Welcome to our quick tutorial on getting started with Open Broadcaster Software (OBS). Whether you’re on Linux, macOS, or Windows, OBS is your go-to software for streaming to various platforms like YouTube and Twitch.
Step 1: Download and Install OBS
Start by downloading OBS from its official website. Installation is straightforward; once installed, open the software, and you’re ready to dive into its functionalities.
Step 2: Understanding Profiles and Scene Collections
OBS allows you to stream to different platforms, which requires setting up various profiles—one for each service you want to stream to. Profiles are crucial as they help manage your streaming settings separately for each platform.
Step 3: Creating and Managing Scenes
A scene in OBS is a configuration of sources like cameras, microphones, and screen captures that you can broadcast. Here’s how to set up a scene:
- Create a Scene: Click the ‘+’ under the Scenes box to create a new scene.
- Add Sources: Within a scene, you can add multiple sources:
- Camera: Add a webcam or an integrated camera. Adjust the resolution to fit your needs, such as setting it to full HD.
- Display Capture: To add a display, select ‘Display Capture’ and choose the specific screen you want to share.
- Window Capture: To share a specific application window instead of your entire screen.
- Audio Input: Add your microphone as an audio input source; this is useful for professional-quality audio.
You can resize and rearrange these sources within the scene by clicking and dragging.
Step 4: Managing Scenes
OBS allows you to seamlessly switch between scenes during your stream, which is perfect for shows that require multiple setups. For example, you can transition from a full-screen game capture to a face-cam with commentary.
- Scene Transitions: Control how scenes change with transitions like fade-ins and fade-outs, configurable under the Scene Transitions section.
Step 5: Local Recording and Playback
Before going live, OBS also offers the functionality to record your streams locally. This feature is great for testing your setup. Recordings can be accessed via File > Show Recordings.
This tutorial should give you a basic understanding of setting up and managing OBS. For detailed information on connecting to streaming servers, check out our next video. Happy streaming!