How to Stream from OBS Studio to Amazon IVS

Configuring OBS Studio to stream directly to Amazon Interactive Video Service (IVS) allows you to leverage AWS’s low-latency live streaming infrastructure. This guide provides a direct, step-by-step walkthrough to retrieve your Amazon IVS ingest credentials and configure your OBS Studio settings for optimal streaming performance.

Step 1: Retrieve Your Amazon IVS Credentials

Before configuring OBS Studio, you need to obtain the ingest server URL and stream key from your AWS Management Console.

  1. Log in to the AWS Management Console.
  2. Navigate to the Amazon IVS console.
  3. Click on Channels in the left navigation pane and select the channel you want to stream to (or create a new one).
  4. Scroll down to the Stream configuration section.
  5. Copy the Ingest server URL (it will start with rtmps://).
  6. Copy the Stream key. Keep this key private.

Step 2: Configure Stream Settings in OBS Studio

Now you need to input these credentials into OBS Studio to direct your broadcast to the Amazon IVS destination.

  1. Open OBS Studio.
  2. Click on Settings in the bottom right corner (or go to File > Settings).
  3. Select the Stream tab from the left menu.
  4. Set the Service dropdown to Custom….
  5. Paste the Ingest server URL you copied from AWS into the Server field.
  6. Paste your Stream key into the Stream Key field.
  7. Click Apply.

Step 3: Optimize OBS Encoder Settings for Amazon IVS

Amazon IVS has specific requirements for video and audio encoding to ensure stable, low-latency playback.

  1. Navigate to the Output tab in the OBS Settings window.
  2. Change the Output Mode dropdown at the top from Simple to Advanced.
  3. Under the Streaming tab, configure the following settings:
    • Encoder: Select x264 or your hardware encoder (such as NVIDIA NVENC H.264).
    • Rate Control: Set to CBR (Constant Bitrate).
    • Bitrate: Set between 2000 Kbps and 8500 Kbps (depending on your resolution and frame rate; 4500 Kbps is recommended for 1080p at 30fps).
    • Keyframe Interval: Change this from 0 (auto) to 2 (Amazon IVS requires a keyframe interval of 2 seconds).
    • CPU Usage Preset (for x264): Set to veryfast or faster.
    • Profile: Set to main or high.

Step 4: Configure Audio Settings

  1. Click on the Audio settings tab in OBS.
  2. Ensure your sample rate is set to 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz.
  3. Go back to the Output tab, select the Audio sub-tab, and set the Audio Bitrate for Track 1 to 128 Kbps (Amazon IVS supports up to 160 Kbps).

Step 5: Start the Stream

  1. Click OK to save and close the Settings menu in OBS Studio.
  2. Click the Start Streaming button in the bottom right corner of the OBS main interface.
  3. Return to your Amazon IVS console channel page. Under the Live video tab, you should see your live feed appear within a few seconds, indicating a successful connection.