OBS or Open Broadcasting Software (obsproject.com) is a free and open-source cross-platform streaming and recording program maintained by the OBS Project. If you do not have OBS already, you can download OBS Studio from https://obsproject.com/. OBS Studio is currently available for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux.
OBS offers more configuration options for stream quality than is available in Volume's in-browser broadcast tool. Additionally, OBS can be set up to stream audio from a DAW application to optimize your broadcast setup!
Stream Setup
To configure your Volume stream, open the OBS Settings page and switch to the "Stream" tab. Configure your settings as follows:
- Service: Volume.com
- Note: You will have to click “Show All…” in the service dropdown box, then scroll down to the “Volume.com” option.
- Server: Default - Recommended
Obtaining your Stream Key
To obtain your stream key, navigate to the broadcast page at https://volume.com/b/ or click "Go Live" at the top of the homepage. Additionally, if you are already logged into Volume; you can click on the “Get Stream Key” button in OBS which will auto direct you to your broadcast page.
On the Broadcast page, click the "Show RTMP/OBS Stream Key" button:
A popup will load that contains your stream key. Copy your stream key and paste it into the "Stream Key" field on the "Stream" tab of OBS Settings:
If you accidentally give your stream key to anyone else, you can generate a new one using the "Generate New Token" button at the bottom of this popup.
Configure your Resolution and Bitrate
We recommend starting with a resolution of 1280x720 and a bitrate of 3,000 Kbps and then adjusting these values based on the performance of your broadcast, your internet connection, and your hardware.
Make the following changes on the "Video" tab of OBS settings:
- Base (Canvas) Resolution: 1920x1080
- Output (Scaled) Resolution: 1280x720
- FPS: 30
Then on the "Output" tab of OBS, set your bitrate to 3,000:
Click "OK" to save your OBS Settings.
Video Capture and Audio Input Device Setup
This section will go through the basic setup for adding audio input and video capture devices. This process may vary depending on your setup. If you will be streaming with a DAW app hooked up to OBS please see our DAW Informational Guide.
To add your camera to OBS, navigate to the section at the bottom of the OBS application labeled "Sources" and click the "+" sign in the bottom left-hand corner of the widget.
From the Sources menu, select "Video Capture Device" and click OK:
In the Device field, select your webcam. Your webcam feed should now show as a preview. Click OK to save.
To set up your mic in OBS, add another source and select "Audio Input Capture." From the device list, select your microphone and click OK to save.
Now that your Audio and Video sources have been set up, at this point you should be able to see your camera display on the screen. In the "Audio Mixer" section at the bottom of OBS, you should see that your input capture device should be registering sound as depicted below.
Starting Your Stream
Now that you've completed your stream setup, to start your stream on Volume all you need to do is click "Start Streaming" in OBS! The status bar at the bottom of OBS will provide you with information about your stream, including bitrate, CPU percentage, and dropped frames.
You can also view your broadcast status on the broadcast page on Volume:
When you are ready to end your broadcast, you can do so by clicking "Stop Streaming" in OBS.
Important note! If you do not click "Stop Streaming" in OBS, your stream will continue even if you have closed out of all windows in your browser and logged out of your Volume account. Once complete you MUST click "Stop Streaming" in the OBS application to end your broadcast.
Advanced OBS Setup
Selecting a Resolution
Your broadcast resolution should be selected based on your internet upload bandwidth, your camera's max resolution, and your hardware capabilities.
First, check your camera to find its resolution capabilities. Never select a resolution in OBS that is higher than that of your webcam.
Next, run a network speed test to find your upload bandwidth. We recommend using the following speed test here: https://www.speedtest.net/
When the speed test has finished running, you will see the final result of your upload speed test.
We recommend comparing your speed test to the following table:
| Resolution |
Minimum Upload Speed |
| 1280x720 |
3000 kbps |
| 1920x1080 |
5000 kbps |
| 2560x1440 |
8000 kbps |
| 3840x2160 (4K) |
12000 kbps |
Note: 1000 kbps = 1 Mbps
Please keep in mind that internet speed is just one factor that affects the quality of your stream. We recommend monitoring the OBS status bar while broadcasting and making changes to your resolution as needed to achieve the highest quality broadcast for your setup!
Configuring Bitrate and FPS
If you are streaming at a higher resolution, you will need to adjust your bitrate correspondingly. Higher resolutions and FPS require more bandwidth and processing power on your computer. If you are unsure of what your system can handle, start with the default settings below and then adjust based on your stream quality.
| Resolution |
Video Bitrate - 30 FPS
|
Video Bitrate - 60 FPS
|
Audio Bitrate |
| 1280x720 |
3500 kbps |
5500 kbps |
160 kbps |
| 1920x1080 |
6500 kbps |
8000 kbps |
192 kbps |
| 2560x1440 |
9000 kbps |
12000 kbps |
320 kbps |
| 3840x2160 (4k) |
12000 kbps |
16000 kbps |
320 kbps |
Note: Audio and video bitrates are set as 'kbps' within OBS.
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