2. Troubleshooting - DistroAV/DistroAV GitHub Wiki

Installation troubleshooting

(Work-in-Progress)

Windows

Files distroav.dll & distroav.pdb should be found at:

C:\Program Files\obs-studio\obs-plugins\64bit or C:\ProgramData\obs-studio\plugins

MacOS

Check that the installation actually worked a distroav.plugin file/folder should be at ~/Library/Application\ Support/obs-studio/plugins/. If it cannot be found, install again.

To report anything related to MacOS installation first look at the installer log and use this in your bug report. installer -pkg replacethiswithpathtopackage.pkg -target CurrentUserHomeDirectory -dumplog

Known issues

  • Runtime not found - But runtime are installed Error log: libNDI not found / libndi_load_v5: not found.

Reason: The /usr/local/lib folder is set with the wrong permissions in the libNDI 6.0.0 installer. Status : libNDI for Mac 6.0.1 fixes this but if the libNDI 6.0.0 was used (for the first time) the following workaround still need to be applied.

Fix:

  • Remove libndi 6.0.0 and install NDI Runtime package for MacOS version 6.0.1 or higher
  • Fix in Terminal
sudo chmod 755 /usr/local/lib

Ubuntu / Linux

...

Check OBS Logs

In OBS select Help->Log Files.

To access the log files, in OBS menu Help -> Log Files :

  • View Current Log - to debug by yourself
  • Upload Current Log File - share the URL in your Bug Report or Support Request

Firewall Settings & Requirements

(It's always the firewall!)

Symptoms solved:

  • No NDI Source in dropdown menu
  • NDI Source is black / black screen
  • NDI Output not seen on other computers

Windows

Allow OBS to use the network (send / receive)

  1. Set your network as "Private"

Open "Firewall & network protection", set your network to Private.

  1. Allow OBS-Studio on Private & Public Network

Open "Windows Defender Firewall" -> "Allow an app or feature through the Windows Defender Firewall" -> Allow OBS-Studio on both Private & Public network

If using a different software, allow OBS executable and NDI related Network ports.

MacOS

  1. Configure Firewall to allow OBS to communicate on the network.
  • System Settings -> Network -> Firewall -> Options
  • OBS should be set to "Allow incoming connections"

image

  1. Allow OBS to access Local network

Context: MacOS Sequoia 15+ has a privacy feature that block local network access by default unless approved

  • System Settings -> Privacy & Security -> Local Network
  • OBS must be allowed

Linux

Check the installation notes

Plugin start

Minimum requirements

`Module '../../obs-plugins/64bit/distroav.dll' not loaded`
`Module 'distroav' not loaded`

Cause

  • OBS version is too old

Solution

  • Update OBS to latest supported version
424 - OBS Version does not meet the minimum required version
425 - NDI Library does not meet the minimum required version
406 - NDI library could not initialize due to unsupported CPU
402 - Error loading QLibrary with error

Symptoms

  • Missing NDI Output Settings in the OBS Tools menu
  • No NDI Source option in Add Source
  • No NDI Filter option in Add Filter

Cause

  • Minimum requirements not met for this plugin to start

Solution

  • Update NDI Library to the latest supported version
  • Update OBS to the latest supported version
  • Upgrade to a compatible hardware (error 406)

Previous plugin conflict

403 - OBS-NDI is detected and needs to be uninstalled before DistroAV can work

Cause

  • OBS-NDI is still detected on the system

Solution

Config file outdated

414 - Invalid or unknown behavior detected in config file

Cause

  • The plugin configuration is missing or outdated

Solution

  • Close & restart OBS (this type of error should only show once)

NDI library

401 - NDI library failed to load
404 - NDI library not found, DistroAV cannot continue
405 - Error loading the NDI Library from path

Cause

  • The NDI library cannot be found/loaded properly

Solution

Plugin Update

409 - Check for update failed: Cannot get the main OBS window
417 - Update Check received a non-expected response
418 - Update Check took too long for a response
419 - Update Check request failed
421 - Update Check could not open the update file
422 - Update Check could not verify the update file

Cause

  • The update process fails to get and verify the update
  • You are using a non-offical / un-released / developement version

Solution

NDI Source

NDI Source error

407 - Error creating the NDI Receiver
408 - Error creating the NDI Frame Sync

Symptoms

  • Source is black
  • Source is not visible
  • Receive audio only
  • Receive video only

To test (first)

  • Check if the source work in NDI Studio Monitor / NDI Video Monitor

Solution

  • Delete & re-create the NDI Source
  • Check the firewall settings

NDI Source unsupported format

430 - NDI Source uses an unsupported video/colour format

Symptoms

  • Source is black
  • Source is not visible
  • Receive audio only

Cause

  • The format received is not supported (malformed of special HDR/pixel format)

Solution

  • Use a supported video format for the NDI source (defined at the sender)
  • Use a supported video format in OBS

NDI Output

Program/Preview

400 - Failed to start NDI Main Output
411 - Failed to initialize NDI Main Output
412 - Failed to create NDI Main Output

423 - Failed to create NDI Preview Output

Symptoms

  • NDI Output Program / Preview is not available or only last received frame is visible on other devices

Cause

  • The NDI Output (Program or Preview) has stopped/did not start

Solution

  • Disable NDI Output Program/Preview
  • Change to a supported OBS Colour Format (Settings > Advanced > Colour Format)
  • Re-enable NDI Output Program/Preview

Output Filters

410 - NDI Output cannot start : Unsupported pixel format
413 - NDI Output could not start. No Audio/Video data available
415 - NDI Sender data capture failed
416 - NDI Sender initialisation failed

Symptoms

  • NDI stream is not available on other devices

Cause

  • No compatible data available to create the NDI Sender process

Solution

  • Change to a supported OBS Colour Format (Settings > Advanced > Colour Format)
  • Remove NDI Output Filter from the source
  • Save filter settings
  • Add NDI Output Filter to the source

Troubleshooting Matrix

Recommended troubleshooting approach

  1. Identify Symptom
  • Confirm pre-requisites are complete
  • Check knowledge base / wiki for help
  1. Test with NDI Tools
  • Use NDI Screen Capture, NDI Scan converter or NDI Test Pattern to generate a "pure" NDI feed
  • Confirm that the NDI source is available with NDI Studio Monitor or NDI Video Monitor both locally (sender) and on your remote (receiver) computer
  1. If point 2 does not work, OBS + DistroAV will not work either
  • Check the software requirements
  • Check the network requirements
  1. Points 1, 2 & 3 are complete, this is an OBS + DistroAV issue
  • Check the network requirements (OBS + DistroAV) for your OS
  • Run OBS with the debugging option enabled --distroav-debug
  • Check in the Knowledgebase / Wiki for solutions
  1. Still no luck ?
  • Open an issue by filling up the template and providing your log

Missing NDI Source on receiving computer

Symptom

  • A transmitting DistroAV NDI source is not listed in Source name settings

Cause

  • The NDI source is not detected by the receiving computer
  • Usually firewall / network related
  • NDI groups or Privacy mode

Solution

  • Check the firewall settings on the receiving computer
  • Check the firewall settings on the sending computer
  • Confirm that the source is available locally (sender) in NDI Studio Monitor
  • Confirm that the source is available locally (sender) in OBS with DistroAV
  • Confirm that the source is available on another device on the same network in NDI Studio Monitor
  • Launch NDI Test Pattern on the sending computer, confirm the NDI pattern stream is available on receiving computer
  • Make sure there is no NDI groups or Privacy enabled within any of the computers!

Error & Warning Code - OBS log

In Numerical order, Text for reference only. Numerical value is unique accross all Error Level.

400 - Failed to start NDI Main Output
401 - NDI library failed to load
402 - Error loading QLibrary with error
403 - OBS-NDI is detected and needs to be uninstalled before DistroAV can work
404 - NDI library not found, DistroAV cannot continue
405 - Error loading the NDI Library from path
406 - NDI library could not initialize due to unsupported CPU
407 - Error creating the NDI Receiver
408 - Error creating the NDI Frame Sync
409 - Check for update failed: Cannot get the main OBS window
410 - NDI Output cannot start : Unsupported pixel format
411 - Failed to initialize NDI Main Output
412 - Failed to create NDI Main Output
413 - NDI Output could not start. No Audio/Video data available.
414 - Invalid or unknown behavior detected in config file
415 - NDI Sender data capture failed
416 - NDI Sender initialisation failed
417 - Update Check received a non-expected response
418 - Update Check took too long for a response
419 - Update Check request failed
421 - Update Check could not open the update file
422 - Update Check could not verify the update file
423 - Failed to create NDI Preview Output

430 - NDI Source uses an unsupported video pixel format

Reserved Error code for future use:

424 - OBS Version does not meet the minimum required version
425 - NDI Library does not meet the minimum required version
426 - NDI Main Output disabled, format not supported

Enable Debugging - For Bug reports

obs[64.exe] --distroav-debug --verbose