In this blog post, we’ll discuss 12 different ways to improve your Twitch stream.

Some of these tips may be familiar to you, but others may be new. Read on to learn how to take your Twitch streaming experience up a notch!

Quality Over Quantity

It’s important to focus on quality over quantity for your Twitch stream. Viewers want to see a well-produced, professional-looking stream that is enjoyable.

Think about things like your video quality, audio quality, graphics, and overlay. These are all important factors in creating a high-quality stream.

You don’t need the most expensive equipment to create a quality stream, but you should focus on making sure that what you do have is set up properly and looks good.

Set the Right Microphone Settings

Having good audio quality is essential for any Twitch stream. After all, how can viewers listen to you if they can’t hear you?

You can do a few things to set yourself up for success in this area. First, make sure you have a good microphone. Second, test your microphone settings before you start streaming.

You can do this by opening up your audio settings in OBS or XSplit and testing how your microphone sounds. Pay attention to things like noise levels, echo, and volume.

If you’re not happy with how your microphone sounds, make adjustments until you find a setting that works for you.

Get a Second Camera

A second camera can be a great way to add variety to your stream. It can be used to show different angles of your gameplay, or you can use it to show your face while you’re talking to your viewers.

If you don’t have a second camera, you can also use things like webcam overlays or alerts to add some variety to your stream.

Use a Stream Controller

If you’re serious about streaming, you should consider using a stream controller. A stream controller can make your life a lot easier by giving you more control over your stream.

With a stream controller, you can start and stop your stream with the push of a button, change scenes, add overlays, and more.

Stream controllers range in price, so you can find one that fits your budget.

Use a Green Screen

A green screen can be a great way to add some professionalism to your stream. It can also be used to add some fun and variety to your stream.

With a green screen, you can change the background of your stream to anything you want. You can use it to create a virtual set, or you can use it to add some special effects to your stream.

If you’re not sure how to use a green screen, there are plenty of tutorials online that can help you get started.

Use Stinger Stream Transitions

Stinger stream transitions are a great way to add some excitement to your stream. They’re also a great way to transition between different scenes in your stream.

There are a variety of stinger transitions available, so you can find ones that fit the theme of your stream, as well as your budget.

To use stinger transitions, you’ll need to add them to your OBS or XSplit. Once they’re added, you can use them whenever you want by pressing a button on your controller.

Add Some Stream Alerts

Stream alerts are a great way to notify your viewers when something important happens in your stream. For example, you might have an alert that pops up when you get a new follower or when you start a new game.

Stream alerts can be customized to fit the look and feel of your stream. You can find a variety of stream alert templates online, or you can create your own using OBS or XSplit.

To add stream alerts to your stream, you’ll need to use a service like TwitchAlerts. Once you’ve set up your account, you can start adding alerts to your stream.

Show Your Face

Showing your face on stream is a great way to connect with your viewers. If you’re not comfortable showing your face, you can use an overlay that shows your face cam instead.

You can find a variety of face cam overlays online, or you can create your own using OBS or XSplit.

Plan Your Stream Content

It’s important to have a plan for your stream content. This doesn’t mean that you need to have everything scripted out, but you should have an idea of what you want to do during your stream.

Think about what games you want to play, how long you want to play for, and what other content you want to include.

You can also use your stream schedule to let your viewers know what they can expect from your stream. This is a great way to build up anticipation and keep people coming back for more.

Engage With Your Viewers

Another important way to improve your Twitch stream is to engage with your viewers. Viewers want to feel like they are part of your stream and that you care about them.

There are several ways to engage with your viewers, such as talking to them in chat, playing games with them, or even just taking a few minutes at the beginning or end of your stream to talk to them.

Don’t be afraid to interact with your viewers, as this is one of the best ways to improve your Twitch stream.

Be Consistent

It’s important to be consistent when streaming on Twitch. Viewers like knowing when they can expect to see you online and what they can expect from your stream.

If you’re not able to stream every day, that’s okay. Just let your viewers know your schedule in advance so they can plan accordingly.

It’s also important to be consistent with the content of your stream. If you usually play a certain type of game, stick to that. Viewers will appreciate knowing what they can expect from your stream.

Be Professional

While you don’t need to be a professional gamer to stream on Twitch, it is important to be professional in your approach to streaming. This means having a consistent schedule, being polite and respectful to your viewers, and not engaging in any illegal or inappropriate activities while streaming.

By being professional, you’ll be able to create a stream that is enjoyable for both you and your viewers.

Final Thoughts

These are just a few of the ways you can improve your Twitch stream. By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a successful Twitch streamer. Thanks for reading!

The post 12 Ways to Improve Your Twitch Stream appeared first on StreamGeeks.

What to do to create a video blog?

Everyone can occupy their own niche in the video blog field. But it is necessary to choose a certain genre and work in one direction. This approach will help you form your audience, and then you can start experimenting. Stages of the personal video blog development: 

1. Registering on YouTube or another platform 
2. Filling information in the personal account 
3. Create design for the video blog 
4. Uploading the first video with preliminary work on it 
5. Gathering audience feedback 
6. Subscriber acquisition 
7. Monetization
8. Keeping the audience interested in the channel 

The first thing you need to do to create your video blog is to register on YouTube or any other video hosting website. It’s very easy to do, the user is given all sorts of tips and advice. When registering, it is better to use a single Google account, which will allow you to effectively use the means to promote the channel in the search engine in the future. The main thing begins after registration.

At the first stage of creating a blog, it’s important to give a memorable name for the channel. It should describe in general what the author does. This can be just a first and last name or definition of direction such as “Top 5”, “Reviews of something”. But given a large number of such channels, it is better to show more originality.

In the process of filling out the account on the website, you need to correctly specify the genre of the channel and make an attractive description. You should also think about the header of the home page, as well as place links to various social accounts. 

When the account is ready and you can start creating videos, the hardest part begins. The first video should show the audience what the future videos will be about and whether it is worth subscribing to such a video blog. There is no need to publish a low-quality video because it can harm your reputation.

Peculiarities of starting a video blog

As the experience of famous video bloggers shows, it is almost impossible to capture several target audiences at once. A subscriber is very likely to leave if the following videos are of a completely different subject matter. So before creating your first video, you should understand what your target audience is interested in. For example, the target audience can be children, teenagers, athletes, housewives, businessmen, etc.

Having determined your target audience and created your mini video recording studio, you can start writing a script. The latter may be absent when the basis is improvisation. But if you are inexperienced and shy, it is better to pack a cheat sheet and think through all the points from the beginning to end. A greeting will be important. It can be a standard one, or a catchy one so that it is the only way your subscribers can identify you as the author.

The quality of the video will be important. You can see how popular video bloggers started with a not very good camera and light correction. But with time they bought better equipment, not sparing money, realizing how important it is.

Conclusion: what mistakes to avoid when creating your video blog?

As the experience of modern video bloggers shows, in order to run your channel and be popular, it is not necessary to meet any particular standards. The more original the author, the higher the probability of success. When creating your video blog, you should not:

• Copying the presentation style of other bloggers
• Launch the first videos on scandalous and provocative topics
• Condemning other bloggers in their videos
• Trying to publish more videos without paying attention to quality. 
• Scamming the number of subscribers

Many aspiring bloggers make one critical mistake. They release a series of videos on a topic that is the most talked-about at a given time. This way you can gain views, but it does not guarantee the growth of subscribers. 

The artificial clickability of the video is also one of the mistakes made by newbies. Many authors intentionally state the wrong content of their video in the title of their video just to push the user to watch it. When potential subscribers click on the video of interest, they expect to see the revealed topic. Otherwise, they remain disappointed and will no longer trust the channel.

The post Ultimate Guide: Starting The Video Blog appeared first on StreamGeeks.

Ultimate Guide For Digital Marketers & Broadcasters: Live Video SEO

Music producer photo created by prostooleh – www.freepik.com

If you think every piece of content can be optimized to improve your online visibility or that of your client, you’re totally right. Even live broadcasts can participate in the SEO strategy of a brand.

Why should every little piece of content be optimized? Because all of the content in tandem can bring you closer to the #1 position in the SERPs. And the first place in Google results can help you achieve a click-through rate (CTR) of over 34%.

In this article, we’ll cover the meaning and importance of live video SEO, as well as ways to improve it.

What Is Live Video SEO?

Live video or live broadcast SEO is the process of optimizing your live stream videos to improve their search rankings. Search engine algorithms can ‘watch’ video content and consider it for a proper ranking. That’s why businesses should be careful about the content they include in their broadcasts.

Live video SEO can help businesses achieve their ranking and traffic goals.

The 4 Benefits of Live Broadcast SEO

Image credit: https://www.wyzowl.com/video-marketing-statistics/

The benefits of video content are countless, considering such content is becoming more and more popular every year. In 2021, 86% of companies used it as a marketing tool.

We’ve chosen the four main benefits of live broadcast SEO:

• Website traffic increase.
  Live video optimization can become a great addition to your SEO strategy. By wisely including keywords in the transcript of your live stream, you have an extra chance to be ranked for the query.
  
  Use this approach to boost your strategy, bringing you closer to the traffic goals you pursue.
• Click-through rate increase.
  We’ve already mentioned that the first result in Google Search gets an over 34% CTR. So, the main goal here is to get you that first place. A well-planned SEO strategy for your live videos will attract more viewers.
  
  Some of those viewers will get interested and find your website. Plus, the dwell time will increase upon browsing it, which is good for any web source.
• Lower bounce rate.
  Embedding a live stream or a saved live on a landing page or blog post can lower the page’s bounce rate. If the beginning of the video is informative and interesting, it will draw the user’s attention, making them spend more time on the page and not bounce due to lack of media or text structure (or its size).
  
  As we’ve already learned, using SEO approaches for those videos will attract more users.
• More backlinks.
  Now, this applies only to worthwhile live streams and saved videos. They tend to get more backlinks, which should be a part of the off-SEO strategy of every business. Informational websites often use videos from other sources with links recommending useful info. Viewers that find the content helpful may also share a link to social media or their personal blogs.

How to Improve the Live Video SEO of Your Website

We wouldn’t leave you without practical recommendations on live video SEO improvement:

• Include keywords in the title and description of the event page.
  The first step in any optimization is to search for the right keywords. We recommend using an SEO keyword generator to get enough ideas with detailed information about every keyword.
  
  Keep in mind that you can (and should) create an inventory of relevant keywords matching your niche and touching upon the topic of the stream (optional).
• Use keywords in tags.
  Tag the recorded video with the focus keyword and include it in the title and description of the archive you create for it.
• Optimize the video.
  Use schema markup to make sure you give search engines a clear explanation of what the video is about. There should be the following data:
  • Title
  • Description
  • Upload date
  • Thumbnail URL
• Put the video on the top of the page.
  By putting the video closer to the top of the page, you show Google that it is a top priority piece of content. Therefore, it may be promoted in the search results first.

How to Improve Video SEO on a Hosting Platform

If you decide to upload the video to a hosting platform, you can use SEO approaches to get the most use out of it:

• Add info.
  Consider uploading the script of the video and the links to your website and other helpful resources that may help people understand the topic of the video better and research it deeper.
• Optimize your profile.
  While a video hosting account may not be a top priority for the business, consider filling one in as well. Use keywords wisely in the bio, description, or any other similar field there may be. They may attract your target audience. Make sure you apply the keywords to:
  • Meta titles
  • Meta descriptions
  • Tags

This will help your videos appear on the results pages.

• Engage viewers.
  In the video and description to it, engage the viewers. Ask them questions, respond to them (relevant to the actual live stream), reply to comments left under the video. Also, invite them to share the content with their friends and on social media if they find it relevant and useful.
• Encourage website visits.
  In the video and description, encourage people to visit your site to get more info or get familiar with your business, products, services, etc. Keep in mind that the URL has to be short, easy-to-understand, and should appear where it can be easily seen. Use the basic formula: name.com/keyword.
• Place the URL in the video.
  Make sure people watching on mute can see what site to visit.

Key Takeaways

Live video SEO can become a fantastic addition to your strategy because it can:

• Increase website traffic
• Increase CTR
• Lower bounce rate
• Get your website more backlinks

The process of optimizing live streaming is widely encompassing. Most things you can do to improve the SEO of your live content is connected to keyword usage. Here are the key takeaways:

• Put a lot of effort into keyword research. Digital tools can help.
• Insert the keywords wisely into the title and description of the event and the page with the recording.
• Include keywords in the tags for the video, as well as the created archive
• Use schema markup with proper keywords to explain what the video is about to search engines.
• Put the video on the top of the page to prioritize.

Suppose you upload the video to a hosting platform. In that case, there are also some things you can do SEO-wise, including using the focus keywords in your profile, engaging the viewers, encouraging people to visit your site in the video, and keeping the link somewhere it can be seen easily.

All content should be optimized wisely. In doing so, you get a wholesome SEO strategy that will bring you to the top of Google’s SERPS!

The post Live Video SEO: Everything a Digital Marketer Should Know appeared first on StreamGeeks.

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.
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.

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.

Additional chapters from the OBS Superuser Guidebook

• Chapter 1 - An Update on the Updates here
• Chapter 2 - How to Customize OBS here
• Chapter 3 - How to Optimize OBS here
• Chapter 4 - How to use the core features of OBS here
• Chapter 5 - How to use video filters in OBS here
• Chapter 6 - How to use audio filters in OBS here
• Chapter 7 - The Top 10 OBS Plugins here
• Chapter 8 - The Multiple RTMP Streaming Plugin here
• Chapter 9 - The Automatic Scene Switching Plugin here
• Chapter 10 - How to record multiple sources in OBS here
• Chapter 11 - How to dock sources with live video in OBS here
• Chapter 13 - How to use NDI in OBS here
• Chapter 14 - How to route Audio in and out of OBS here
• Chapter 15 - How to use Virtual Audio cables with OBS here
• Chapter 16 - How to use VST Audio Plugins for OBS here
• Bonus Chapter - How to fix audio sync issues in OBS here
• Chapter 16 - How to use use hotkeys with filters here

Check out our other articles about Open Broadcaster Software below:

• Updated - How to connect OBS and Zoom with VoiceMeeter and Headphone Monitoring - here.
• How to connect OBS with Zoom, here.
• What's new with OBS 26, here.
• OBS vs vMix a complete review here.
• How to use Zoom for Church Meetings and Worship here.
• Here are the top 10 OBS features you need to know about
• Getting dropped frames in OBS. Here are some new feature to help with that. 
• Take a look at OBS 24 and all the new feature here. 
• Increase your productivity with OBS and learn how to use hotkeys here
• Learn how to setup animated stinger transitions in OBS here
• Learn how to install the NDI plugin for OBS (and why you should) here
• Learn more about the latest OBS user interface (UPDATED for 2019) here
• Make your audio in OBS sound great with these VST 2 plugins here
• Learn how to fix the most common OBS issues! Audio and Video Sync! here
• Learn how to use OBS 20+ here
• Learn how to use NDI Cameras with OBS here
• Learn how to use the OBS Multiview here
• Learn OBS quickly with our ZERO to SIXTY tutorial video here
• Learn more about OBS settings and optimizing your settings for live streaming here 
• Learn how to record videos using OBS here
• New OBS 24 feature allows broadcasters the ability to pause and restart video recordings. Learn more here.
• Learn how to add live annotations over your OBS productions here
• Learn how to add a webcam and set up a picture in picture scene inside OBS here
• Learn how to crop and rotate inputs inside OBS here
• Learn how to use color correction tools and LUTs here
• Learn the best way to connect OBS and Zoom here
• Learn how to connect OBS and Teams here
• Learn how to use countdown timers in Teams here
• Learn where OBS recordings are saved here
• Learn how to live stream to YouTube and Facebook with OBS for free here
• Learn about OBS 27's new features here

The post Filter Hotkeys for OBS appeared first on StreamGeeks.

Dropbox file – https://www.dropbox.com/s/vwxnhmlr98x1ejo/OBS%20Audio%20Video%20Sync%20Testing%20Tool.mp4?dl=0

The OBS Audio and Video Sync Tool has been designed to answer the important question of how much audio delay an Open Broadcaster Software user should apply in their live streaming system. The tool is a video that combines a visual scale of time with a countdown timer looping in sync with audio blips every second. OBS users can capture a video and audio recording of this tool to accurately determine the amount of audio delay they should apply to their live streaming system to sync up their audio and video streams.   

Audio Video Sync Tool

The OBS Audio Video Sync Tool includes a color-coded time scale to quickly measure the amount of time needed to sync your video and audio. The tool also includes an audio syncing bar accurate to one-thousandth of a second. To use this tool you simply need to record the video and audio from the video with the system that you wish to test. This would be your OBS or other video production software with all of the included hardware you are testing. Therefore you will need to record this video with the camera and microphone that you are attempting to sync up. Once this video has been recorded you can import this recording in a video editing software so diagnose. 

Once your recording has been made and imported into your video production software you will be examining the audio section of the recording. Because OBS allows us to delay the audio of our microphone sources, we will be examining the audio sync reading from our video and determining the amount of delay we need to add to our audio sources to sync up our video. Using the video recording you can scrub through the video looking for your audio blips. Generally, the audio will be recorded faster than the video. Therefore you can use the audio sync reading as a guide to adjusting your system.  Once you have determined the amount of audio delay your system will require it’s time to apply that audio delay in OBS.  You can open up the Advanced Audio Properties in OBS by clicking the settings cog next in the audio section of OBS.

Determine Audio Offset

One of the most common issues users have with the OBS software is simply syncing up the audio and video streams coming from multiple pieces of hardware into their live streaming computer. It is possible to sync up the audio and video sources “upstream” from your video production software by using a capture device such as a Magewell USB 3.0 pro capture card. In this scenario, the audio, and video by a single device that uses the same drivers to connect to OBS. One of the main culprits with audio and video sync issues is the fact that different products use various drivers with differing latency for conversion.  

Additional chapters from the OBS Superuser Guidebook

• Chapter 1 - An Update on the Updates here
• Chapter 2 - How to Customize OBS here
• Chapter 3 - How to Optimize OBS here
• Chapter 4 - How to use the core features of OBS here
• Chapter 5 - How to use video filters in OBS here
• Chapter 6 - How to use audio filters in OBS here
• Chapter 7 - The Top 10 OBS Plugins here
• Chapter 8 - The Multiple RTMP Streaming Plugin here
• Chapter 9 - The Automatic Scene Switching Plugin here
• Chapter 10 - How to record multiple sources in OBS here
• Chapter 11 - How to dock sources with live video in OBS here
• Chapter 13 - How to use NDI in OBS here
• Chapter 14 - How to route Audio in and out of OBS here
• Chapter 15 - How to use Virtual Audio cables with OBS here
• Chapter 16 - How to use VST Audio Plugins for OBS here
• Bonus Chapter - How to fix audio sync issues in OBS here
• Chapter 16 - How to use use hotkeys with filters here

Check out our other articles about Open Broadcaster Software below:

• Updated - How to connect OBS and Zoom with VoiceMeeter and Headphone Monitoring - here.
• How to connect OBS with Zoom, here.
• What's new with OBS 26, here.
• OBS vs vMix a complete review here.
• How to use Zoom for Church Meetings and Worship here.
• Here are the top 10 OBS features you need to know about
• Getting dropped frames in OBS. Here are some new feature to help with that. 
• Take a look at OBS 24 and all the new feature here. 
• Increase your productivity with OBS and learn how to use hotkeys here
• Learn how to setup animated stinger transitions in OBS here
• Learn how to install the NDI plugin for OBS (and why you should) here
• Learn more about the latest OBS user interface (UPDATED for 2019) here
• Make your audio in OBS sound great with these VST 2 plugins here
• Learn how to fix the most common OBS issues! Audio and Video Sync! here
• Learn how to use OBS 20+ here
• Learn how to use NDI Cameras with OBS here
• Learn how to use the OBS Multiview here
• Learn OBS quickly with our ZERO to SIXTY tutorial video here
• Learn more about OBS settings and optimizing your settings for live streaming here 
• Learn how to record videos using OBS here
• New OBS 24 feature allows broadcasters the ability to pause and restart video recordings. Learn more here.
• Learn how to add live annotations over your OBS productions here
• Learn how to add a webcam and set up a picture in picture scene inside OBS here
• Learn how to crop and rotate inputs inside OBS here
• Learn how to use color correction tools and LUTs here
• Learn the best way to connect OBS and Zoom here
• Learn how to connect OBS and Teams here
• Learn how to use countdown timers in Teams here
• Learn where OBS recordings are saved here
• Learn how to live stream to YouTube and Facebook with OBS for free here
• Learn about OBS 27's new features here

The post Fix Audio Sync Issue in OBS appeared first on StreamGeeks.

VST 2 plugins can be used with OBS to enhance the audio quality of your inputs. 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. 

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.

A VST EQ for OBS

A VST EQ for OBS

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. 

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. 

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 its 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
3. OBS also supports VST plugins which provide additional enhanced audio adjustment capabilities with higher quality graphical interfaces. 

Additional chapters from the OBS Superuser Guidebook

• Chapter 1 - An Update on the Updates here
• Chapter 2 - How to Customize OBS here
• Chapter 3 - How to Optimize OBS here
• Chapter 4 - How to use the core features of OBS here
• Chapter 5 - How to use video filters in OBS here
• Chapter 6 - How to use audio filters in OBS here
• Chapter 7 - The Top 10 OBS Plugins here
• Chapter 8 - The Multiple RTMP Streaming Plugin here
• Chapter 9 - The Automatic Scene Switching Plugin here
• Chapter 10 - How to record multiple sources in OBS here
• Chapter 11 - How to dock sources with live video in OBS here
• Chapter 13 - How to use NDI in OBS here
• Chapter 14 - How to route Audio in and out of OBS here
• Chapter 15 - How to use Virtual Audio cables with OBS here
• Chapter 16 - How to use VST Audio Plugins for OBS here
• Bonus Chapter - How to fix audio sync issues in OBS here
• Chapter 16 - How to use use hotkeys with filters here

Check out our other articles about Open Broadcaster Software below:

• Updated - How to connect OBS and Zoom with VoiceMeeter and Headphone Monitoring - here.
• How to connect OBS with Zoom, here.
• What's new with OBS 26, here.
• OBS vs vMix a complete review here.
• How to use Zoom for Church Meetings and Worship here.
• Here are the top 10 OBS features you need to know about
• Getting dropped frames in OBS. Here are some new feature to help with that. 
• Take a look at OBS 24 and all the new feature here. 
• Increase your productivity with OBS and learn how to use hotkeys here
• Learn how to setup animated stinger transitions in OBS here
• Learn how to install the NDI plugin for OBS (and why you should) here
• Learn more about the latest OBS user interface (UPDATED for 2019) here
• Make your audio in OBS sound great with these VST 2 plugins here
• Learn how to fix the most common OBS issues! Audio and Video Sync! here
• Learn how to use OBS 20+ here
• Learn how to use NDI Cameras with OBS here
• Learn how to use the OBS Multiview here
• Learn OBS quickly with our ZERO to SIXTY tutorial video here
• Learn more about OBS settings and optimizing your settings for live streaming here 
• Learn how to record videos using OBS here
• New OBS 24 feature allows broadcasters the ability to pause and restart video recordings. Learn more here.
• Learn how to add live annotations over your OBS productions here
• Learn how to add a webcam and set up a picture in picture scene inside OBS here
• Learn how to crop and rotate inputs inside OBS here
• Learn how to use color correction tools and LUTs here
• Learn the best way to connect OBS and Zoom here
• Learn how to connect OBS and Teams here
• Learn how to use countdown timers in Teams here
• Learn where OBS recordings are saved here
• Learn how to live stream to YouTube and Facebook with OBS for free here
• Learn about OBS 27's new features here

The post VST Audio Plugins for OBS appeared first on StreamGeeks.

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 audiovisual 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.

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 higher quality and record locally on your hard drive 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. 

connecting OBS and Zoom with virtual audio cables

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 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. 

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 that 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.

Additional chapters from the OBS Superuser Guidebook

• Chapter 1 - An Update on the Updates here
• Chapter 2 - How to Customize OBS here
• Chapter 3 - How to Optimize OBS here
• Chapter 4 - How to use the core features of OBS here
• Chapter 5 - How to use video filters in OBS here
• Chapter 6 - How to use audio filters in OBS here
• Chapter 7 - The Top 10 OBS Plugins here
• Chapter 8 - The Multiple RTMP Streaming Plugin here
• Chapter 9 - The Automatic Scene Switching Plugin here
• Chapter 10 - How to record multiple sources in OBS here
• Chapter 11 - How to dock sources with live video in OBS here
• Chapter 13 - How to use NDI in OBS here
• Chapter 14 - How to route Audio in and out of OBS here
• Chapter 15 - How to use Virtual Audio cables with OBS here
• Chapter 16 - How to use VST Audio Plugins for OBS here
• Bonus Chapter - How to fix audio sync issues in OBS here
• Chapter 16 - How to use use hotkeys with filters here

Check out our other articles about Open Broadcaster Software below:

• Updated - How to connect OBS and Zoom with VoiceMeeter and Headphone Monitoring - here.
• How to connect OBS with Zoom, here.
• What's new with OBS 26, here.
• OBS vs vMix a complete review here.
• How to use Zoom for Church Meetings and Worship here.
• Here are the top 10 OBS features you need to know about
• Getting dropped frames in OBS. Here are some new feature to help with that. 
• Take a look at OBS 24 and all the new feature here. 
• Increase your productivity with OBS and learn how to use hotkeys here
• Learn how to setup animated stinger transitions in OBS here
• Learn how to install the NDI plugin for OBS (and why you should) here
• Learn more about the latest OBS user interface (UPDATED for 2019) here
• Make your audio in OBS sound great with these VST 2 plugins here
• Learn how to fix the most common OBS issues! Audio and Video Sync! here
• Learn how to use OBS 20+ here
• Learn how to use NDI Cameras with OBS here
• Learn how to use the OBS Multiview here
• Learn OBS quickly with our ZERO to SIXTY tutorial video here
• Learn more about OBS settings and optimizing your settings for live streaming here 
• Learn how to record videos using OBS here
• New OBS 24 feature allows broadcasters the ability to pause and restart video recordings. Learn more here.
• Learn how to add live annotations over your OBS productions here
• Learn how to add a webcam and set up a picture in picture scene inside OBS here
• Learn how to crop and rotate inputs inside OBS here
• Learn how to use color correction tools and LUTs here
• Learn the best way to connect OBS and Zoom here
• Learn how to connect OBS and Teams here
• Learn how to use countdown timers in Teams here
• Learn where OBS recordings are saved here
• Learn how to live stream to YouTube and Facebook with OBS for free here
• Learn about OBS 27's new features here

The post Using Virtual Audio Cables in OBS with Zoom appeared first on StreamGeeks.

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 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 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. 

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.

Additional chapters from the OBS Superuser Guidebook

• Chapter 1 - An Update on the Updates here
• Chapter 2 - How to Customize OBS here
• Chapter 3 - How to Optimize OBS here
• Chapter 4 - How to use the core features of OBS here
• Chapter 5 - How to use video filters in OBS here
• Chapter 6 - How to use audio filters in OBS here
• Chapter 7 - The Top 10 OBS Plugins here
• Chapter 8 - The Multiple RTMP Streaming Plugin here
• Chapter 9 - The Automatic Scene Switching Plugin here
• Chapter 10 - How to record multiple sources in OBS here
• Chapter 11 - How to dock sources with live video in OBS here
• Chapter 13 - How to use NDI in OBS here
• Chapter 14 - How to route Audio in and out of OBS here
• Chapter 15 - How to use Virtual Audio cables with OBS here
• Chapter 16 - How to use VST Audio Plugins for OBS here
• Bonus Chapter - How to fix audio sync issues in OBS here
• Chapter 16 - How to use use hotkeys with filters here

Check out our other articles about Open Broadcaster Software below:

• Updated - How to connect OBS and Zoom with VoiceMeeter and Headphone Monitoring - here.
• How to connect OBS with Zoom, here.
• What's new with OBS 26, here.
• OBS vs vMix a complete review here.
• How to use Zoom for Church Meetings and Worship here.
• Here are the top 10 OBS features you need to know about
• Getting dropped frames in OBS. Here are some new feature to help with that. 
• Take a look at OBS 24 and all the new feature here. 
• Increase your productivity with OBS and learn how to use hotkeys here
• Learn how to setup animated stinger transitions in OBS here
• Learn how to install the NDI plugin for OBS (and why you should) here
• Learn more about the latest OBS user interface (UPDATED for 2019) here
• Make your audio in OBS sound great with these VST 2 plugins here
• Learn how to fix the most common OBS issues! Audio and Video Sync! here
• Learn how to use OBS 20+ here
• Learn how to use NDI Cameras with OBS here
• Learn how to use the OBS Multiview here
• Learn OBS quickly with our ZERO to SIXTY tutorial video here
• Learn more about OBS settings and optimizing your settings for live streaming here 
• Learn how to record videos using OBS here
• New OBS 24 feature allows broadcasters the ability to pause and restart video recordings. Learn more here.
• Learn how to add live annotations over your OBS productions here
• Learn how to add a webcam and set up a picture in picture scene inside OBS here
• Learn how to crop and rotate inputs inside OBS here
• Learn how to use color correction tools and LUTs here
• Learn the best way to connect OBS and Zoom here
• Learn how to connect OBS and Teams here
• Learn how to use countdown timers in Teams here
• Learn where OBS recordings are saved here
• Learn how to live stream to YouTube and Facebook with OBS for free here
• Learn about OBS 27's new features here

The post Routing Audio in OBS appeared first on StreamGeeks.

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 its 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 “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. 

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 setup. Many people have multiple computers and they want to stream, record and play video games 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. 

Connect two OBS computers

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 be 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 that 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. 

NDI Camera used with a video production computer running OBS.

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 as a webcam would. Therefore, the 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.

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. 

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 that 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. 

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 an 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.
• 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 that 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 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

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.

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 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® 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:

Adobe Creative Cloud products that work with NDI®

• 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.

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

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

Additional chapters from the OBS Superuser Guidebook

• Chapter 1 - An Update on the Updates here
• Chapter 2 - How to Customize OBS here
• Chapter 3 - How to Optimize OBS here
• Chapter 4 - How to use the core features of OBS here
• Chapter 5 - How to use video filters in OBS here
• Chapter 6 - How to use audio filters in OBS here
• Chapter 7 - The Top 10 OBS Plugins here
• Chapter 8 - The Multiple RTMP Streaming Plugin here
• Chapter 9 - The Automatic Scene Switching Plugin here
• Chapter 10 - How to record multiple sources in OBS here
• Chapter 11 - How to dock sources with live video in OBS here
• Chapter 13 - How to use NDI in OBS here
• Chapter 14 - How to route Audio in and out of OBS here
• Chapter 15 - How to use Virtual Audio cables with OBS here
• Chapter 16 - How to use VST Audio Plugins for OBS here
• Bonus Chapter - How to fix audio sync issues in OBS here
• Chapter 16 - How to use use hotkeys with filters here

Check out our other articles about Open Broadcaster Software below:

• Updated - How to connect OBS and Zoom with VoiceMeeter and Headphone Monitoring - here.
• How to connect OBS with Zoom, here.
• What's new with OBS 26, here.
• OBS vs vMix a complete review here.
• How to use Zoom for Church Meetings and Worship here.
• Here are the top 10 OBS features you need to know about
• Getting dropped frames in OBS. Here are some new feature to help with that. 
• Take a look at OBS 24 and all the new feature here. 
• Increase your productivity with OBS and learn how to use hotkeys here
• Learn how to setup animated stinger transitions in OBS here
• Learn how to install the NDI plugin for OBS (and why you should) here
• Learn more about the latest OBS user interface (UPDATED for 2019) here
• Make your audio in OBS sound great with these VST 2 plugins here
• Learn how to fix the most common OBS issues! Audio and Video Sync! here
• Learn how to use OBS 20+ here
• Learn how to use NDI Cameras with OBS here
• Learn how to use the OBS Multiview here
• Learn OBS quickly with our ZERO to SIXTY tutorial video here
• Learn more about OBS settings and optimizing your settings for live streaming here 
• Learn how to record videos using OBS here
• New OBS 24 feature allows broadcasters the ability to pause and restart video recordings. Learn more here.
• Learn how to add live annotations over your OBS productions here
• Learn how to add a webcam and set up a picture in picture scene inside OBS here
• Learn how to crop and rotate inputs inside OBS here
• Learn how to use color correction tools and LUTs here
• Learn the best way to connect OBS and Zoom here
• Learn how to connect OBS and Teams here
• Learn how to use countdown timers in Teams here
• Learn where OBS recordings are saved here
• Learn how to live stream to YouTube and Facebook with OBS for free here
• Learn about OBS 27's new features here

The post How to use NDI with OBS appeared first on StreamGeeks.

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. 

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.
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 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.

Additional chapters from the OBS Superuser Guidebook

• Chapter 1 - An Update on the Updates here
• Chapter 2 - How to Customize OBS here
• Chapter 3 - How to Optimize OBS here
• Chapter 4 - How to use the core features of OBS here
• Chapter 5 - How to use video filters in OBS here
• Chapter 6 - How to use audio filters in OBS here
• Chapter 7 - The Top 10 OBS Plugins here
• Chapter 8 - The Multiple RTMP Streaming Plugin here
• Chapter 9 - The Automatic Scene Switching Plugin here
• Chapter 10 - How to record multiple sources in OBS here
• Chapter 11 - How to dock sources with live video in OBS here
• Chapter 13 - How to use NDI in OBS here
• Chapter 14 - How to route Audio in and out of OBS here
• Chapter 15 - How to use Virtual Audio cables with OBS here
• Chapter 16 - How to use VST Audio Plugins for OBS here
• Bonus Chapter - How to fix audio sync issues in OBS here
• Chapter 16 - How to use use hotkeys with filters here

Check out our other articles about Open Broadcaster Software below:

• Updated - How to connect OBS and Zoom with VoiceMeeter and Headphone Monitoring - here.
• How to connect OBS with Zoom, here.
• What's new with OBS 26, here.
• OBS vs vMix a complete review here.
• How to use Zoom for Church Meetings and Worship here.
• Here are the top 10 OBS features you need to know about
• Getting dropped frames in OBS. Here are some new feature to help with that. 
• Take a look at OBS 24 and all the new feature here. 
• Increase your productivity with OBS and learn how to use hotkeys here
• Learn how to setup animated stinger transitions in OBS here
• Learn how to install the NDI plugin for OBS (and why you should) here
• Learn more about the latest OBS user interface (UPDATED for 2019) here
• Make your audio in OBS sound great with these VST 2 plugins here
• Learn how to fix the most common OBS issues! Audio and Video Sync! here
• Learn how to use OBS 20+ here
• Learn how to use NDI Cameras with OBS here
• Learn how to use the OBS Multiview here
• Learn OBS quickly with our ZERO to SIXTY tutorial video here
• Learn more about OBS settings and optimizing your settings for live streaming here 
• Learn how to record videos using OBS here
• New OBS 24 feature allows broadcasters the ability to pause and restart video recordings. Learn more here.
• Learn how to add live annotations over your OBS productions here
• Learn how to add a webcam and set up a picture in picture scene inside OBS here
• Learn how to crop and rotate inputs inside OBS here
• Learn how to use color correction tools and LUTs here
• Learn the best way to connect OBS and Zoom here
• Learn how to connect OBS and Teams here
• Learn how to use countdown timers in Teams here
• Learn where OBS recordings are saved here
• Learn how to live stream to YouTube and Facebook with OBS for free here
• Learn about OBS 27's new features here

The post How to Record Multiple Sources in OBS appeared first on StreamGeeks.