November 19

Comparison of Open Broadcasting

Software (OBS) and Xsplit for
recording and streaming content
Kyle Hartman

English 317 Technical Writing

University of Idaho
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Table of Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 3
Methodology................................................................................................................................................. 3
Equipment and Environment .................................................................................................................... 3
Tasks.......................................................................................................................................................... 3
Metrics ...................................................................................................................................................... 3
Likert Scale ................................................................................................................................................ 4
Results ........................................................................................................................................................... 4
Creating a Window Capture ...................................................................................................................... 4
Creating a Display Capture........................................................................................................................ 5
Creating a Game Capture.......................................................................................................................... 5
Other Capture Options.............................................................................................................................. 6
Local Recording ......................................................................................................................................... 7
Streaming Content .................................................................................................................................... 7
Adding Additional Scene Elements and Sources....................................................................................... 8
Filtering Elements ..................................................................................................................................... 9
Creating and Using Transitions ................................................................................................................. 9
Broadcasting Service Integration ............................................................................................................ 10
Tabulated Results........................................................................................................................................ 11
Conclusions and Recommendations ........................................................................................................... 12
Bibliography ................................................................................................................................................ 13
Appendix: Raw Data .................................................................................................................................... 14
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Introduction
This white paper evaluates Open Broadcasting Software and Xsplit, two popular streaming and recording
programs. These programs can be used to record content on the computer and stream to twitch.tv or
other live streaming service. This paper presents the results from a usability test of these programs, and
more importantly their performance in ten specific tasks. These tasks are ones that a first time user of
this type of software, with average computer experience, would likely need to use when setting up each
of these programs.

Methodology
Equipment and Environment
This test of the usability of OBS and Xsplit for first time users was conducted on a desktop computer
running Windows 10.

A configuration with dual monitors was used for testing to allow one monitor to have the software open
while the other had excel open in order to record scores and notes. One monitor had both programs
open on it at one time so that comparisons could be done more easily.

Sample use cases were established that a typical user might require this software for and displayed on
the second monitor. Each program will be evaluated for each test, sometimes with multiple metrics for a
single test. In order to minimize human memory error, each task was evaluated immediately after
completion based on its fulfillment of 5 pre-determined metrics.

Tasks
1. Creating Different Capture Modes
a. Window
b. Display
c. Game
d. Other
2. Local Recording
3. Streaming Content
4. Adding Additional Scene Elements
5. Filtering Elements
6. Creating and Using Transitions
7. Broadcasting Service Integration

Metrics
Effective: The task was completed.

Efficient: The task could be completed in a reasonable number of clicks or actions.

Engaging: The style of the tool this task required enhanced the process.
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Error Tolerant: Errors were easy to correct, and thus not a major impediment.

Easy to Learn: The tool this task required was intuitive and easily accessible. Documentation was
provided.

Likert Scale
Strongly Strongly
Agree Agree Disagree Disagree
4 3 2 1
With five metrics each evaluated on a four-point scale, the maximum score for each task will be 20 and
the total possible score will be 200.

Results
Creating a Window Capture
A window capture is one of the simplest things that can be done in order to start recording or streaming
content from a computer. It will capture whatever is in the window of your choosing, such as a word
document or a video.

Image 1: OBS Window Capture

Image 2: Xsplit Window/Screen Capture

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While both programs can obviously accomplish this task, Xsplit does it more easily, quicker, and in a
more engaging manner than OBS. On OBS there are a few menus to go through that arent necessary
versus Xsplits easy to use interface where the user can simply click the window they want to capture.

Creating a Display Capture

A display capture is similar to a window capture, but it will instead record everything that occurs on a
single display. The only option available is if the user has more than one display attached to the
computer.

Image 3: OBS Display Capture

Creating and adjusting a display capture is relatively easy to do on both programs, but more
straightforward on OBS. Though there are more menus to go through and options to pick, they all make
sense compared to Xsplit where the same menu is counter intuitively used for both window and display
captures.

Creating a Game Capture

Many people use these programs to record and live-stream games to services such as twitch.tv. Because
of this, both programs have made it easier to record video games without having to setup a window or
display capture in order to do it.

A game capture scene will record the gameplay no matter where it is on the displays and will not display
other content if it happens to be displayed in front of the game.
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In OBS, the menu is much the same as

the previous two, but slightly more
confusing. The only option available is
to capture any application in full
screen mode, which will work, but is
easy to misinterpret.

In Xsplit, however, the process is

streamlined. If there is a game open,
simply clicking add and hovering over
the game capture option will display
the open games and the ability to auto-
detect; much simpler.

Image 4: Xsplit Game Capture

Other Capture Options

The three previous options might be the most used, but there are plenty of other scenarios when a user
might want to record and broadcast other types of content.

Bother services have plenty of other source types, but in OBS

they are all clearly labeled when clicking the button to add
another source, making it easily apparent what all the options
are.

Image 6: OBS Source Options

Image 5: Xsplit Source Plugin Store

In Xsplit, there are still plenty of options visible, but there are hidden menus for many items that are not
readily identifiable and could be overlooked. After finding them, however, Xsplit offers a more refined
and streamlined process to adding more sources. Xsplit also offers a plugin store that has plugins to
include a variety of other, sometimes obscure sources.
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Local Recording
Sometimes a user wants to record something on their computer and not broadcast it to be viewed by
other people, but simply to look at later, use in another project, or to upload to a video service at a later
date. For this, local recording is available. All of the same functionality is present, such as different
scenes, sources, transitions, and filters, but the content will be recorded and stored on the users
computer.

Image 7: OBS Recording Options Image 8: Xsplit Output Menu

In OBS the options for recording or streaming are immediately apparent in the bottom right hand side of
the program, and the location for locally stored recordings can be easily found in the settings menu. In
Xsplit, however, the local recording option is a bit more difficult to find in the output menu, and the
local recording storage option is even harder to find in the settings menu, being in a separate menu to
most other options.

Streaming Content
Streaming content is what both of these programs were originally created for. When someone creates
some form of media and live-streams it to a website for other people to view in real time. One of the
most popular forms of live-streaming today is in the form of games on twitch.tv, where viewers tune in
to watch gaming tournaments or simply watch people play games for fun.

Because of this large and rapidly growing style of media consumption, these programs were created to
make it easier and look more professional for someone to record content and stream it live, where
mistakes are much easier to make and viewer feedback is immediate.
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Image 9: OBS Streaming Options

In this regard, Xsplit had streamlined the process about as much as it can get. All that needs to be done,
after finding the menu in the top bar, is to link the program to the user account on the specific service
that is going to be streamed to, and Xsplit does the rest.
OBS is a little more difficult, since the user has to ender the stream key, which is a long string of
numbers and letters unique to the platform and account that is going to be streamed to. This key can be
hard to find, and it is not immediately apparent how to go about this process.

Adding Additional Scene Elements and Sources

Many times the user will not want to have the recording or broadcast consist of simply a single source.
Sometimes they will want to overlay multiple sources or be able to change to another scene quickly and
easily to display other types of content.

Image 10: Xsplit Sources Menu

Image 11: OBS Sources Menu

In both OBS and Xsplit it is relatively easy to add more sources to a scene once familiar with each
programs methods for adding sources. As many sources as desired can be added to a scene and
rescaled a toggled for visibility. Xsplit comes out slightly ahead here because it is easy to see the full title
of each source and click the checkbox to toggle visibility.
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Filtering Elements
Filtering a scene or source is when some amount of options are applied in order to change the
appearance of the object. One of the most common filters used in video production and live streaming is
chroma key. This is commonly used to replace a green screen with some other effect. The filter will
make transparent any color of the users choosing, most commonly pure blue or green. This can be used
to isolate an object against another type of background, and blend the two seamlessly together.

Other types of filters include masking, cropping, scaling, and sharpening.

Image 12: OBS Filter Menu Image 13: Xsplit Filter Menu

Filtering in OBS is somewhat complex. The menu itself is difficult to find initially, and then very daunting
once accessed. All of the filters needed to be added individually and arranged in the order the user
desires. There is no explanation for any options and it is very likely that outside documentation will need
to be referenced.

In Xsplit, the filter menu is accessed by simply right clicking a source. This brings up a small menu where
many filters can be applied, and includes helpful tips and documentation on what certain options do.
There is a more in depth filter menu if needed as well.

Creating and Using Transitions

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Transitions are useful when needing to record or broadcast more than one type of content. For
example, a user wants to broadcast gameplay of a video game, and wants the viewer to be able to see
almost exclusively the game, so they make it take up the entire screen. Then later, the user wants to
have an interview like scenario where they show their face and talk to the audience and want their
webcam to take up the entirety of the screen. Instead of going into the options and creating another
source, resizing, and hiding other sources, they can simply create another scene that has their options
already on it, then when the time comes just switch to another scene. In order to ensure that this
transition is smooth and pleasant to the viewer, transitions are needed. Just like in basketball when
switching from the court to the announcers desk.

Image 14: Xsplit Transition Menu

Regarding transitions available in each program, Xsplit is simply better and easier to use. There are more
transitions available by far, and they are very easy to use to switch between sources. There is a favorite
transitions menu, and more transitions are easily available online to download.

Broadcasting Service Integration

When broadcasting live to a live-streaming platform, such as Twitch or YouTube Live, it is useful and fun
for the broadcaster to be able to interact in real time with the audience that is watching. Because of
this, it is important for the program to have add-ons and extensions that will enhance this interaction
and integrate into whichever platform is being broadcast to. For example, a user may have an extension
that will automatically play a sound clip whenever a viewer types a certain phrase in the chat, or an add-
on that will read any text attached to a donation.
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Image 15: OBS Add-ons

Both OBS and Xsplit have these types of extensions, but Xsplit is much more beginner friendly in this
realm. When using OBS the user will have to find the extension they want online, download it, and
manually add it into the program. In Xsplit, however, there is a build in plugin store and downloader,
similar to the source plugin store shown above.

Tabulated Results

Test Metric Results

25
20 OBS Xsplit
15 161 184
10
Image 17: Overall Scores
OBS
5
Xsplit
0
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Conclusions and Recommendations

Overall, both of these programs accomplish what they set out to do very well and in a mostly easy to
learn and understand way. Both are programs to be able to record and stream content from your
computer locally or to a streaming service of your choice. You can create scenes, filters, transitions, and
different layers of sources so that the product is exactly what you want it to be.

Overall, my recommendation would have to go to Xsplit with the strong warning that if you plan to use it
commercially you will have to pay for a subscription on a monthly basis. For personal use, however, it is
free. Xsplit is simply more streamlined and user friendly, offering almost all functionality within the
program itself, including help documentation and an add-on store. Some things are a bit harder to find,
but they are all quick to learn.

If you prefer a more paired down experience with less clutter to navigate, then you might prefer OBS.
While it isnt as pretty, sll of the functionality is still there, but sometimes there are a few more hoops to
jump through to get to the final result. And as far as recording locally, it beats Xsplit hands down and is
much easier to use in this regard.
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Bibliography
https://obsproject.com

https://www.xsplit.com/
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Appendix: Raw Data

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