How to Stream from OBS to Another Device Using UDP?

Many streamers use OBS to stream to various platforms. Most of these platforms support the Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP) standards that OBS uses as the default standard. However, RTMP only works with Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), which is a connection-oriented protocol.

There are, however, some niche scenarios, in which streamers might have to use a datagram-oriented protocol such as User Datagram Protocol (UDP) for broadcast and multicast type of network transmission. Although it can be done with OBS, it requires some customization. In this article, we will examine how users can stream from OBS to another device using UDP and a superior alternative.

When Is UDP Used for Streaming with OBS?

Streaming with OBS over UDP is used in custom scenarios such as the ones described below.

• Real-time communication is more important than losing a few packets. In other words, users would rather lose a few frames than let the content buffer.
• There is a need to minimize the load on their servers.
• Streamers are connected to several devices and would rather connect with multicast than send packets of data to each individual connected client.
• Require low latency streaming with minimal overheads is more important than scalability and guaranteed content delivery.
• Need a lightweight solution for deploying and supporting custom streaming applications.

How to Send UDP Stream to Another Device with OBS?

One of the most widely observed scenarios for streaming with OBS over UDP is to stream the screen of a computer wirelessly to a nearby device that typically has lower processing power. Follow the steps below to use OBS to stream locally to another computer.

• After launching OBS, navigate to Settings and switch to the Output tab.
• Change the Output Mode to Advanced. Similarly, in the Recording tab, change the Type from Standard to Custom output (FFmpeg).
• In the FFmpeg Output Type, select the Output to URL option.
• Provide the URL to the next text box. Use any open ports that are not used by other services.
• Change the Container Format to mpegts, the Video Encoder to libx264, and select any Audio Encoder, and start recording.
• Open the network stream using a player such as VLC, a terminal, or any software that can play a UDP stream on the other device and use the address provided in the file path earlier.

Apps4Rent Can Host OBS for Multi-Device Streaming

Although streaming with OBS using UDP to a computer on the same network is an option when there are limitations in the resources, it has several pitfalls. There could be security issues and traffic bursts can cause the receiver buffer to overflow or underflow resulting in artifacts in the output stream.

The better option is to use an RTMP server with OBS installed on a virtual desktop. This is not only a safer option but can also be used for multi-streaming. As a Microsoft and Citrix partner, Apps4Rent offers hosted OBS servers on GPU-enabled virtual machines that can be accessed by devices even with limited processing power. Contact our OBS implementation experts available 24/7 via phone, chat, and email for assistance.