Streamlabs Desktop Integration

Streamlabs Desktop (formerly Streamlabs OBS) is a streaming application built on top of OBS with added features for alerts, widgets, and audience engagement. This guide covers connecting Streamlabs Desktop to WAVE using a custom RTMP server, configuring encoder settings for optimal quality, and resolving common issues.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

• Streamlabs Desktop installed (streamlabs.com )
• A WAVE account with an active stream channel (see Your First Stream)
• Your WAVE Ingest URL and Stream Key, found in the WAVE dashboard under Streams > [Your Stream] > Ingest Settings
• A stable internet connection with at least 5 Mbps upload speed for 1080p streaming

Custom RTMP setup

Streamlabs Desktop connects to WAVE using a custom RTMP server configuration.

{% stepper %} {% step title=“Open Stream settings” %} Launch Streamlabs Desktop and click the Settings gear icon in the bottom-left corner. Navigate to the Stream tab. {% /step %}

{% step title=“Select Custom Streaming Server” %} In the Stream Type dropdown, select Custom Streaming Server. {% /step %}

{% step title=“Enter your WAVE ingest URL” %} In the URL field, enter:

rtmp://ingest.wave.online/live

If your organization uses a regional ingest endpoint, enter the URL shown in your WAVE dashboard instead. {% /step %}

{% step title=“Enter your stream key” %} In the Stream Key field, paste your WAVE stream key. Copy it directly from the WAVE dashboard under Streams > [Your Stream] > Ingest Settings.

{% callout type=“warning” title=“Keep your stream key secret” %} Your stream key grants full ingest access to your stream channel. Do not share it publicly, display it on stream, or commit it to version control. {% /callout %} {% /step %}

{% step title=“Save and test” %} Click Done to save your settings. Click the Go Live button to start streaming. Your stream should appear as Live in the WAVE dashboard within a few seconds. {% /step %} {% /stepper %}

{% callout type=“tip” title=“Use RTMPS for encrypted transport” %} For encrypted RTMP, change the URL to rtmps://ingest.wave.online:443/live. This wraps the connection in TLS, protecting your stream content in transit. {% /callout %}

Stream key configuration

Finding your stream key

{% stepper %} {% step title=“Log in to the WAVE dashboard” %} Navigate to app.wave.online  and sign in with your WAVE account. {% /step %}

{% step title=“Select your stream” %} Click Streams in the left sidebar and select the stream channel you want to broadcast to. {% /step %}

{% step title=“Copy the stream key” %} Under Ingest Settings, click the Copy button next to the stream key. The key is hidden by default for security — click the eye icon to reveal it if you need to verify it. {% /step %} {% /stepper %}

Rotating your stream key

If your stream key is compromised, you can rotate it from the WAVE dashboard:

1. Navigate to Streams > [Your Stream] > Ingest Settings.
2. Click Rotate Key. This immediately invalidates the old key.
3. Copy the new key and update it in Streamlabs Desktop under Settings > Stream > Stream Key.

{% callout type=“warning” title=“Key rotation disconnects active streams” %} Rotating your stream key immediately disconnects any active ingest connection using the old key. Schedule rotations during a maintenance window or between broadcasts. {% /callout %}

Recommended settings

Output settings

{% stepper %} {% step title=“Open Output settings” %} In Streamlabs Desktop, navigate to Settings > Output. Set Output Mode to Advanced for full control over encoding parameters. {% /step %}

{% step title=“Configure the Streaming tab” %} Under the Streaming tab, configure the following:

Setting	1080p (Recommended)	720p (Low bandwidth)
Encoder	NVENC (if available) or x264	x264
Rate Control	CBR	CBR
Bitrate	4500-6000 kbps	2500-4000 kbps
Keyframe Interval	2 seconds	2 seconds
CPU Preset (x264)	veryfast	veryfast
Profile	high	main
{% /step %}

{% step title=“Configure Video settings” %} Navigate to Settings > Video:

Setting	Recommended
Base (Canvas) Resolution	Match your display resolution
Output (Scaled) Resolution	1920x1080 (or 1280x720 for low bandwidth)
FPS	30
Downscale Filter	Lanczos
{% /step %}

{% step title=“Configure Audio settings” %} Navigate to Settings > Audio:

Setting	Recommended
Sample Rate	48 kHz
Channels	Stereo

Audio bitrate is controlled in the Output > Audio tab:

Setting	Recommended
Audio Bitrate	160 kbps
{% /step %}
{% /stepper %}

{% callout type=“warning” title=“Keyframe interval is critical” %} WAVE requires a keyframe interval of 4 seconds or less. Setting it to exactly 2 seconds ensures the fastest viewer startup time and best adaptive bitrate performance. Streamlabs Desktop may default to 0 (auto), which often produces intervals longer than 4 seconds. Always set this explicitly. {% /callout %}

Using Streamlabs features with WAVE

Alerts and widgets

Streamlabs Desktop’s built-in alerts, widgets, and overlays work independently of the streaming destination. You can use all Streamlabs alert features (follower alerts, donation alerts, chat overlays) while streaming to WAVE.

Multistream

Streamlabs Desktop supports multistreaming to multiple destinations simultaneously. To stream to WAVE and another platform at the same time:

1. Navigate to Settings > Stream.
2. Set your primary destination to WAVE (custom RTMP as configured above).
3. Add additional destinations using the multistream panel.

{% callout type=“info” title=“Multistreaming increases CPU and bandwidth usage” %} Each additional streaming destination requires its own encoding pass and upload bandwidth. Ensure your system and network can handle the combined load. WAVE’s ingest connection is independent of other destinations. {% /callout %}

Troubleshooting

Streamlabs shows “Failed to connect” or “Could not access stream”

1. Verify the URL is exactly rtmp://ingest.wave.online/live. Check for trailing spaces or missing /live path.
2. Confirm the stream key is correct. Copy it again from the WAVE dashboard — do not type it manually.
3. Check that your WAVE stream channel is active and not already receiving from another encoder.
4. Test network connectivity using the WAVE connection test .
5. Temporarily disable your firewall or VPN to rule out network-level blocking on TCP port 1935.

Stream starts but drops frequently

1. Open Settings > Output and reduce the bitrate by 25%. Streamlabs shows the actual upload rate in the bottom status bar — if it fluctuates below your configured bitrate, your connection is unstable.
2. Switch from Wi-Fi to a wired Ethernet connection if possible.
3. Close other applications that consume upload bandwidth (cloud sync, video calls, downloads).
4. If you are on a shared network, consider streaming during off-peak hours.

Video is blurry or pixelated

1. Check that the Output (Scaled) Resolution in Settings > Video matches your target quality (1920x1080 for HD).
2. Increase the bitrate. 1080p content generally requires at least 4500 kbps for acceptable quality.
3. If using x264, try changing the CPU preset from veryfast to faster or fast (requires more CPU).
4. Ensure the Downscale Filter is set to Lanczos for the sharpest downscaling when reducing from a higher canvas resolution.

Audio is out of sync

1. Navigate to Settings > Advanced and check the Stream Delay setting. It should be 0 unless you intentionally added a delay.
2. In Edit > Advanced Audio Properties, check for any audio sync offsets on your audio sources. USB microphones sometimes need a small negative offset (e.g. -50ms).
3. Ensure the audio sample rate in Settings > Audio (48 kHz) matches your audio device’s native sample rate.

High CPU usage while streaming

1. Switch from x264 (software) to a hardware encoder. In Settings > Output > Streaming, set the encoder to NVENC (NVIDIA), AMF (AMD), or QSV (Intel).
2. If hardware encoding is not available, set the x264 CPU Preset to superfast (lower quality but much less CPU usage).
3. Reduce the output resolution from 1080p to 720p.
4. Close Streamlabs overlay browser sources that are not actively needed — complex web-based overlays can consume significant CPU.

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