[SOLVED] Camera configuration in OBS (Ubuntu)

Framework Laptop 13 Linux
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I noticed that camera performance was better under a newer kernel (5.18, 5.19). I am back on the LTS kernel which now supports hibernation, etc., but have not tested the webcam performance.

To me the issues you are speaking about here are related to drivers, which are part of the kernel you are using. There is a GUI based app on Ubuntu that will let you select a newer kernel and will install it for you. It is easy to go back to the LTS kernel if needed. When Iā€™m done with work, Iā€™ll look it up on my Framework and edit this post with that information.

Edit: Ubuntu Kernel Mainline Installer is the name of the application Iā€™m talking about.

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Thanks @2disbetter for your precise answer.
For now I am discouraged using OBS on my FW, it was working on my thinkpad E590 (cloned the SSD).
I have tried already with kernel 5.15 and 5.18 with OBS the past 2 monthes.
The thing is that it also works better with cheese the basic cam app in Ubuntu Mate (no setups in there)ā€¦
For now I will put it on hold until someone has a solutionā€¦I feel I tried pretty much everything.
And I am not talking about activating the ā€œvirtual cameraā€ and the ā€œloop back thingā€ that don t work with some mainline kernelsā€¦

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Hi @Iann_C,

I just installed OBS 28.1.2 Flatpak on my 11th gen Framework.

Video format: Motion-JPEG (plus tested all the emulated formats)
Resolution: Default
Frame Rate: Default
Color Range: Default

Kernel in question is 5.19.16 and everything looks fantastic. Now this is on Fedora, so Iā€™d echo @2disbetter in that youā€™ll want to run at least 5.18 for the best experience possible.

This video will walk you through the process:

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Also, hiya @2disbetter. :slight_smile:

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Hi Matt, really great having you here with us! Framework, which is already awesome, just got a little awesomer (real word right?) with your addition!

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Iā€™m not sure, but great for dsylexia prone people, that may need more words for the concept to sink in

got a little :: awesomer
more :: awesome

ā€˜littleā€™ is a bit diminutive whereas ā€˜moreā€™ provides the idea of growing

I got it, I have it and now Iā€™m going to leave it.

All the best

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:rofl:

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Thank you!

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Hi @Matt_Hartley
Thanks a lot for the testing and the answer.
Motion Jpeg decrease a LOT the image quality then its getting worse in OBS and worse again when sent via internet on google meet. Its looks to the guy watching me more like a 1990 test of a webcam in 320X240 :smiley:
So NO thks for jpeg.

Concerning the main line linux that s what I use for testing BUT there is not video for linux on 5.18 .19 and 6.x module on Ubuntu mainline ) NO OBS LIVE :frowning:
I did put a comment on OBS directely but it as been close because it seems the ubuntu related bug :frowning:

So game over :smiley:

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Hmm, that is odd. I know that webcams do really poorly in Linux if the lighting isnā€™t set up a specific way. Can you take a screen capture with the good lighting you had in one of the above images and these settings?

Video format: Whatever you prefer
Resolution: Default
Frame Rate: Default
Color Range: Default

I will have hands on a 12th gen configuration Monday or Tues, so I can restest this on that system as on the 11th Gen system I have it has been just fine with the above settings.

In the meantime, it would be worth installing and testing out guvcview and seeing if that gives you a different result. Using the guvcview application allows you to make changes to your webcam settings that will also carry over to WebRTC stuff like Jitsi, Google Meet, etc.

sudo apt install guvcview -y

Test out that application, see if this changes any of the behavior youā€™re seeing.

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Update 19 January
Tried it today with my uptodate ubuntu mate 22.04 . OBS 28.1.2 and the lagg in camera using YUV seems gone for now.
So it becomes usable, will test it more and confirme if solved.

The experience seems to have stabilized allround.
I can even start the virtual camera without any specific script on shipped kernel 5.15

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Excellent news, marking resolved.

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Here is the kind of quality I get now with light from a window in front.

YT-image

(Mod edit, removed embeds)

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Looks great! I did have to remove the links as while your videos were fine, we try not to set a precedent for video sharing. :slight_smile:

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Hi @Matt_Hartley
I have been recording several videos now, and I can confirme I am stuck at 640X480 IN OBS.
If I go up I start getting a veeeery important lag. About 1second log between sound and image. It is not usable in HD for me.
I have ordered an external HD cam ā€¦ :frowning:
I hope next UBUNTU 22.04.3 and kernel 5.19 will solve those laggsā€¦
Will see next month

tried with guckview as recommanded same thing in YUV cannot go over 640 without lagg :frowning:

image
image1614Ɨ1024 122 KB

it says 3OFPS but thats wit 1sec lag.

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Oh yeah, YU12 is going to be unusable.I recommend matching these settings (saying hi in the image). YU12 (Emulated) will give you super smooth video, you can even do 60 FPS.

OBS-fixed
OBS-fixed2256Ɨ1504 344 KB

What I did:

Verify I installed the recommended OEM kernel noted on the Ubuntu guide.

sudo apt install linux-oem-22.04

Reboot, then.

sudo snap install obs-studio

Added my v4l2 source. Noted that it defaulted to YU12 which was like 5 FPS or something awful.

Controls were not immediately presented until I switched to YU12 (Emulated) (Test both entries as there may be two). Closed the properties box, reopened the proprieties box.

At the bottom of the image in the video preview, grabbed the little line that appears at the bottom of the image of me, and push up using my mouse to bring forward all of the v4l2 source settings.

Now for guvcview, it will differ here and the OSB settings will have different options.

For guvcview, these are the recommended settings:

MJGP Motion Jpeg
60FPS
1920x1080

gu-video
gu-video1920Ɨ1280 182 KB

In terms of the FPS it indicates in the window, it will usually be at like 28 to 29 or 58 to 59 FPS.

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VERY intersting.
Did not installed it.
But when doing it it ask me to install kernel 5.17 ???
I am worried it will copletely mess up my system which is LTS on 5.15 ā€¦
Maye better to wait for upcoming 5.19 end of the month on Ubuntu .3

image
image1154Ɨ292 62.3 KB

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I think you need to use the kernel your comfortable with.

Using linux-oem-22.04 is a metapackage for the recommended kernel, at this time, thatā€™s 5.17.0.1027.25.

5.15 is totally fine though, itā€™s really a matter of using what works for you. We test Framework using the linux-oem-22.04 meta package. There are also linux-oem-22.04b and linux-oem-22.04c metapackages with even newer kernels.

Looks like linux-oem-22.04b has moved from 5.19 to 6.0.0 for example.

You can explore the oem kernels we use by running:

apt search linux-oem-22.04

My above results are with the specific adjustments I recommended and the oem kernel indicated in the guide.

For guvcview, these are the recommended settings:

guvcview, video tab:
MJGP Motion Jpeg
60FPS
1920x1080

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Now I need two camera so I have the logitech that works like a charm and the Framework camera.
On this live video you can see

  • the logitech in sync with the sound = reality :wink:
    My heaset is not in my hand anymore
  • The framework laptop camera, in the smal window, is half a second before that ! The headset is in my hand

I am on Ubuntu 22.04.02 LTS with kernel 5.15 up to date
5.15.0-69-generic

The framework camera is in 1920X 1080 in this test. It usually gets better in 640.
I don t undestand why anyone is having this ā€¦maybe no one uses OBS with the FW camera ? x)

image
image1466Ɨ1298 67.3 KB

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Duplicate, locking this and will assist here: