OBS Studio, widely known as a tool for broadcasters, added a new built-in feature in their latest update, Virtual Camera, which allows you to use the OBS output as a camera in other apps on your computer. This exports anything you’ve set up in OBS Studio as if it were a camera to your system. As a result, you have a lot of room to be inventive.
What is the OBS Virtual Camera, and how does it work?
The OBS virtual camera can be used to send your OBS video directly to several other applications including, but not limited to, Zoom, Discord, Skype, and Webex. Instead of choosing a camera device in these applications, you may use the output from OBS as a webcam by clicking the “start Virtual Camera” button.
You may wish to utilize OBS as a webcam source since it has many production features like picture in picture, chroma-key (green screen), and so on. This is especially useful if you want to deliver a business presentation or amuse your coworkers by using an interesting green screen backdrop. In this post, we will introduce how the OBS virtual cam is used and how it can record screens.
How can the OBS virtual camera be used?
You may wish to utilize OBS as a webcam source since it has many production features like picture in picture, chroma-key (green screen), and so on. This is useful if you’re delivering a business presentation or want to amuse your coworkers by using a strange green screen backdrop.
The OBS virtual camera can link your OBS scene to many other applications that can select camera devices, such as Zoom, Discord, Skype, and Google Meet. As an example, we will explain how to use the OBS virtual camera in Zoom.
Step 1. Please download the latest version of OBS studio.
Step 2. Add sources you want to share, such as video or display capture, and click the ‘Start Virtual Camera’ button.
Step 3. Start the Zoom application and select the OBS Virtual Camera as a camera in video settings.
You’ll notice that whatever is shown in OBS is mirrored in Zoom. This process works the same way for other programs, such as Skype, Discord, and Teams.
Record screen while using OBS virtual camera
When you use OBS VirtualCam to pick an OBS camera in Zoom, for example, you may wish to record Zoom at the same time.
The simplest method is to record Zoom using another recording program, such as Bandicam, while using the OBS virtual camera. The other solution is to run two instances of OBS studio.
Please see the steps below.
Step 1. Without turning on the virtual camera, open Zoom, Discord, or other programs you’ll be using.
Step 2. Start OBS studio and add a source for recording. Do not turn on the virtual camera yet.
Step 3. Open another instance of OBS studio. If you see the “OBS is already running” message, click “Launch Anyway”.
Step 4. Remove the sources you previously selected and replace them with your camera in the second instance. Start the virtual camera for Zoom or other programs on OBS.
Step 5. Return to Zoom and select the OBS Virtual camera as a video source.
Now, you can record the Zoom program in the first instance of OBS while using the OBS virtual camera in the second one.
How to Record Live Stream Using Bandicam
Bandicam allows you to record and view live streaming videos. If you use a virtual camera in OBS Studio for streaming, etc., Bandicam can record the virtual camera footage.
Step 1. Download and install Bandicam.
Key Features of Bandicam
- Screen recorder: Supports webcam overlay, real-time drawing, scheduled recording, etc.
- Audio recorder: Records only audio and save it as an MP3/WAV file.
- Game recorder: Records high-resolution game screens of up to 4K UHD, 480 FPS.
- Webcam recorder: Records an external video device, such as a webcam, Xbox/PlayStation, smartphone, IPTV, etc.
Step 2. After starting the Virtual Camera in OBS, select the device recording mode in Bandicam. Please select the OBS Virtual Camera as a device in Bandicam, and start recording.
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic has transitioned us to work remotely, making our online self-presentation the first and most important impression we make to others. If you want to enhance your online appearance, we recommend using the virtual camera function in OBS.
You may use OBS to turn your environment into a virtual camera, independent of what is displayed. Previously, you had to download the extra plugin to use this function. Now, however, you simply need the built-in virtual camera button in the latest version of OBS studio.
