How To Use Obs To Make Youtube Videos

I manage a YouTube channel for the FreeDOS Projection, where I record "how-to" videos with FreeDOS running inside the QEMU PC emulator software. When I started the channel in August 2019, I didn't know annihilation most recording videos. But with Open Broadcaster Software, as well called OBS Studio, I've found recording these videos to be pretty straightforward. Hither'south how yous can do it, too.

Install OBS Studio

I run Fedora Linux, which doesn't include the OBS Studio software by default. Fortunately, the OBS Studio website has an installation guide that walks you through the steps to install OBS Studio via the RPM Fusion culling repository.

If you don't already have RPM Fusion set on your arrangement, yous tin add the repository on Fedora using this i-line command:

                                    $                            sudo              dnf              install              https://download1.rpmfusion.org/complimentary/fedora/rpmfusion-gratuitous-release-$(rpm              -E              %fedora).noarch.rpm https://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-$(rpm              -Due east              %fedora).noarch.rpm

Once the RPM Fusion repo is set upwards, you tin install OBS Studio with this control:

                                    $                            sudo              dnf              install              obs-studio

If you take an NVIDIA graphics card, there's an extra step in the installation guide to install hardware-accelerated video support. Simply my graphics card is from Intel, so I don't need to run the extra steps.

However, OBS Studio does not support Wayland, at least not in the Fedora build. That means when I want to record videos with OBS Studio, I need to log into my GNOME desktop using an Xorg session. On the login screen, enter your password, click on the gear-shaped icon in the lower-right corner, and select GNOME on Xorg.

Configure OBS Studio

The first time you launch OBS Studio, the software runs an auto-configuration wizard to determine the best settings for recording videos. This makes setup a breeze. If you're recording videos on the desktop, like I am, then click the Optimize just for recording radio push and click Adjacent.

OBS Studio configuration

OBS Studio will run through a series of automated tests before it confirms the all-time video settings for your system. On my system, that's 1920x1080 at 30 frames per second (fps), which is good enough for recording my videos.

OBS Studio configuration

My setup

The default OBS Studio interface shows the video front and center and positions the controls at the bottom of the screen. While this is non a bad default arrangement, you can see in my early on videos that I occasionally look away from the camera as I modify from a total-screen webcam video to my QEMU screen. That's because the default OBS Studio configuration places the Scene controls in the lower-left corner.

OBS Studio configuration

Breaking virtual centre contact like this is distracting, and then I wanted some other way to change scenes without looking for the scene controls. I discovered that I could click and drag the OBS Studio controls to different areas on the screen. By positioning the scene controls at the tiptop of the screen, near my calculator's webcam, I don't need to look away from the camera to modify scenes.

OBS Studio configuration

So, my starting time step whenever I set up OBS Studio is to drag the controls to the top of the screen. I like to place the Scene selector panel in the middle, then I don't have to await very far away from my camera to change scenes. I keep the recording controls to one side because I'chiliad never on camera when I start or terminate the video, so it doesn't thing if I look away to start or stop my video recording.

OBS Studio configuration

Setting upward scenes

You tin can set upwards OBS Studio to support your preferred video style. When I started recording videos, I watched other how-to videos to meet how they were organized. About start with a brief introduction by the host, then switch to a hands-on demonstration, and end with a "thank you" screen to advertise the channel. I wanted to create my videos similarly, and you can exercise that with scenes.

Each scene is a dissimilar organisation of sources, or elements in the video. Each source is similar a layer, and then if y'all have multiple paradigm or video sources, they will appear to stack on top of one some other.

How you define your scenes depends on the kind of video you lot want to make. I do a lot of easily-on demonstration videos, so I have i scene with a full-screen webcam video, another scene that's only a QEMU window, and yet another scene that's "picture-in-movie" with me over my QEMU screen. I can too set up split up scenes that bear witness a "thank you lot" image and links to subscribe to my aqueduct or to bring together the project on social media.

With these scenes, I tin record my videos as Live—meaning I don't demand to edit them later on. I tin apply the Scene controls in OBS Studio to switch from the QEMU scene to the Full-screen webcam screen and back to the QEMU screen earlier wrapping up with dissever scenes that thank my supporters and share data near my channel. That may sound like a lot of work, but once yous have the scenes gear up upward, irresolute scenes is simply clicking an item in the Scenes card. That's why I like to center the Scene selector at the top of the screen, so I can hands select the scene I demand.

Here's what I utilize to record my videos and how I prepare upwards the sources in each:

Full-screen webcam: I ready a webcam source from my Vitade webcam as a video capture device (V4L) and use the Transform menu (right-click) to fit the webcam to the screen. This besides uses my Yeti microphone for sound as an audio input capture (PulseAudio).
QEMU: This is where I spend most of my time in my videos. OBS Studio can utilise any window equally a source, and I define my QEMU window as a window capture (Xcomposite) source. In instance I demand to reboot the virtual automobile while I'm recording a video, I besides fix a Color Bars paradigm as a background image on a layer that'south "behind" the window. This as well uses my Yeti microphone for audio as an audio input capture (PulseAudio).
QEMU + webcam: My viewers tell me they similar to see me on camera while I'k showing things in my QEMU window, so I defined another scene that combines the QEMU and Full-screen webcam scenes. My webcam is a small rectangle in one corner of the screen.
Patreon bill of fare: At the finish of my videos, I give thanks the people who support me on Patreon. I created a striped blueprint in GIMP and set that as my background epitome. I then defined a text source where I entered a "thanks" message and a listing of my patrons. As before, I ready my Yeti microphone for audio every bit an audio input capture (PulseAudio).
End card: Equally I wrap up the video, I want to encourage viewers to visit our website or join us on social media. Similar to the Patreon carte scene, I use a background pattern that already includes my text and icons. But to add together a little visual flair, I created a blinking cursor later on our URL, as though someone had typed it in. This cursor is not actually an animation but an paradigm slideshow source that uses ii images: a blank rectangle and a rectangle with a cursor. The image slideshow flips between these two images, creating the appearance of a blinking cursor.

OBS Studio configuration

And action!

Once I create my scene drove, I'k ready to record my videos. I usually start by talking over my QEMU window, so I click on the QEMU scene and then click the Commencement Recording button. Afterwards I've said a few words to ready the stage for my video, I click on the Full-screen webcam scene to fully introduce the topic.

After sharing some data most whatever I'm talking about in the video, I click on the QEMU scene or the QEMU + webcam scene. Which scene I cull depends on whether I demand to be seen during the video or if the "film-in-picture" video will obscure of import text on the screen. I spend about of the how-to video in this scene, usually while playing a game, demonstrating a program, or writing a sample plan.

When I'm ready to wrap up, I click on the Patreon bill of fare scene to thank anybody who supports me on Patreon. Some patrons back up me at a higher level, and they get a specific mention and their name listed on the screen. Then, I click on the End card scene to encourage viewers to visit our website, bring together us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and consider supporting me on Patreon. Finally, I click the End Recording button, and OBS Studio stops the video.

Using OBS Studio is a great style to record videos. I've used this same method to record other videos, including pre-recorded briefing talks, welcome videos for a remote symposium, and virtual lecture videos when I teach an online class.

The next fourth dimension y'all need to record a video, endeavour OBS Studio. I recollect you lot'll find it easy to larn and use.