-in and relaunched OBS, notice the
Start Replay Buffer option under Controls.

Setting Up the Instant Replay

1. In OBS, create a new scene and name it "Instant Replay Scene."
2. Click + under Sources and add Media Source.
3. Select Create New and name it Replay Source
4. Check to see that Local File is selected and locate the replay file.
You set the directory path earlier in the OBS Settings.
5. Click OK.

Configuring Hotkeys
You can assign Hotkeys to all of the Instant Replay functions. You can
set these up on any keys you want or even assign them to a Stream
Deck or Touch Portal controller. Try using F1, F2, and F3 as an
example for clarity. To set up the hotkeys, go to Settings and select
Hotkeys. First, if you want to be able to toggle the replay buffer off
and on with a hotkey, scroll down to Start Replay Buffer and click
into the box. It will record the next keystroke or key combination and
assign it to start the buffer, for now, use F1. Entering that same
keystroke in the Stop Replay Buffer box will cause that F1 to act as a
toggle to turn the recording on and off.

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Next, scroll down to the Replay Buffer subheading and assign F2 to

Save Replay. This key will act as the trigger to save the contents of the
replay buffer for playback. Finally, scroll down to Instant Replay and
assign it to F3. Click Apply and OK.

Using Instant Replay

There is a lot of flexibility when it comes to how to use instant replays
in your production. Since Instant Replay is configured as a source, you
can add it to the scene, and crop, resize and move the window within
the scene. Once you have it set up, you can save and playback a replay
at any time. With the example setup, you would just need to click F1 to
start the Replay Buffer. Then, when you are ready to share a replay,
click F2. OBS will save the video clip in the buffer, the length based on
the settings entered earlier. Finally, F3 will begin the replay.

How is Replay Buffer Being Used?

Gamers
Gamers are quickly learning how to massively upgrade their production
values on Twitch and YouTube using Instant Replay. There is a lot to
think about when running a stream and focusing on the game. Instant
Replay's use of hotkeys means that the gamer can get a replay live on
the stream with just a couple of clicks of the keyboard or Stream Deck.
Gamers are also using the Replay Source alongside other plug-ins to
add filters and effects automatically when launching a replay.

Sporting Events
While the Instant Replay plug-in does not offer some of the more
advanced features found in software like vMix or Wirecast, it can add
some excitement to a sports broadcast or stream. While this solution
does not let you select from multiple camera views like the more
advanced software, producers can get impressive results using filters
and other plug-ins.

Pros and Cons

Pros: It’s free and easy to use. It includes multiple setup options. It has
been well integrated with OBS.

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Cons: Setup is not as simple as other plug-ins, and it can take some
time and effort to get everything working properly, Can only replay
OBS main output and not specific sources.

Alternatives To Replay Source

OBS – As mentioned, OBS does have replay functionality built-in.
Instant Replay builds on that framework to create a more
straightforward and more powerful tool.

There do not appear to be any other OBS-based alternatives to Replay

Source other than OBS's built-in option. However, there are some
options that work outside of OBS to capture the stream locally and
have it ready for replay.

Key Takeaways

1. If you want instant replay in OBS, Replay Buffer is the

best option.
2. Its operation is seamless and straightforward once you
get everything set up.
3. Just be aware that getting everything configured may
take some time.

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13 THE NDI® PLUGIN

NDI stands for Network Device Interface and it is an IP video

production protocol originally developed by NewTek. NDI was
released in 2015, and it has since become one of the most popular IP
video production connectivity options for professionals around the
world. The NDI plugin is available for OBS Studio users on Mac, PC
and Linux computers. The plugin was originally released in June of
2017 by a french developer named Stéphane Lepin with the user name
Palakis. As of 2022, OBSProject.com shows the NDI plugin has been
downloaded over 1.7 million times. Over the past few years, Palakis has
made regular updates and improvements to the plugin.

NDI itself is not open source and therefore it can not be developed
into the core OBS application. NDI is royalty-free and the plugin that
Palakis has developed uses the royalty-free software development kit
(SDK) to add NDI functionality into OBS. Once installed the plugin
allows users to bring NDI audio and video sources into OBS and send
NDI audio and video sources out of OBS.

Adding NDI sources to OBS

The nice thing about NDI is it’s ease of use when discovering video
sources on your network. You can bring NDI video sources into OBS
using the “NDI Source” option available in the sources menu. This
allows you to name the NDI source and search through a list of
available NDI sources on your network. The current OBS plugin
integration allows you to connect to NDI sources in two bandwidth
modes “highest” and “lowest.” You can also choose to connect with

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“audio only.” An important option to understand when using multiple

NDI cameras is called Sync. NDI is able to synchronize multiple
cameras or video feeds together using time codes that can come from
the device itself or the network. Most NDI video sources can be set up
to synchronize with a common Network Time Protocol (NTP) server.
Your network should have an NTP server in place or you can use a
commonly used server such as time.windows.com or time.google.com.
NTP settings are so important to IP video, they will be covered in more
detail in an upcoming chapter.

Outputting NDI sources from OBS

You can send NDI video out of OBS easily using the NDI Output
Settings found in the Tools dropdown menu. This area allows you to
send two main NDI outputs. You can send the “Main Output” which
is your “Program” window in OBS Studio and you can send your
“Preview Output” which is your “Preview” window. Simply check the
outputs you want to send via NDI, give them a name and press OK.
Once you have done this your NDI video sources coming from OBS
will be discoverable on your local area network (LAN).

The latest version of the NDI plugin for OBS also includes a special
NDI filter that can be applied to any audio or video source in OBS.
This is an ideal way to take a specific source and make a dedicated NDI
output available on your network regardless of whether it is in preview
or program. To access this filter, you can right click on any source and
select the “Filters” option. Here you can choose to apply a dedicated
NDI output with both audio and video or a dedicated NDI output just
audio only. Once you create a dedicated NDI output filter you can
name the NDI source and click “Apply Changes.” Once done, your
NDI source will be made available on your network.

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It’s worth noting that OBS will never have native support for NDI. All
code in the OBS project must be 100% open source. NDI itself is
royalty-free, but the code is not open source. Therefore, the plugin
provides a legal way for OBS to interface with NDI. So why is OBS so
important to the NDI ecosystem overall? NDI essentially opens up
thousands of new video input and output opportunities for OBS users.
Because OBS is free, it has become a go-to solution for creating NDI
video and sending it out into a LAN.

NDI® settings inside OBS.

Example: Using OBS as an NDI® output

One example of using an NDI output with OBS is a dual computer

set-up. Many people have multiple computers and they want to stream,
record, and play videogames at the same time. In many cases, one
computer is not powerful enough to play computer games and live
stream at the same time. So it’s possible to have one computer for
playing video games, and another for live streaming and recording the
content.

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Two computers connected with NDI®.

Connecting two computers with OBS is very easy with NDI. One
computer is set up to output NDI and the other simply uses NDI as an
input source. As long as both computers are on the same local area
network (LAN), the video should be crystal clear and reliable with
minimal latency. Another popular use of OBS is to output the
production to another computer as a display. In this way, you can use all
the tools in OBS to create a dynamic presentation with live video and
other sources. The entire production can run on a Mac, PC, or Linux
computer and then distributed across the network to another computer
where you want the video to be displayed.

Example: Using NDI® as an input

Perhaps the most popular way to use NDI as an input in OBS is with a
smartphone. NDI offers two smartphone applications which can be
used to send video in two different ways. NDI Camera turns a
smartphone into an NDI camera. NDI Capture captures the screen of a
smartphone and makes the video available as NDI. NDI Capture is
ideal for mobile video gaming or presentations that happen on a
smartphone. NDI Camera is great for sharing live camera video with
OBS over a LAN.

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NDI Camera used with a video production computer running OBS.

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There are multiple benefits to using an NDI Camera instead of a

regular webcam. First of all, smartphones are popular and they feature
some of the best camera technology available to consumers. Secondly,
the NDI® Camera solution uses WiFi and doesn’t take up a USB port
like a webcam would . Therefore, NDI® Camera can be used
untethered from the computer it’s used with to provide new and
interesting viewpoints.

Mobile phones can be used to send screen captures with NDI®

Capture too. While mobile phones are great for playing video games
and making presentations, they can be clumsy when used with
multimedia applications such as live streaming and video production.
Therefore, NDI provides an easy way to incorporate mobile phone
connectivity with larger live video productions.

Example: Using NDI® Filters

Filters area of OBS.

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Once the NDI plugin is installed with OBS, a new filter called
“Dedicated NDI® Output” becomes available. This is a great way to
create a dedicated NDI® output for any Scene or Source you choose.
You can add a filter to any Source or Scene by right clicking and
choosing the Filters option. Once the Filter has been added, you can
name your NDI output. This is the name that will be discoverable by
other NDI solutions on your LAN.

Once you have stepped into the NDI® ecosystem, you will find a
growing number of hardware and software tools available to improve
your production workflow and that offer new creative possibilities. Due
to the nature of NDI®, there are many software tools that can do as
much or more than previous hardware options. NDI® has always
offered many resources to developers to add NDI® functionality to
their software and hardware systems. The NDI® Software
Development Kit (SDK) has helped many developers integrate NDI®
into their products over the years since its release.

NDI® Tools Streaming Graphics

Software Software

NDI® Studio Monitor, OBS, vMix, ProPresenter

NDI® Bridge, NDI® Wirecast, EasyWorship
Remote, NDI® Screen Livestream Panamation
Capture, NDI®|HX Driver, Studio, Resolume
NDI® for Adobe® Creative MimoLive, Sportzcast
Cloud®, NDI® Webcam Wowza, xSplit,
Input, NDI® Access Manycam,
Manager, NDI® Import I/O NewTek
for Adobe CC, NDI® Audio Connect
Direct, NDI® Screen Capture
HX, NDI® Test Patterns

NDI® Hardware Communicat Smartphone

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ions Apps

Magewell, Epiphan, Microsoft NDI® Camera

LiveU, Teradek, Teams, NDI® Capture
PTZOptics, SONY, LiveToAir by
Panasonic, Gnural Net,
HuddleCamHD, Skype
NewTek, Cannon,
Bluefish444,
Tally-Lights LLC,
Bird-Dog

The list above offers some of the most popular NDI® supported
software and hardware solutions. Please note this is not a complete list.

Free NDI® Tools

NDI® offers a free set of tools for you to get started. You can
download these tools at https://www.ndi.tv/tools/. Below is a list of
the most useful NDI® tools you can start using today.

Studio Monitor
Studio Monitor can be used on a Mac or PC computer to quickly
display any NDI® video source available on your LAN. This
application can quickly display all discoverable NDI® sources on your
local area network. Studio Monitor has a long list of features which will
be covered in an upcoming chapter. Most importantly, you can view any
NDI® source and if the source is a PTZ camera, you can control the
PTZ camera with an on screen control set.

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Studio Monitor connected to a PTZ camera will reveal PTZ camera

controls.

NDI® Studio Monitor can also be controlled remotely by a web-server.

The IP address for this web server can be found in the applications
settings area. Once you enter this IP address into a web browser on the
same LAN, you can access the control for Studio Monitor. This is
particularly useful if you are using Studio Monitor to power a LCD
screen that is remote to your current location. Applications include
digital signage, video for overflow areas, and remote camera control
applications. In this way, NDI® Studio Monitor can be used as a router
to deliver customized NDI® video content to a number of displays on
your network. Here is a summary of NDI® Studio Monitor benefits:

● Independently configurable video source, overlay, and audio per

instance.
● Launch, distribute, and manage multiple instances from a single
device.
● Support for control and configuration via compatible mobile
devices.
● Comprehensive support for multi-monitor video wall and signage
installations.
● Remote control of PTZ camera, recording, and configuration for
applicable sources.

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● Record NDI® files directly from multiple instances with NDI®

Studio Monitor.
● Remote control via web server.
● NDI® output allows NDI® Studio Monitor to act as a router and
server for delivery to multiple outboard displays.

Studio Monitor features a web server that can be used to control the
application remotely.

NDI® Webcam Input

The NDI® Webcam Input is a small utility which creates a virtual
webcam source from any discoverable NDI® video source on your
network. The NDI® virtual webcam is then usable with any software
that uses the webcams. This mini application allows you to select an
NDI® source that you would like to use as a webcam source in an
application such as Zoom or GoToMeeting. Once selected, you can use
any NDI® source on your network as a webcam in any application
using the available “NewTek NDI®” virtual webcam selection.

During the installation of NDI® tools, you can choose to have the
NDI® Webcam Input “run at startup.” When the application is
running it can be found in the system tray. You can click the application
to open up a small menu of settings. It is here where you can choose

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the NDI® video source you would like to make available as a virtual
webcam.

The NDI® Webcam Input is compatible with Google Hangouts,

GoToMeeting, Skype, Zoom, and more. It supports full frame rate
video and audio up to 1080p and 4K UHD at 60 fps.

The Webcam Input application is found in the system tray.

Webcam Input can be used with popular platforms like Zoom.

NDI® Screen Capture

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NDI® Screen Capture can capture the screen of the computer it is

installed on and make it available as an NDI® video source. NDI®
Screen Capture supports the capture of multiple monitors and it also
includes the ability to capture a webcam. There are now two versions of
NDI® Screen Capture -- the original version is called NDI® Screen
capture, and a newer version is called NDI® Screen Capture HX. Both
versions will be outlined in more detail in an upcoming chapter. The
biggest difference is the encoding options which allow NDI|HX®
Screen Capture to reduce bandwidth.

NDI® Screen Capture appears in the system tray.

Once NDI® Screen Capture is running on the computer you will

receive a notification saying, “Your screen is now available as an NDI®
source.” You will also see the NDI® Screen Capture icon in the System
Tray. From here you can open up the application settings which include
Framerate, Capture Settings, Audio Source, Webcam Video Source,
Webcam Audio Source, and Enable KVM Control. Most of these
features are self-explanatory, but the KVM control is an interesting
feature you can use to take keyboard and mouse control for the
computer remotely. Once enabled, the NDI® Studio Monitor
application will allow you to control any computer remotely with the

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NDI® Screen Capture KVM Control feature enabled. Here are a few
features the application enables:

● Generate multiple live video sources simultaneously with

selectable audio.
● Support for multi-monitor capture, with independent output at
up to 60Hz.
● Capture all of your system’s desktops in real-time, at 60Hz and
games at 120Hz or above with almost no CPU usage.
● KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) remote control of any
workstation running Scan Converter from NDI® Studio
Monitor.
● Consumes minimal system resources with no noticeable
performance impact.

NDI® Screen Capture HX looks very similar to NDI® Screen Capture

with a few new features.

NDI® Screen Capture HX

NDI® Screen Capture HX is the High Efficiency version of NDI®
Screen Capture which features new levels of control for bandwidth
optimization and Graphics Processor Unit (GPU) hardware
acceleration. When the application is opened, a notification will let you

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know that your screen is being made available on the network as an

NDI® source. NDI® Screen Capture HX includes four options for
bandwidth levels. You can choose between Ultra, High, Medium, and
Low. NDI® Screen Capture HX takes advantage of new graphics card
video compression technology which can support resolutions up to 4K
with surprisingly low bandwidth requirements. It allows:

● Full resolution screen capture up to 4K and above at

frame-rates up to 120 Hz or higher
● End-to-end hardware acceleration including screen capture,
color conversion, and video compression.
● High-quality dedicated encoding pipeline on NVIDIA hardware
and full control over the video bitrate that enables superior
image quality while using any network – including wireless
networks.
● Low latency screen capture.
● Support for capturing audio from any sound device – input or
output – that’s fully synchronized with the video signal.
● Full remote Keyboard Video Mouse (KVM) controls, allowing
remote control of keyboard, mouse, clipboard, and even touch
from a remote machine.
● Full control over the video bandwidth, resolution, and
frame-rate being used.

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Adobe Creative Cloud products that work with NDI®.

NDI® for Adobe® Creative Cloud®

NDI® for Adobe Creative Cloud enables users to output NDI® video
directly from Adobe products including After Effects and Premiere
Pro. This allows video producers to quickly output video directly from
the timeline of their projects for review and approval. These
applications include Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Prelude, Adobe After
Effects, and Adobe SpeedGrade. NDI® for Adobe Creative Cloud is:

● Compatible with Adobe After Effects® CC, Premiere® Pro

CC, and more.
● Supports full-resolution, real-time video with audio, and
transparency.
● Viewable from any NDI®-enabled receiving device anywhere
on the network.

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NDI® Access Manager set-up with multiple public and private groups.

NDI® Access Manager

NDI® Access Manager allows administrators to restrict access to
NDI® video sources on their network. The application allows users to
manage visibility and accessibility of NDI® sources to specific
computers on a network. NDI® Access Manager can easily group
NDI® sources together to make them either public or privately
discoverable. It also enables administrators to:

● Configure NDI® channels as public or private on the network.

● Group NDI® systems, devices, and applications to preference.
● Connect to and access NDI® channels on other networks via
an IP address.
● Connect to and access NDI® channels on other networks via
an IP address.
● Advanced controls allow preferences for Transmission Control
Protocol (TCP) or User Datagram Protocol (UDP)
connections, multicast operation, and optional discovery server
support.

NDI® Audio Direct

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NDI® Audio Direct is a tool designed to bring NDI® audio sources

into Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software. DAW software
solutions are used to record, edit, and produce audio. The NDI®
Audio Direct tool leverages two plugins that are designed to transport
audio in and out of DAW software solutions. NDI® Audio Direct is
compatible with any DAW that supports VST 3 or LV2 audio plug-ins.

NDI® VLC Plugin

VLC is a free open source video player. VLC’s wide user adoption has
led NDI® to support the system with a free plugin. The plugin allows
NDI® video sources to be directly accessible with compatible VLC
software without the need for transcoding.

● The plugin is compatible with existing and previous versions of

VLC Media Player for Windows.
● It makes content accessible without transfer, transcoding, or
direct connectivity.
● It supports encoding of multiple instances of the VLC Media
Player simultaneously.
● It offers virtual PTZ control for the pan function and zoom
control around VLC output.

As you can see NDI can open up many possibilities for your
productions.

Key Takeaways:
1. OBS is a completely free video production that continues to
improve with each release.
2. OBS is open source and the project is supported by a large
community of developers.
3. There is an NDI® plugin for OBS which provides NDI®
connectivity for OBS.
4. NDI® can be used as a video input or output with OBS.
5. Because OBS is free, it’s a great application to produce NDI®-

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enabled video content for use with NDI® tools such as Studio
Monitor.

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14 AUDIO MONITOR PLUGIN

OBS is a great tool, but it has some limitations, especially when it

comes to audio monitoring and control. An audio feature desired by
many streamers has been a way to create a separate headphone mix that
will allow users to monitor and send any source within OBS to any
audio device they choose.

Over the years, there have been several workarounds, but the Audio
Monitor plugin for OBS offers all the functionality producers need in
an easy-to-use interface. Audio Monitor gives you the ability to send the
audio of any OBS source to any audio device just by adding the Audio
Monitor filter to the source. With this, you can create your own custom
headphone or monitor mix or even create a separate mix to feed your
host or guests headphones. The Audio Monitor plugin will be shown
with several examples in this book including how to use OBS with
Zoom and also creating closed captions with Web Captioner.

Audio Monitor can be shown as a dock inside the OBS interface.

Installing Audio Monitor

Audio Monitor can be downloaded for PC and Mac, from the OBS
website

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https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/audio-monitor.1186/.
Download the version for your system. Depending on your system and
the version you download, it may include a self-installer. Otherwise,
follow the instruction to place the plugin files in the correct folder on
your computer. Once you are done, restart OBS, and you will be ready
to go.

Using Audio Monitor

1. Select any source with audio in the Audio Mixer.

2. Click on the settings icon at the bottom of the source in Audio
Mixer.
3. Select Filters.
4. Under Audio Filters or Audio/Video Filters, Press the + and add
Audio Monitor.
5. Select the device to which you wish to send the audio from that
source. You can send it to any device connected to your system. That
includes audio interfaces and even virtual options like a Virtual Audio
Cable.
6. You can adjust the volume levels. This level will only impact the level
of the source to the selected device.
7. You can add as many Audio Monitor filters as you wish and send
any source to as many devices as you want.

Adding the Audio Mixer Dock

Go to the View menu and click Docks and select Audio Monitor. The
Audio Monitor panel can be docked within the OBS interface just like
any other panel. You can also move it to the same panel as the default
mixer and use a tab to switch between them.  While the two audio
mixers look similar, the Audio Monitor panel has an extra gear icon and
meter on the left. By pressing the gear icon, you can choose to display
all available audio sources or just those available in the current scene.

Within the Audio Monitor panel, the sliders can adjust the output levels
from that source to your selected audio device. That is unless you
locked the level when you set up the filter. There are additional options
within the settings menu. One handy feature is found by clicking on the

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gear icon and selecting Outputs. As OBS allows you to record up to

six audio tracks, this feature will enable you to preview and control the
output levels for each track.

How is Audio Monitor Being Used?

Gaming
Audio Monitor is a great tool for gamers streaming to Twitch,
YouTube, or other platforms since it allows them to send one mix to
the stream and another to their monitors or headphones. Most gamers
would like to control exactly what is going into their headphones and
make it different from what viewers will hear. For example, gamers may
or may not want to listen to their own vocals. They might want a
different level for game audio. Some might even want to add music to
the stream but leave it out of their mix.

Video Podcasts and Programs

Any production with a guest or multiple hosts can benefit from Audio
Monitor. If the host is also operating OBS, they may need to be able to
monitor some audio that the guest does not need to hear in their
headphones. Audio Monitor allows users to set up a separate mix
assigned only to the audio device feeding the guest's headphones. The
host can also set up their own custom mix that may differ from what
listeners will hear.

Live Entertainment
Live streamed music and entertainment are more popular than ever.
Audio Monitor gives OBS the functionality to handle the unique
challenges of live events, especially music. With Audio Monitor and the
proper audio devices, you could provide separate monitor mixes for
musicians, vocalists, hosts, and producers, all within OBS.

Pros and Cons

Pros: It’s free. It’s easy to install and has a great dockable interface. It’s
easy to use it with virtual audio cables with software like Skype or
Zoom.

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Cons: The layout and function of the interface can take some time to
understand. As a relatively new plugin, there are still some bugs.

Alternatives To Audio Monitor

VoiceMeeter Virtual Audio Mixer – Prior to the release of the Audio
Monitor plugin VoiceMeeter was the standard for many users.
Unfortunately, it was more challenging to set up and operate. Also, as
opposed to being a plugin running within OBS, VoiceMeeter is a
stand-alone application.

Key Takeaways

1. If you want greater control of your audio monitoring

in OBS, Audio Monitor is a great plugin.
2. It can take a little time to learn but is far less
complicated than VoiceMeeter.
3. Audio Monitor is ideal for complex workflows such as
connecting OBS with Zoom.

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15 WORKING WITH VIRTUAL AUDIO CABLES

OBS has become a popular production solution for people who use
video communications software such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom.
Many people who use video communications software, would like more
control over their audio and video, but only have the ability to use a
webcam and microphone as audio visual inputs. This is where virtual
video and audio cables come into play with OBS. OBS is capable of
outputting a virtual video camera which can be used with software like
Zoom as the webcam input. OBS is also capable of using virtual audio
cables to connect audio from OBS to other applications on the same
computer. These virtual audio and video connections allow you to use
OBS with any software that leverages a standard webcam and
microphone input.

Use cases for virtual audio and video connections vary widely. One of
the most popular ways to use a virtual webcam output from OBS is
with software such as Zoom. Zoom does offer some visual
enhancements such as blur effects and filters, but OBS offers much
more flexibility. The latest version of OBS now includes a usable USB
webcam driver by default which you can select inside of any software
that uses webcams. Using the Start Virtual Camera button inside of
OBS, you can send the video directly from your OBS output to any
software that is using the OBS Camera webcam input.

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Connecting OBS and Zoom is easiest if you have two monitors.

You can also bring video from Zoom back into OBS for live streaming
and recording. To bring video from Zoom back into OBS you can use a
desktop or window capture source. Many users prefer recording Zoom
meetings and interviews with OBS because they can control the bitrate
and therefore the quality of their video recordings. After much testing,
the StreamGeeks have determined that most recordings made with
Zoom are less than 2 Mbps. For reference a good quality YouTube
video would be at least 4-6 Mbps. Using OBS will allow you to record
video in a higher quality and record locally on your harddrive without
Zoom’s compression settings. You can also record individual sources
for use in post production after an event. This is ideal if you have a nice
camera that you do not want to have compressed by Zoom’s
cloud-based recording process.

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Connecting OBS and Zoom only has to be done once and it is easy to
use once it is configured.

Setting up virtual audio cables to work with Zoom and OBS is more
complicated than using the built-in virtual camera feature. OBS does
not offer built-in virtual audio cable support at this time and therefore,
you will need to download virtual audio cables to send audio from OBS
to other applications on your computer. By using virtual audio cables, it
is possible to record both audio and video from applications such as
Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Using virtual audio cables allows you to
enhance the audio coming in and out of OBS with audio plugins and
tools that are not available in many video communications tools.

You can download two virtual audio cables for free from
VB-Audio.com for your Mac or Windows computer. The VB-CABLE
drivers are donationware, so they will ask you to make an optional
donation to the developers. The default installation package includes
two virtual audio cables, because you may require one for sending audio
and one for receiving audio. Once they have been installed on your
computer, you should restart. The next time you open Zoom or a

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similar application you will see new virtual audio cables for input and
output inside Zoom when you open the microphone and speaker area.

Inside of Zoom, you can select CABLE Input for your microphone
and CABLE Output for your speaker. This will allow you to send your
microphone audio into Zoom using the virtual CABLE Input and
receive audio into Zoom using the CABLE Output. In order to send
audio out of OBS you will need a plugin called Audio Monitor. The
Audio Monitor plugin adds an important Audio/Video Filter to OBS
which allows you to output audio from any number of sources. Find
the audio sources you would like to send into Zoom and apply the
Audio Monitor Filter. Inside the filter select the CABLE Input option.
You have the option to mix audio by reducing the volume of each input
that is being sent into the virtual cable.

Next, inside of OBS, you will want to create a microphone input to

bring the audio from Zoom into OBS. You can do this by opening an
Audio Input Capture source and selecting Cable Output. An easy
way to test if everything is working, can be done within Zoom’s settings
area under Audio. You can click the Test Speaker button to send
audio into OBS and make sure you are seeing levels for the audio.
When you do this you should be hearing the test audio in your speakers
or headphones. If not, check the Audio section of the OBS settings
and check which device you have selected as your Monitoring Device.
Your Monitoring Device is the device OBS will send the audio to. Next
you should check to see if your audio sources from OBS are making it
into Zoom. This can be done by playing audio in OBS and checking to
see if you are receiving the audio levels inside of Zoom. Zoom has a
handy audio monitoring feature inside the microphone to let you know
when it’s receiving audio from the selected microphone source.

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Connecting OBS and Zoom can significantly increase your video and
audio quality for meetings and interviews. If you have a studio or
multiple cameras, you can now seamlessly switch between them in
Zoom meetings. You can also use animated lower thirds to make your
presentations look more professional. Another popular reason to use
OBS with Zoom is the ability to play videos directly into Zoom without
having to jump into a Screen Share session. In the Udemy course files,
there is a transparent meeting countdown timer you can use in an
upcoming meeting with this setup. The opportunity to have more fun
and look more professional in online meetings is greatly enhanced by
the use of OBS.

Key Takeaways:

1. OBS can be used to send audio and video directly into

software such as Skype and Zoom.
2. OBS has a default Virtual Camera feature which allows
you to send video to other applications using a virtual
webcam.
3. OBS does not have a default virtual audio cable
solution and therefore a virtual audio cable driver is
necessary to send both audio and video from OBS to
other applications like Zoom.

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16 FILTER HOTKEYS

OBS Studio comes standard with filters. You can add filters to any
source, scene, or audio source. However, there was no way to quickly
and easily turn these filters on and off. Filter Hotkeys adds the ability to
turn filters on and off using assignable hotkeys or even a Stream Deck
or Touch Portal controller. Filter Hotkeys make it easier to control your
favorite filters.

Installing Filter Hotkeys

The required files are available from the OBS website at
https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/obs-filter-hotkeys.1125/.
Filter Hotkeys is actually a script rather than a plug-in, so the
installation process is a little different.
1. Click download, and it will send you to the GitHub page.
2. Scroll down to assets and download the zip file.
3. Extract and copy the .lua files to the directory where your OBS
scripts live.
4. In OBS, go to Tools, Scripts.
5. Press +. It will automatically open to the correct folder where you
pasted the scripts. Select both script files and click to open
6. Before you close this dialogue window take note of the note in the
description where it reads, "Note: 0 - means disable filter, 2- enable, 2 -
toggle, 3 - hold." You will need to know these later when setting up
your hotkeys.

Using Filter Hotkeys

1. Create a source or choose an existing source, right-click on it and
select Filters.
2. Use the + at the bottom of Audio/Video Filters or Effect Filters
and add one or more filters. Take note of the names you give the filters.
You will need those later.
3. Go to Settings, Hotkeys.

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4. Find your filter by scrolling or by searching for it in the search box at

the top.
When you find it, you will see that there are four fields where you can
set hotkeys. They are labeled 0, 1, 2, and 3 and correspond to the note
you saw in the script dialog box. The hotkey you set for 0 will disable
the filter. The hotkey for 1 will enable it, 2 will toggle it on and off, and
3 will hold the filter on as long as you hold it, at which point it will turn
off.

How Filter Hotkeys is Being Used

OBS users have discovered some creative uses for Filter Hotkeys. Here
are some examples.

A streamer wanted to be able to add EQ and Reverb to his microphone

to deliver a spooky evil laugh. With Filter Hotkeys, he can toggle it on
and off with one keystroke.

A gaming streamer needed the ability to toggle the Chroma Key to

alternate from her green screen to a replacement background. She was
able to set up the filter and activate it with a hotkey

Another streamer uses Filter Hotkeys to enable a Scroll filter. A text

source list of his supporters and other credits is set up, and when ready,
the host can hit one key to start the scroll and another to end it.

Producers with multiple hosts and guests use Filter Hotkey to turn
audio filters on and off. Without it, it can be difficult to make audio
adjustments on the fly. However, with Filter Hotkeys, one keystroke can
turn on gain adjustment, a noise gate, noise suppression, or
compression. This can at least temporarily fix audio issues at least until
further adjustments can be made.

Pros and Cons

Pros: Free. Easy to use once set up.

Cons: With no auto-installer package, setup and configuration can be
difficult.

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Alternatives to Filter Hotkeys

Filter Hotkeys appears to be the only plug-in currently available for
toggling filters with hotkeys in OBS.

Key Takeaways

1. Not everyone needs the power to toggle filters with

Hotkeys. However, if you do, Filter Hotkeys is the only
option for OBS.
2. Fortunately, it is extremely easy to set up and use.

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17 PTZ CAMERA CONTROLS

Many OBS plugins build off the functionality provided by

others and PTZOptics camera control plugin is one that works well
with NDI for those using an IP based video production workflow.
PTZOptics is a live streaming camera manufacturer who is an active
OBSProject supporter and developer of the PTZ camera control
plugin. The plugin allows users to take control of PTZ cameras inside
of OBS and use Hotkeys inside OBS to automatically call PTZ camera
presets for a camera when you use an OBS scene.
A “PTZ” or pan, tilt, and zoom camera preset is a saved camera
position stored inside a PTZ camera which can be recalled during a
production to get the perfect view in a particular space. The PTZOptics
plugin that allows you to control up to eight PTZOptics cameras
directly from inside OBS. The plugin also features Xbox joystick and
Hotkeys support. Using only an Xbox joystick, plugged into your
computer via USB, you can fully control PTZ robotic cameras over an
ethernet connection on your local area network.

The PTZOptics camera control plugin can be installed easily with a few
files.

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Using an Xbox joystick inside OBS to control your PTZOptics

camera is quite simple and powerful for many live steamers. After you
have the plugin installed, go to the main menu on the OBS dashboard
and click on “TOOLS” to find the new “PTZOptics controller.”
Clicking on this will bring up the PTZOptics Control panel, and you
can immediately see that it offers complete control for up to eight
cameras.

PTZOptics also offers a free open source version of the control

software that you can customize for your own needs. Some OBS users
find it is easier to build PTZ camera controls into each scene using a
“Browser” input. To do this, you can use the new HTTP-CGI
Command Sheet from PTZOptics. This allows you to select a
command and build it into your OBS scene via the web browser input.
You can download the HTTP-CGI Command Sheet here:
PTZOptics.com/Downloads. This is an exciting example of extending
the power of OBS with a video-production plugin.

Key Takeaways

1. PTZ cameras are a great option for OBS productions

because they can be controlled directly inside the OBS
interface.
2. Using OBS browser sources you can send HTTP
commands to control IP connected devices like PTZ
cameras.

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18 ANIMATED LOWER THIRDS

Have you ever wanted to control your lower thirds on the fly? With
Animated Lower Thirds you can control four different lower thirds
simultaneously with an easy to use dockable control panel. Even better,
you can include logos, have total control over formatting, and trigger
the lower thirds using hotkeys.

Installing Animated Lower Thirds with Dockable Control Panel

You can download the necessary files for Animated Lower Thirds with
Dockable Control Panel from the OBS website.
https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/animated-lower-thirds-with-
dockable-control-panel.1057. It is available for Windows, Mac and
Linux. This is another add-on that is not actually a plug-in, so the
installation instructions are somewhat different.

1. Download and extract the .zip file. Next, you will need to move
that "Lower-Thirds" folder into the OBS program files folder.
You can find that location by opening OBS. Once OBS is
running, right-click the icon and the taskbar, then right-click on
OBS and click properties. Next to Target, you can see where
your program files are.
2. Next, go into the "Lower-Thirds" folder and then the "lower
thirds" folder.
3. Get the local URL of control-panel.html by clicking it to open
in your browser. Copy the URL from the browser's address bar.
4. In OBS, click View, Docks, Custom Browser Docks.
5. Under Dock Name, give the dock a name, in this case, Lower
3rd.
6. Next, paste the URL you just copied into the URL field. Hit
Apply and Close.
7. You will see the dock on the screen. You can drag and drop it
anywhere in your interface

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Setting Up Hotkeys for Animated Lower Thirds with Dockable

Control Panel

1. In OBS, go to Tools, Scripts.

2. Click the + sign in the lower-left corner. That will take you to
the default .lua script location. However, you will need to
navigate to the folder where you moved the downloaded
Lower-Thirds folder. Click into the "lower thirds" folder and
select the lower-thirds_+hotkeys.lua file. Click Close.
3. Go to Settings, Hotkeys
4. Scroll down until you see Lower Third Switch #1, #2, #3,
and #4. Type your selected key or keys into the fields. These
will now toggle your lower thirds on and off.

Lower thirds can be edited in the management panel.

Completing Setup for Animated Lower Thirds with Dockable

Control Panel

1. Set up a source for your lower thirds in OBS studio. Click +

under Sources, select Brower and name it Lower 3rd.
2. Ensure that the box next to Local file is checked.

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3. Click the Browse button and go to the "Lower-Thirds" folder

you downloaded and moved earlier. Next, click into the "lower
thirds" folder, click "browser-source," and click open.
4. Double-check the width to ensure it matches your current
canvas resolution,
5. Highlight the text in the Custom CSS section and delete it.
6. Be sure there are checks in the boxes next to Shutdown source
when not visible and Refresh Browser when the scene
becomes active.
7. Click OK.

Configuring Animated Lower Thirds with Dockable Control

Panel

1. Turn on the Main settings toggle at the top of the Lower Thirds
control panel.
2. There are also toggle sliders next to each of the four lower
thirds. We will later assign hotkeys to turn these on and off as
needed.
3. Click the + next to Main Settings to access the global settings
for all the lower thirds.
4. The Global Times field sets the transition time, visibility time,
and the amount of time until the lower third starts over.
5. Select the theme from the three options.

Using Custom Fonts

If you would like to use custom fonts in your web browser, go to

fonts.google.com and choose a font. Click Select this style next to the
font and style you wish to use. In the column at the right of the screen,
check the radio button next to @import. Highlight and copy the text
under "CSS rules to specify families."

Back in OBS, in the Animated Lower Thirds panel, click the + next to
Main Settings to expand the window. Next, click on the Customs tab.
Paste the text you copied into the field next to Custom Font. Next, go
back to your web browser and copy in the other box. In OBS, paste

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that in the other field next to Custom Font. Hit the +, and the font is
installed. You can repeat the process to add additional fonts.

Adding Logos

In order to add logos, you need first to place those graphics in the
correct folder and give them the correct name inside the Lower-Thirds
folder that you moved into the OBS program files folder, open logos.
To add logos, you must replace the existing files with files of the exact
same names. For example, one of your logos will need to be named
logo_1.png and replace the current logo_1.png file in the folder. In
addition, they must be ping 24 with transparency.

Setting Parameters for Individual Lower Thirds

1. Toggle the selected Lower Third on using the slider at the top.
2. Click the + to expand the settings options
3. Here, you can toggle the logo on and off, set the background
color and text colors, add a drop shadow, alignment, size,
position of the lower third, and more.

How Lower Thirds with Dockable Control Panel is Being Used

News Broadcasts

Those producing streaming or broadcast news programming with OBS

love the convenience of triggering and modifying lower thirds on the
fly. Since the settings are in a dockable panel, it is fast and easy to make
changes or add new text or logos right from the OBS interface. With
hotkeys configured, any of these lower thirds can be triggered from the
keyboard.

Online Meetings

Users add a professional touch to their appearance in online meetings

using animated lower thirds. With OBS connected to Zoom, Microsoft
Teams, or other video conferencing platforms, hosts can use text and

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logos to introduce themselves or guests and include additional

on-screen information with just a couple of keystrokes.

Houses of Worship

Live stream producers can add professionalism to their services with

lower thirds. These can be used to introduce worship leaders and other
people involved in the services.

Pros and Cons

Pros: Free. Extremely customizable.

Cons: Multi-step installation can be overwhelming.

Alternatives to Animated Lower Thirds with Dockable Control

Panel

There are not currently any plug-ins or other options that match the
power and features of Animated Lower Thirds with Dockable Control
Panel. However, simple lower thirds can be created in OBS just by
creating additional layers for graphics and text and including them as
part of a scene.

Key Takeaways

1. A lower third is a common graphic used to display

information about a video in the lower third of the
screen.
2. Great-looking lower thirds are easy to manage, edit,
and trigger, with the Animated Lower Thirds plugin.
3. This plugin includes an easy to use Dockable Control
Panel.

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19 BACKGROUND REMOVAL

Background removal tools, which allow you to remove or replace a

video background without a green screen, are more popular than ever.
They are showing up as an included feature in popular video
conferencing applications like Google Meet and Zoom. However,
background removal was not available in OBS directly until this plug-in
was developed. Fortunately, with the Background Removal plug-in for
OBS studio, you can remove backgrounds without a green screen. It is
easy to set up and absolutely free.

Installing Background Removal  

Background Removal is available for download for Windows, Mac, and
Linux from the OBS website at
https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/background-removal-portrai
t-segmentation.1260. Clicking the download link will take you to the
GitHub page.

Unfortunately, there is no installer package available, so you will need to

unzip the files and place them in the correct folders with your OBS
program files. Instructions are included on the page. The actual
downloads are located under “assets” at the bottom of the page.

Using Background Removal

Background removal is available as a filter. You can add the filter to any
video source.
1. Create a video source or choose one that is already available in OBS.
2. Right-click the source and select Filters.
3. Under Audio/Video Filters, click +.
4. Select Background Removal from the list.

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Background Removal Settings

If everything is correctly installed, you should see your video source in
the dialog box window. Below that, you will see the adjustable settings
for the filter. You can perfect the effect with the following sliders.

● Threshold - Adjusts the required color differentiation between

the subject and background. If you turn this all the way down,
you will likely find that the subject itself is removed from the
image. However, if it is too high, you will see a sort of halo
around the subject, and eventually, the entire background will
show.   
● Contour Filter – Adjust the tightness of the contour around
the subject that separates it from the background.
● Smooth silhouette – The higher the setting, the more it will
try to smooth the edges of where the subject meets the
removed background. If you turn it all the way down, the edges
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will be rough and pixelated. You can see them smooth out as
you move the slider to the right.
● Feather blend silhouette – The higher the setting on this
slider, the more the filter will try to soften the edges of the
subject.
● Background Color – Selects the color that will be shown in
place of the original background image. This can be any color,
but if you plan to use a chroma key to replace the background,
you should set this to the appropriate shade of green.
● Segmentation Model – Selects the method of differentiating
the background from the subject. You may want to click
through the options to see which one works best for your use.

As with any background removal tool, you will likely need to

experiment for the best results. If you are having trouble getting the
results you want with just the filter settings, take a look at your physical
environment. For example, you may need to add more light on your
subject or increase the distance from the background to make it easier
for the filter to make the differentiation.

Once your background has been removed and replaced with a single
color you can use the chromakey filter to make the background
transparent.

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The Threshold slider is one of the most important adjustments to fine

tune your removal of the background.

How Background Removal is Being Used

Online Meetings/Video Conferencing

While background removal is becoming standard in many video
conferencing platforms, many users prefer to connect OBS to the video
platform for better control. This enables users to have finer control of
background removal from within OBS.

Gamers
Many gamers like to remove their background from the webcam, but
green screens are not always a viable alternative. With a bit of
experimentation, they can get green screen quality results without the
green screen.

News
Newscasts have been using green screens for years, especially for
weather and sports. Now producers without access to green screens can
remove the background from behind the talent, replace it with green
and get the same effect.

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Pros and Cons

Pros: It’s free. It does not require a green screen.
Cons: Like all background removal filters, the quality will largely
depend on things like lighting and background. If you can get
everything just right, you may not get the results you are looking for.

Alternatives to Background Removal

With a green screen, users can use the built-in chroma key filter for the
same purpose.

Key Takeaways

1. It will take some experimentation to get results nearing

those of a properly used green screen.
2. In the right setting, this is a powerful background
removal tool that works great inside OBS.

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20 USING VIRTUAL SETS IN OBS

Virtual sets are an awesome way to enhance your OBS video

productions in a variety of ways. A “virtual set” is a video production
space designed to be used with a video source that has a transparent
background. Most virtual sets combine a foreground and background
element to create a realistic looking space for the production. Virtual
sets can be used in creative ways to transform presentation spaces and
video productions with graphics designed to look professional even
without a real studio.

The basic elements of a virtual set include a background, a video source

and a foreground image.

OBS now features two plugins that can be used together to create very
realistic looking virtual sets. The first plugin is Move Transitions. You
can use this plugin to effectively make camera movements inside of
your virtual set. The second plugin is Background Removal.

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Background Removal will allow you to remove the background of your

video without a green screen. The Background Removal plugin works
very well in most lighting conditions, but it is worth noting that you can
improve performance by using a solid background or an actual green
screen.

To build a virtual set you can start by selecting a foreground and

background element. In the Udemy course for this book, a zip file is
provided with the sample files for over ten virtual sets. Building a
realistic virtual set requires background and foreground elements that
match. Both images should be high resolution if you want to make
good use of the Move Transitions plugin for zooming into your set.

OBS shown with a virtual set scene that includes foreground, talent,
and background sources.

Configuring a video input with a virtual background is straightforward

in OBS. It can be done in the filter’s area of your source. You can use
the Remove Background filter in combination with the Chroma Key
filter for best results. Once you have your scene set up the way you

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want you should lock each source in place. The lock button is located
to the right of each source row and it will stop any unwanted or
accidental movement of the source's placement in your workspace.

If you would like to add some movement into your virtual set you can
duplicate the scene by right clicking the scene and selecting Duplicate.
Inside of your new scene you can adjust the layout of your scene and
use a custom Move transition to create a realistic virtual camera
movement inside your virtual set. To do this, unlock each source and
increase their size to create your new scene. In scene transitions click
Add Move and this will bring up the properties for your animated
transition. Move transitions can be used to make the transitions look as
if a camera is actually moving inside your studio. Get creative and try
panning across your virtual set and easing into your presentation space.
You can continue to create duplicate scenes for as many presentation
spaces as you would like to create.

Virtual camera movement inside of OBS scenes will make virtual sets
look more realistic.

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One creative way to use virtual sets is to place a virtual television inside
of your set. There is a png file included in the Udemy files that can be
used to frame a media source inside your virtual set. You can continue
to add new elements to your virtual sets to make them look more
realistic. When you create a second scene you may need to resize and
organize your sources to make the transitions look natural. If you
decide to use a virtual television screen, you can put any type of media
source into this screen. A virtual television space can be used to display
live video from a document camera or a pre recorded video from your
computer. In an upcoming chapter, you will learn how to use NDI and
other technologies like VDO.ninja to bring live video into OBS using
your phone and other network connected sources.

A rectangle shaped green screen has been placed in the background of

this video.

Finally, a friend of mine shared an amazing way to use green screen

technology to create a virtual monitor in a real space. The picture above
shows how you can create a virtual monitor by using a green screen in
only part of your video image. Green screens and virtual sets are fun

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technology to play around with. Get creative and try combining real
and virtual elements to your OBS video productions. Using virtual
audio and video cables, you can make your next video meeting much
more interesting.

Key Takeaways:

1. Virtual sets allow you to use a green screen or

background removal plugin to place talent in a new
space.
2. Virtual sets combine foreground and background
elements to make productions look more realistic.

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21 CLOSED CAPTIONS FOR OBS

Adding captions to your production is a great way to improve the

accessibility and reach of your video content. Closed captions can
remove language barriers, make content accessible for those with
hearing limitations, and allow people to watch videos when it isn't
practical to have the sound on. Captioning also offers SEO (search
engine optimization) benefits as Google and other search engines can
index the captions and improve your performance in search results.

Given the many advantages of captioning, adding this feature to nearly

any video production makes sense. However, while some video
platforms offer captioning, many streamers like to control both the
content and layout of captions. This is especially true for broadcasts
with many on-screen components (titles, graphics, etc.) that could be
blocked by auto-generated captions. There are multiple closed
captioning solutions available for OBS, but Web Captioner is one of the
easiest to use because it allows OBS users to add closed captions to in
just a few steps. There are two options for using the platform. The
simplest option is to use Web Captioner in the Google Chrome
browser and capture the window in OBS. The more advanced method
will encode the caption data into the live stream.

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Web captioner shown overlaid on top of the OBS interface.

Getting Started with Web Captioner - Option 1 - Screen Capture

Web Captioner is technically not a plug-in for OBS. However, it is

covered here since it is free and it adds a superior level of functionality
to most plugins that are currently available. Since Web Captioner is not
a plug-in, there is no installation required. Instead, just go to
webcaptioner.com from your Chrome Browser. Please note that Web
Captioner currently only works in Google Chrome. That is because it
uses the Web Speech API, which is only supported by Chrome.

Just click the "START CAPTIONING" button to begin. This click will
take you to a mostly black screen. Next, press the "Start Captioning"
button at the bottom of this page. The first time you use this web-app
you will be asked to give permission to access your microphone. Now
any system audio from your microphone, audio interface, or a
pre-recorded file will be captured, and Web Captioner will create text
from any dialog. If you would like to route audio out of OBS and into
Web-Captioner you can do so using a virtual audio cable and the Audio
Monitor filter you learned about earlier in this book.

Getting this into OBS is as simple as adding a new Window Capture

source and choosing the Chrome window showing Web Captioner.
That will bring in the entire window, and it can be used like any other

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source. However, it isn't very likely that most users will want to show a
full screen of captions. So instead, you can use OBS's built-in tools to
crop, resize, and move the window.

If you want access to more tools to customize your caption text, return
to your Chrome browsers and Web Captioner. Click on the three-dot
menu at the bottom right of the screen to launch the menu and click
Settings. Here you can adjust nearly every aspect of the look and
format of the caption text. Under "Appearance," you can change fonts,
text color, line height, letter spacing, alignment, capitalization, and even
background color.

On the General tab of the settings, you can control what will happen
when there is no audio. For example, when you or your video host stop
speaking, you can have it do nothing and hold on to the last words, add
between one and five line breaks, or clear the entire transcript.  If you
want to save your settings, just sign up for a free account and be sure
you are signed in.

Using Chroma Key for a Transparent Background

If you would like your captions to display with a transparent
background in your OBS production, you will need to take steps in the
Web Captioner Setting and in OBS.
1. In Web Captioner, open the Settings menu and select the
Appearance tab. Be sure the text color is correct for your needs.
2. Scroll down to Background Color. Change it green or whatever key
color type you wish to use for your chroma key. If you aren't sure, type
"0 177 64" into the RGB fields.
3. In OBS, right-click on the Window Capture source you set up for
Web Captioner. and select Filters.
4. In Effect Filters, click + and select Chroma Ke,y and give it a
name. Click OK.
5. Click on your new filter in the Effect Filters box. If you used green,
you should see it already replaced with grey. Below you can change the
Key Color Type and fine-tune the chroma key.

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Getting Started with Web Captioner - Option 2 - Embedded

Closed Captioning
While Web Capture is not a plug-in, this method of use does require the
installation of the OBS Websocket plug-in. The Websocket plug-in is
covered elsewhere in this section. This method will encode
closed-caption data into your stream. While you won't see the text in
OBS, viewers will be able to use the "CC" button to turn on captions
on platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch.

Note: This method requires OBS Studio Version 26.1 or later.

1. Be sure the WebSocket plug-in is installed and restart OBS.

2. In OBS, go to Tools and select WebSockets Server Settings.
3. Enable the WebSockets server and then set the port number. Adding
a password is optional but recommended.
4. Return to Web Captioner in your Chrome web browser and open the
Settings menu.
5. Select the Channels tab and select OBS Studio. Enter the port
number and password you previously added in OBS.

How is Web Captioner Being Used?

Educational and Instructional Content
Many instructors teaching in online virtual classrooms know that
captions can be critical for many different types of learners. Teachers
often want to control their captions and feel uncomfortable with
anything auto generated outside their control. They also might be using
a teaching or video conferencing platform that does not provide
auto-captions. More instructors are starting to use OBS and connecting
it to Google Meet, Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams, and other video
conferencing software.

Conferences and Events

Even after the pandemic, virtual and hybrid conferences and events will
continue to allow people to connect to resources and colleagues
without the cost and time associated with travel. The online virtual
component becomes far more accessible when live captioning is
available. This benefit may be significant for attendees traveling from

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other countries who don't speak the primary language of the

conference. People who are less than fluent can have an easier time if
they can see the text simultaneously.

Houses of Worship
Houses of worship strive to be accessible to as many people as possible.
With more people than ever attending online, they need platforms like
Web Captioner to ensure accurate captions for sermons and other
spoken-word content.

Pros and Cons

Pros: It’s free. It has Multiple setup options. It’s easy to use with OBS.
Cons: No punctuation unless explicitly spoken (i.e., question mark.),
Some users find it frustrating that the Web Captioner Chrome window
needs to remain open for the screen capture method to work.

Alternatives To Web Captioner

Closed Captioning via Google Speech Recognition
(https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/closed-captioning-via-googl
e-speech-recognition.833/)
This plug-in provides closed captioning via the same Google Cloud
Speech Recognition API as Web Captioner but in a standalone OBS
plug-in. Unfortunately, since it uses Twitch's built-in caption support, it
only works on that platform.
Caption.Ninja

This bare-bones option works similarly to Web Captioner but only

allows for the Screen Capture method. It also lacks any customization
settings, so you get black letters on a white background as your only
option.

Key Takeaways

1. Web Captioner is an easy and powerful way to add live

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captioning to your video production.

2. Web Captioned can be used to add captions on-screen

with screen capture or embedding captions into your
production via a web-browser input

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22 USING WEB-CAPTIONER WITH NDI

Now that you have learned how to use NDI and the web-captioner
tool, you can apply these skills to expand your capabilities with video
production. In this chapter, you will learn how to use NDI to capture
the output of one OBS streaming system with a second computer.
Using a second computer, you can create a stream that accommodates a
second language and optionally include closed captions. Additionally,
you can create a private Zoom or Teams meeting designed to provide
accessibility that includes closed captions, sign language and additional
language translations.

Diagram showing the LAN connecting two computers using OBS and
NDI.

As you can see from above, two computers on the same LAN are using
the NDI plugin for OBS to send video. The second laptop has its own
microphone that can be used by an interpreter to provide a translated
live stream. Using a technology like NDI is great for the local area
network because you can connect two computers together to create a
second modified production from the original version. Using the

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second computer, you can change the audio source and create a new set
of closed captions using web-captioner. To do this, you would use the
second computer's audio source with Webcaptioner as explained in
chapter X. This would allow you to display closed captions in the
language that you are choosing for your second stream. You can also
add a second camera to this system to provide a picture in picture view
of a sign-language interpreter.

OBS can be used to create custom video content for private video
meetings on software such as Zoom.

An easy way to add an interpreter to your second production would be

to use a software like Zoom or VDO.ninja. NDI even has a solution for
connecting to remote guests called NDI Remote. Using virtual video
and audio cables you are able to connect to a remote interpreter who
can contribute video and audio to your secondary production. You may
decide to bring audio and video into your production with a software
like VDO.ninja to connect to your interpreter. Then you can output
that video to a private meeting software such as Zoom to create an
accessibility area which provides close captions, sign language and
translation services. On your main stream you may promote access to
the accessibility area via a QR code or lower third animation letting
people know that it is available.

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Note: Zoom does offer paid translation services for many of their
customers. It might be easier than trying to hire your own translator.

The NDI Bridge is able to connect multiple computers together over

the public internet (WAN).

For those who are technically inclined, using the NDI Bridge may
become a useful tool for these types of workflows. Many video
production companies can help their clients create new and dynamic
live streams without having to fly out to be on-site by using the NDI
Bridge. Essentially, the NDI Bridge allows one OBS computer to
output NDI directly to another that is anywhere in the world. One OBS
computer would be the NDI Bridge host and the other would simply
“Join” the NDI Bridge from a remote location. The NDI Bridge does
require the host to open up a port on their network for the video traffic
to flow properly, but this is easy to do with a little networking
knowledge. In this scenario, you are not restricted to computers within
your local area network. This allows you to expand your OBS
production capabilities for collaboration possibilities and much more.

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Key Takeaways:

1. Closed captions can be used to provide a highly

accessible live stream.
2. Multiple computers can be connected together with
NDI and your network to create new and unique
streams.
3. Using a second computer with OBS is a great way to
add closed captions to video production designed for
accessibility.

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23 OBS COLOR MONITOR

Many video production professionals have learned how to color grade

video with professional tools such as waveform monitors, vectorscope
and histograms. These tools are available in non-linear editing (NLE)
software programs such as Adobe Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, and
Final Cut Pro but also in live video production software solutions such
as vMix and the NewTek TriCaster. Live color grading tools help aid
professionals who are color grading video sources. While monitors and
scopes can look intimidating, once you understand how they work, you
will wonder how you ever used color correction tools without them.

Color scopes can be added to the OBS interface as a side bar.

Today, many of these tools have been made available to OBS users via a
new plugin called OBS Color Monitor. This tool allows you to view
three essential color grading monitors for any video source in OBS.
Learning how to use these video monitoring tools will help you color

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grade video inside of OBS. The first tool is the waveform monitor
which displays color brightness broken out into red, green and blue
charted on a graph. The waveform monitor will easily help you see
which colors need to be altered to achieve a variety of color grading
improvements. The second tool is the vectorscope which is a graph that
focuses on color accuracy. The vectorscope monitor allows you to see
how color adjustments mainly from hue and saturation affect the video.
Finally, a histogram monitor is available to quickly see the brightness of
each color value with red, green and blue plotted out on a live chart.

Vectorscope show areas on a graph where the perfect representation of

each color should be.

Learning about a Vectorscope

A Vectorscope is a monitor that represents the color of your image. It

is an x and y graph representation of the color accuracy of your live
video feed. Each major color is displayed on the graph with an area that
represents the perfect area of true color representation. At the top left

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side of a Vectorscope you have red. Toward the bottom you have cyan
and green. The Vectorscope graph allows you to see the balance of the
colors coming from the live video source you are monitoring by
overlaying the values on top of the ideal color value positions.

One example of how to use a Vectorscope to accurately tune a camera

source, is to put a color checker chart on camera and look at the
vectorscope values. A color checker chart is a tool that features color
accurate swatches printed on a physical area that can be used on
camera. In a perfect world, a color checker chart on camera should
produce lines in a vectorscope that connect the image with the ideal
colors on the graph. A Vectorscope is a tool that is ideal for live video
color correction without having to rely on your own eyes and
potentially inaccurate monitor representations of an image. The
Vectorscope is all about color and provides you with tools to accurately
adjust your camera settings. You should always adjust the camera source
you are using before you use OBS Color Correction filters. For
example, you can use the Vectorscope to choose an accurate color
balance mode on the camera before you adjust the gamma or hue in
OBS. Once the camera has been accurately tuned the finishing color
corrections can be done inside of OBS.

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OBS scopes are nested together for easy previewing.

Learning about a Waveform Monitor

For those with color correction experience or those who want to learn,
OBS Color Monitor also includes a Waveform Monitor. The Waveform
Monitor is the counterpart for the Vectorscope available to handle
brightness and exposure for your video source. With a Waveform
Monitor, you can easily see if your image is clipping at the top or if the
blacks are getting crushed. The Waveform Monitor will allow camera
operators the ability to adjust the image preferably in the camera first to
ensure your image has a good exposure. 

Ideally, you want your camera’s image to be within the limits of your
Waveform Monitor. You can use the Waveform Monitor to make sure
your video has perfect whites and blacks using the Color Correction
filters as needed to make adjustments. A Waveform Monitor is essential
for completing precise color correction adjustments. This can often
help even novices detect and correct color issues. When you are reading
the Waveform Monitor keep in mind that red, green and blue graphs

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are actually stacked on top of each other. Each graph represents how
bright or dark the individual color is represented in the video. Looking
at these colors on a graph helps you determine which color may need
to be adjusted in order to balance the image with the color grade you
are looking for.

Learning about Histograms

Histograms are very easy graphs to look at because they read left to
right giving red, green and blue colors very clear representation. The
horizontal axis on the chart represents brightness (or luminance) and
the vertical axis shows the percentage of pixels that are in the image of
the specific color. Using a Histogram, you can see exactly how bright
100% of all red, green and blue pixels in your image are. In this way,
histograms that represent lighter images would have data mainly on the
right side of the graph. On the other side, Histograms representing
dark images would mainly have information on the left side of the
graph. Furthermore, each color is represented individually to allow you
to adjust colors and see their overall effect on the image plotted out in
an easy to visualize monitor.

Conclusion
Knowing the problem you want to solve is always half the battle. The
OBS Color Monitor plugin gives you the tools necessary to perform
live color corrections based on live results. Color monitors take the
guesswork out of the color grading process. Using professional video
monitoring tools allow you to remove unavoidable imperfections in
color representation from the human eye and physical displays. While
the actual OBS color correction filter could use an upgrade in the
future, the OBS Color Monitor tools provide a huge leap forward for
professional color correction with OBS.

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Key Takeaways:

1. Monitoring colors is ideal when you are trying to

match multiple cameras together.

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24 USING IP VIDEO WITH OBS

The live streaming industry is going through a renaissance of

innovation. This is specifically true in the IP video space. The entire
broadcast industry is well on its way to working with IP video and OBS
is no exception. You can look no further than the top downloaded OBS
plugins page for proof. You will find the NewTek NDI® (Network
Device Interface) plugin with more than 1.7 million downloads. You
will also find detailed support pages on OBSProject.com explaining
how Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) works for sending video over IP
around the world from one OBS computer to another. Other IP video
systems such as VDO.ninja are bringing cutting-edge peer-to-peer video
and screen sharing to OBS as well. A new open source IP Video
standard to keep your eye on is called IPMX.

The great news is NDI®, SRT, IPMX and VDO.ninja are all free to
use. It seems like each year there are new and innovative ways to
leverage networking equipment with OBS to increase what’s possible
with video production. Some IP video technologies are easier to use
than others, and most will require some high level networking
knowledge. In this book, it is assumed that you have already read The
Unofficial Guide to OBS which includes an entire chapter on networking
basics. Therefore, you should already be familiar with standard
networking equipment such as routers, network switches and WiFi
access points. You should also know how to identify your computer's
IP address, access your network router and connect devices to your
network with ethernet cabling.

WIth even a basic understanding of networking you can start to

transform the way you use OBS with IP video. For example, using NDI

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you can quickly connect the video and audio between two computers
connected to your network. In this way, you can set up one dedicated
computer for streaming and another for a high-performance task such
as gaming or multi-camera capture. Using IP video will allow you to
connect to cameras over the network making it easier and less
expensive to capture video sources. IP video technology has become so
advanced that it is now possible to skip the purchase of expensive
capture cards and use off the shelf networking equipment instead.

The following three chapters will outline VDO.ninja, NDI and SRT in
use with OBS. VDO.ninja is one of the easiest solutions for quickly
bringing video into your OBS production from another computer
anywhere in the world with internet access. It requires no downloads or
drivers to be installed because it’s browser based. NDI on the other
hand, does require the NDI plugin for OBS and the NDI tools that you
can download at NDI.tv. As you start to recognize opportunities to use
IP video on your network the NDI toolset may become very useful to
you. NDI will allow you to send video to and from computers on your
network. There are many devices that support NDI. You can even use
NDI with video production software such as Adobe Premiere and
After Effects. For those looking to set up video streams that span the
globe, a chapter will be dedicated to using SRT with OBS. SRT is a
protocol designed specifically for sending and receiving IP video over
the wide area network (WAN). Finally, due to popular demand, a
chapter will be included to cover Real Time Streaming Protocol
(RTSP). RTSP video streams are available from a variety of camera
manufacturers and the stream type allows you to pull video from
network connected cameras into your OBS production.

So get your networking equipment ready and prepare to download

some free IP video tools that will open your eyes to the limitless
possibilities OBS holds for video productions.

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Key Takeaways:

1. There are new ways to connect video into OBS

beyond capture cards and USB connections today.
2. There are multiple ways to connect video to OBS over
a network connection including NDI, SRT, RTSP and
VDO.ninja.

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25 USING VDO.NINJA WITH OBS

VDO.ninja (formerly known as OBS.ninja) is a quick and easy way to

add live video into your OBS production from a smartphone, a tablet
or a remote computer. VDO.ninja is totally free and available as a free
web service but it can also be customized and deployed on your own
private server. The nice thing about VDO.ninja is that it has been
designed around the OBS use case and has great documentation on
how to use it to bring remote guests into your OBS production. The
technology behind VDO.ninja is called WebRTC which is a free and
open source standard for online communications.

VDO.Ninja needs just two things to work properly.

● Someone sending a video feed from their device

● Someone accepting that video feed

To get started you can visit VDO.ninja and Create a Room. When you
are creating a room you can decide if you would like the guests to only
see the director's video or if you would like the director to appear in
scenes. Once you have created the room you will be given a link to
invite guests. You will notice the developers have created over 30 ways
to customize the guest experience including a pro-audio mode, 1080p
60fps video mode, low-CPU broadcast mode and much more.

While many people may use VDO.ninja to bring in remote guests into
their production, the solution can be used for simple IP video solutions
such as connecting the video from a smartphone into your OBS
production. Here is a short list of use cases.

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● Allow your mobile device to be used as a wireless remote

camera.
● Pull in other people's video and audio for podcasting/broadcast
(guest appearances)
● For sharing high-quality and low-latency audio and video across
the Internet and within LANs.
● Bring a friend's remote game stream into your OBS and do
side-by-side gaming together.
● For high-quality audio streaming, including remote DJing
● Wirelessly stream video from any pro camera using just a $10
Raspberry Pi and HDMI adapter.
● For sending any streaming-data peer-to-peer over the Internet
in a few lines of code, including JSON.
● Use as a remote low-latency teleprompter feed.
● Recording remote or local video at high quality without needing
any downloads.

Using VDO.ninja to connect a smartphone to your OBS production

has become a popular solution to add a wireless camera to OBS.
Perhaps the most popular solution for VDO.ninja is the ability to
remotely connect with guests in your OBS production for interviews
and podcasts. In fact, a group room inside of VDO.ninja can handle up
to 30 guests. Each person in the room will be able to see and hear each
other using their web-browsers to connect their cameras, microphones
and speakers.

Capturing a single source of video or an entire group of guests into

OBS is quite easy. All you have to do is copy and paste the Capture a
Group Scene link using a web-browser source in OBS. When doing so,
un-check the Local file box because you will be entering in the HTTP
address you copied from your VDO.ninja room. You can choose
almost any resolution but either 1280x720 or 1920x1080 is

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recommended. Next you should check Control audio via OBS. You
can optionally choose to add Custom CSS to change the appearance of
source inside of OBS.

VDO.ninja is an ideal solution for professional productions because

unlike most video communication tools, it has the flexibility to adjust
bitrates and customize the entire experience for your production. You
can of course use a paid solution such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams
but these solutions are designed for meetings and do not always meet
the requirements of live video productions. VDO.ninja has become a
popular tool for OBS users looking for free and open solutions to
improve their video production capabilities.

Key Takeaways:

1. VDO.ninja is a totally free tool you can use to bring

video into OBS from any device with a camera and
internet access.
2. VDO.ninja is an ideal way to bring guests into your
OBS production because it supports two way audio
and video communications via a web-browser
connection.

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25 NETWORKING & NDI

At the heart of NDI® connectivity is your local area network (LAN).
A LAN is a group of computers and other hardware or devices that are
connected using established networking protocols. These devices may
be connected using ethernet cables or via WiFi connectivity. A LAN
can be as simple as a computer, tablet, or printer connected on a basic
home network, or as complicated as hundreds of computers and
devices in an office building. All computers and devices connected with
networking equipment are considered part of a local area network.
Outside of the LAN is the wide area network (WAN). An Internet
Service Provider (ISP) provides LANs with a secure connection to the
WAN which delivers internet access.

Common types of networking equipment.

A router is a common type of networking equipment which provides a

safe communication space for computers connected to the network to
access the internet. The rules of the LAN are generally managed by the
router which has a management page that can be accessed securely by a
computer on the network. The router manages the other computers
and devices on the network and can even give devices IP addresses
automatically using a protocol called Dynamic Host Configuration
Protocol (DHCP). Some routers include a built-in network switch, but

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most are connected to a larger network switch which provides

connectivity between all of the devices on the network. Some routers
include WiFi connectivity with a built-in Wireless Access Point (WAP).
Many networks distribute WAPs throughout an area to provide WiFi
connectivity throughout a large space. Each WAP should be connected
to the network with ethernet cables and many are Power Over Ethernet
(PoE) capable. A PoE device can be powered by PoE enabled
networking equipment using standard ethernet cables.

Below is an example of an IP address table. It’s important that you are

organized when it comes to managing the 254 IP addresses available on
a single IP range, in order to effectively manage your LAN.

IP Address Device
192.168.1.0 This is the network number that identifies the network
as a whole.
192.168.1.1 This is assigned to the router
192.168.1.2-2 These addresses may be assigned to devices on your
54 network.
192.168.1.255 This is the broadcast address. Anything sent to this
address is automatically broadcast to IP addresses
1-254.
Don’t worry if the IP addresses on your network are different. The
starting numbers can vary depending on how the network is set up.

Besides the computers and devices that are a part of the network,
LANs require additional hardware to keep everything connected. In a
home or small office, the network may be managed by a single router.
ISPs often provide multipurpose all-in-one routers that offer access to
the internet (via cable, fiber, or other connection). They also provide a
wired and/or wireless network connection that enables connected
devices to communicate with the internet and other devices on the
LAN. Larger and more robust LANs may require additional hardware
such as routers, switches, firewalls, and wireless access points.
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Professional-grade equipment at this level allows for more devices,

better security, and network management.

There are several possibilities regarding the type of LAN you will be
using for your NDI® set-up. In many cases, you will use your existing
network. In that case, it will just be a matter of ensuring that your
network is correctly configured and has the necessary capacity. In large
organizations with more complex LANs, you may need to work with a
network administrator to ensure that your NDI® devices and software
have the required access and permissions. A network administrator can
also help assign the correct IP address to communicate across the
network and ensure that there’s enough available bandwidth to handle
your set-up.

In some situations, the administrator can also prioritize video traffic to

avoid latency issues when there is too much traffic on the network. You
may need to set up your own network for use specifically with NDI®.
It’s possible to connect a computer to multiple LANs at the same time.
This is easy to do if your computer has two Network Interface Cards
(NICs). If your computer only has one NIC, you can purchase a USB
to ethernet adapter to add an additional NIC port to your computer.
Adding an additional NIC port will increase the amount of bandwidth
your computer can access. Because NDI® can load balance multiple
NIC cards on a computer, this is an easy way to increase the amount of
NDI® sources you can use for your video production.

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This example LAN shows bandwidth partitioning for a VLAN.

A virtual LAN (VLAN) can be used to set up a segmented part of a

network specifically for NDI. Network administrators can set up a
VLAN to partition resources inside of a larger LAN and provide
additional reliability and security. VLANs are ideal for limiting network
access to specific computers. A VLAN is ideal for NDI video traffic
because you can reduce network traffic and the potential for packet
collisions. Most networking equipment allows you to create a large
number of VLANs. Each VLAN can be set up with access to specific
resources on the network. The example above shows a VLAN that has
been set up within a 5 gigabit network. The example VLAN has been
set up with access to 3 gigabits of bandwidth.

Networking equipment does have limitations which are important to

understand when you’re working with NDI® video. NDI® is designed
to work on networking hardware that supports gigabit or greater
transfer speeds. But what is a gigabit? Bits are units of measurement
used to represent data transfer. Gigabit networking hardware can send
and receive 1,000 megabits of data every second. Ten-gigabit
networking hardware can send and receive 10,000 megabits of data
every second. NDI® video traffic will use this available bandwidth on
your network to send and receive video. Therefore, it’s useful to know

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how much bandwidth each NDI® video source will require and the
maximum amount of bandwidth available on your LAN.

Here at the StreamGeeks

The StreamGeeks are a small team of content creators from West

Chester, PA, USA who produce live shows and video content all about
live streaming. The StreamGeeks have been using NDI® in a variety of
ways to produce video content, live streams, and webinars. The team at
StreamGeeks uses NDI® with OBS often to capture presentation
materials, manage Zoom meeting participants, social media comments,
and cameras.

Simple Presentation Slides

During most live streams and video recordings, the team at

StreamGeeks creates a presentation. This presentation is made with
Google Slides and then runs on a computer in the studio. The laptop
displaying the presentations is connected to an HDMI monitor so that
it can be easily seen from any camera angle in the studio. Using NDI®
Screen Capture, the “Presentation Laptop” easily sends the
presentation slides directly to the “Live Streaming Computer,” over the
LAN.

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Diagram shows two computers on the same network using NDI®.

The live streaming computer uses an NDI source to bring the laptop’s
presentation feed into OBS. It is possible to use OBS instead of NDI
Screen Capture but using the official NDI tools is a cleaner solution
overall. Inside of OBS, there are multiple NDI® camera inputs, an
audio input, and a variety of other media assets. One of these media
assets is a PNG file that is used to organize a live camera view and the
presentation slides. You can see in the screenshot below how OBS is
used to layer together two NDI® video sources.

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The output of OBS with multiple NDI® video sources in a live show
format.

Many video productions are built from multiple layers of media sources.
Local to the computer, there is a PNG file and a lower third.
Underneath the transparent PNG file, there are two NDI® video
sources that are connected over the network. This allows the producer
the flexibility to create a scene where viewers can see the speaker next
to their presentation but also cut to a full screen view of either the
camera or the presentation at any time.

Capturing a Zoom Meeting

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NDI® Screen Capture and a few more NDI® cameras.

The beauty of IP Video is scalability. The diagram above shows an

additional four NDI® cameras and a second NDI® Screen Capture
computer. It’s customary to have a Zoom meeting going during most
StreamGeeks’ livestreams. This allows the team to connect with viewers
in real time to answer questions and collaborate. Just like the
presentation slides, the Zoom meeting is captured in a Grid View and
made available to the producer.

Output of a StreamGeeks show with Zoom Grid View.

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As you can see, NDI® video sources can easily be added to your LAN
in order to provide more options for your production. The NDI®
capture of Zoom meetings has become very popular. During a typical
live stream, the StreamGeeks will also use a NDI® Webcam Input to
bring NDI® video back into Zoom for guests who are not watching
the livestream to view. To take this NDI® Zoom capture project one
step further, you can see the next diagram includes two different video
capture methods in the same Zoom meeting. How is this possible?
Using multiple computers, the StreamGeeks will often connect to the
same Zoom meeting to display the content in various ways.

A Zoom meeting with an active speaker alongside the Grid View built
from NDI® video sources.

During certain livestreams, it’s nice to be able to show the active

speaker in a larger window. And as a producer, it’s good to have the
active speaker in the Zoom meeting available as its own input to appear
in a full screen. Here you can see the active speaker is actually shown in
a regular screen capture. This means that OBS is capturing a screen that
is connected to the computer directly without NDI®. While this does
take up precious monitor space, the StreamGeeks will often use NDI®
on a separate computer to capture the active speaker view.

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Using NDI® this way is ideal for many organizations that seek to add
volunteers to their team. NDI® will allow anyone with a computer and
some technical skills to contribute to the video production.

Key Takeaways:

1. NDI® is a technology that makes it easier to

implement high quality video productions.
2. The StreamGeeks use NDI® in most live video
productions from their studio.
3. NDI® makes it easier to work with a team and allow
others to contribute content to your production.

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27 USING RTSP VIDEO WITH OBS

Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) is a convenient way to connect

video sources to OBS because it is widely available on network
connected cameras. From simple security cameras to advanced
production encoders, you will likely find that most network connected
video devices have the ability to produce an RTSP video feed that you
can pull into OBS as a source. RTSP video sources can be connected
using the “Media Source” source type. Using RTSP video requires some
networking knowledge because the device you are connecting to should
have a unique IP address for communication.

NDI is superior to RTSP in a variety of ways. For example, NDI video

sources on your network can be discovered automatically and that
simplifies the process of connecting to video sources. NDI also
features lower latency than RTSP in many cases which helps to reduce
audio synchronization issues. Both RTSP and NDI video sources can
benefit when they are synchronized with an Network Time Protocol
(NTP) server. Each device that you connect with over your network
should be synchronized with the same NTP time server that your
computer is using.

Network Time Protocol (NTP) is a networking protocol for time

synchronization and IP video connections. Network connected cameras
can use this technology to synchronize multiple RTSP and NDI® video
feeds. NTP servers are available all over the world and therefore video
productions can choose local time servers to achieve the best
performance. An NTP time server can be used to time-stamp each
frame of video being sent over a network. Time-stamped video frames
can be used to organize video frames in time and therefore synchronize
video from multiple cameras being received into one location.

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Network Time Protocol is a network protocol designed to synchronize

multiple network connected computers using a network server.
Network Time Servers (NTS) are available on most networks and they
can be used with IP cameras and a computer that you use with them to
ensure proper synchronization. The first thing you will want to do is
identify the time server that your network equipment uses. It is possible
to use a public time server (example: time.google.com) if you are not
sure which NTP server your network uses. The router in your network
should have the NTP server information and it can usually be accessed
by entering the very first IP address in your network range (example:
192.168.1.1). If you are unable to determine the time server that your
network uses, set the PC and cameras to the same time server. You
should always select a time server that is close to your physical location.
For example if you are located in Philadelphia, select a time server from
NY or VA, to ensure the least amount of latency when synchronizing.
You will also find a plethora of available network time servers to use
with a simple Google search.

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Time server settings on both Mac and Windows operating systems.

For Windows computers, apply the same time server information from
your networking equipment into the operating system. For
Windows-based computers this information is found in the “Clock and
Region” section in the settings tab; select “Set the time and date.” Then
look for an area with “Internet Time” where you can update the NTP
time settings. This process may require an administrative account to
configure. You should make sure the “Synchronize with an Internet
time server” is checked before you update the settings. A similar
process for Mac computers can be found in the “System Preferences”
area by clicking the date and time button. Mac computers can be set up
to “Set Date & Time Automatically” and configured with a NTP time
server.

Once you have configured your cameras and computer with these
settings you should notice significantly improved performance and
lower latency. To test this, follow the steps below to connect an RTSP
camera to OBS.

Step 1: Connect your IP cameras to OBS

To connect an IP camera to OBS using an RTSP video feed you can

use the “Media Source” input. This source can be added in the sources
area by clicking the plus button. To stay organized use an identifiable
name for each camera that you add as a “Media Source” and consider
adding “-RTSP” to note it’s type in the name. Next, you should
uncheck “Local Source.” Local sources are used to bring video clips
and other local media sources from your computer in OBS. Next click
“Restart playback when source becomes active.” This allows you to use
the “Input” area to enter the camera's RTSP video feed. Using
PTZOptics cameras as an example you can type in
“rtsp://THE-IP-ADDRESS/1” to connect to your camera’s RTSP
video feed. Another box to check is “Use hardware decoding when

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available.” Also, reduce “Network Buffering” and “Reconnect Delay”

to decrease latency and performance on your network.

Step 2: Optimize OBS for IP camera viewing

The next step is to optimize OBS for IP camera connectivity. In the

“Advanced,” area of OBS choose “High” for “Process Priority.” Next
you should optimize the network settings. In “Bind IP”, make sure to
choose the IP address that is local to your network and not a WiFi
network interface card (NIC) if possible. Some computers feature both
hardwired ethernet NIC ports and WiFi NIC ports. Make sure the IP
address you are using is in the same range as all of your IP cameras.
Also check “Enable Network Optimizations.”

Optional Tip: IP Camera Control and HTTP Commands

Some network connected cameras offer HTTP camera controls. For

example, PTZOptics cameras offer an HTTP command set that you
can use to move the robotically controllable PTZ camera movements
within OBS. To do this, you can use a “Browser Source” and enter in
the HTTP command that moves the camera. For example, with
PTZOptics cameras you can enter “http://[camera
ip]/cgi-bin/ptzctrl.cgi?ptzcmd&[action]&[position number]” into an
OBS web-browser source and it will send the command to the camera.

Once you have connected to your RTSP video streams in OBS, you
may want to perform a test to determine the latency introduced by your
network. In many cases, your audio will be coming into OBS slightly
faster than your video causing a lip-sync issue. Audio tends to be
processed faster by computers because it requires less bandwidth. To
fix this issue you can go into the audio source in the OBS audio mixer
and add a small amount of latency. It’s recommended to add just 25
milliseconds of latency at a time in order to find the correct amount.

In the Udemy course for this book, there is a video file you can use to

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perform an audio sync test. You can also count out loud holding up five
fingers and removing one per second. This is an easy way to quickly
judge your video sync. Stand in front of a camera, count up to five,
using your fingers as a visual cue and record the video. When you play
back the video, see if you notice a lip-sync issue. Then start to add
latency in small amounts until the issue is fixed. Assuming that your
RTSP video feeds are using the same NTP server as your computer, the
latency should remain fixed and not drift in and out of time.

You have now learned how to connect RTSP video feeds into OBS and
optimize their performance. Next you can learn about sending SRT
video feeds over the public internet to the other side of the world.

Key Takeaways:
1. RTSP is a common IP video source that can be used
with OBS.

2. RTSP can be brought into OBS using a live media

source input.

3. RTSP video sources reliability can be improved by

using a NTP time server.

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28 USING SRT VIDEO SOURCES WITH OBS

Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) is an open source video transport

protocol released by Haivision in 2013. The SRT Alliance is a group of
broadcast and streaming companies that have adopted the standard and
promote its use for streaming video over the public internet (or Wide
Area Network). The SRT Alliance includes hundreds of companies who
have built software and hardware solutions for streaming video with
SRT making it easy to find solutions for streaming with SRT.

Sending high-quality video over the public internet is not an easy task,
when you consider the issues with packet loss, jitters, delays and
bandwidth fluctuations. SRT has been designed to make sending video
on the internet more reliable while reducing the latency. The result is
usable video streams which can be used in video productions from
remote locations. For example, an SRT video feed from a remote sports
game can be ingested into a larger television production. SRT is
becoming a favorable replacement for RTMP. In fact, development on
RTMP was abandoned in 2012.

So, you may ask if SRT is so great, why does YouTube, Facebook and
all the other major streaming platforms still use RTMP. The answer is
that it is under development, and SRT at this point is generally used by
professionals who are not your standard video producers. The good
news is that OBS is capable of sending and receiving SRT video and it
could become an important part of your video production workflow.

In many ways, OBS can become a television studio on your laptop. By

using SRT video feeds from remote locations, you can produce high
quality productions from the comfort of your home or studio. For

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example, imagine you are asked to live stream an event that is

happening on the other side of the world. It may be easier and more
cost effective to have the event send video feeds to you over the public
internet using SRT than fly you out to capture all the video locally.

Bringing SRT video into OBS

Connecting an SRT video feed to OBS works a lot like an RTSP video
feed. The main difference being that SRT video feeds are being sent
over the public internet and RTSP video feeds remain within the LAN.
When you are connecting SRT feeds together one is considered the
listening and one is considered the caller. The device you set as the
caller (or listener) is arbitrary.

SRT does require an advanced level of networking knowledge and

access. SRT requires that the person receiving the video knows their
public IP address and opens up a port on their router to receive that
video. Those interested in using SRT will need to read the technical
specifications for video routing on their network before proceeding.

One simple way to test SRT video is with a smartphone using a cellular
data service. There is a free application called Larix Broadcaster that
can be used to send SRT video into OBS. To send SRT video into your
OBS production from outside your LAN you will need to know your
network's public IP address. To find your public IP address you can
simply google “Find my Public IP.”

The next step is to open up a port in your router (or modem) to receive
the SRT video stream. Inside your router there should be a port
forwarding section where you can enter the port you would like to use.
Here you should select the UDP video option. Now you can finally add
your SRT video stream into OBS using the “Media Source” source

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input box. Just like an RTSP video feed, uncheck the local box and type
in your SRT video information into the input field. It should be
“srt://YOUR-OUTSIDE-IP-ADDRESS:THE-PORT-YOUR-SELEC
TED.”

What you have done here is create an easy way to send video into your
OBS production from outside your network. The great thing about
SRT is that the video can have a specific amount of latency and
therefore can be synchronized well even when sent from far away
places on the other side of the world.

Sending SRT video out of OBS

OBS can also send SRT video to other places in the world using the
OBS streaming settings area. If you have a known destination to send
SRT video to like the example above, you can send video from one
OBS instance to another. To send video out of OBS you can simply
enter the SRT video destination into the OBS streaming settings area.
In the drop down menu, select “custom” and then simply enter the
SRT destination. You do not need to enter a stream key.

For a full list of SRT streaming options you can visit -

http://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-protocols.html#srt

You can now start testing SRT video streaming with OBS. This is a
great tool for advanced OBS video producers who are attempting to
create productions that go beyond the boundaries of the LAN.

Key Takeaways:
1. SRT is an open-source video transport protocol that

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works with OBS.

2. SRT is one of the industry's most reliable ways to send
video over the public internet.

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29 CHOOSING A COMPUTER AND ADDITIONAL

HARDWARE FOR OBS

Almost any computer can be used to livestream today. With that being
said, every computer has its limitations.

In general, you should look for an i5 computer processor @ 2.5 Ghz

for streaming in 720p, and an i7 computer processor @ 3.0 Ghz for
1080p streaming. Each of these specifications also requires a minimum
of 4GB of ram and 2 gigabytes of free hard drive space.

An Intel NUC i7 computer with a 256 GB SSD plugged into an

ethernet LAN.

In general, you should consider using an i7 processor with 16 GBs of

RAM and a solid state hard-drive for any new live streaming project
with more than one or two cameras. AMD often offers a better price to
performance ratio than Intel and it offers significantly better processors
for livestreaming than any other company.

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CPU core count/thread count as well as clock speed are of equal

importance for livestreaming. So purchasing a CPU with the most
cores/threads and highest clock speed within your budget is your best
bet to achieve optimal performance.

Note: Different CPUs have different thread to core ratios. It is

important to compare the thread count of CPUs that have the same
amount of cores. For example, one 8 core CPU may use 8 threads,
while another different 8 core CPU may use 16 threads. More threads is
almost always better when comparing CPUs with the same number of
cores. So the 16- thread 8-core CPU will likely outperform the 8-thread
8- core CPU. Most CPUs do not use more than 2 threads per core,
however many use only 1 per core instead of 2.

Livestreaming computer on-site running vMix.

Having more and faster cores results in higher multi-thread counts as

well as faster thread processing, thus more instructions can be executed
in the same period of time. This reduces overall processing time and

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latency, while also improving multitasking ability so that more programs

and cameras can be run simultaneously. These capabilities are crucial
for live- streaming, video gaming, and large productions. Ultra high-
end streaming solutions that are used by large organizations like ESPN,
may use up to 128 or even 256 cores for extremely high resolutions
and low latency. On the other hand, low resolution, high latency
streams that are used for applications like security camera systems may
only require 2-4 cores. Simply put, the higher the stream quality and
complexity, the more cores/clock speed you will need.

The 4-16 core range of CPUs offers the best streaming performance
relative to the price for the average livestream. Where your use case falls
on this spectrum is determined by the amount of multitasking you plan
on doing during your livestreams as well as the stream quality you want
to achieve. If you are streaming with only 1 program open and 1 or 2
cameras at 1080p, 4-6 cores is all you need. If you plan on having
multiple programs open at once and/or streaming with multiple
cameras, you will likely need 6-10 cores to achieve smooth
performance. Ten-16 core CPUs are only necessary for
semi-professional productions using more than 6 cameras which often
use CPU-intensive programs simultaneously, such as video editing
software or 3D/CGI programs.

Another important component of most livestreaming computers is the

graphics card. For example, vMix recommends an NVIDIA GTX 1660
for livestreaming systems using 4 1080p cameras and an NVIDIA 2080
Ti graphics card for up to 6 4K cameras. Graphics cards are essential to
most livestreaming software solutions because they take the processing
off your main CPU and handle it in the graphics card. This helps
reduce the number of dropped frames for video game streamers and
rendering time for 3d programs during a stream.

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Choosing a GPU is very similar to choosing a CPU in the sense that

higher clock speeds are better. Where they differ is, instead of focusing
on core count for GPUs, we will focus on VRAM, which is the
memory the graphics card uses to hold information processed by the
CPU. The absolute bare minimum recommended VRAM for
livestreaming is 2gb. For many applications this is not realistic, however
there are use cases where it is all that is needed. For the vast majority of
streaming applications, 4-12 gb of VRAM is sufficient. Just like with
CPUs, you will need to account for the level of multitasking you do
during your livestream and choose a GPU with sufficient VRAM for
your purpose. Typically, 4-8gb cards are sufficient for up to 4 1080p
cameras, while 8-12 gb cards are capable of handling up to 6 4k
cameras. If you want to use even more 4k cameras in your stream
and/or game while using 4-6 4k cameras, you will likely need a card
with 12 - 24 gb of VRAM.

Pro Tip: Make sure to go into your livestreaming software and ensure
that you have enabled it to use your graphics card. Even some simple
Intel NUC and laptop computers have integrated Intel Graphics cards
that can be used for basic live video production systems.

The same logic can be applied to choosing DRAM, which is the

computer's system memory, as opposed to the dedicated video memory
found in a GPU. Like VRAM, clock speed and memory quantity are the
most important factors for streaming. Where DRAM differs from
VRAM, is the amount of it that is required for a smooth system
performance. The simplest streaming set-ups using 1-4 cameras at
1080p will require 8-16 gb of DRAM, while using more cameras at
1080p or multiple 4k cameras will require around 16-32 gb of DRAM.
More intensive multitasking situations, like Gaming in 4k while
streaming multiple 4k cameras simultaneously, or Using VRAM

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intensive programs while streaming, such as video editing or CGI

software, can require 32-64gb of VRAM for optimal performance.

Note: All modern computer platforms (since 2017) have switched to

DDR4 DRAM compatibility only, and most Intel platforms have
shifted away from DDR3. So if you're looking at an 8th or 9th Gen
Intel CPU or later, or an AMD Ryzen processor, you'll need DDR4.

Custom computer by ThinkComputers.org.

The type of storage you choose for your livestreaming PCwill have very
little effect on your livestream performance. In general, SSDs are better
in almost every way than HDDs, however buying a HDD instead of an
SSD can be a good way to save money on a streaming computer
without losing streaming performance. However, using HDD vs. SSD
will affect the performance of some non-streaming tasks, so a SSD is
always recommended over a HDD if your budget allows for it. In
addition, SSDs are also significantly quieter than HDDs as they have no
moving parts, which is a benefit for live productions requiring quiet on
set.

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Assuming that you understand the processor and graphics card

requirements for your next livestreaming computer, you also need to
think about inputs and outputs. For inputs, you have a bunch of
options. Start by counting the number of USB ports you think you will
need. Obviously you’ll need a keyboard and mouse, but what about
your audio mixer and a secondary USB controller like the Elgato
StreamDeck? You may also want to get a built-in HDMI or SDI input.
You can insert PCIe cards into many desktop computers in order to
create multiple SDI or HDMI video inputs. In most cases, if you only
need two cameras, it’s easiest to purchase two HDMI or SDI to USB
capture cards. However, if you need 3 or 4 cameras, it’s easier and more
affordable to purchase and install a PCIe card. You can purchase PCIe
cards that can be configured to provide a couple of inputs and extra
video outputs for your project. Keep in mind that most graphics cards
also provide unique outputs that power confidence monitors, multiview
monitors, and more.

Finally, you can use additional video switching hardware to take the
processing load off of your computer and handle it in hardware. For
example, if you need to set up a 6-camera livestreaming system, you can
do most of the video processing and switching using a Blackmagic
ATEM switcher. Then you can use a simple computer to capture a
single mixed output with a capture card into a software like OBS. This
approach is effective because hardware switchers rarely have computer
issues such as Windows updates. The ATEM Mini is a perfect example
of an affordable 4-input switcher with a built-in USB output for
streaming or recording. The trade-off with hardware systems is the lack
of flexibility that software switchers provide given their access to
multiple cameras.

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When evaluating the equipment needed for livestreaming, the first item
to look for should be a camera. While you also may need a microphone,
software, and other encoding hardware, considering the type of camera
you need for livestreaming is the most important step in building a live
video production system.

What are the different types of livestreaming cameras?

Here are all the livestreaming camera types available today, for all
budget types.

1. Webcams
2. Camcorders
3. DSLR Cameras
4. PTZ Cameras
5. Broadcast Cameras

What is the best webcam for livestreaming?

Webcams are the most affordable and they offer a variety of features
for livestreaming. Most webcams today are HD, which is 1280x720p or
Full HD, which is 1920x1080p. Most webcams also support 30 frames
per second but some also support 60 frames per second. When you are
considering the resolution and frame rate of a webcam for
livestreaming, think about the production software you plan to use and
the bitrate you plan to stream at. If you plan to stream in 720p
resolution at 30 frames per second, most streaming destinations
recommend a bit-rate of 2-4 megabits per second. If you plan to stream
at 1080p in 30 frames per second, use a higher bitrate between 4-6
megabits per second.

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PTZOptics 1080p webcam.

Once the resolution for your livestreaming project has been

determined, you can look for additional features such as electronic pan,
tilt, and zoom. For example, the HuddleCamHD Pro features a 4K
image sensor which digitally zooms in, pans, and tilts just like a PTZ
camera. You may also consider using the HuddleCamHD Pro IP which
is an NDI camera. But, before we dig into NDI cameras that can be
used as webcams, let’s cover camcorders.

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The HuddleCamHD Pro IP is an NDI webcam.

By the way, if you are still watching this video, hit the “like” button. We
check out the likes on all of our videos to see which type of videos you
enjoy the most.

What is the best camcorder for livestreaming?

Camcorders will provide great video quality for your next livestreaming
project and they are not that expensive. A brand new Canon VIXIA
camcorder starts at only $299 and is ideal for zooming in long
distances. If you are considering a camcorder for livestreaming, you
need to think about how you will connect the camera to your live
streaming system. Unlike a webcam, most camcorders do not have a
USB port. Therefore, you should look for an HDMI output that you
can use with an HDMI capture card. The card converts HDMI into a
usable USB connection with any computer. Once you connect the USB
from the capture card to your computer, you can bring the camcorder
into a software like OBS, Wirecast, or vMix just like a webcam.

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Standard camcorder.

What is the best DSLR camera for livestreaming?

Many people \ like to use DSLR cameras for livestreaming because

they provide great value and performance. DSLR cameras offer isuper
sharp auto-focus and interchangeable lenses that can provide beautiful,
blurry backgrounds. DSLR cameras have amazing quality but they do
come with their own set of challenges when used for livestreaming.
Because of the popularity of livestreaming, many DSLR camera
manufacturers are adding new firmware and features specifically
designed for livestreaming.

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A DSLR camera.

Although DSLR cameras were designed for photography and

filmmaking, companies like Canon have added features that allow the
USB port to be used for live streaming. When selecting a DSLR camera
for livestreaming, look for a “clean” HDMI feed which is used with a
capture card that does not include the on-screen display menu options.
While DSLR cameras require a battery, when they are being used to
livestream, they are typically plugged in for a long time. In the early
years of DSLR cameras being used for livestreaming, prolonged use led
to overheating. Today, most manufacturers have adapted their models
to address this issue.

What is the best PTZ camera for livestreaming?

PTZ cameras are ideal for livestreaming because they combine the ease
of use of a webcam with the functionality of a camcorder. This is
because pan, tilt, and zoom cameras almost always include optical zoom
which is used to zoom into subjects from long distances. What makes
PTZ cameras unique is their ability to be remotely controlled. For

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example, PTZOptics cameras can be controlled with software solutions

such as vMix, Wirecast, OBS, Livestream Studio, and Mimolive. This
allows a one-person production to operate the livestreaming software
and automate camera controls for one or more cameras.

A PTZ camera.

PTZ cameras are built for 24/7 use and offer easy installation options
such as Power Over Ethernet so you can power a PTZ camera using a
single ethernet cable from your network. PTZ cameras are also very
small and discreet. This makes them ideal for installing in a church, or
any space that you are adding livestreaming. PTZ cameras can be
installed on walls, ceilings, and even under balconies.

What is the best broadcast camera for livestreaming?

Broadcast cameras are used for professional video production

environments and cinema. Cameras such as the Blackmagic URSA or
Sony over-the-shoulder style cameras are expensive, but they offer large
image sensors and unmatched quality. If you are considering a project
with professional broadcast cameras, it’s nice to know that these

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cameras can also be used for field shooting and live work. If you are
installing multiple broadcast cameras in the same space, it’s important
to test them in your studio environment. Many professional projects
will use the same camera make and model to ensure consistent color
matching and quality throughout the project. Consider professional
broadcast cameras from Blackmagic, Sony, and Panasonic.

A camera operator uses a professional broadcast camera.

Most professional broadcast cameras connect to live video production

systems via SDI but there are high quality wireless connections available
as well. These SDI video connections feature locking connectors that
are ideal for high-profile applications such as sports, television and
production. Examples of SDI-based broadcast systems include Grass
Valley video switchers, NewTek Tricasters, and Roland video switchers.

What is the best NDI camera for livestreaming?

Some would argue that the best NDI camera for live streaming is your
smartphone. For example, with the latest NDI HX apps available for
iOS, you can send 4K high quality video over WiFi into your video

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production switcher such as OBS, Wirecast, vMix, Livestream Studio,

and Tricasters. NDI cameras are also available in the form factor of a
webcam, a PTZ camera, and broadcast-style over-the-shoulder cameras.
NDI is a technology that in many cases can replace SDI because of its
easy implementation.

NDI-enabled PTZ cameras.

So what is the best camera for livestreaming?

The best camera for livestreaming is the camera that you have. The
quality of a great webcam just might surprise you once you adjust the
lock in the focus and adjust the color settings, like on the PTZOptics
PT-WEBCAM-80, for example. The quality of your DSLR will improve
plus you can use it to shoot great pictures for your next project. If you
are permanently installing cameras in a space or setting up for larger
venues, PTZ cameras will be your best bet. It’s all about understanding
your application of livestreaming and perhaps one day, you will be
shopping for broadcast cameras to shoot a Hollywood-style livestream.

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What’s the best control solution for OBS?

The Elgato StreamDeck is a popular control system for OBS.

Hotkeys make it possible to control OBS with any keyboard. While

keyboards are a great way to quickly control OBS, many OBS users
prefer a dedicated device such as a StreamDeck or a smartphone with
Touch Portal. The Elgato StreamDeck is by far the most popular
hardware controller for OBS. The StreamDeck comes with a great OBS
integration that is very easy to set up. All you have to do is run the
StreamDeck Software which will automatically detect your OBS
software. This software will allow you to drag and drop popular control
functions such as scene switching or muting audio. It’s very easy to get
a customized OBS control surface up and running these days.

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Touch Portal offers multiple icons you can download and use for free.

Touch Portal is another popular way to set up a dedicated control

surface for your OBS production. Touch Portal is totally free for up to
two pages of controls on your smartphone. Touch Portal leverages the
web-sockets plugin for OBS to communicate with your smartphone
device over WiFi. Touch Portal also uses a desktop application like
StreamDeck to communicate with OBS. You can then install the iOS or
Android version of Touch Portal to send commands directly to OBS
with your smartphone.

Both solutions allow you to control OBS with a dedicated control area
freeing up your keyboard for actual typing.

Key Takeaways:
1. OBS is often restricted by the hardware it is operating on.
2. Carefully choosing a computer to use with OBS will allow you
to do more with your video productions.
3. Video production computers can also include various inputs

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such as capture cards and USB ports that should be considered

when building a production PC.

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13 CONCLUSION

Open Broadcaster Software is the result of some very intelligent

programmers who were unable to accept expensive alternatives for
basic video production functionality. The response from users around
the world has been so positive, OBS has become a platform hundreds
of programmers gladly contribute to in order to further the noble
cause. OBS is a grass-root development project that has gathered an
incredible amount of momentum. New features are being released and
developed each week that break new ground in an increasingly popular
online landscape.

As you develop your own skills and create your next OBS projects take
a moment to consider contributing to the OBS project. You can
contribute code, or you can contribute funds, either way you can
become an important part of the OBS community.

The online course that accompanies this book is published at

Udemy.com. This course is a great way to communicate directly with
me if you have any questions. Each chapter has its own dedicated
tutorial video with additional online resources.

Feel free to send me an email,

Paul Richards
[email protected]

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 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paul Richards is a father, author, and business executive leading

his company in the field of digital video communications.
Richards is the author of multiple top-selling books including,
“The Virtual Ticket,” “The Online Meeting Survival Guide,” and
"Helping Your Church Livestream.”

Richards’ books draw on his hands-on experience in the

multimedia technology industry. As the Director of Business
Development for HuddleCamHD and PTZOptics, Richards is the
host of multiple online shows that feature his work on YouTube,
Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitch.

Richards is also the Chief Streaming Officer at StreamGeeks and

teaches Udemy courses online to over 50,000 registered students.
Course topics include live video production, online
communications, and social media connectivity.
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GLOSSARY OF TERMS

3.5mm Audio Cable: Male to male stereo cable, common in standard audio
uses.

4K: A high definition resolution option (3840 x 2160 pixels or 4096 x 2160
pixels)

Application Program Interface (API): A streaming API is a set of data a

social media network uses to transmit on the web in real time.

Bandwidth - The range of frequencies within a given band that are used for
transmitting a signal.

Broadcasting - The distribution of audio or video content to a dispersed

audience via any electronic mass communications medium.

Broadcast Frame Rates - Used to describe how many frames per second are
captured in broadcasting. Common frame rates in broadcast video include:
29.97fps and 59.97 fps.

Capture Card - A device with inputs and outputs that allow a camera to
connect to a computer.

Chroma Key - A video effect that allows you to layer images and manipulate
color hues (i.e. green screen).

Cloud-Based Streaming - Streaming and video production interaction that

occurs within the cloud, therefore accessible beyond a single user’s computer
device.

Color Matching - The process of managing color and lighting settings on

multiple cameras to match their appearance.

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Community Strategy - The strategy of building one’s brand and product

recognition by building meaningful relationships with an audience, partner,
and client base.

Content Delivery Network (CDN) - A network of servers that delivers

web-based content to an end user.

CPU (Central Processing Unit Usage) - The electronic circuitry within a

computer that carries out the instructions of a computer program by
performing the basic arithmetic, logical, control, and input/output (I/O)
operations specified by the instructions.

DAW - Digital Audio Workstation.

DB9 Cable - A common cable connection for camera joystick serial control.

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Router - A router with a

network management protocol that dynamically sets IP addresses so the
server can communicate with its sources.

Encoder - A device or software that converts a piece of code or info to then

distribute it.

H.264 & H.265 - Common formats of video recording, compression, and

delivery.

High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) - A cable commonly used

for transmitting audio/video.

High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) - H.264, one of the most common
formats of video, MJPEG-H Part 2.

Internet Protocol (IP) Camera/Video - A camera or video source that can

send and receive information via a network & internet.

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IP Control - The ability to control/connect a camera or device via a network

or internet.

Latency - The time it takes between sending a signal and the recipient
receiving it.

Livestreaming - The process of sending and receiving audio and or video

over the internet.

Local Area Network (LAN) - A network of computers linked together in

one location.

Multicorder - A feature of streaming software that allows the user to record

raw footage or a camera feed to a file separate from the stream output.

Network Device Interface (NDIⓇ) - A software standard developed by

NewTek to enable video-compatible products to communicate, deliver, and
receive broadcast quality video in a high quality, low latency manner that is
frame-accurate and suitable for switching in a live production environment.

NDIⓇ Camera - A camera that allows you to send and receive video over
your LAN.

NDIⓇ|HX - NDIⓇ High Efficiency, optimizes NDIⓇ for limited bandwidth

environments.

Network - A digital telecommunications network which allows nodes to share

resources. In computer networks, computing devices exchange data with each
other using connections between nodes.

NTSC - Video standard used in North America.

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OTT Streaming (Over-The-Top) - When a media service bypasses

conventional typical media outlets and distribution networks (ie. Facebook,
YouTube, Twitch) to distribute content.

PAL - Analog video format widely used outside of North America.

PCIe Card - Enables high bandwidth communication between a device and

the computer’s motherboard.

PoE - Power over ethernet.

PTZ - Pan, tilt, zoom.

RS-232 - Serial camera control transmission.

Real Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP) - RTMP is a standard protocol

for sending and receiving video. RTMP is used to deliver video streams over
the public internet to CDNs such as Facebook or YouTube.

Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) - Network control protocol for

streaming from point to point.

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Additional Online Courses:

Join over 50,000 other students who are learning how to use the
power of livestreaming! Take the following courses taught by Paul Richards
for free by downloading the course coupon codes available at
streamgeeks.us/start.

● Facebook Live Streaming - Beginner

This course will take you through the basics of Facebook Live. The course has
been updated twice and includes instructions for using Facebook Live Reactions.

● YouTube Live Streaming - Beginner

This course covers the basics of YouTube Live.. It also includes essential branding
and marketing tips.

● Introduction to OBS (Open Broadcaster Software)

This course covers one of the world's most popular FREE livestreaming software
solutions. OBS is a great place to start live streaming for free.

● Introduction to xSplit Software - Beginner

This course takes you through xSplit which has more features than OBS but costs
roughly $5/month. Learn how to create impressive live productions and make
your videos much faster with xSplit.

● Introduction to vMix - Intermediate

The vMix Windows-based software tool will have you livestreaming like the pros
in no time.

● Introduction to Wirecast - Intermediate

Wirecast is the preferred software for many professional livestreamers and is

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available for Mac and PC.

● Introduction to NewTek NDI® - Intermediate

NewTek's innovative IP video standard NDI® (Network Device Interface) will

change the way you think about live video production. Learn how to use this
innovative new technology for livestreaming and video production system design.

● Introduction to Livestreaming course - Beginner

This course includes everything you need to start designing your show like a
starter pack of course files including Photoshop, After Effects, and free Virtual
Sets.

● Introduction to Livestreaming - Intermediate

This course focuses on more advanced techniques for optimizing your production
workflow and using compression to get the most out of your processor. This
course includes files for Photoshop, After Effects, and free Virtual Sets.

● Helping Your Church Livetsream - Intermediate

This course focuses on livestreaming for churches and houses of worship. We
tackle some of the specific challenges about live streaming in a house of worship.

● How to Livestream A Wedding - Beginner

This is a great course for anyone looking to start livestreaming weddings. It was
originally designed for wedding photographers to add a livestreaming service to
their existing portfolio of offerings.

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