Seems this topic has been commented on before, but all I find are relative old posts that are 4-6 years old.
I want to use two Plugable USB microscopes at at time using the OBS software so I can see both images simultaneously and record them in sync with each other.
Surely this problem has been solved by now since it’s been an issue back to 2018 or so as far as I can tell.
There are clunky work arounds (like using two computers and taking their video output into a third computer, etc.)
While the problem you’re describing has been a challenge for years, there have been a number of improvements in how multiple USB cameras can be handled in OBS. It can now handle multiple video sources, including USB cameras, simultaneously, as long as the computer has the necessary processing power and USB bandwidth.
But it’s still important to note that performance will depend on several factors, including hardware capabilities (CPU, RAM, USB ports), the quality and resolution of the video streams, and the specific configuration of OBS and any additional software you use.
The key solutions to consider are:
Direct USB connection in OBS, with careful attention to USB bandwidth. You will need to use self-powered hubs to avoid power shortages.
OBS-VirtualCam or software like NDI (Network Device Interface) to virtualize video sources. You could theoretically capture each USB microscope in OBS and then output both video streams to other software or as virtual cameras.
Using Multiple USB Controllers / Ports. If your computer supports it, connecting each microscope to different USB controllers can help alleviate bandwidth contention. This may involve connecting them to separate USB hubs or even different physical USB buses on the motherboard.
Dedicated video capture devices. If USB bandwidth is still a bottleneck, some users have found success using dedicated USB video capture cards, which allow multiple cameras to connect to the computer via HDMI or other interfaces.
Using third-party software that supports dual-camera capture is another option, as it provides better camera sync and management features than OBS.
The best approach will depend on your exact requirements (e.g., frame rate, resolution, and budget). However, with these newer tools and strategies, the process has become much more feasible than it was a few years ago.
I have tried a powered USB 3.0 hub connected to a USB 3.0 port, so the bandwidth should be fine - this was not successful
Unfortunately OBS will not simultaneously recognize two Plugable USB microscopes plugged in to the same USB port through a powered USB expander. It gets confused as to which USB device it’s trying to display - likely because they are identical
I will try a computer that has multiple USB controllers - my current computer does not
I will look into a video capture device that can take input from two different USB cameras and combine them into one video stream. Any suggestions?
I am unaware of any third party software that supports multiple USB camera inputs. Any suggestions?
In short, this seems to be an issue with the Plugable USB microscopes being seen as identical in name to the OS, thus the error message that I get which indicate you can’t use the same camera twice in one application. Being able to name these USB microscopes to be different from each other seems to be the solution as two USB cameras from different manufacturers can in fact be used at the same time on a USB 3.0 bus (I’ve done this).
Thanks -
Thank you for the additional information, which will be very helpful for those who want to add two USB cameras to a system. It’s great to know that you can use not just two identical USB cameras from the same manufacturer, but also two USB cameras with different names or from different manufacturers as input sources.
I switched to a computer with two separate USB buses (was using a Surface Pro - went to a Dell mobile workstation) and as long as the USB microscopes are plugged into different sides (different USB buses) they work just find with OBS, etc. So it just seems that even with an externally powered USB connection you can’t have more than one of these USB microscopes plugged into one USB bus as since they are named the same (and you can’t change the name) the OS gets confused. It would be great if you could permanently change the name of the USB microscope so that the OS and any software would not get confused.
Is there a way to do this via a firmware update or some other secret method?