Help with PC Build for Streaming Camera(s) Only No Gaming

[PretendVideo]

I am trying to build a pc that will fit my streaming use case and my budget:

I am streaming live events for a community centre. They have a single camera feed I can bring into OBS via capture card. I only need to handle one camera feed for now but I'd like to future proof it (add more cameras in the future). this won't be used for gaming. My budget is around 1k but ideally less.

we have a fixed camera (1080p) overhead (like you see in lectures) that is hardwired (HDMI) into a matrix. I would then have a HDMI from an output of the matrix, into the PC, to get the camera feed.

I came up with the following build: https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/Wn7NYX
I'm leaning towards keeping the 5060 for future proofing.

Does anyone see specs here that they think could be lowered? Or have any advice on the setup? Thanks!

 

[Lawrence_SoCal]

That means you essentially are processing 2 video inputs (not 1) - camera and HDMI capture.... ??? wait - sorry, just re-read that... single camera, no separate slide input, right?

For a setup I configured, I preferred to keep the slide material (in this case PowerPoint) running on same PC as OBS Studio (so a local Window capture, not HDMI input capture). I assume a local window is a lower compute load, though I don't know that for certain (and I'm sure there are edge cases).

That said, I was running a multi NDI camera (1080p60) on a 5yr old i7-10700K Win10 with 16GB RAM, SATA SSD, and and a 1060Super and it was fine for many years (still running last I heard). For future proofing on Win11, I'd strongly encourage 32GB of RAM and getting matching extra RAM later can get tricky. If you are good at Operating System (OS) optimizations,( ex VDI style optimizations and reducing general WinOS eye candy), and other background process vigilance (and real-time resource monitoring), you may be fine with 16GB RAM. Otherwise, bit the bullet (cost) and get more than 16GB now

The other consideration that is more important, is audio... humans typically will put up with glitchy video, but will disconnect quickly if audio is poor. So, consider how you are getting audio into stream? from camera is often a poor choice if camera at any distance and/or there is a live audience. If there is a sound system (microphone, speakers, etc), then getting clean audio input, being aware of grounding if using an analog source, is important. Windows PCs tend to be noisy so an external (USB) audio processing input device is often recommended (for analog source material). This can be its own whole topic... just don't ignore it

Your spec'ed system should be more than plenty, BUT there is plenty that can impact computer resource demands like color depth, frame rate, etc. A few years ago, I'd have said future proofing requires panning for 4K video. That seems less of a short-term requirement for the type of content you are talking about than I expected a few years ago.

As for your specifics... I build PCs decades ago. For true exceptional needs, a custom build still makes sense. But in most cases, I find a quality business-class (and I personally prefer workstation-class) PC build from a reliable mfg who provides tested updates for many years to be much more reliable/consistent/trouble-free in the long-run (always exceptions). ymmv

 

[PretendVideo]

That means you essentially are processing 2 video inputs (not 1) - camera and HDMI capture.... ??? wait - sorry, just re-read that... single camera, no separate slide input, right?

For a setup I configured, I preferred to keep the slide material (in this case PowerPoint) running on same PC as OBS Studio (so a local Window capture, not HDMI input capture). I assume a local window is a lower compute load, though I don't know that for certain (and I'm sure there are edge cases).

That said, I was running a multi NDI camera (1080p60) on a 5yr old i7-10700K Win10 with 16GB RAM, SATA SSD, and and a 1060Super and it was fine for many years (still running last I heard). For future proofing on Win11, I'd strongly encourage 32GB of RAM and getting matching extra RAM later can get tricky. If you are good at Operating System (OS) optimizations,( ex VDI style optimizations and reducing general WinOS eye candy), and other background process vigilance (and real-time resource monitoring), you may be fine with 16GB RAM. Otherwise, bit the bullet (cost) and get more than 16GB now

The other consideration that is more important, is audio... humans typically will put up with glitchy video, but will disconnect quickly if audio is poor. So, consider how you are getting audio into stream? from camera is often a poor choice if camera at any distance and/or there is a live audience. If there is a sound system (microphone, speakers, etc), then getting clean audio input, being aware of grounding if using an analog source, is important. Windows PCs tend to be noisy so an external (USB) audio processing input device is often recommended (for analog source material). This can be its own whole topic... just don't ignore it

Your spec'ed system should be more than plenty, BUT there is plenty that can impact computer resource demands like color depth, frame rate, etc. A few years ago, I'd have said future proofing requires panning for 4K video. That seems less of a short-term requirement for the type of content you are talking about than I expected a few years ago.

As for your specifics... I build PCs decades ago. For true exceptional needs, a custom build still makes sense. But in most cases, I find a quality business-class (and I personally prefer workstation-class) PC build from a reliable mfg who provides tested updates for many years to be much more reliable/consistent/trouble-free in the long-run (always exceptions). ymmv

No separate slides it would just be the camera feed. Although I can see a scenario where someone presenting wants their slides up and the camera feed in the corner.

Audio is all separate we have a mixer. Yeah I've been looking at Audio interfaces to convert the analog line to one the PC can use and then I'd sync it with the video feed in OBS.

I'm leaning towards a refurbished workstation pc because of the cost of a custom pc. What are you thoughts on a build that relies only on the CPU for encoding? i.e. no GPU

 

[Randy P]

@PretendVideo - we seem to have similar needs, but I am starting with a random assortment of used gear. Definitely going to learn from the advice people give you here!! But I hope that my efforts may help you determine what your needs will want for equipment, and save you some costs.

Input of presentation slides is wanted for our town meetings. Other than that, maybe three cameras (HDMI out) with no more than two operatiing at any time in a PIP format. But I COULD see 3, with 2 in PIP.

In testing, so far running 2 usb webcams (720p) and one HDMI cam (1080P) with a USB converter has barely put processor over 15% in studio mode. Will report back with further observations as I get streaming.

Device Name DESKTOP-RS8QCU7 (2018 Eluktronics gaming laptop)
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-7700HQ CPU @ 2.80GHz 2.80 GHz
Installed RAM 16.0 GB (15.9 GB usable)
Storage 466 GB SSD WDC WDS500G1B0B-00AS40
Graphics Card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 (8 GB), Intel(R) HD Graphics 630 (128 MB)
System Type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor WIN 10

@Lawrence_SoCal 's statement "That said, I was running a multi NDI camera (1080p60) on a 5yr old i7-10700K Win10 with 16GB RAM, SATA SSD, and and a 1060Super and it was fine for many years (still running last I heard)." give me hope that my gear will suffice for some time. Modest needs.


Hope this isnt considered hijacking your post. Not intended.

 

[Lawrence_SoCal]

No separate slides it would just be the camera feed. Although I can see a scenario where someone presenting wants their slides up and the camera feed in the corner.

Slide quality is SO much better when direct/separate Source in OBS instead of simply capture by camera from another monitor (but complexity involved, but the way I setup a HoW system from the start

Audio is all separate we have a mixer. Yeah I've been looking at Audio interfaces to convert the analog line to one the PC can use and then I'd sync it with the video feed in OBS.

Beware grounding... can get really annoying to eliminate noise.

I'm leaning towards a refurbished workstation pc because of the cost of a custom pc. What are you thoughts on a build that relies only on the CPU for encoding? i.e. no GPU

Long ago I gave up on consumer PCs... business or workstation class for me and family and friends
CPU (x.264) real-time encoding... avoid GPU exorbitant prices... understand impulse, but no.. unless you are a master at real-time hardware resource utilization monitoring and OS and OBS studio optimizations. It is possible, but tends to need a REALLY powerful CPU... as in, even in today's market, a far more modest CPU (i7 class) and couple generation older GPU will outperform real-time encoding of a CPU costing many times more (though I'm sure there may be exceptions but in general).

I've had legitimate gripe with every major OEM... so .. none if perfect or without blame ;^) That said, even despite some major blowups, I use Dell. At times, I've had to use my employment in IT Infrastructure at global enterprise 'card' to force Dell to do the right thing outside the enterprise setting ... I'm typing this from a refurb Dell mobile Precision... have 3 old Precision towers laying around my desk, etc... part of this is simply familiarity, and I loved HP/HPE for servers... but every time I've shopped personally, the HP workstations came up a little short in that specific use case... (or simply not available at a value pricing I could get closely comparable Dell Optiplex/Precision)

So yea, Dell Precision refurb with frequently available coupon... for the win ;^)