Livestreaming just got an upgrade with OBS Studio 29.1. The latest version adds AV1 encoding support for GeForce RTX 40 Series GPUs, including the powerful eight-generation NVENC.
The highlight of OBS Studio 29.1 is its compatibility with AV1, the next-generation video codec. Users can now effortlessly stream to YouTube using Enhanced RTMP with AV1. NVIDIA graphics card users, including laptop GPUs and the newly released GeForce RTX 4070, benefit from real-time AV1 hardware encoding that surpasses H.264 by 40% in efficiency and quality.
AV1’s significance lies in its ability to reduce the required upload bandwidth for streaming. Bandwidth limitations often pose challenges for creators who aim to deliver high-quality streams. AV1 shines even more at higher resolutions. For example, streaming 4K content at 60 frames per second now only requires 10 Mbps upload bandwidth with AV1, compared to the previous 20 Mbps with H.264. This breakthrough democratizes 4K60 streaming, making it accessible to a wider audience.
NVIDIA’s involvement as a founding member of the Alliance for Open Media emphasizes their commitment to AV1’s development. AV1 enables content creators to stream higher-quality images at higher resolutions and smoother frame rates.
YouTube supports AV1 through an update to RTMP, introducing compatibility with new formats like HEVC. While in beta, this enhanced RTMP ingestion shows YouTube’s dedication to embracing the latest streaming technologies.
Besides AV1 support, OBS Studio 29.1 offers additional benefits. The eight-generation NVENC in GeForce RTX 40 Series GPUs offloads encoding tasks from the CPU to dedicated GPU hardware, resulting in improved stream quality.
This advancement further enhances NVIDIA Broadcast, a key component of the exclusive NVIDIA Studio software suite. NVIDIA Broadcast leverages powerful AI effects such as eye contact, noise and echo removal, and virtual backgrounds, elevating livestreams, voice chats, and video calls to a professional level.
To simplify AV1 integration in OBS Studio 29.1, NVIDIA has published a detailed setup guide. This resource provides step-by-step instructions for configuring OBS Studio to stream with AV1 using GeForce RTX 40 Series GPUs.
With OBS Studio 29.1’s AV1 support and NVIDIA’s dedication to advancing video encoding technology, livestreaming enters a new era. Content creators can now deliver higher-quality streams with reduced bandwidth requirements, creating an immersive viewing experience for audiences worldwide.