How to Test Stream on Twitch to Ensure Broadcast Success

Broadcasting smooth, glitch-free streams on Twitch requires more than just a webcam and gaming PC. The underlying software and hardware powering your stream can make or break the viewing experience.

That‘s why testing your set up is so important before going live to identify and fix any performance issues.

In this ultimate troubleshooting guide, you‘ll learn:

• Step-by-step how to test streams with Twitch Inspector
• How to optimize OBS and system settings for quality
• Fixes for lag, choppy video, no audio, and more
• Recommended internet speeds and computer benchmarks
• Balancing reliability and high resolution streaming

Trust me – skimp on testing and both you and your audience will regret it!

Why You Must Test First

While live streaming, a multitude of components have to work in harmony:

• Game or media source outputting video
• Media encoder compressing footage
• Internet connection uploading signal
• CDN distributing stream worldwide
• Viewer download streams into media player

That means there are a ton of potential breaking points:

Set up or hardware issues could manifest as:

• Choppy, blurry, or distorted video
• Out of sync audio
• Stream crashing unexpectedly
• Failure to start or end streams
• Buffer loading errors

Without testing, you won‘t know if problems exist until you start streaming.

Fixing issues when live is stressful. Plus lag and errors frustrate viewers, damaging your reputation!

That‘s why testing ahead of time is so essential – identify and fix weaknesses in your pipeline early.

Step 1: Get Your Stream Key

First, login to your Twitch creator dashboard:

Click your profile picture -> Creator Dashboard:

Next click the "Get Stream Key" button:

This unique stream key tells Twitch‘s servers to associate your stream signal with your account.

Keep this key private to prevent impersonation by bad actors!

Step 2: Download OBS Studio

While Twitch is the most popular streaming platform, you need broadcasting software to interface with their servers.

OBS Studio is the best free streaming app and far superior to Twitch‘s web-browser based Twitch Studio:

• Open source with public bug tracking for rapid issue fixing
• Support for both AMD and Nvidia GPU streaming
• Extensive plugin ecosystem for every streaming need
• MULTI-PLATFORM – works for Windows, Mac, and Linux!

Download and install OBS Studio – we‘ll integrate Twitch next.

New to live streaming? Read my guide on setting up OBS first:

OBS Studio Setup Walkthrough for New Streamers

Step 3: Connect OBS to Twitch

In OBS, click Settings -> Stream:

Under service, select Twitch from the drop-down menu.

Click connect account and authorize OBS to access your Twitch profile:

Close the browser and return to OBS settings:

Paste in your secret stream key we grabbed earlier and click OK.

We‘re ready to test stream!

Step 4: Start Test Stream

Click Start Streaming at the bottom right of OBS:

Your preview will change to a live view – but only you can see it.

A blinking red "Streaming" indicator means you‘re live!

Now we‘ll analyze stream diagnostics with Inspector.

Step 5: Install Twitch Inspector

Twitch Inspector is a chrome extension providing a detailed breakdown of your stream‘s vital signs:

Analyzing factors like video quality, framerate, dropped frames and more helps identify issues.

Step 6: Interpreting Twitch Inspector Results

Here are the key metrics to pay attention to:

Video Quality Score

The video quality score rates video accuracy and detail on a 0-100 scale.

• 100 = Flawless quality
• 60+ = Acceptable for most
• Below 50 = Viewers will experience blurriness

Score below 80? We can troubleshoot solutions.

Bitrate Consistency

Bitrate indicates your upload speed from OBS to Twitch in Kbps (1000 bits).

Internet throughput above 3500 Kbps helps ensure lag-free video.

Check your ISP plan – 10+ mbps upload recommended for 1080p.

Inconsistent bitrate causes buffering and stalls.

Dropped Frame Rate

Frames "dropped" are omitted due to encoding overload.

Aim for less than 1% of frames dropped.

High dropped frame rates lead to choppy, jerky streams.

Fix by lowering OBS quality settings or getting better PC hardware.

There are also charts tracking resolution, encoder load, and FPS over time.

Analyze charts to find the culprit of any issues.

Comparing x264 vs. NVENC Encoders in OBS

OBS encodes your raw video into a compressed format before uploading.

You have two encoder options:

• x264: CPU-based encoding using processors
• NVENC: GPU-accelerated encoding via graphics cards

NVENC uses dedicated silicon for encoding, lowering CPU load.

But compatibility issues exist between GPUs and streaming software.

Based on my test streams benchmarking hardware configurations, here‘s what I‘ve found:

Test both encoders yourself and monitor CPU/GPU loads with a system monitor like MSI Afterburner.

Choose whichever method gives you the highest quality score at the lowest device load.

Internet Speed Recommendations

Upload bandwidth caps video bitrate potential.

For a high quality 1080p 60 FPS stream, I recommend a minimum of 10 Mbps upload:

Upgrading to fiber, DOCSIS 3.1 cable or premium DSL plans ensures sufficient throughput.

I explain ISP terminology plainly in my networking basics guide for gamers here:

Ultimate Guide to Home Internet for Gaming and Live Streaming

Are speeds still lagging behind maximum bitrates during test streams? Further troubleshooting is required…

Use free speed test tools like DSLReports to quantify streaming impact:

DSL Reports Internet Health Test

Getting Visual on System Performance

Choppy video and lag often stem from encoder overload – your CPU or GPU can‘t keep up with processing demands.

Monitoring your system resources helps identify bottlenecks:

Task Manager provides basic insights into CPU, RAM and disk usage.

For deeper graphics card metrics, use advanced tools like MSI Afterburner during test streams.

The overlay quantifies GPU loads and identifies peaks causing issues:

Aim to keep GPU usage below 95% – spikes risk stream crashes and visual artifacts.

Upgrade your RAM, CPU cores or video card models if necessary.

Finding the Quality vs. Reliability Balance

It‘s tempting to max out OBS settings for 4K quality and ultra low latency.

But such aggressive settings often do more harm than good:

Prioritizing high video resolution and frame rates looks great… until internet hiccups or background apps interfere!

That‘s when you get buffering, lag and crashes that frustrate viewers.

The best OBS settings balance quality and reliability based on your setup‘s capabilities.

Leave some GPU and CPU headroom – don‘t redline your hardware.

Monitor Inspector metrics like dropped frames and change encoder settings until you find the optimization point.

Fixing Common Test Stream Issues

Don‘t panic if your test reveals problems!

Here are common issues identified during stream testing and how to fix them:

Choppy, Distorted Video

Encoder overloaded – lower FPS, resolution, etc. until smooth, or upgrade hardware.

Piecing Together/Buffer Loading

Internet connection insufficient – upgrade ISP speed or use Ethernet over Wi-Fi.

No Sound From Some Sources

Verify tracks enabled in OBS Audio Mixer and check cabling/input device selected.

Webcams Not Showing

Re-add video capture sources if they disappeared. Re-install webcam drivers if necessary.

Still running into problems? Google "[your issue] + OBS troubleshooting". Tons of niche streaming forums offer fixes!

For best results, re-test your stream after making changes until all metrics shine green across the board.

Final Launch Checklist

Once your test stream passes quality checks with flying colors, run through this pre-launch checklist:

• Preview overlays on the live view
• Perfect lighting and webcam framing
• Verify chat works on a second monitor or tablet
• Get cozy! Arrange water, snacks, your favorite streaming sweats
• Promote launch times on social media channels

Then click Go Live and have fun streaming to the world!

Stay engaged with your community in chat and bring that same passion to every stream.

Before long you‘ll be on the road to Twitch fame and partnerships!

Let me know if you have any other questions about optimizing your setup. Now go show off your personality!