OBS Studio is open-source software, which means that almost anyone can develop add-ons and plugins for it. For streamers, this can be incredibly helpful. Sometimes a streamer needs additional functionality that isn't built directly into OBS Studio, so the open-source functionality of OBS Studio lends itself well to this need.
With that said, there are plenty of options for add-ons and plugins depending on your needs. So let's talk about our choices for the three best OBS plugins!
A developer who goes by the name Palakis has created a plugin called 'OBS-NDI' available here.
OBS VST Plugin Tutorial - Improve your microphone audio quality! OBS VST Plugin Tutorial - Improve your microphone audio quality! If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your.
What this plugin does is allow a TWO PC stream setup without having to buy any capture cards or adapters. If you were looking to up your streaming setup game, OBS NDI is a very easy and free way to do so. The basic requirement for any of the PCs used with NDI is any CPU that supports Supplemental SSE3 instruction set (SSSE3). If you'd like to check if your CPU supports this instruction set, head on over to CPUworld , search your model CPU, and look under 'Extensions and Technologies.'
If this plugin sounds familiar, it's because we have a complete guide on setting it up! If you'd like to check out this plugin, feel free to check out our guide!
Palakis has developed yet another OBS plugin, and this one is called OBS Websocket.
The OBS Websocket plugin allows other programs to control the scene selection, source selection, etc. What this means is you can gain functionality similar to what an Elgato Stream Deck offers by utilizing this plugin in combination with a program called Touch Portal!
The only requirement to use it is a compatible Android or iOS device to turn into your low-cost Stream Deck alternative!
OBS Websocket link here
Touch Portal website link here
Install instructions
Click the download button on the page from the link above
Windows
Using the installer (recommended, works only with combined 32/64-bit installations) : download it, launch it and follow the instructions.
Using the obs-websocket-4.6.1-Windows.zip archive : copy the contents of the archive to the root of your OBS Studio installation folder (either C:Program Filesobs-studio or C:Program Files (x86)obs-studio).
The bottom of the page lists the following:
Select the version that applies to you (most likely the Windows-Installer one) and follow the above instructions.
Then for Touch Portal, they provide their instructions right here.
You can also find many additional tutorials and guides for Touch Portal usage right here!
A big part of streaming is making sure your audio sounds as good as possible. No matter what, if your audio is sub-par, people won't want to stay. Many people say that the most important part of good video is excellent audio, and this stands true with streaming as well. OBS Studio includes many great audio filters already, and configuring them can yield some fantastic results. However, this article is about plugins and VST Plugns for audio can take things to another level beyond what OBS Studio is capable of without plugins.
VST Plugins can allow you to control microphone EQ, compression, control peaking, control background noise, and generally clean up and improve your audio. One of the most popular sources of free VST plugins is Reaper, available here. You'll want to make sure to download the 'ReaPlugs VST FX Suite' and download the correct 32-bit or 64-bit package that is compatible with your OS. More than likely it'll be 64-bit.
Once downloaded, go ahead and run through the installer. Adding a VST plug-in through your OBS microphone device filters will now show a drop down list of the ReaPlug VST plug-ins!
At this point, you can test the different VSTs and see what mix of ReaPlug VSTs and at what settings can get you the best sounding audio out of your microphone! For additional information on VST plug-ins, Reaper/ReaPlug, and how to set them up, there are additional tutorials available here and here.
OBS Websocket link here
Touch Portal website link here
Install instructions
Click the download button on the page from the link above
Windows
Using the installer (recommended, works only with combined 32/64-bit installations) : download it, launch it and follow the instructions.
Using the obs-websocket-4.6.1-Windows.zip archive : copy the contents of the archive to the root of your OBS Studio installation folder (either C:Program Filesobs-studio or C:Program Files (x86)obs-studio).
The bottom of the page lists the following:
Select the version that applies to you (most likely the Windows-Installer one) and follow the above instructions.
Then for Touch Portal, they provide their instructions right here.
You can also find many additional tutorials and guides for Touch Portal usage right here!
A big part of streaming is making sure your audio sounds as good as possible. No matter what, if your audio is sub-par, people won't want to stay. Many people say that the most important part of good video is excellent audio, and this stands true with streaming as well. OBS Studio includes many great audio filters already, and configuring them can yield some fantastic results. However, this article is about plugins and VST Plugns for audio can take things to another level beyond what OBS Studio is capable of without plugins.
VST Plugins can allow you to control microphone EQ, compression, control peaking, control background noise, and generally clean up and improve your audio. One of the most popular sources of free VST plugins is Reaper, available here. You'll want to make sure to download the 'ReaPlugs VST FX Suite' and download the correct 32-bit or 64-bit package that is compatible with your OS. More than likely it'll be 64-bit.
Once downloaded, go ahead and run through the installer. Adding a VST plug-in through your OBS microphone device filters will now show a drop down list of the ReaPlug VST plug-ins!
At this point, you can test the different VSTs and see what mix of ReaPlug VSTs and at what settings can get you the best sounding audio out of your microphone! For additional information on VST plug-ins, Reaper/ReaPlug, and how to set them up, there are additional tutorials available here and here.
OBS.Live - Monitor, Control, Integrate, and Interact with your Stream!
You may have noticed the integrated Activity Feed and Chat window above or in some of the screenshots or linked tutorials. The OBS.Live plugin for OBS Studio by StreamElements does all of this and more!
OBS.Live lets you see how many viewers you have, Activity Feed, skip/replay/manage Alerts, refresh your Overlays, Media Request controls, set what game you're playing, set your stream title all in OBS Studio...so much good stuff! The plugin is available to download right here:
Happy Streaming!
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If you found this article helpful, or need more help with your configuration, be sure to reach out to us on social media. Our fun and friendly Discord community is full of fellow StreamElements users too and our support staff are on-hand, providing legendary service 24/7!
Best Free Vst Plugins
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You are into Case 3 if:
You use Windows with an audio software and ASIO drivers, with or without external sound card.
This case work for any kind of ASIO driver, regardless the use of an external sound card or not. It can actually work also with any other kind of driver (MME/DirectX/WASAPI) but you should rather refer to Case 2: OBS + Desktop Audio Source if you use one of those.
Best Professional Vst Plugins
The following instructions are based on ReaStream, a VST plugin made to send audio and midi in real time over a local network. Here we will use it on a same comuter as a bridge between your DAW and OBS.
ReaStream is included in a suite of free plugins called ReaPlugs VST FX Suite you can download here. Choose the 32bit or 64bit version depending on your audio software (Ableton Live 10 is 64bit only, other might depend).
Run the installer. In the 'Choose Components' screen, you only need ReaStream (stereo) but you can select other plugins if you want to try them.
In the 'Destination Folder', make sure you are using one of the following (see list below), otherwise the VST wont be available in OBS. Click Install and you're done. If you usually use a custom folder for your VSTs, just re-install ReaStream to your custom folder once you got it installed in one recognized by OBS:
- C:/Program Files/Steinberg/VstPlugins/
- C:/Program Files/Common Files/Steinberg/Shared Components/
- C:/Program Files/Common Files/VST2
- C:/Program Files/Common Files/VSTPlugins/
- C:/Program Files/VSTPlugins/
Open your audio software and add the reastream-standalone VST plugin on your master track. You should see a firewall alert saying that the plugin want to access your network. Just allow it on both private and public networks, just in case, and click OK. Now on the plug-ins interface, select 'Send audio/MIDI' then choose/type
*local broadcast(without quotation marks) in the IP field.Open OBS, click the ➕ in the Sources window and select 'Audio input capture'. Give it any name you want, and click OK.
As Device, choose an audio input you are NOT using. We actually don't care of the audio input itself, as we want the audio coming from the VST we will add in the next steps. So just use an unused audio input. If you can only select some used inputs (such as your default microphone), then is is still OK, we will figure it out later. Click OK.
Now right click on your newly created audio input capture source, and select 'Filters'.
If you had no unused audio input available, you want to turn down the volume of your used audio input without turning down the volume of the OBS audio source itself. To do so, add two 'Gain' Filters and set them to -30dB.
Ad a new audio filter by clicking the +, and select 'VST 2.x Plug-in'. Give it the name you want and click OK.
In the VST 2.x Plug-in drop-down list, select 'reastream-standalone', then click 'Open Plug-in Interface'. Windows should prompt you again the firewall security message. Just allow everything one more time.
Make sure the Identifier is the same as the one you set in Ableton ('default' by default), and you're done.
Now if you play some sound in your audio software you should get it into your OBS audio input capture device. If so, you're good to go to part 5. Streaming configuration. If not, see below for some troubleshooting.
Download Vst 2.x Plugin Obs Plugin
What to do if ReaStream in OBS does not receive sound from my audio software?
- Make sure you are using the same sample rate (44.1Khz or 48KHz) in your audio software and OBS (Settings > Audio tab)
- Right click the Audio input capture, open 'Properties' then select another input device. For some reasons, it might not work with some devices (especially the 'Default' one).
- In ReaStream in your audio software, replace
* local broadcastby127.0.0.1. It is a special IP address saying 'this very own computer'. - Try changing to another identifier in both OBS and your audio software. Sometimes, just clicking in the Identifier field and hitting 'Enter' can re-instanciate the plugin an make it work.
Obs Studio Vst
What to do you it seem like there is some latency between the received audio in OBS and the captured video? Just check the related troubleshooting part of this guide.
