Looking to learn how to use OBS Studio for to start your live streaming career?

In this guide, we’ll walk you through on the important aspect of the software and how to use it.

Let’s dive right in and discover the secrets to harnessing the full potential of this powerful tool.

Installing OBS Studio: Getting Started

Before we delve into the intricacies, let’s first get it up and running on your device. Follow these simple steps to install OBS Studio:

1. Head over to the official OBS Studio website.
2. Choose your platform: Windows, MacOS, or Linux.
3. Download the installation file and run it.
4. During the setup, you’ll have the option to include additional plugins for OBS. It’s generally recommended to leave these options unchecked.
5. Once the installation is complete, you can launch OBS Studio from the installation window or via the new desktop icon.

Getting Acquainted with OBS Studio: Quickstart Guide

Now that you have OBS Studio installed, let’s explore the main features and functions you’ll need to familiarize yourself with.

Don’t worry if it seems overwhelming at first – this software is designed to be user-friendly. Here are the key elements you’ll encounter:

1. Auto-Configuration Wizard

When you launch OBS for the first time, you’ll be greeted by the Auto-Configuration Wizard.

This tool automatically tests your system and applies the optimal settings tailored to your device. It’s the quickest way on how to set up OBS. You can access the wizard anytime from the Tools menu and fine-tune the settings later if needed.

2. Scenes

A scene is a combination of video and audio layers (sources) that you capture. By adding different layers to your scene, such as a webcam input, a microphone input, and a screen capture, OBS Studio seamlessly combines and streams them together. You can manage scenes by deleting, renaming, or adding new ones.

3. Audio and Video Sources

OBS typically uses your default audio input and output sources. You can check the audio levels in the Audio Mixer section and manually select your audio sources in the Settings menu.

For video sources, you’ll need to add them manually using the Sources box. This software offers various options, such as Game Capture, Window Capture, Video Capture Device, Browser Source, and more.

Enabling a video capture device can be one of the ways how to use an OBS virtual camera.

4. Layers

The layers system in OBS Studio allows you to capture multiple video sources for your stream.

Each added video source occupies a different layer, which gives you flexibility in creating output combinations. The highest layer in your Sources list will be displayed on top of the others. You can rearrange layers by dragging and dropping them inside the Sources box.

5. Filters and Effects

You can enhance your audio and video sources by applying filters and effects. Right-click on a source and choose “Filters” to access a range of options.

For audio, you can apply compression, adjust gain, add noise gates, and utilize VST plugins.

Video sources offer features like Chroma Key that can erase green screen easily, Scaling/Aspect Ratio, Crop filters, and more. You can even install custom plugins for additional filter options.

6. Studio Mode

One of the standout features from Open Broadcasting Software is Studio Mode. By clicking on the Studio mode button, you’ll enter a split-screen mode where you can modify scenes in real-time.

The left screen serves as your editing workspace, while the right screen displays the live view for your audience. Studio mode enables seamless transitions and scene editing while you’re streaming.

Streaming and Recording with OBS Studio

Now that you’re familiar with the basic features of OBS Studio, let’s explore how you can start streaming and recording your content.

How to Start a Live Stream

OBS Studio allows you to stream directly to a single streaming platform. If you want to stream to platforms like Twitch, follow these steps:

1. Open OBS Studio and go to Settings.
2. Click on the “Stream” tab.
3. In the “Service” drop-down list, choose the streaming platform you want to use, such as Twitch.
4. Obtain your Stream Key from the platform’s settings or use the “Get Stream Key” button within OBS Studio.
5. Paste your Stream Key into the designated field in OBS Studio.
6. Click “Apply” and then “OK” to save your settings.
7. To start streaming, click the “Start Streaming” button located at the bottom right of the OBS Studio interface.

How to Record with OBS Studio

In addition to streaming, OBS Studio also allows you to record your video content. Follow these steps to start recording:

1. Locate the “Start Recording” option below the Start Streaming button in OBS Studio.
2. Click on the “Start Recording” button to begin recording your session.
3. To stop recording, click the same button again.
4. By default, OBS Studio saves recordings to the Video folder in your main documents. However, you can customize the recording path and adjust the quality settings in the Output tab of OBS Studio’s settings.

When recording with OBS Studio, you have the option to maintain the original stream quality or choose a higher or lower quality, depending on your computer’s resources.

OBS Studio supports up to 6 audio tracks for later editing. It’s recommended to use the MKV recording format because it allows for multiple tracks and offers resilience in case OBS crashes unexpectedly.

Conclusion

OBS Studio is a powerful and free live streaming software. It offers user-friendly installation, auto-configuration, and a range of tools to manage audio and video sources.

With OBS Studio, you can stream to multiple platforms, record your streams, and unleash your streaming potential. Start your streaming journey with OBS Studio today!

Next Step After Setting Up your OBS

Now you’ve successfully streamed your gameplay using OBS on platforms like Twitch, YouTube, Facebook Gaming, or Kick. That’s a great achievement, but what’s the next step?

Don’t stop there, time to grow on social media with Eklipse.

Eklipse is an AI highlight generator that automatically clips your livestream content and transforms it into captivating TikTok videos. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to expand your streaming brand!

Visit Eklipse.gg to discover more and sign up for free!

If you’ve been using OBS for streaming or recording, you should definitely take advantage of their Replay Buffer feature.

This feature works like all the other clipping tools, and all you have to do is enable it in OBS.

In this article, we will guide you on OBS Replay Buffer, including the step-by-step process to set it up, and explore the best alternative for clipping tool that may be suitable for you if you have a low-end PC.

How to Setup OBS Replay Buffer As Your Stream Clipping Tool

Setting up OBS Replay Buffer requires just three simple steps. First, you need to enable the feature. Second, adjust the recording quality settings. Lastly, set up your hotkey for instant clip creation. The short step-by-step instruction is as follow:

1. Enable the Replay Buffer in Settings > Output.
2. Adjust recording quality in the Recording tab under Output settings.
3. Set up hotkeys for the Replay Buffer in Settings > Hotkeys.
4. Start the Replay Buffer using the hotkey and start streaming or recording.
5. To clip an exciting moment, press the hotkey for the “Save Replay Buffer” function.

If you’re interested in using OBS Replay Buffer as your stream clipping tool, read on for detailed instructions on the setup process.

Step 1: Enabling the OBS Replay Buffer

To enable the Replay Buffer in OBS, simply follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings
2. Select Output > change the mode to Advanced
3. Tick the “Enable Replay Buffer” box
4. Adjust the replay duration by changing the number on “Maximum Replay Time” box

Please keep in mind that the longer the replay buffer duration you set, the more RAM will be used by your PC. Therefore, it’s essential to adjust the duration to suit your PC’s specifications.

Now that you’ve enabled the OBS replay buffer, the next step is optional – adjusting the recording quality

Step 2 – Adjusting Replay Buffer Recording Quality

To adjust your recording quality, you need to go to the “Recording” tab under the “Output” settings.

There are two ways to adjust the recording quality – the easy way and the advanced way. Here are the step-by-step instructions:

Easy way to adjust OBS replay buffer quality:

1. Go to “Output” in the left-side settings menu.
2. Select “Recording.”
3. Look for the “Encoder” section and set it to “(Use stream encoder).”

Advanced way to adjust OBS replay buffer

1. Continuing from the step above, choose the encoder you want to use (x264 for example)
2. After that, you can manually tweak every aspect of your encoder, like the “Rate Control”, “Bitrate”, “CPU Usage Preset”, and more

It’s important to keep in mind that adjusting the recording quality is crucial to ensure optimal performance on your PC. It’s recommended that you adjust the settings based on your PC’s specifications.

You can refer to our article on “Best Recording Settings for OBS” to find the most efficient settings that work best for your PC.

Step 3 – Setting Up Hotkey and Start Clipping with OBS Replay Buffer

The last thing you need to do is set up your hotkeys for the Replay Buffer feature. The most important keybind needs to be set so you can save the replay. This should be set to a combination or a dedicated key you can press easily during gameplay.

To set up OBS Replay Buffer hotkey, you can follow these instructions:

1. Go to “Settings” on your OBS.
2. Head to the “Hotkeys” menu.
3. Type “Replay Buffer” in the search box.
4. Set up the hotkey for these 3 functions:
   • Start Replay Buffer
   • Stop Replay Buffer
   • Save Replay Buffer

After you have finished setting up the hotkey, you can start streaming and clipping with OBS by following these steps:

1. On the “Controls” section, click the “Start Replay Buffer” button (or use the hotkey you have set).
2. Then, start streaming or recording based on your preference.
3. To clip an exciting moment on your stream, simply press the hotkey for the “Save Replay Buffer” function.

OBS Replay Buffer Alternative – For Low-End PC

While OBS Replay Buffer is a great clipping tool for streamers, it can put a heavy load on your PC. If you have a low-end PC, there may be a better option.

One of the best OBS replay buffer alternatives is Eklipse.

It’s even better – Eklipse is actually an AI highlight generator. This means it can clip your best stream moments without using your PC’s CPU resources and can even do it automatically with its AI technology.

The setup process takes 1-2 minutes with only 3 steps.

1. Visit Eklipse.gg and sign up with your Twitch account (or Email).
2. Connect your Twitch/YouTube/Facebook Gaming account to Eklipse.
3. Just stream as usual, Eklipse will automatically generate clips from your stream!

Once you’re done streaming, sign in to your Eklipse account, click the “Get Clip” button, and Eklipse will create dozens of 30-60 second clips from your live stream VOD.

The best part is that Eklipse has more features beyond its replay tool.

It also comes equipped with a “Convert to TikTok” tool, allowing streamers to easily transform their landscape videos into vertical format with templates, stickers, auto-captions, and more!

Conclusion

To summarize, OBS Replay Buffer is a great tool for streamers to clip exciting moments, but it can be heavy on low-end PCs.

Eklipse is an alternative that uses AI technology to clip moments without using PC resources, making it a hassle-free option. Regardless of which tool you choose, having a clipping tool is essential to create engaging content for viewers.