First: which counter went up?
Open View → Stats in OBS and the metrics on Corneta's Live screen. Don't change bitrate, encoder, server and scene at the same time. Write down the symptom and change one thing per test.
| Metric that got worse | Where the problem usually is |
|---|---|
| Dropped frames (network) | Path between your PC and the ingest server |
| Frames missed due to rendering lag | GPU without time to build the scene |
| Frames skipped due to encoding lag | Encoder, CPU or GPU not delivering in time |
| Only one platform reconnecting | That destination's key, server or route |
If it's the network
OBS treats dropped frames and intermittent disconnects as a problem on the path to the ingest server. Try a cable instead of Wi-Fi, close your VPN and upload apps, pick another official server and lower the bitrate in controlled steps.
If every platform drops at once, look at your local connection first. If only one drops, don't take the others down: check that platform's key, ingest and status.
If it's rendering
OBS needs GPU time to build each scene, even when the encoder is a different chip. A game with uncapped FPS can take up the whole GPU and leave OBS no room.
Cap the game's FPS, lower its graphics quality and temporarily turn off Browser Sources or heavy filters. If the rendering losses stop, you found the right side of the problem.
If it's encoding
An "Encoding overloaded" message or frames skipped due to encoding points to CPU, GPU or encoder sessions. Lower FPS or resolution, use a hardware encoder you have and cut the number of transcoded destinations.
Switching from All out to Smart can fix it when only one platform needs adjusting. Straight up is even lighter if every platform accepts the OBS signal.
Before your next stream
Run the upload test and check the encoder in the Hook up OBS panel. Then replay the scene that lagged — an idle menu almost never reproduces a failure that happens in the middle of a match.
What to write down if it keeps happening
- approximate time and the minute of the stream;
- whether it hit every platform or just one;
- which counter went up in OBS;
- quality mode and number of transcodes;
- the exact message and error ID, if there is one.
If you need to share the case, export a safe diagnostic.