How to Achieve High-Quality OBS Recordings in 1080p with Minimal Lag
Best Settings for OBS Recording 1080p
If you are looking for a free and powerful software for video recording and streaming, you might want to check out OBS (Open Broadcaster Software). OBS is a popular choice among content creators, gamers, educators, and professionals who want to produce high-quality videos for various purposes. Whether you want to record your gameplay, your screen, your webcam, or a combination of them, OBS can help you achieve your goals.
Best Settings For Obs Recording 1080pl
However, setting up OBS can be a bit tricky, especially if you are not familiar with its features and options. You need to find the right balance between video quality and performance, depending on your hardware and preferences. One of the most common questions that OBS users have is: what are the best settings for OBS recording 1080p?
1080p, also known as Full HD or FHD (full high definition), is a display resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. It is one of the most widely used resolutions for video recording and streaming, as it offers a clear and sharp image without requiring too much processing power or bandwidth. However, not all 1080p videos are created equal. There are many factors that affect the quality and performance of your OBS recordings, such as framerate, bitrate, encoder, format, etc.
In this article, we will guide you through the process of setting up OBS for recording 1080p videos. We will also give you some tips and tricks on how to improve your OBS recording quality and performance. By the end of this article, you should be able to record stunning videos with OBS in no time.
How to Set Up OBS for Recording 1080p Videos
The first thing you need to do before recording with OBS is to configure its settings according to your needs. There are two ways to do this: using the auto-configuration wizard or manually adjusting the settings. We recommend using the auto-configuration wizard first, as it will suggest the most optimal settings based on your system and hardware. Then, you can fine-tune the settings manually if needed.
How to Run the Auto-Configuration Wizard
The auto-configuration wizard is a handy tool that will scan your PC and determine the best settings for your recordings. To run it, follow these steps:
Open OBS and go to Tools > Auto-Configuration Wizard.
Select Optimize for recording, unless you also want to stream at the same time.
Select your Base (Canvas) Resolution. This is the resolution of your screen capture. You can choose your monitor's native resolution or a lower one if you want to save some resources.
Select your FPS (frames per second). This is how many times per second your video will update. The higher the FPS, the smoother the motion in your video, but also the more demanding on your CPU and GPU. You can choose between common FPS values (30 or 60) or integer FPS values (20- - 120). You can also use the Use current option to match your monitor's refresh rate.
Click Next and wait for the wizard to complete the test.
Review the results and click Apply Settings.
Congratulations, you have successfully configured OBS for recording 1080p videos. However, if you are not satisfied with the results or want to tweak some settings, you can do so manually. Here are some of the most important settings to adjust:
How to Adjust the Video Settings
The video settings control how your video will look and how much resources it will consume. To access them, go to Settings > Video. Here are the main options to consider:
Base (Canvas) Resolution: This is the resolution of your screen capture. You can change it if you want to record a different area of your screen or a different aspect ratio.
Output (Scaled) Resolution: This is the resolution of your output video. You can change it if you want to downscale or upscale your video. For example, if you want to record in 1080p but your monitor's resolution is higher, you can set the output resolution to 1920 x 1080.
Downscale Filter: This is the method used to resize your video from the base resolution to the output resolution. There are three options: Bilinear (fastest, but lowest quality), Bicubic (balanced), and Lanczos (slowest, but highest quality). We recommend using Lanczos if your PC can handle it, as it will produce the sharpest image.
Common FPS Values: This is where you can change your FPS if you are not happy with the one suggested by the wizard. You can choose between common FPS values (30 or 60) or integer FPS values (20-120). You can also use the Use current option to match your monitor's refresh rate.
After adjusting the video settings, click OK to save them.
How to Adjust the Output Settings
The output settings control how your video will be saved and encoded. To access them, go to Settings > Output. Make sure you are in the Advanced mode in the top right corner. Here are the main options to consider:
Recording Path: This is where your recorded videos will be stored. You can change it to any folder on your PC or an external drive. Make sure you have enough space and write permissions on the chosen location.
Recording Format: This is the file format of your recorded videos. You can choose between MP4, MKV, FLV, MOV, TS, and M3U8. We recommend using MP4, as it is the most compatible and widely supported format.
Encoder: This is the software or hardware that will compress your video into a smaller file size. You can choose between x264 (software encoder) or NVENC/AMD/VCE/QSV (hardware encoders). Hardware encoders use your GPU instead of your CPU, which can improve performance and reduce CPU usage. However, they may also produce lower quality videos than software encoders. We recommend using a hardware encoder if your GPU supports it and you have a high-end CPU.
Rate Control: This is the method used to control the bitrate of your video. Bitrate is the amount of data that is transferred per second in your video. The higher the bitrate, the higher the quality, but also the larger the file size and bandwidth usage. There are four options: CBR (constant bitrate), VBR (variable bitrate), CRF (constant rate factor), and CQP (constant quantization parameter). We recommend using CBR or VBR, as they are more suitable for recording than streaming. CBR maintains a consistent bitrate throughout your video, which can result in a stable quality and file size. VBR adjusts the bitrate according to the complexity of each scene in your video, which can result in a variable quality and file size.
Bitrate: This is where you can set the target bitrate for your video. The optimal bitrate depends on many factors, such as your resolution, framerate, encoder, rate control method, etc. A general rule of thumb is to use a bitrate of 0.1 x resolution x framerate for CBR or VBR. For example, if you are recording in 1080p at 60 FPS, you can use a bitrate of 0.1 x 1920 x 1080 x 60 = 12,441 kbps (or 12.4 Mbps) for CBR or VBR. However, you can experiment with different bitrates to find the best one for your video quality and file size.
Keyframe Interval: This is the number of frames between each keyframe in your video. A keyframe is a frame that contains the full image data, while the other frames only contain the changes from the previous frame. The lower the keyframe interval, the more keyframes there are in your video, which can improve the quality and seekability of your video, but also increase the file size and CPU usage. The higher the keyframe interval, the fewer keyframes there are in your video, which can reduce the file size and CPU usage, but also degrade the quality and seekability of your video. We recommend using a keyframe interval of 2 seconds, which means one keyframe every 2 x FPS frames. For example, if you are recording at 60 FPS, you can use a keyframe interval of 2 x 60 = 120 frames.
After adjusting the output settings, click OK to save them.
How to Adjust the Advanced Settings
The advanced settings control some additional options for your recordings. To access them, go to Settings > Advanced. Here are the main options to consider:
Filename Formatting: This is where you can customize how your recorded files will be named. You can use various variables and placeholders to include information such as date, time, scene, profile, etc. For example, if you want to name your files as "OBS Recording YYYY-MM-DD HH-MM-SS.mp4", you can use this format: OBS Recording %CCYY-%MM-%DD %hh-%mm-%ss.mp4. You can find more information about the available variables and placeholders here.
Automatically remux to MP4: This is an option that will automatically convert your recorded files from MKV or FLV to MP4 after recording. This can be useful if you want to edit your recordings with other software that does not support MKV or FLV formats. However, this may also take some time and disk space depending on the size of your files.
Hotkeys: This is where you can assign keyboard shortcuts to various actions in OBS, such as start/stop recording, pause/resume recording, switch scenes, mute/unmute sources, etc. This can be very convenient if you want to control OBS without using your mouse or opening its window.
After adjusting the advanced settings, click OK to save them.
Tips and Tricks for Improving OBS Recording Quality and Performance
Now that you have set up OBS for recording 1080p videos, you may want to learn some tips and tricks on how to improve your OBS recording quality and performance. Here are some of them:
How to Use Multiple Audio Tracks and Sources
OBS allows you to record multiple audio tracks and sources in your videos. This can be very useful if you want to separate your microphone audio from your desktop audio, or if you want to add some background music or sound effects to your recordings. To do this, follow these steps:
Go to Settings > Output and make sure you are in the Advanced mode in the top right corner.
Select the Recording tab and check the boxes next to the audio tracks that you want to record. You can record up to six audio tracks in OBS.
Select the Audio tab and assign each audio source (such as microphone, desktop audio, etc.) to one or more audio tracks. You can also adjust the volume and balance of each audio source.
Select the Mixer tab and enable or disable each audio source for monitoring. This will affect what you hear in your headphones or speakers while recording.
Select the Advanced Audio Properties option and adjust some additional settings for each audio source, such as sync offset, downmix to mono, noise suppression, noise gate, etc.
Click OK to save your settings.
To edit your recorded audio tracks separately, you will need a video editing software that supports multiple audio tracks, such as Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, or Audacity.
By using multiple audio tracks and sources, you can have more control and flexibility over your audio quality and editing.
How to Use Studio Mode and Multiview
OBS also allows you to use studio mode and multiview to preview and switch between different scenes and sources in your recordings. This can be very useful if you want to create more dynamic and professional-looking videos with transitions, overlays, effects, etc. To do this, follow these steps:
Create and arrange your scenes and sources in OBS. A scene is a collection of sources that you want to show in your video, such as your webcam, your game capture, your image, your text, etc. A source is an individual element that you can add to your scene, such as your microphone, your desktop audio, your browser, your media file, etc.
Click on the Studio Mode button in the bottom right corner of OBS. This will split your OBS window into two panels: the preview panel (on the left) and the program panel (on the right). The preview panel shows what you are preparing to show in your video, while the program panel shows what you are currently showing in your video.
Select the scene that you want to preview in the preview panel. You can also edit and adjust the sources in the preview panel without affecting the program panel.
When you are ready to switch to the scene that you are previewing, click on the Transition button in the center of OBS. This will move the scene from the preview panel to the program panel with a smooth transition effect. You can also use hotkeys to switch scenes faster.
To enable multiview, go to View > Docks > Multiview. This will open a new window that shows all your scenes and sources at once. You can also drag and drop the multiview window to any location on your screen or another monitor.
To switch scenes using multiview, simply click on the scene that you want to show in the multiview window. This will send it to the preview panel and then to the program panel with a transition effect.
By using studio mode and multiview, you can create more engaging and creative videos with OBS.
How to Use Filters and Effects
OBS also allows you to use filters and effects to enhance your video quality and appearance. Filters and effects are applied to individual sources in your scenes, such as your webcam, your game capture, your image, etc. To do this, follow these steps:
Select the source that you want to add filters or effects to in OBS.
Right-click on the source and select Filters.
In the filters window, click on the + button at the bottom left corner and select the type of filter or effect that you want to add. There are two categories of filters: audio/video filters and effect filters. Audio/video filters affect the sound or image quality of your source, such as noise suppression, gain, color correction, sharpening, etc. Effect filters affect the appearance or behavior of your source, such as crop/pad, scroll, mask/blend, chroma key, etc.
Adjust the settings of the filter or effect according to your preferences. You can also reorder, rename, disable, or remove filters by using the buttons at the bottom right corner of the filters window.
Click Close when you are done.
By using filters and effects, you can improve your video quality and appearance with OBS.
How to Optimize Your PC Settings and Resources
OBS is a resource-intensive software that can affect your PC performance and stability. Therefore, it is important to optimize your PC settings and resources before recording with OBS. Here are some tips on how to do that:
Close any unnecessary programs or processes that are running in the background of your PC. You can use Task Manager or Resource Monitor to check which programs or processes are consuming a lot of CPU, GPU, RAM, or disk usage.
Update your drivers and software regularly. This can improve compatibility and performance of your hardware and software components.
Clean up your disk space and defragment your hard drive. This can speed up your file access and storage operations.
Avoid recording on the same drive where OBS or your operating system is installed. This can prevent ?
To edit OBS recordings, you need a video editing software that can import and edit your recorded files. There are many video editing software available online, both free and paid, such as Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Filmora, Shotcut, etc. You can choose the one that suits your needs and preferences.
To edit OBS recordings, you need to follow these general steps:
Import your recorded files into your video editing software. You may need to convert your files from MKV or FLV to MP4 first, if your software does not support those formats. You can use OBS's built-in remuxing feature or a third-party converter tool for that.
Trim, cut, split, merge, crop, rotate, or resize your clips as needed. You can also add transitions, effects, filters, titles, captions, annotations, etc. to enhance your video.
Adjust the audio levels, quality, and synchronization of your clips. You can also add background music, sound effects, voice-overs, etc. to improve your audio.
Export your edited video to your desired format and quality. You can also upload your video directly to YouTube or other platforms from your video editing software.
By editing OBS recordings, you can make your videos more polished and professional.
How to stream and record with OBS at the same time?
OBS also allows you to stream and record with OBS at the same time. This can be useful if you want to broadcast your video live to an audience and also save a copy of it for later use. To do this, follow these steps:
Go to Settings > Output and make sure you are in the Advanced mode in the top right corner.
Select the Streaming tab and configure your streaming settings according to your platform and preferences. You will need to enter your stream key or URL, choose your encoder, bitrate, keyframe interval, etc.
Select the Recording tab and configure your recording settings according to your needs and preferences. You will need to choose your recording path, format, encoder, bitrate, keyframe interval, etc.
Select the Audio tab and assign each audio source (such as microphone, desktop audio, etc.) to one or more audio tracks for streaming and recording. You can also adjust the volume and balance of each audio source.
Select the Mixer tab and enable or disable each audio source for monitoring. This will affect what you hear in your headphones or speakers while streaming and recording.
Select the Advanced Audio Properties option and adjust some additional settings for each audio source, such as sync offset, downmix to mono, noise suppression, noise gate, etc.
Click OK to save your settings.
To start streaming and recording with OBS at the same time , simply click on the Start Streaming and Start Recording buttons in the bottom right corner of OBS. You can also use hotkeys to start and stop streaming and recording.
By streaming and recording with OBS at the same time, you can share your video with your audience and also keep a copy of it for yourself.
This is the end of the article. I hope you enjoyed reading it and learned something new. If you have any questions or feedback, please let me know in the comments below. Thank you for your time and attention. dcd2dc6462