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OBS SDR Streaming

This guide covers Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) streaming with OBS Studio. If you need HDR streaming, please see our OBS HDR Streaming guide.

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Requirements​

  • OBS Studio (latest version)
  • SDI monitor card for output
  • SDI capture card for input
  • Example: Blackmagic DeckLink 4K Mini (works as both monitor and capture card)
  • SDI cable to loop between output and input

Color & Codec Information​

  • Pixelview pipeline supports: Up to 10-bit 4:4:4
  • OBS limitation: Maximum 10-bit 4:2:2 HEVC
  • Viewing: iOS app, Chrome browser, or Safari (limited to 10-bit 4:2:0)

Setup Steps​

1. Download OBS​

Download the latest version of OBS Studio.

2. Add Capture Card​

  • Click the + button under Sources
  • Select "Blackmagic Device" or your capture card type
  • Choose your device from the dropdown
  • Click OK

3. Configure Stream Settings​

  • Open Settings → Stream
  • Service: Custom
  • Server: Paste the server address from your Pixelview account
    • Important: Click Setup Instructions once logged in to see it
  • Stream Key: Leave blank

4. Set Output Bitrate​

Choose your encoder settings based on your Pixelview version:

Option 1: Standard x264 Encoding​

Go to Settings → Output:

  • Video Bitrate: 5000-12000 Kbps (recommended: 5000)
  • Audio Codec: Opus (not AAC)
  • Encoder: x264
  • CPU Usage Preset: ultrafast
  • Profile: baseline
  • Tune: zerolatency

Option 2: Pixelview v3 with 4:2:2 10-bit (Higher Quality)​

If you're using Pixelview version 3 (enable it in Settings), you can stream up to 4:2:2 10-bit for better color quality:

Configure SDR encoder settings in Settings → Output → Advanced:

  • Encoder: HEVC Hardware Encoder (h265)
  • Audio Codec: Opus (not AAC)
  • Video Bitrate: 5000-12000 Kbps
  • Keyframe Interval: 1 second
  • Profile: main 4:2:2 10
  • Deselect 'Use B-frames'

5. Configure Color Settings (Pixelview v3 Only)​

If you chose Option 2 above, you must also configure the color settings:

Go to Settings → Advanced:

  • Color Format: P216 - 4:2:2, 2 Planes
  • Color Space: Rec. 709
  • Color Range: Limited

Start Streaming​

Click "Start Streaming" in the main OBS window.

Potential Errors​

If OBS can't connect to the server:

  1. First go to the Pixelview Admin page and click the link to watch the stream and enter your name.
  2. Then try to start the stream again in OBS.
  3. You might need to refresh the viewer as well after a while.
  4. The reason for this error is that the port on the server is not opened until someone is watching the stream.

View the Stream​

For detailed instructions on viewing your stream, see our How to Watch guides.