π¬ OBS Studio Setup¶
Status: β Configured & Ready | Last updated: 2026-04-05
OBS Studio configured for high-quality screen recording with professional audio from a Shure SM7B, display capture from an external LG monitor, and optional picture-in-picture webcam overlays with neon borders.
Quick Reference¶
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| OBS Version | 32.1.0 (x64, Prism emulation on ARM) |
| Device | Surface Laptop 7th Edition (ARM64) |
| CPU | Snapdragon X Elite 12-core @ 3.40 GHz |
| RAM | 32 GB |
| GPU | Qualcomm Adreno X1-85 (no HW encoder) |
| Microphone | Shure SM7B (dynamic, XLR) |
| Preamp | Cloudlifter CL-1 (inline, needs 48V) |
| Audio interface | Focusrite Scarlett Solo 4th Gen (USB) |
| Docking station | Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock |
| Capture monitor | LG HDR QHD β DISPLAY3 (2048Γ1152) |
| Camera | Surface built-in front camera |
| Recordings folder | C:\OBS-Recordings |
| Plugin installed | Stroke Glow Shadow v1.5.3 |
| Circle mask | C:\Users\ssutheesh\Documents\obs-circle-mask.png |
| Tall rect mask | C:\Users\ssutheesh\Documents\obs-tall-rect-mask.png |
Hardware Signal Chain¶
βββββββββββ βββββββββββββββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββ ββββββββββββββββ
β SM7B βββββΆβ Cloudlifter βββββΆβ Scarlett Solo 4th GenβββββΆβ USB to Dock β
β (XLR) β β (XLR) β β β β β
βββββββββββ βββββββββββββββ β 48V: ON β β Razer TB4 β
β INST: OFF β β Dock β
β Gain: ~2 o'clock β β β
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ ββββββββ¬ββββββββ
β
ββββββββΌββββββββ
β Surface β
β Laptop 7 β
β (Thunderbolt)β
ββββββββββββββββ
Scarlett Solo 4th Gen β Physical Controls¶
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β [Small Knob 1] [Small Knob 2]β
β INPUT GAIN INSTRUMENT β
β (XLR/Mic) β (Guitar) β
β ~2 o'clock Don't touch β
β β
β [48V] = ON [INST] = OFF β
β β
β [BIG KNOB] β
β HEADPHONE VOLUME β
β (not for recording) β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
48V Phantom Power
The 48V button MUST be ON β it powers the Cloudlifter, not the SM7B. Without it, the mic will appear silent!
Monitor Layout (Updated 2026-04-09)¶
DISPLAY4 β MSI MP161 E2 (15.3")
1920Γ1080 (Landscape, 16:9)
β
YouTube ready
ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β MSI OVERHEAD SCREEN β
β (above laptop) β
ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
DISPLAY2 DISPLAY1 DISPLAY3
LG HDR QHD (31.5") Surface Laptop (15.1") LG HDR QHD (31.5")
1440Γ2560 (Portrait, 9:16) 1664Γ1109 (3:2) 1920Γ1080 (Landscape, 16:9)
β οΈ Vertical β οΈ 3:2 aspect β
YouTube ready
ββββββββββββ ββββββββββββββββββββββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β β β β β β
β LG β β LAPTOP SCREEN β β LG EXTENDED β
β PORTRAIT β β (Primary) β β LANDSCAPE SCREEN β
β β β β β β
β β ββββββββββββββββββββββ ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β β
ββββββββββββ
YouTube Recording Compatibility¶
| Display | Resolution | Aspect | YouTube | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DISPLAY3 β LG Landscape | 1920Γ1080 | 16:9 | β Perfect | Native 1080p, no conversion |
| DISPLAY4 β MSI Overhead | 1920Γ1080 | 16:9 | β Perfect | Native 1080p, no conversion |
| DISPLAY1 β Surface Laptop | 1664Γ1109 | 3:2 | β οΈ OK | Small black bars on sides (pillarbox) |
| DISPLAY2 β LG Portrait | 1440Γ2560 | 9:16 | β οΈ Vertical | Large black bars β better for YouTube Shorts |
Switch displays in one scene
Current approach: single Display Capture source β double-click to change the display dropdown. If switching mid-recording becomes awkward, create separate scenes per display for instant hotkey switching.
OBS Settings Configured¶
Video Tab¶
| Setting | Value | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Base (Canvas) Resolution | 1920Γ1080 | YouTube standard 16:9 |
| Output (Scaled) Resolution | 1920Γ1080 | No extra scaling needed |
| Downscale Filter | N/A (greyed out β same res) | No downscaling happening |
| Common FPS Values | 30 | Ideal for screen recording tutorials, saves CPU on ARM |
Why 30fps?
For tutorials and screen recordings, 30fps is the standard. 60fps doubles CPU load and file size with minimal visual benefit for static/slow content. YouTube handles 30fps perfectly. Switch to 60 only for fast-motion content.
Output Tab β Recording (Advanced Mode)¶
| Setting | Value | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Standard | |
| Recording Path | C:\OBS-Recordings |
Dedicated folder on SSD |
| Recording Format | MKV | Crash-safe β never lose footage |
| Audio Track | Track 1 β | |
| Encoder | x264 | Only option on ARM (no HW encoder) |
| Rate Control | CRF | Best quality-per-bit for recording |
| CRF Value | 18 | Excellent quality (lower = better, 15β23 range) |
| CPU Usage Preset | veryfast | Optimised for ARM emulation overhead |
| Profile | high | Best compression efficiency |
| Keyframe Interval | 2 | YouTube standard |
| Rescale Output | Unchecked | Handled in Video tab |
Output Tab β Audio¶
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Track 1 Audio Bitrate | 320 kbps |
| Audio Encoder | FFmpeg AAC (default) |
Audio Tab (Global)¶
| Setting | Value | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Sample Rate | 48 kHz | Broadcast standard, matches Scarlett Solo |
| Channels | Stereo | |
| Desktop Audio | Disabled | Added per-scene for control |
| Desktop Audio 2 | Disabled | |
| Mic/Auxiliary Audio | Disabled | SM7B added as dedicated source |
| Mic/Auxiliary Audio 2 | Disabled |
Why disable global audio?
Adding audio as scene sources (not global) gives per-scene control. You can have mic-only scenes, screen+mic scenes, etc.
Advanced Tab¶
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Color Format | NV12 |
| Color Space | Rec. 709 |
| Color Range | Limited |
| Automatically Remux to MP4 | β Checked |
Auto-Remux
Records as crash-safe MKV, then instantly converts to YouTube-ready MP4 when you stop recording. Best of both worlds!
Audio Source & Filters¶
Source Setup¶
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Source type | Audio Input Capture |
| Source name | SM7B - Scarlett Solo |
| Device | Microphone (Scarlett Solo USB) |
| Mono | β Checked (in Advanced Audio Properties) |
Mono is critical
The Scarlett Solo sends audio to the left channel only. Without Mono checked, viewers hear you in one ear!
Audio Filter Chain¶
Filters applied in this exact order (order matters!):
flowchart LR
A["ποΈ Raw SM7B\nSignal"] --> B["1. Noise\nSuppression\n(RNNoise)"]
B --> C["2. Noise\nGate"]
C --> D["3. Compressor"]
D --> E["4. EQ\n(ReaEQ VST)"]
E --> F["5. Limiter"]
F --> G["π§ Clean\nPro Audio"]
Filter 1: Noise Suppression¶
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Method | RNNoise |
AI-powered removal of background hum, fan noise, and keyboard sounds.
Filter 2: Noise Gate¶
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Close Threshold | -40 dB |
| Open Threshold | -35 dB |
| Attack Time | 6 ms |
| Hold Time | 150 ms |
| Release Time | 100 ms |
Silences the mic when you're not speaking. Adjust thresholds to your room.
Filter 3: Compressor¶
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Ratio | 4:1 |
| Threshold | -18 dB |
| Attack | 3 ms |
| Release | 100 ms |
| Output Gain | 4 dB |
| Sidechain Source | (None) |
Evens out volume β quiet parts get louder, loud parts get controlled.
Filter 4: EQ β Voice Shaping (ReaEQ VST)¶
| Band | Type | Frequency | Gain | Bandwidth | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | High Pass | 80 Hz | β | β | Remove rumble, desk vibration, HVAC hum |
| 2 | Band (Bell) | 200 Hz | -2.0 dB | 1.2 | Cut muddiness β cleaner voice |
| 3 | Band (Bell) | 3500 Hz | +2.5 dB | 1.0 | Presence boost β voice cuts through |
| 4 | High Shelf | 10000 Hz | +1.0 dB | β | Add "air" β subtle sparkle and openness |
Professional voice shaping using ReaEQ (free Cockos VST). Added between Compressor and Limiter.
Voice EQ Curve for SM7B
+3dB ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ±ββββ Air βββ
+2dB ββββββββββββββββββ±βββββββ±
+1dB βββββββββββββββββ± Presence
0dB ββββββββ€ββββββββ§βββββββββββββββββββββββ
-1dB βββββββ±
-2dB ββββββ± Mud cut
-3dB βββββ±
β³
cut β
80Hz 200Hz 1kHz 3kHz 5kHz 10kHz
Filter 5: Limiter¶
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Threshold | -1.5 dB |
| Release Time | 60 ms |
Hard ceiling β prevents any audio from clipping. Your safety net.
Target Audio Levels¶
| Scenario | Level |
|---|---|
| Normal speech peaks | -20 dB to -6 dB (green/yellow) |
| Loud moments | Never hit 0 dB (red) |
| Silence | Nothing (noise gate working) |
Scenes¶
Four scenes configured for different recording needs:
graph TB
subgraph "Scene 1: Screen Recording"
S1D[π₯οΈ LG Monitor<br>Display Capture]
S1A[ποΈ SM7B Audio]
end
subgraph "Scene 2: Talking Head Full"
S2C[πΉ Surface Camera<br>Full Screen + Cropped]
S2A[ποΈ SM7B Audio]
end
subgraph "Scene 3: Screen + Circle PiP"
S3D[π₯οΈ LG Monitor]
S3C[πΉ Camera β<br>Circle Mask + Stroke]
S3A[ποΈ SM7B Audio]
end
subgraph "Scene 4: Screen + Tall PiP"
S4D[π₯οΈ LG Monitor]
S4C[πΉ Camera π²<br>Tall Rect Mask + Stroke]
S4A[ποΈ SM7B Audio]
end
Scene 1: Screen Recording¶
| Source | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|
| LG Monitor | Display Capture | DISPLAY3 (2048Γ1152 β fit to 1920Γ1080 canvas) |
| SM7B - Scarlett Solo | Audio Input Capture | Mono, all 4 filters applied |
Your main use case β clean screen capture with pro audio.
Scene 2: Talking Head Full¶
| Source | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Surface Camera | Video Capture Device | 1920Γ1080, 30fps, cropped/zoomed for tighter framing |
| SM7B - Scarlett Solo | Audio Input Capture | Added as existing source |
Full-screen webcam for intro/outro segments or standalone recordings.
Scene 3: Screen + Circle PiP¶
| Source | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|
| LG Monitor | Display Capture (existing) | Full screen capture |
| Surface Camera | Video Capture Device (existing) | Resized small, bottom-right |
| SM7B - Scarlett Solo | Audio Input Capture (existing) |
Camera filters (in order):
- Image Mask/Blend β Alpha Mask β
obs-circle-mask.png - Stroke (from Stroke Glow Shadow plugin) β neon colour border
Screen recording with a circular webcam overlay and neon border.
Scene 4: Screen + Tall PiP¶
| Source | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|
| LG Monitor | Display Capture (existing) | Full screen capture |
| Surface Camera | Video Capture Device (existing) | Resized as tall portrait rectangle |
| SM7B - Scarlett Solo | Audio Input Capture (existing) |
Camera filters (in order):
- Image Mask/Blend β Alpha Mask β
obs-tall-rect-mask.png - Stroke (from Stroke Glow Shadow plugin) β neon colour border
Screen recording with a tall rectangular webcam overlay and neon border.
PiP Border & Mask Assets¶
All mask/border files stored in C:\Users\ssutheesh\Documents\:
| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
obs-circle-mask.png |
Circle shape mask for camera |
obs-circle-border-cyan.png |
π’ Neon cyan circle ring (standalone) |
obs-circle-border-magenta.png |
π£ Neon magenta circle ring (standalone) |
obs-circle-border-white.png |
βͺ White circle ring (standalone) |
obs-tall-rect-mask.png |
Tall rounded rectangle mask for camera |
obs-tall-rect-border-cyan.png |
π’ Neon cyan rectangle border (standalone) |
obs-tall-rect-border-magenta.png |
π£ Neon magenta rectangle border (standalone) |
obs-tall-rect-border-white.png |
βͺ White rectangle border (standalone) |
Stroke plugin vs standalone border images
The Stroke Glow Shadow plugin is the preferred method β it applies the border directly as a filter, so it follows the camera when you move/resize. The standalone border PNGs are a fallback if the plugin stops working.
Plugin: Stroke Glow Shadow¶
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | obs-stroke-glow-shadow |
| Version | 1.5.3 |
| Source | GitHub |
| Install location | C:\Program Files\obs-studio\obs-plugins\64bit\obs-stroke-glow-shadow.dll |
How to Use¶
- Right-click any source β Filters
- Apply Image Mask/Blend first (circle or rectangle)
- Then add Stroke filter:
- Stroke Size: 8β10 px
- Stroke Colour: Pick any (neon cyan, magenta, white, etc.)
- Position: Outer
- The stroke detects mask edges and outlines the shape automatically
Filter order matters
Mask must come before Stroke in the filter list. The Stroke filter detects the alpha channel edges created by the mask.
Software Installed¶
| Software | Version | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| OBS Studio | 32.1.0 (x64) | Screen recording & scenes |
| Focusrite Control 2 | Latest | Scarlett Solo configuration, firmware, sample rate |
| Razer Synapse 4 | 2.4.0.868 | Thunderbolt 4 Dock management & firmware |
| obs-stroke-glow-shadow | 1.5.3 | Neon borders on PiP camera |
| ReaPlugs (ReaEQ) | 2.36 | Professional parametric EQ for voice shaping |
ARM-Specific Performance Notes¶
Surface Laptop 7 (ARM) Limitations
- No hardware encoder β NVENC/AMF/QuickSync unavailable. Uses x264 (CPU encoding).
- OBS runs as x64 under Prism emulation β adds some CPU overhead.
- Some OBS plugins may not work (must be x64-compatible).
- Always plug in power when recording β battery mode throttles CPU.
Performance Tips¶
| Tip | Why |
|---|---|
| Always plug in power | Battery mode throttles CPU dramatically |
| Close unnecessary apps | Every app competes for ARM CPU cycles |
| Use 30fps for screen recording | 60fps doubles encoding load with little benefit for tutorials |
| Monitor OBS Stats (View β Stats) | Watch for dropped frames and encoding lag |
| Don't add browser sources | They use significant CPU on ARM |
| Start with "veryfast" x264 preset | If smooth, try "faster" for better quality |
OBS Stats to Watch¶
Go to View β Stats during recording:
| Metric | Healthy Value |
|---|---|
| Frames missed (rendering lag) | 0 |
| Frames skipped (encoding lag) | 0 |
| CPU Usage | Below 70% |
| Memory | Below 4 GB |
If Dropped Frames Occur¶
- Change CPU preset from "veryfast" to "superfast"
- Reduce FPS from 30 to 24 (still cinematic)
- Reduce canvas/output resolution to 1280Γ720
- Close background apps
Scene Transitions¶
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Default Transition | Fade |
| Duration | 300 ms |
Smooth, professional fade between all scenes. Avoid swipe/slide β they look amateur for educational content.
Per-Scene Override
Right-click any scene β "Transition Override" to set a different transition for specific scene switches. E.g., 500ms fade when switching to Talking Head for a slightly more dramatic entrance.
Recording Workflow¶
Quick Start¶
- β Plug in power
- β Check Scarlett Solo: 48V ON, Gain ~2 o'clock
- Open OBS β select your scene
- Check audio meter β speak to verify levels
- Start Recording (F9)
- Record your content
- Stop Recording (F10)
- File auto-saves as MKV β auto-remuxed to MP4 in
C:\OBS-Recordings
Recommended Hotkeys¶
| Action | Hotkey |
|---|---|
| Start Recording | F9 |
| Stop Recording | F10 |
| Pause Recording | F11 |
| Scene: Screen Recording | Ctrl+1 |
| Scene: Talking Head Full | Ctrl+2 |
| Scene: Screen + Circle PiP | Ctrl+3 |
| Scene: Screen + Tall PiP | Ctrl+4 |
Post-Recording Checklist¶
- [ ] File appeared in
C:\OBS-Recordingsas MP4 - [ ] Audio is in both ears (mono working)
- [ ] No background hum (noise suppression working)
- [ ] Consistent volume (compressor working)
- [ ] No clipping (limiter working)
- [ ] Video is sharp and correct resolution
Troubleshooting¶
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Audio only in left ear | Check Mono in Advanced Audio Properties |
| Mic too quiet | Increase Scarlett gain β verify Cloudlifter connected β add Gain filter |
| Mic clipping/distorted | Lower Scarlett gain β check Limiter filter is active |
| Background noise | Adjust Noise Gate thresholds β ensure Noise Suppression is first filter |
| Dropped frames | Change x264 preset to "superfast" β reduce FPS β close other apps |
| Display Capture shows black | Try different Capture Method (Automatic vs Windows 10) |
| Camera not detected | Windows Settings β Privacy β Camera β allow OBS |
| Recording file corrupted | Should not happen with MKV. If using MP4, switch to MKV |
| Stroke plugin not showing | Restart OBS after plugin install |
| Border not visible on PiP | Ensure Mask filter is BEFORE Stroke filter β increase stroke size |
Future Improvements¶
- [ ] ARM64 Native OBS β When stable ARM64 build releases, switch for ~20% better CPU efficiency. Check: OBS ARM FAQ
- [ ] Separate audio tracks β Record mic on Track 1 and desktop audio on Track 2 for flexible editing
- [ ] Mac setup β Configure OBS on MacBook Pro (will have Apple VideoToolbox HW encoding)
- [ ] Hotkeys or Stream Deck β Configure F9/F10/F11 and Ctrl+1-4, or get Elgato Stream Deck Plus for physical controls
- [ ] Webcam colour correction β Brightness/contrast/saturation filter on Surface Camera
- [ ] Desktop audio capture β Add Application Audio Capture source for system sounds
- [ ] Acoustic treatment β Foam panels behind monitors to reduce room echo
- [ ] Performance power plan β Create dedicated "OBS Recording" power plan with max CPU
- [ ] VDO.Ninja interview scene β Switch from Teams capture to VDO.Ninja once GPU driver is updated (see Interview section below)
- [ ] Interview scene (Teams capture) β Set up Window Capture + Application Audio Capture for Teams/Zoom interviews
Remote Interviews¶
Option A: VDO.Ninja + OBS (Preferred β Waiting on GPU Driver Fix)¶
VDO.Ninja is a free, browser-based tool that lets guests join via a link with their camera, mic, and screen share. Their feeds come into OBS as Browser Sources. No software install needed for guests.
Status: β Working! Requires specific launch order (see workflow below).
How It Works¶
YOU (Host/Director) GUEST (Remote)
ββββββββββββ ββββββββββββ
β OBS ββββββ WebRTC P2P βββββββΊβ Browser β
β β (HD video) β (Chrome) β
β Records β β No app β
β everythingββββββ Screen Share βββββ install! β
β locally β β β
ββββββββββββ ββββββββββββ
Critical: Launch Order Matters!
Open VDO.Ninja FIRST, grab the camera, THEN open OBS. OBS locks the Surface Camera exclusively β if OBS opens first, VDO.Ninja can't access the camera.
Interview Startup Workflow¶
Step 1: CLOSE OBS (if open)
Step 2: Open VDO.Ninja director β select Surface Camera Front β join room
Step 3: Send guest link β wait for guest to join
Step 4: Open OBS β switch to Interview scene
Step 5: Start Recording (F9)
Audio Routing (Critical!)¶
YOUR recording voice: SM7B β Scarlett Solo β OBS (Audio Input Capture) β PRO quality
GUEST voice to you: Guest mic β VDO.Ninja β OBS (Browser Source) β via WebRTC
YOUR voice to guest: Surface mic β VDO.Ninja β Guest's speakers β just for conversation
Audio Device Assignment
- OBS uses: Microphone (Scarlett Solo USB) β your SM7B for high-quality recording
- VDO.Ninja uses: Microphone Array Qualcomm Aqstic ACX Static Endpoints β Surface built-in mic for guest to hear you
- Do NOT select the "Communications" mic variant β it applies phone-call processing that sounds tinny
- Do NOT let VDO.Ninja use the Scarlett Solo β it will block OBS from accessing the SM7B
Room Created¶
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Room name | aguidetocloud |
| Guest invite link | https://vdo.ninja/?room=aguidetocloud&broadcast |
| Group scene link | https://vdo.ninja/?scene&room=aguidetocloud&codec=h264 |
| Director performs | β Yes |
| Guests see director | β Yes |
| Video codec | H264 |
| SSO | Off |
VDO.Ninja Setup in OBS¶
- Create scene "Interview"
- Add Browser Source:
- URL:
https://vdo.ninja/?scene&room=aguidetocloud&codec=h264 - Width: 1920, Height: 1080
- β Control audio via OBS
- β Use custom frame rate β 30 FPS
- β Shutdown source when not visible
- β Refresh browser when scene becomes active
- Add Audio Input Capture β existing
SM7B - Scarlett Solo - Guest joins via invite link β their camera + screen share appear in OBS
If SM7B meter isn't moving
VDO.Ninja may have grabbed the Scarlett Solo on startup. Fix: in VDO.Ninja, switch mic to Surface built-in. Then in OBS, go to SM7B source β Properties β reselect "Microphone (Scarlett Solo USB)".
Guest Flow¶
Guest receives link β Opens in Chrome β Allows camera/mic
β Clicks "Share Screen" (optional) β Both feeds appear in OBS
Known Issue (ARM) β Solved!¶
Camera conflict: OBS locks the Surface Camera exclusively. Solution: open VDO.Ninja BEFORE OBS and grab the camera first.
- ~~Deactivate camera in ALL OBS scenes before using VDO.Ninja director~~
- ~~OBS Virtual Camera also conflicts on ARM~~
- β Working workflow: VDO.Ninja first β camera selected β then open OBS
Option B: Teams/Zoom + OBS Capture (Working Now)¶
Simpler approach β use Teams/Zoom for the call, and OBS captures the window:
Step 1: INTERVIEW via Teams/Zoom (normal call)
Step 2: OBS captures the Teams/Zoom window + SM7B audio
Setup in OBS¶
- Create scene "Interview"
- Add Window Capture β select Microsoft Teams (or Zoom)
- Add Audio Input Capture β existing
SM7B - Scarlett Solo - Add Application Audio Capture (Beta) β select Teams (captures guest's voice)
- Right-click Window Capture β Transform β Fit to Screen
Comparison¶
| Feature | VDO.Ninja | Teams/Zoom Capture |
|---|---|---|
| Guest experience | Browser link β no install | Normal Teams/Zoom call |
| Video quality | HD direct feed per guest | Compressed by Teams/Zoom |
| Layout control | Full β separate sources per guest | Limited to app's layout |
| Separate audio tracks | β Each guest separate | β Mixed (unless Application Audio Capture) |
| Screen share | Separate OBS source | Inside the call window |
| Reliability on ARM | β οΈ Camera issues (GPU driver) | β Works now |
| Complexity | Medium | Easy |
Setup History¶
Interview Setup Research (2026-04-06)¶
- Created VDO.Ninja room "aguidetocloud" with director-as-performer, H264 codec
- β VDO.Ninja working! Discovered launch order: VDO.Ninja first β grab camera β then open OBS
- Audio routing solved: SM7B via OBS for recording, Surface built-in mic via VDO.Ninja for guest conversation
- Documented both interview approaches: VDO.Ninja (preferred, working) and Teams capture (backup)
Enhancements Round 1 (2026-04-05)¶
- Installed ReaPlugs VST (ReaEQ) for professional 4-band parametric EQ voice shaping
- Added EQ filter to audio chain: HPF 80Hz, -2dB at 200Hz, +2.5dB at 3.5kHz, +1dB shelf at 10kHz
- Configured Fade scene transition at 300ms
- Researched Elgato Stream Deck options β added Stream Deck Plus idea
Initial Setup (2026-04-05)¶
- Installed OBS Studio 32.1.0 (was already installed)
- Configured all settings: Video, Output, Audio, Advanced
- Created 4 scenes: Screen Recording, Talking Head, Circle PiP, Tall PiP
- Set up SM7B audio with 4-filter chain (Noise Suppression β Gate β Compressor β Limiter)
- Installed Stroke Glow Shadow plugin for neon PiP borders
- Created circle and tall rectangle mask/border PNG assets
- Installed Focusrite Control 2 for Scarlett Solo management
- Installed Razer Synapse 4 for Thunderbolt Dock management
- Created
C:\OBS-Recordingsfolder