Frame rate dropping into the red during stream/sometimes disconnecting

[Daviepants]

Just started yesterday, but over the course of a 6 hour stream, I noticed my bit rate started fluctuating really low back to the normal amount I usually have (connection bar was spiking between red, yellow, and green) on 3 separate occasions, for about 10-15 minutes per fluctuation.

One of the times it happened, OBS completely disconnected, and after a few minutes, reconnected itself. Tested it out today to see if it might've been the game I was streaming, but the fluctuation happened 30 minutes into stream before I even opened the game up.

I didn't receive any crash reports with yesterdays date, but I have attached the log file pertaining to last night's stream. If anyone can take a look at it and see if they're able to identify the issue I'd appreciate the help! First time this has happened to me since getting my new PC last year.

 

[qhobbes]

1. The Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling ("HAGS") feature in Windows is currently known to cause performance and capture issues with OBS, games and overlay tools. We recommend disabling it via these instructions. Be sure to restart after disabling it.
2. In Windows, we recommend that "Game Mode" be enabled. Game Mode can be enabled via the Windows "Settings" app, under Gaming > Game Mode.
3. Multiple Game Capture sources are usually not needed, and can sometimes interfere with each other (Expedition 33, Zenless Zone Zero, Star Rail, Genshin Impact, Temp Gachas, Wuthering Waves and Infinity Nikki). You can use the same Game Capture for all your games. If you change games often, try out the hotkey mode, which lets you press a key to select your active game. If you play games in fullscreen, use 'Capture any fullscreen application' mode.
4. Display, Window and Game Capture all interfere with each other. Never put them in the same scene (FFXIV)
5. Do not ignore service bitrate limits. They're a premier sponsor. Change your audio bitrate from 320 to a max of 160 per their guidelines. If you're that concerned about quality, install iTunes and use the Apple AAC encoder at 160.
6. Dynamic Bitrate is enabled. Instead of dropping frames when network issues are detected, OBS will automatically reduce the stream quality/bitrate to compensate. The bitrate will adjust back to normal once the connection becomes stable. The bitrate got as low as 50 but I don't see a disconnect. Use TwitchTest to make sure that you're connecting to the best server for your location.

There are no dropped frames; there's lagged and skipped frames but that's it and it's 0.0% rounding. Those are caused by GPU overload. In the OBS Output Settings, Multipass Mode to Single Pass and disable Adaptive Quantization. Those both use additional GPU.

IMO Dynamic Bitrate is WAY better than dropped frames; I think it should be on by default. Something better than nothing.

If still having issues, post new log.

 

[Daviepants]

1. The Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling ("HAGS") feature in Windows is currently known to cause performance and capture issues with OBS, games and overlay tools. We recommend disabling it via these instructions. Be sure to restart after disabling it.
2. In Windows, we recommend that "Game Mode" be enabled. Game Mode can be enabled via the Windows "Settings" app, under Gaming > Game Mode.
3. Multiple Game Capture sources are usually not needed, and can sometimes interfere with each other (Expedition 33, Zenless Zone Zero, Star Rail, Genshin Impact, Temp Gachas, Wuthering Waves and Infinity Nikki). You can use the same Game Capture for all your games. If you change games often, try out the hotkey mode, which lets you press a key to select your active game. If you play games in fullscreen, use 'Capture any fullscreen application' mode.
4. Display, Window and Game Capture all interfere with each other. Never put them in the same scene (FFXIV)
5. Do not ignore service bitrate limits. They're a premier sponsor. Change your audio bitrate from 320 to a max of 160 per their guidelines. If you're that concerned about quality, install iTunes and use the Apple AAC encoder at 160.
6. Dynamic Bitrate is enabled. Instead of dropping frames when network issues are detected, OBS will automatically reduce the stream quality/bitrate to compensate. The bitrate will adjust back to normal once the connection becomes stable. The bitrate got as low as 50 but I don't see a disconnect. Use TwitchTest to make sure that you're connecting to the best server for your location.

There are no dropped frames; there's lagged and skipped frames but that's it and it's 0.0% rounding. Those are caused by GPU overload. In the OBS Output Settings, Multipass Mode to Single Pass and disable Adaptive Quantization. Those both use additional GPU.

IMO Dynamic Bitrate is WAY better than dropped frames; I think it should be on by default. Something better than nothing.

If still having issues, post new log.

Thank you for all the advice! I've done everything you suggested except 3 and 4. I genuinely don't think the multiple game captures are causing THAT much of an issue that it would affect my bitrate and connection stability that bad, plus I've had these sources active for years now with no issues (I'm only ever really using 1 or 2 scenes with their own game captures per stream, I'm never using them all at the same time.)

I enabled bandwidth test mode to do a test stream and also dropped my bitrate to 5000 just to be safe, but it almost seems like the issue has gotten worse since Friday. Bitrate is almost immediately fluctuating after starting stream, with the connection bar going from green/yellow/red. It also feels like I'm barely hitting the 5k threshold, it felt like it would only ever consistently hit 2-3k before tanking again. I also did a TwitchTest and the results were less than ideal. I remember doing this a while back and the bandwidth usually hits 20k+ so for the highest to be in the 5k range with an 80 quality feels pretty lackluster.

I've attached a new log of the 15-minute test stream I did, along with a screenshot of the TwitchTest results. I also called my ISP and schedule a tech to come out this week to check the wiring or external area to see if there's something outside my PC causing this because I'm seriously at a loss of how everything was completely fine this time last week (consistent 5-6k bitrate, strong connection, no fluctuations...) only for everything to start tanking on Thursday :(

I appreciate all the help regardless!

 

[qhobbes]

Try disabling AVG Antivirus and Firewall and using the Windows versions.

 

[Daviepants]

Try disabling AVG Antivirus and Firewall and using the Windows versions.

So for whatever reason, I felt compelled to do another TwitchTest at 2:00am and the result was all 3 NA servers being at 25k+ Bandwidth and 100 Quality! So I decided to do another Bandwidth Test on OBS for 15 mins like the last one and my bitrate was consistently hovering around 5k and the connection never dropped (full green bars)

I'll still test the antivirus stuff tomorrow during the time I usually stream, but after testing this stuff out tonight, do you think this would fall under a network congestion issue? Attached the new log and the TwitchTest for reference~