Bug Report Screen Flickering While Recording Small Game

[DutchGamer]

Hey, everyone.

So far, I've very much enjoyed using OBS... But the game recording function has never worked. I'm assuming this is because my laptop is a HP Pavilion that uses a crossfire solution (two graphics cards working in tandem). I've tried alternative recording devices, but those cause similar issues and don't work as well as OBS does in general.

Even so, I could record most games just fine using the screen recorder. But recently, I tried to record 'Ib.' Ib is a very light RPG Maker game, so I figured there was no way I'd have any problems. But strangely enough, attempting to record it using OBS causes severe flickering and sometimes screen tearing. I've tried any number of combinations with the screen capture and window capture, but to no avail.

The way I see it, there are two ways to solve my problem: Either get the game capture to work, or find a way to prevent flickering in the other capture methods. Can anyone help me out? My laptop model is "HP Pavilion dv7-6b15ed."

 

[Kharay]

The way I see it, there are two ways to solve my problem

I have a third one for you -- Disable CrossFireX for this particular situation. I can't imagine an RPG Maker really needing that kind of power anyhow.

Thing is -- CFX/SLI setups are unreliable either way. In some software it does work, in other pieces of software it doesn't work at all, yet more software simply won't run with a dual GPU setup, etc, etc, etc.

Regardless, assuming disabling CFX for the duration of recording this particular piece of software is too much of a sacrifice for you, let's first see a recent log file. Of a session that flickered, preferably. So we can see in detail what's going on. Or, well, what's going on as far as OBS is able to tell anyhow. ;)

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=97

 

[DutchGamer]

I'm not sure how to disable Crossfire. I'll let you have a look at the log either way.

00:32:21: =====Stream Start: 2013-07-27, 00:32:21===============================================
00:32:21:   Multithreaded optimizations: On
00:32:21:   Base resolution: 640x480
00:32:21:   Output resolution: 640x480
00:32:21: ------------------------------------------
00:32:21: Loading up D3D10...
00:32:21: Playback device Default
00:32:21: ------------------------------------------
00:32:21: Using desktop audio input: Luidsprekers en hoofdtelefoons (IDT High Definition Audio CODEC)
00:32:21: ------------------------------------------
00:32:21: Using auxilary audio input: Externe microfoon (IDT High Definition Audio CODEC)
00:32:22: ------------------------------------------
00:32:22: Audio Encoding: AAC
00:32:22:     bitrate: 128
00:32:22: Using Monitor Capture
00:32:22: ------------------------------------------
00:32:22: Video Encoding: x264
00:32:22:     fps: 31
00:32:22:     width: 640, height: 480
00:32:22:     preset: veryfast
00:32:22:     CBR: yes
00:32:22:     CFR: no
00:32:22:     max bitrate: 1000
00:32:22: ------------------------------------------
00:33:22: Total frames rendered: 1787, number of frames that lagged: 2 (0.11%) (it's okay for some frames to lag)
00:33:22: =====Stream End: 2013-07-27, 00:33:22=================================================
00:34:25: 
00:34:25: Profiler results:
00:34:25: 
00:34:25: ==============================================================
00:34:25: frame - [100%] [avg time: 12.258 ms (cpu time: avg 6.419 ms, total 48547.5 ms)] [avg calls per frame: 1] [children: 99.9%] [unaccounted: 0.0653%]
00:34:25: | frame preprocessing and rendering - [69.1%] [avg time: 8.467 ms (cpu time: avg 2.811 ms, total 21263 ms)] [avg calls per frame: 1] [children: 60.9%] [unaccounted: 8.19%]
00:34:25: | | scene->Preprocess - [60.9%] [avg time: 7.463 ms (cpu time: avg 2.318 ms, total 17534.5 ms)] [avg calls per frame: 1]
00:34:25: | video encoding and uploading - [30.9%] [avg time: 3.783 ms (cpu time: avg 3.607 ms, total 27284.6 ms)] [avg calls per frame: 1] [children: 30.6%] [unaccounted: 0.302%]
00:34:25: | | flush - [1.71%] [avg time: 0.209 ms (cpu time: avg 0.086 ms, total 655.203 ms)] [avg calls per frame: 1]
00:34:25: | | CopyResource - [0.131%] [avg time: 0.016 ms (cpu time: avg 0.006 ms, total 46.8 ms)] [avg calls per frame: 0]
00:34:25: | | conversion to 4:2:0 - [0.0734%] [avg time: 0.009 ms (cpu time: avg 0.014 ms, total 109.202 ms)] [avg calls per frame: 0]
00:34:25: | | call to encoder - [28.6%] [avg time: 3.505 ms (cpu time: avg 3.479 ms, total 26317.3 ms)] [avg calls per frame: 0]
00:34:25: | | sending stuff out - [0.0571%] [avg time: 0.007 ms (cpu time: avg 0.01 ms, total 78 ms)] [avg calls per frame: 0]
00:34:25: | Convert444Threads - [535%] [avg time: 65.636 ms (cpu time: avg 4.119 ms, total 31153.4 ms)] [avg calls per frame: 1]
00:34:25: ==============================================================
00:34:25:

 

[Kharay]

Go into Catalyst Control Center; it should be in there somewhere. I don't know exactly where, I only have a single AMD. And the option simply does not exist for me. But it should be in Catalyst somewhere.

 

[DutchGamer]

I'm wondering, though, what's the best way to get OBS to work properly with my crossfire solution? If I want to record certain games, I'm going to need my crossfire.

Also, does that log tell you anything? The resulting video has massive screen tearing and flickering.

 

[Kharay]

There is no best way to get OBS running properly with CrossFireX -- SLI and CFX configurations are troublesome, period. It's not just limited to OBS though. As I suggested, plenty of games don't even work properly with a CFX/SLI configuration.

Regardless, the log doesn't say much other than each individual frame taking a really long time to render. Which oddly enough seems to be related to your CPU. Also, I am missing a part of the log file. Copy the whole thing into a paste over at pastebin.com and drop the resulting link here.

 

[DutchGamer]

Yeah, I've realized that by now, but I'm stuck with this shoddy HP laptop for the next few years because I made an uninformed purchase. That's life, I guess.

Hmm, the frames are taking a long time to render? That's extremely weird. I've been able to record much heavier games without issue.

Ah, I took the bit from the log I thought was relevant. Here's a complete log:

http://pastebin.com/TQ6Zm889

 

[Kharay]

Any particular reason you're using Monitor Capture? Because it easily is the slowest capture method. It is highly recommended not to use it.

 

[DutchGamer]

It's the only capture method that works properly. Game capture returns a black screen, and window capture won't even detect the game (even when ran as admin - I did make sure of that).

But this is a 640 * 480 recording of a 16-bit RPG. There's no excuse for flickering, no matter how I record. :/

EDIT: Oh, by the way - this game forces the computer to go fullscreen in 640 * 480. Is that significant?

 

[Kharay]

Then it is still highly recommended not to use Monitor Capture. In fact, if your CPU is fast enough it probably is faster to run the game on a Windows XP INSIDE of a Virtual Machine and simply Window Capturing that VM.

Let's work on getting Window Capture working on the game and avoid Monitor Capture at all costs. Mind you, for Window Capture Enabling Aero is highly recommended. In fact, I recommend against disabling Aero, period. The only reason, OBS-wise anyhow to disable Aero would be when using Monitor Capture. But, as I said... that in and of itself is not recommended.

Do you have a link to the homepage of said piece of software you're streaming? I'm curious about it now.

 

[DutchGamer]

It's a freeware horror RPG made in some RPG Maker program: http://www.vgperson.com/games/ib.htm

Right, I'll activate Aero again and see if I can get the game detected somehow.

EDIT: No success so far, though.

 

[Kharay]

http://www.twitch.tv/kharay1977/b/436393177 -- http://pastebin.com/pRj7msmW

Not a problem. Are you making sure to actually run in it in its window mode?

 

[DutchGamer]

Ah! Yes, I think it works now. It kind of hurts the immersion that I can't record it full screen, but... Thanks a ton for helping me out.