Video streams and documentation in the lab: a customized OBS server with space for (almost) everything

1 - Introduction and Requirement Profile 2 - Intel or AMD? 3 - What is the purpose of a RAM disk? 4 - NAS Hard Drive for Storage 5 - Video Ccapturing and Encoding 6 - Summary and Conclusion

Assembly and teamwork

The assembly of this system was not only a technical success, but also an example of functioning teamwork with my son. From the carefully prepared component comparison to the structured assembly and final commissioning, everything went smoothly. It was particularly pleasing that the first system start was successful without any problems – no BIOS errors, no driver conflicts, no incompatibilities. All installed components were recognized correctly straight away and worked together as intended from the very first moment.

The maximum hardware compatibility resulting from the targeted selection of mainboard, processor, graphics card, capture hardware and peripherals paid off immediately. No BIOS updates had to be installed, no advanced UEFI settings had to be adjusted manually and no emergency solutions had to be found for PCIe assignment or memory configuration. Even the integration of external devices such as the Facecam, the full-frame cameras and the capture card ran without any restrictions. All functions were immediately available and stable.

Especially in a production-related environment, where the system is not only built but also used directly, such a smooth start is not a matter of course. The fact that everything worked at the first attempt is due not least to the coordinated approach and the shared understanding of the requirements. It was not simply a computer setup, but the successful starting point for a practice-oriented tool that was ready for use from the very first moment. Keyword: planning.

Video and photo studio finally on one computer

In addition to video documentation, high-resolution still photography also plays a central role in the studio, especially for technical detail shots, product releases and shadow-free perspectives of devices, assemblies or work steps. The two full-format cameras used are permanently integrated into the system for this purpose, one additionally via HDMI for live views on the preview monitor and the other via USB for direct control and file transfer into the recording workflow.

Camera settings can be precisely controlled from the workstation via the USB connection, including exposure, focus, shutter release and data transfer. This makes it possible to create structured series shots with identical geometry and lighting without interfering with the set. For cropped shots, controlled studio lighting is used consistently to avoid hard shadows and achieve defined light edges. The combination of full-format sensor, coordinated lens and reproducible lighting situation guarantees a high level of depth of field control, which enables a clean separation of subject and background for the subsequent cropping of the objects. The combination of a controlled shooting environment, USB-controlled camera integration and a central OBS server for accompanying documentation not only enables the creation of high-quality individual images, but also their seamless logging within a project. This saves time during post-processing and ensures that all steps – whether dismantling, conversion or documentation of results – are recorded in a visually precise and usable manner.

Summary and conclusion

The implementation of this project has impressively demonstrated that with well thought-out planning, a technical sense of proportion and a clearly defined goal, it is possible to realize a solution that is precisely tailored to one’s own needs, even with slightly unconventional means. The aim was not to achieve maximum performance on paper or to emulate an ideal image of current hardware trends, but to build a system that works reliably, efficiently and flexibly in daily studio use. The focus was on being able to capture large amounts of data locally, to integrate existing components such as cameras, SSDs, capture cards and other peripherals in a sensible and sustainable way and at the same time to create a foundation that is not unnecessarily expensive but still offers long-term reserves.

The selection of individual components, such as the Intel Core Ultra i5-235, a suitable B860 mainboard or the RTX 5060, was therefore deliberately focused on functionality, platform stability and integration suitability – not on maximum computing power or theoretical benchmark values. Existing hardware such as external USB cameras, the Facecam, the PCIe capture solution, high-resolution full-format cameras or various mass storage devices were used in a targeted manner and integrated at a central point in a system that is designed for efficiency both technically and economically.

Another point that played a role in the planning was the power supply. The built-in 1000 watt power supply unit was deliberately chosen without a 12V 2×6 plug (“Pömpel”), as this new PCIe power standard currently has no practical relevance in this system class and experience has shown that it creates additional complexity in terms of cable routing and compatibility. Instead, the selected power supply unit offers a sufficient number of classic 8-pin PCIe connections as well as several powerful 12-volt rails to enable additional peripherals such as additional drives, PCIe expansions or external power supplies to be securely connected at a later date without having to convert or replace power supply components. Here, too, the focus was not on specifications, but on technical accuracy of fit and long-term maintainability.

Ultimately, the decisive success factor was precise advance planning. If you know what the system has to do on a day-to-day basis, which data streams are generated, which bottlenecks need to be avoided and which tasks are really relevant, you can selectively combine hardware that complements rather than overwhelms each other. Good preparation meant that the setup not only went smoothly, but the system also ran stably right from the start, without any compatibility problems, driver conflicts or time-consuming readjustments.

In addition to the purely technical implementation, the project was also a time spent together. Assembling it together with my son was not only an opportunity to pass on knowledge and explain connections, but also a moment in which a technical task became a joint project. This system is therefore not only a functional success, but also has a personal value that goes beyond the purely practical.