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Once you have OBS Studio set up with HNode, you can stream the output to various platforms for use in VRChat worlds or other applications.

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Streaming Options

There are several ways to stream HNode output:
  • YouTube Live: High latency, possibly bad compression, okay bitrate
  • Twitch: High latency, possibly bad compression, okay bitrate
  • VRCDN: Low latency, okay compression, okay bitrate
  • Other streaming services: Check their Terms of Service before use
  • Local streaming (MediaMTX): Low latency, okay compression, good bitrate (hardware-dependent)
For local testing and optimal performance, we recommend MediaMTX. This guide focuses on MediaMTX setup, but the OBS configuration applies to most streaming services.

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MediaMTX Setup

MediaMTX is a free, open-source RTMP/RTSP server that provides low-latency local streaming.
1

Install MediaMTX

  1. Download the latest binary for your system from MediaMTX releases
  2. Extract the archive to an empty folder
  3. Run the main executable:
    • Windows: mediamtx.exe
    • Linux/Mac: ./mediamtx
MediaMTX will start an RTMP server on rtmp://localhost/ by default.
2

Configure OBS Stream Settings

Open OBS Studio and navigate to Settings > Stream:
  • Service: Custom
  • Server: rtmp://localhost/
  • Stream Key: (optional) Add any ASCII text for a custom path (e.g., mystream)
If you add a stream key like mystream, your final URL will be rtmp://localhost/mystream. If you encounter errors, your stream key may contain invalid characters.
3

Configure Output Settings

Navigate to Settings > Output > Streaming:Streaming Settings:
  • Audio Encoder: FFmpeg AAC
  • Video Encoder:
    • NVIDIA GPUs: NVIDIA NVENC H.264
    • AMD GPUs: AMD HW H.264
    • CPU encoding: x264 (requires powerful CPU)
  • Rescale Output: Disabled
Encoder Settings:
  • Rate Control: Constant Bitrate
  • Bitrate: 5000 Kbps or higher for detailed visuals
    • Use higher bitrates for Binary or Ternary gridnodes
    • Don’t set too low (causes quality issues) or too high (increases latency)
  • Keyframe interval: 1s
  • Preset: Slow (Good Quality)
    • Higher quality presets available if hardware permits, but not generally recommended
  • Tuning: High Quality
    • Ultra low latency may cause issues despite the name
  • Multipass Mode: Two Passes (Quarter Resolution)
  • Profile: high
  • Look-ahead: Off
  • Adaptive Quantization (or Psycho-Visual Tuning): Off
  • B-Frames: 2
4

Configure Audio Settings

Navigate to Settings > Output > Audio:
  • Set Audio Bitrate to 320 on each track
If you experience audio issues, try lower values. 192 kbps works well with MediaMTX.
Then navigate to Settings > Audio:
  • Sample Rate: 48 kHz
  • Channels: Stereo
5

Configure Video Settings

Navigate to Settings > Video:
  • Base (Canvas) Resolution: 1920x1080
  • Output (Scaled) Resolution: 1920x1080
  • Common FPS Values: 30
While you can set higher FPS values, if clients render at lower framerates, you’ll experience stream delays. 30 FPS is the most common standard in VRChat clubs.
6

Configure Advanced Settings

Navigate to Settings > Advanced:
  • Color Range: Full
This ensures proper color representation in the output stream.
7

Start Streaming

  1. Click Apply to save your settings
  2. Click Start Streaming in the OBS main window
  3. Verify MediaMTX is receiving the stream (check the MediaMTX console output)
8

Test in VRChat

In your VRChat world’s video player, use the URL:
rtspt://localhost:8554/(stream_key)
Replace (stream_key) with whatever you set in the OBS Server field after the trailing slash. If you used rtmp://localhost/mystream, use:
rtspt://localhost:8554/mystream
Note the protocol change from rtmp:// (OBS output) to rtspt:// (VRChat input). The port also changes from none (default 1935) to :8554.

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Platform-Specific Settings

  • Service: YouTube - RTMPS
  • Server: Primary YouTube ingest server
  • Stream Key: Get from YouTube Studio live dashboard
  • Keep bitrate at or below 8000 Kbps for 1080p30
  • Service: Twitch
  • Server: Auto (recommended) or select closest ingest server
  • Stream Key: Get from Twitch dashboard
  • Maximum bitrate: 6000 Kbps (recommended)
Contact VRCDN for specific server URLs and configuration requirements. VRCDN is designed for VRChat streaming with lower latency than public platforms.

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Troubleshooting

  • Lower bitrate in OBS encoder settings
  • Reduce keyframe interval
  • Enable “Ultra low latency” tuning (may affect quality)
  • Ensure no other applications are using network bandwidth
  • Increase bitrate (if network permits)
  • Change encoder preset to higher quality
  • Verify canvas resolution matches HNode output resolution
  • Check that Rescale Output is disabled
  • Verify MediaMTX is running
  • Check firewall settings
  • Ensure the RTMP server address is correct
  • Try removing the stream key (just use rtmp://localhost/)
  • Verify you’re using rtspt:// protocol (not rtmp://)
  • Check the port is :8554 (MediaMTX’s default RTSP port)
  • Ensure MediaMTX is receiving the stream before testing in VRChat
  • Test the URL in VLC or another media player first

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Next Steps

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