Are you looking for the most optimized settings for Facebook Live in an OBS (Open Broadcast Software) setup? You may have the latest and greatest hardware but if you do not have optimized streaming settings within OBS then you can run into stream quality issues.
We will guide you through setting up optimized settings for Facebook Live within OBS so that you will be able to stream like a champ even with moderate connection speeds.
Install the Latest Version of OBS
Before we get started, please make sure that you have installed the latest version of OBS. The latest version of OBS has tons of bug fixes. You can download the latest version of the Open Broadcast Software here. Choose from Windows, MAC, or Linux. Most of you will be Windows or Mac users so once downloaded, double click on the setup file to install the software.
Linux users, please follow the instructions below to install OBS.
Issue the following commands within a Linux Terminal.
sudo apt install ffmpeg
then
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:obsproject/obs-studio
and finally
sudo apt install obs-studio
Optimized Settings for Facebook Live
We assume that you have a high definition device capable of at least 720P resolution, most cameras today support this.
Once you have the Open Broadcast Software (OBS) installed, please open it up and go into settings located on the bottom right-hand side as shown below.
Optimized Video Settings for Streaming with (OBS)
Make sure the Output Mode above is set to Advanced then make changes to the options as shown below.
Rescale Output: 1280×720 (Best for Facebook Live at the time of this article)
Rescale Output: 1920×1080 (Maximum)
Bitrate: 1500 Kbps
Keyframe Value: 2
You can leave the rest of the settings alone and it should work great.
Optimized Audio Settings for Streaming with (OBS)
Optimized Settings for Facebook Live or any other streaming setup also requires us to configure the audio bitrate properly. An Audio Bitrate of 128 Kbps is often the sweet spot that allows us to stream quality sound while also using network bandwidth efficiently.
Next, please navigate to the Audio section as shown below, and set the sample rate to 44.1 kHz and Channels to Stereo.
You will need to restart your Open Broadcast Software (OBS) before some of these changes kick in.
You have now successfully configured Optimized Settings for Facebook Live. The same optimized settings should be also ideal for many other streaming platforms such as YouTube or Twitch.
Open Broadcast Software (OBS) is one of the best open-source software that you can get for streaming. You can pair any audio/video hardware to it depending on your needs.
Streaming Hardware Recommendations
Here are some of the most common streaming hardware used. There is a streaming setup out there to fit anyone’s budget.
Basic Live Streaming Setup
For basic streaming, a high-definition USB camera would be sufficient along with an external microphone. Here are some of our favorites.
Advanced Live Streaming Setup
For more advanced setups, you will need a capture card to input the video/audio from an external device into your computer.
An example would be if you would like to use your DSLR/Mirrorless camera to live stream or if you are using multiple cameras to capture different angles.
As you may be aware, using a DSLR/Mirrorless as your live stream camera has many benefits. You will get a high-quality picture out of your camera and you are able to switch lenses out for different projects. You will also be able to add filters to your lenses, add external microphones to the camera, etc.
External Wired Camera Mounted Mic
External Wired Camera Mounted Pro Mic
Here are some of the top DSLR/Mirrorless cameras used for streaming at varying budgets. You will need to purchase a Mini-HDMI to HDMI cable or adapter for any of these cameras in order to plug them into your video capture card.
- Panasonic Lumix G7KS 4K Mirrorless Camera, 16 Megapixel Digital Camera, 14-42 mm Lens Kit, DMC-G7KS
- New GoPro HERO9 Black – Waterproof Action Camera with Front LCD and Touch Rear Screens, 5K Ultra HD Video, 20MP Photos, 1080p Live Streaming, Webcam, Stabilization (You will also need to purchase the Media Mod for the GoPro Hero 9 to get the HDMI out and for an external microphone addition).
- PANASONIC LUMIX GH4 Body 4K Mirrorless Camera, 16 Megapixels, 3 Inch Touch LCD, DMC-GH4KBODY (USA Black)
- Panasonic AG-UX180
Top Live Streaming Video Capture Card Choices
If you are using a laptop, a USB capture card would be sufficient. Here are some of the top-performing USB video capture cards. Some of these cards require a USB Type-C connection on your computer, if you don’t have one you may require an adapter.
For more advanced setups using a dedicated streaming desktop computer, we recommend at least a 1080P or 4k PCI Capture Card. A PCI Capture card will provide you with increased bandwidth availability.
and if you require 4K capture, please see below.
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