Low Latency Encoding: Tips to Stream With OBS, Vmix and Wirecast

Ultra-Low Latency Guide

In this article, you will learn how to use your PC or Mac to send a ultra low latency live stream to nanoStream Cloud with popular streaming software like:

  • OBS

      • Automatic Configuration

      • Manual Configuration

      • Video Configuration

      • Live Stream Quality

  • Wirecast

      • Configuration

      • x264 workaround

  • vMix

      • Configuration

      • low latency

      • ultra low latency

  • General Recommendations

For a complete web based broadcasting solution, check out our nanoStream Webcaster.

NOTE: nanoStream Cloud also works with other software and hardware encoders like JVC camera, Videon, and Teradek.

Also don’t forget about our videos tutorials.

OBS Studio

OBS Automatic configuration

1) Navigate to Settings-> Stream-> Service

2) Select Other-> nanoStream Cloud

3) Enter your stream name in the stream key field.

i.e. ABCDE-XYZ12

OBS Manual configuration

1) Select Settings-> Stream-> Service-> Custom

2) Enter your RTMP Ingest URL as the Server

3) Enter your stream name in the stream key field.

e.g ABCDE-XYZ12

OBS Video configuration

1) Select Output, and enter the following:

Output Mode: Advanced
Encoder: x264
Rate Control: CBR
Bitrate: 500-4000 kBits/s
Tune: ZeroLatency
CPU Usage: veryfas # optional
Profile: Baseline # optional
x264 Options: B-Pyramid=0 # optinal

OBS Live stream quality

Video quality is primarily decided by,

– Video resolution and bitrate of the encoder configuration

– CPU and system performance of your camera and PC / Laptop

– Network capacity

All factors have an impact on quality. If you try to turn bitrate and resolution very high, but your system
and the whole network does not support it, you will get bad results.

Wirecast

Wirecast configuration

1) Open Output Settings

2) Select Destination: RTMP Server

3) Enter RTMP Ingest URL into Address field.

4) Enter Stream Name into stream field.

5) Select Encoding

6) Select a profile preferable x264 i.e. 720p30 1.25 Mbps (x264 H264)

 

NOTE: for `x264` based profiles there is a Wirecast bug, you need to disable `b-frames`, see below

Wirecast x264 workaround

a) Select **Encoding profile:** Baseline

b) Select **Encoding profile:** Main – Add the option –bframes 0 wirecast enocding profile

NOTE: To achieve ultra low latency streaming, set the options below:

–bframes 0 –force-cfr –no-mbtree –sync-lookahead 0 –sliced-threads –rc-lookahead 0

 

vMix

vMix configuration

1) Open Configure Streaming Settings

2) Select Destination / Custom RTMP Server

3) Enter RTMP Ingest URL into URL field.

4) Enter Stream Name into the Stream Name or Key field.

5) Select a Quality profile, i.e. h264 720p 800kbps AAC 96kbps

6) Select FFMPEG2 for Application vmix streaming settings

vmix streaming quality settings

vMix low latency

Profile: Baseline
Preset: veryfast
Network Buffer: 5

vMix ultra low latency

Preset: veryfast -tune zerolatency

> WARNING: This is a hack for sending tuning parameters to x264 and may not work if vMix does some changes in an update.

General recommendations

Start with the lowest acceptable quality, like medium resolution and bitrate, like 640×480 1000 kBits/s or 1280×720 2000 kBits/s.

Test the whole setup end-to-end, including playback on several devices.

Please reach out to our team for further information or any questions:

 

 

 

nanocosmos-contact
nanocosmos-website
nanocosmos-github
nanocosmos-youtube
nanocosmos-instagram
nanocosmos-linkedin
nanocosmos-twitter
nanocosmos-facebook