Upgrade path for streaming: CPU (XSplit) or GPU (Shadowplay)??

[MeatHead Gaming]

Hi,

I'm running into a crossroads on how to upgrade my system to handle streaming properly. I mainly play D3 and the setup I built a few years back works fine for the most part, but I feel it's getting severely outdated. My current specs are:

(all stock speeds)

i3 530 Clarkdale 2.93ghz
Asus P7H55D-M EVO LGA1156
Gigabyte GTX 460 (1gb)
Samsung 840 Evo Pro 120gb
500gb WD data drive
8gb (4x2gb) G Skill Ripjaws DDR3 667 (9-9-9-24)
Corsair TX650 watt

I built this system late 2010. I'm surprised it hasn't become so outdated that it's sluggish (thanks to SSD), but I am running into issues now when trying to stream and I can't run at max settings like I want.

So, it's time for an upgrade. From another thread I had on overclocking, I got several suggestions:

1) Build a completely new system. The priciest option, but I will probably do it sometime this year.
2) Upgrade CPU with a used i5 750/760 + cooler for around $100 total and stick with XSplit (I paid for a year of premium membership already).
3) Overclock current CPU and buy a good graphics card and use Shadowplay GPU rendering.

I'm leaning towards option #3 because it'll allow me to transition easier into a new system (since I'll already have the GPU), but I have a few questions:

1) How good is Shadowplay? I can still use my webcam with overlay and everything right? I've never used it (I don't think my card supports it), but I keep hearing about it. I know it's in beta, but nvidia is a much larger company so I figure it has some merit. I won't be that peeved not using XSplit for the next 11 months even though I've paid for it if the alternative is worthwhile.

2) Can I get a high end card and still use it on my older system? To my knowledge PCI-E spec hasn't changed. I may need a beefier power supply though? My logic is that if the GPU-based streaming is going to be superior to a sidegrade I make now to the CPU and I'll be able to use it in a new system build, I might as well spend the extra amount now and use it in the new system when I build it.

3) How much does a solid, new, higher-end Nvidia graphics card run? And how much faster is it than a GTX 460?

I'm really trying to get this working. For the time being I'll be researching how to properly OC my i3 so I at least have some boost in the interim.

TIA, appreciate any advice.

 

[geokilla]

Use OBS

 

[Nged72]

Your TX650w is a great PSU and can run all the high end cards w/o SLI

I have it and just purchased a 780 Classified. Shadowplay is ok along with Xsplit. I personally use OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) to stream on Twitch and love it. Currently while waiting for my 780 I use a 560Ti and it work flawlessly with the games I stream.

Go to testmy.net and see what your upload speed is, as streaming mostly relies on that. When you figure that out you need to set up your Max Bit Rate and Buffer Size depending on that upload speed.

A lot of people cant stream sufficiently due to low Upload

This may not be the most helpful but as I am on campus and not on my PC I cannot tell you how to set your stuff up.

Edit: Make sure you set your broadcasting output to 720p and not 1080p as keeping it at 1080 will give many viewers problems. My upload speed is 15-40mb/s and I set my output streaming at 3000 Max Bitrate along with 3000 Buffer Size

 

[blake0812]

CPU is a big factor in streaming. I do it alot and I see the usage go high for CPU. You can find an Xsplit crack online somewhere, don't have to pay premium. I use livio, though, so it doesn't matter.

 

[Nged72]

CPU is a big factor in streaming. I do it alot and I see the usage go high for CPU. You can find an Xsplit crack online somewhere, don't have to pay premium. I use livio, though, so it doesn't matter.

This too but on OBS you can set how much CPU usage you want.

 

[Stuka87]

Regardless of what streaming setup you use, you want the best CPU you can afford. Even for GPU based streaming you need a lot of CPU power. Because you will be playing whatever game you are using, and then you need enough free CPU to handle the streaming. D3 can be fairly CPU intensive at higher monster power levels on Inferno. I would suggest you use a CPU graphing utility to monitor your CPU while you are playing and see how much of it you are using. A quad core will help a lot since D3 only uses two cores, so that leaves 2 cores open to stream. But really you want an i7.

Your GPU also has to be powerful enough to run the game, and do the encoding (If you use a GPU based encoder).

 

[blake0812]

Regardless of what streaming setup you use, you want the best CPU you can afford. Even for GPU based streaming you need a lot of CPU power. Because you will be playing whatever game you are using, and then you need enough free CPU to handle the streaming. D3 can be fairly CPU intensive at higher monster power levels on Inferno. I would suggest you use a CPU graphing utility to monitor your CPU while you are playing and see how much of it you are using. A quad core will help a lot since D3 only uses two cores, so that leaves 2 cores open to stream. But really you want an i7.

Your GPU also has to be powerful enough to run the game, and do the encoding (If you use a GPU based encoder).

After using Livio, the recording didn't include stutter and the framerate was very smooth. I'd take a look into it.

 

[dguy6789]

I don't know if it has changed since(last time I saw benches of this was before Piledriver launched) but live streaming was actually a task that Bulldozer was better than Intel in.

 

[SPBHM]

almost all the top streamers on twitch use i7s,

in reality the best way of doing it is using an external capture card and a second PC, but it can be a little difficult and expensive...

from what I know, shadowplay is not mature enough, it's a little limited and with a few bugs... so right now a faster CPU should be a better choice, if you can find a used i7 860 for around $100? and overclock it, should be a huge improvement over the i3.

I think it's the most efficient route,

 

[Stuka87]

almost all the top streamers on twitch use i7s,

in reality the best way of doing it is using an external capture card and a second PC, but it can be a little difficult and expensive...

from what I know, shadowplay is not mature enough, it's a little limited and with a few bugs... so right now a faster CPU should be a better choice, if you can find a used i7 860 for around $100? and overclock it, should be a huge improvement over the i3.

I think it's the most efficient route,

Yeah the few guys I know that stream professionally use a second PC with high end I7's. Didn't mention that as an option as he clearly doesn't have the budget for it.