Need help with FMLE setup!

[XeiZ]

Hey,
since Xsplit is going to cost money, which i dont want to (more like it would be hard for me to do so) pay because i´m more like a casual streamer and it would be wasted anyways, i decided to try fmle again.
I´m streaming my Starcraft 2 games, which used to be totaly fine with xsplit but now with fmle im just not able to play lagfree.

My problem is that if i start the stream the game is totaly fine but as soon as something is moving around it gets quite a heavy delay even though it looks even worse than with xsplit!

1) My Hardware/Upload
AMD Phenom II x6 running @ 3,6ghz (doesnt matter, cpu load is bellow 50% on both programs)
Geforce gtx 460oc
4gb ram (lots of free ram during the tests)
32k down / 1k up
VAC 4.10 2lines, 3 repeater - since i dont have stereomix i need to do this myself

2) My Xsplit&fmle settings
Xsplit:
Resolution: 1020x816 (5:4)
Quality: 8
Preset: fast
Bitrate: 850
Audio: 96k
framerate: 30fps
Capture device: SCFH DSF (yep not xsplits built in screen regions)

Those are the settings i used to be able to stream lagless in ANY situation, regardless of how many movement was on my screen.


FMLE:
Commandline
Capturedevice: SCFH DSF (set to 1280x1024, my monitor´s nativeres)
Framerate: 20
res: 640x480 (scfh dsf is handling the resize so i can capture my whole screen)
Audio: 96k mp3
Encoder: H.264
Bitrate: 600
Profile: Baseline
level: 3.1
Keyframerate: 6 seconds


3) What i´ve tried
-Both encoders - VP6 & H264 - every following test was done with BOTH
-fps 10 - 30
-resolution set to Xsplits value, resolution set to half my screen resolution
-inputresolution 1280x1024 ; outputresolution 640x512 (no scfh dsf resize)
-inputresolution 1280x1080 ; outputresolution 640x540 (no scfh dsf resize)
-inputresolution = outputresolution
-Bitrate 500-850
-using VHscrap -> not change only higher cpu load
-h264 -> profile: main; different levels and keyframes
-vp6 -> different keyframes, quality,noise_reduction,datarate_window,cpu_usage
-fme 2.5
-fmle 3.1
-fmle 3.2
-GUI version
-everything set to a bare minimun (320x280...)

What´s causing the delay should be the bitrate which changes between my set bitrate and 1200-1400kbps, which is obviously too high vor 1024kbps upload. But i have no idea why this happens, even with very low settings.

4) VODs
I prepared 2 vods with some movement but not too much, i can guarantee you that even with extreme motion it was totaly fine with xsplit and had superior quality. (i do NOT need the same quality as xsplit but what i´ve got now is worse than staring at garbage)

Xsplit (see 2 for settings): http://en.justin.tv/xeiz/b/288740001
FMLE3.2 (see 2 for settings): http://en.justin.tv/xeiz/b/288740249
FMLE3.2: http://en.justin.tv/xeiz/b/288830481 - closest i´ve got, no lag, no delay, but strong pixelation, thats the only thing i´d like to get fixed now!

One last word about the FMLE vod: it gets even worse if there´s alot more going on. Both quality and delay are no fun at all anymore. :/




Would appreciate some help and sorry for my english.

[dylanlive]

Hi there,

That is VERY interesting that xsplit works decently, but FME doesn't. Especially since you're using command line.

This makes me wonder about the input source you are using to capture your desktop. What are you using to capture it?

Also, close out any programs you are not using to help free up some resources on your processor.

I look forward to your response.

[XeiZ]

Hey, thanks for responding.
As i said i use SCFH DSF as capture tool but tried VHscrap which uses way more cpu than this one.
I used SCFH with xsplit too and know many other who use this.

CPU load hovers around 50% so this shouldnt be the problem.

[thefallencog]

VHScrap may be your problem since i believe it was wirelessly disabled and is asking you to use Xsplit instead

[dylanlive]

Originally Posted by XeiZ

Hey, thanks for responding.
As i said i use SCFH DSF as capture tool but tried VHscrap which uses way more cpu than this one.
I used SCFH with xsplit too and know many other who use this.

CPU load hovers around 50% so this shouldnt be the problem.

Ah, I'm sorry. I passed right by that!

I will ask around and see what I can find out.

[XeiZ]

I tried to make a little recording of my FMEcmd to show you whats exactly my problem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vbBr...tailpage#t=63s (the little overlapping ingame screen should be a bug of my camtasia, which was used to record this while streaming, it doesnt affect anything cuz i DONT use camtasia normaly )
The first few seconds are not relevant because there is almost no movement, but even then its like this.

Settings used -> The Fmle3.2 settings postet in op!

You can clearly see the bitrate spiking like crazy, even up to 2300!


Edit: Now i tested it with quality to a bare minimun (320x280; low fps etcpp) and still the bitrate is going up like crazy.



Edit2@7:45pm CEST: http://en.justin.tv/xeiz/b/288830481 This seems the nearest i´ve got to my goal. But it still blurs/pixelates more then xsplit!
Settings on this one: Input:1280x1080 (resized by scfh dsf to 1280x1024); output: 1020x816 (same as xsplit now); bitrate: 500 (seems very low for such a high resolution?); h264/main/3.1; audio 96k; keyframes: 4

Changed keyframes to 2 but there wasnt really a difference!

As you can see the bitrate still changes like crazy but wont go (except 2 or 3 moments) above 900~ which is ok for me. Later in the VOD there is a replay shown with alot of movement -> still hard on the eyes i think. While i played i felt no delay or lags - this is optimal. Only thing i want to get rid of, or at least minimize as much as possible is the pixelation/blurriness (is there such a word? Oo).

[XeiZ]

-Updated opening post-

Anyone got any ideas?

[XeiZ]

http://en.justin.tv/xeiz/b/289046525

H264
bitrate 600
res 640x480

Seems the best by now.
Bitrate sometimes spikes up to 1100/1200 but overall its fine.
Interessting thing is that if i increase the Bitrate to like 650, it starts spiking like crazy. If i decrease it to like 550, it starts pixelating very heavily!
500 wont go beyond 1000kbps but looks terrible.

I assume that with a 1mbit upload 640x480 with 600 is my limit? or is there still something wrong that it spikes like this?
Multiboxing´s guide said one should save at least 25% of his maximum upload to compensate for spikes, this would be 750 for me and with this resolution there would be no pixelation.

[Rave]

First - Pretty sure Multiboxing's guide is way out-dated. If I'm wrong. Sorry Tim!

Second, Xsplit is just plainly superior to the Adobe encoders. All versions of them are huge resource hogs. Even with the best of PC's it can ruin the streaming experiance.

Definitly get rid of VH Screen cap from your PC Entirely. To be frank - Thats the same capture device which is used in Xsplit ( but xsplit's is improved and better screen capture... Sometimes has problems with SCFH and I'm surprised you're one of the first people i've seen who've enjoyed what they saw...)

The spike in Bitrates you say is most definitly your choice of Game. Alot of bullets and lazers go flying in Starcraft 2. Even though its not using up your entire PC's resoures, its still pumpin' to try to heep up with all the actions in game. As to how to fix it? Turn down graphics settings and hope for the best. It might not look as clean and clear... But it'll stop the spiking, or at least make it less noticable. Another note - Anything over 600kbps (i believe?) Is considered Hi quality, which is why you get the pixilation on that.

Also. Another hopeful note - Kyle (JTV Staff) Hinted that there would be a free version of Xsplit. Cross your fingers. ( or hope for a free license to fall in your lap :P )

[XeiZ]

Thanks for your reply Rave.

I got rid of VH a long time ago, it was horrible in comparison with scfh dsf which uses almost 99% less cpu then VH... sad but true.

The graphic settings are completly on low too.
I understand that xsplit and fmle work different, but is there really such a HUUUGE difference that xsplit is able to stream @850kbps on 1020x816 and fmle isnt even able to properbly stream 640x480? I´m really confused. :/

Also. Another hopeful note - Kyle (JTV Staff) Hinted that there would be a free version of Xsplit. Cross your fingers.

THAT would be the best solution for me. Thanks for the info (even if its not 100% sure yet).