DEPRECATED DEPRECATED DEPRECATED

This library has been replaced with a much smaller, much more efficient implementation.

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obs-express-node

Small library to host libobs behind an express-js http server so it can be controlled easily by other processes. Wraps the excellent stream-labs/obs-studio-node project. Run obs-express.exe and it will launch an http server which can be used to remotely control obs.

The following API functions are supported

• List Audio Devices
• Volume Monitoring
• Start Recording
• Stop Recording
• Get Status / Statistics
• Get Settings
• Set Settings

List Audio Devices

Provides a list of audio devices to be used with /recording/start

GET /audio/speakers

GET /audio/microphones

Example Response

[
  {
    "device_id": "default",
    "name": "Default"
  },
  {
    "device_id": "{0.0.0.00000000}.{af71792b-6296-434f-a5e0-5dfc2617e019}",
    "name": "Speakers (D50s)"
  }
]

Volume Monitoring

Provides a realtime stream of the current audio levels on the specified device.

ws://.../volmeter?device_type={DeviceType}&device_id={DeviceId}

DeviceType can either be 'microphone' or 'speaker'. DeviceId should be an id returned from the appropriate audio endpoint.

Once the websocket is connected, the client will receive a constant stream of JSON messages containing the current audio levels:

{ "peak": -12.4654, "magnitude": -20.6984 }

Start Recording

Start a video recording. Must contain the area of the screen to record (captureRegion) in request body. All other parameters are optional.

POST /recording/start

Example Request Body

{
  // capture this portion of the virtual desktop.
  // this can span multiple displays
  "captureRegion": {
    "x": 500,
    "y": 0,
    "width": 1920,
    "height": 1000
  },
  
  // array of audio devices to capture. list valid devices via /audio endpoint.
  // max 6 devices
  "speakers": ["default"],
  "microphones": [],
  
  // target fps and quality. a lower cq results in a better quality / higher filesize
  "fps": 60,
  "cq": 29,
  
  // optionally downscale output 
  "maxOutputWidth": 1920,
  "maxOutputHeight": 1080,

  // use gpu for encoding, if available
  "hardwareAccelerated": true,
  
  // directory to write video file to
  "outputDirectory": "C:\\Videos",
  
  // container format can be mkv or mp4. mkv is recommended, since file is still usable if partially corrupted
  "containerFormat": "mkv",
  
  // can be slow, medium, or fast. slow uses more system resources but results in a smaller file size
  "performanceMode": "slow",
  
  // subsampling can be yuv420 (more compatible) or yuv444 (better quality)
  "subsamplingMode": "yuv420",
  
  // show an animation in video where mouse is clicked
  "trackMouseClicks": true
}

Example Response

{
  "status": "ok"
}

Stop Recording

Stop a video recording.

POST /recording/stop

(no request body)

Example Response

{
  "status": "ok"
}

Get Status / Statistics

GET /status

Example Response

{
  "initialized": true,
  "recording": false,
  "recordingTime": 0,
  "statistics": {
    "CPU": 1.5,
    "numberDroppedFrames": 0,
    "percentageDroppedFrames": 0,
    "streamingBandwidth": 0,
    "streamingDataOutput": 0,
    "recordingBandwidth": 0,
    "recordingDataOutput": 0,
    "frameRate": 60.0000024000001,
    "averageTimeToRenderFrame": 0.078913,
    "memoryUsage": 50.39453125,
    "diskSpaceAvailable": "140.558 GB"
  }
}

Get Settings

Get current OBS settings. Can be "General", "Stream", "Output", "Audio", "Video", "Hotkeys", or "Advanced". Specify "?detailed=true" to also recieve the valid settings values. You probably won't need to use this API, as most settings are available for configuration through the Start Recording endpoint, but this can be used for advanced obs customization when required.

GET /settings/Video

Example Response

{
  "Untitled": {
    "ScaleType": "bicubic",
    "FPSType": "Fractional FPS Value",
  }
}

GET /settings/Video?detailed=true

Example Response

[
  {
    "nameSubCategory": "Untitled",
    "parameters": [
      {
        "name": "ScaleType",
        "type": "OBS_PROPERTY_LIST",
        "description": "Downscale Filter",
        "subType": "OBS_COMBO_FORMAT_STRING",
        "currentValue": "bicubic",
        "values": [
          {
            "Bilinear (Fastest, but blurry if scaling)": "bilinear"
          },
          {
            "Bicubic (Sharpened scaling, 16 samples)": "bicubic"
          },
          {
            "Lanczos (Sharpened scaling, 32 samples)": "lanczos"
          }
        ],
        "visible": true,
        "enabled": true,
        "masked": false
      },
      {
        "name": "FPSType",
        "type": "OBS_PROPERTY_LIST",
        "description": "FPS Type",
        "subType": "OBS_COMBO_FORMAT_STRING",
        "currentValue": "Fractional FPS Value",
        "values": [
          {
            "Common FPS Values": "Common FPS Values"
          },
          {
            "Integer FPS Value": "Integer FPS Value"
          },
          {
            "Fractional FPS Value": "Fractional FPS Value"
          }
        ],
        "visible": true,
        "enabled": true,
        "masked": false
      }
    ]
  }
]

Set Settings

Update OBS settings. This will be applied as a patch, and unspecified values will be left unchanged. Can be "General", "Stream", "Output", "Audio", "Video", "Hotkeys", or "Advanced".

POST /settings/Output

Example Request Body

{
  "Recording": {
    "RecEncoder": "jim_nvenc",
    "Recrate_control": "CRF"
  }
}

Example Response

{
  "status": "ok"
}