OBS and RTMP Setup for Live Shopping on Shopify: Stream Keys, Settings and Recording

Once you have run a few shows from a phone, you may want more control: a second camera for product close-ups, a logo in the corner, a countdown screen, or a cleaner audio chain. That is where OBS Studio and other RTMP encoders come in. LiveShoply accepts RTMP streams, so any software or hardware encoder that can push RTMP can broadcast a shoppable live show to your Shopify store.

This guide explains how to connect OBS to LiveShoply, which settings to use, how recording works and how to fix the most common problems.

Why stream with OBS or RTMP

RTMP is the long-established protocol used by most streaming software and hardware. OBS Studio is a free, open-source application for Windows, macOS and Linux that sends RTMP. Using it with LiveShoply gives you:

• Multiple sources. Combine webcams, capture cards, phone cameras, screen shares, images and video clips.
• Scenes and transitions. Switch between a host view, a product close-up and a "starting soon" screen with one click.
• Overlays and branding. Add your logo, lower-thirds or a running promotion banner.
• Better audio control. Use mixers, filters and noise suppression.
• Automatic cloud recording. RTMP shows are recorded on the server, so your replay does not depend on your computer after the show.

The tradeoff is setup time. If you only need a quick show from a phone, the browser studio is simpler.

Plan requirements

RTMP streaming is available on the Starter plan and above. The Free plan includes the browser studio only. Multistreaming an OBS show to Facebook and YouTube at the same time requires the Growth plan or higher. You can review the details on the pricing page.

Finding your server URL and stream key

Create a show in the LiveShoply admin as usual, add your products, and choose RTMP (OBS) as the broadcast method. The show page then displays two values:

• Server URL, the RTMP address your encoder connects to.
• Stream key, a secret token that identifies your show.

Connecting OBS to LiveShoply

1. Download and install OBS Studio from the official website.
2. Open OBS and go to Settings, then Stream.
3. Set Service to Custom.
4. Paste the Server URL from LiveShoply into the Server field.
5. Paste the Stream key into the Stream Key field.
6. Click Apply and OK.

Other encoders, including hardware encoders and alternatives like vMix or Streamlabs, follow the same pattern: a custom RTMP destination with a server address and a key.

Recommended video and audio settings

Good settings balance image quality with reliability. Most viewers watch on phones, so a stable 720p or 1080p stream is better than an ambitious one that buffers. In OBS, open Settings and adjust the following.

Video

• Base and output resolution: 1920x1080 for full HD, or 1280x720 if your upload speed is limited. For a vertical, phone-first show, use 1080x1920 or 720x1280.
• Frame rate: 30 fps. Shopping content rarely benefits from 60 fps, and 30 fps uses less bandwidth.

Output (set Output Mode to Advanced)

• Encoder: a hardware encoder (NVENC, Apple VT or QuickSync) if available; otherwise x264.
• Rate control: CBR (constant bitrate).
• Bitrate: about 4,500 to 6,000 Kbps for 1080p, or 2,500 to 4,000 Kbps for 720p.
• Keyframe interval: 2 seconds.
• Profile: high (or main if you have compatibility issues).

Audio

• Sample rate: 48 kHz.
• Audio bitrate: 128 or 160 Kbps AAC.

As a rule of thumb, your upload speed should be at least 1.5 times your total bitrate. If a speed test shows 8 Mbps upload, a 5,000 Kbps stream leaves comfortable headroom. Use a wired Ethernet connection where possible.

Building scenes for a shopping show

Scenes are what make OBS worth the effort. A simple, effective set for live shopping looks like this:

• Starting soon: a branded image or short loop with the show title and start time, plus background music.
• Host: your main camera framed at chest height, with your logo in a corner.
• Close-up: a second camera pointed at a table or product stand for details like texture, stitching or labels.
• Host and product: a split layout or picture-in-picture combining both cameras.
• Be right back and thank you: short holding screens for breaks and the end of the show.

Keep important visuals away from the bottom of the frame, where the storefront player shows pinned products on smaller screens. If you invite remote guests, LiveShoply can arrange the host and guests in split-screen or picture-in-picture layouts on the Growth plan and above; see co-hosting a live shopping show.

Going live and pinning products

Start your stream in OBS by clicking Start Streaming. Within a few seconds the LiveShoply show page will show that it is receiving your signal. Begin on your starting soon scene, then switch to the host scene when you are ready.

Pin products from the LiveShoply admin, ideally on a second screen, tablet or phone, or let a producer handle it. When a product is pinned, it appears under the video on your storefront with a variant picker and add to cart button. Viewers who keep browsing your store continue watching in the mini-player.

When the show ends, switch to your thank you scene for a few seconds, then click Stop Streaming in OBS and end the show in LiveShoply.

Automatic cloud recording

One of the most practical advantages of RTMP is that LiveShoply records the show automatically on the server. You do not need to record locally in OBS or upload anything afterwards. When the show ends, the recording is processed and becomes a shoppable replay with the products you featured.

You may still want to enable local recording in OBS as a backup or for editing social clips, but it is not required for replays. On the Growth plan and above, replays can also be used to generate AI captions and suggested highlight clips; see AI captions and highlight clips.

Multistreaming to Facebook and YouTube

On the Growth plan and above, LiveShoply can forward your OBS show to Facebook and YouTube at the same time as your storefront. You connect the destinations in the show settings, stream once from OBS and reach audiences on all platforms. Shopping, pinning and checkout happen on your Shopify store; the other platforms receive the video. Our multistreaming guide covers this in detail.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use the same stream key for every show? Each show has its own stream key. Copy the key from the specific show you are about to broadcast, and update OBS before each event. Using an old key may send your stream to the wrong show or fail to connect.

Should I stream vertical or horizontal? It depends on where most of your viewers watch. Most shopping traffic is mobile, so vertical video fills the screen on phones. Horizontal works better if you multistream to YouTube or have many desktop viewers. Pick one format and keep it consistent across shows.

Can I use a phone as a camera in OBS? Yes. Several apps let you use a phone as a wireless or USB camera source in OBS. This is a cheap way to add a second angle for close-ups. Test the latency and stability before a live event.

Do I need a powerful computer? A recent laptop with a hardware encoder is enough for a 1080p, 30 fps stream with a few sources. If OBS reports encoding overload, lower the resolution or reduce the number of active sources.

Can a teammate pin products while I stream? Yes. Anyone on your team with access to the LiveShoply admin can open the show and pin products, run polls and moderate chat while the host focuses on presenting.

Does the replay include my OBS overlays? Yes. The cloud recording captures exactly what OBS sends, so logos, lower-thirds and scenes all appear in the replay. Keep this in mind if an overlay mentions a time-limited offer.

Troubleshooting common problems

• OBS says "Failed to connect to server". Double-check the server URL and stream key for extra spaces. Make sure the show exists, has not ended, and that your plan includes RTMP.
• Viewers see buffering. Lower the bitrate or resolution, switch to a wired connection, and check the OBS status bar for dropped frames.
• OBS shows "Encoding overloaded". Switch to a hardware encoder, lower the output resolution, or choose a faster x264 preset.
• No sound. Check the audio mixer in OBS for muted sources and confirm the correct microphone is selected in Audio settings.
• Audio and video out of sync. Use the Advanced Audio Properties in OBS to add a small sync offset to the microphone.
• Black screen from a capture card. Close other apps using the device and reselect it in the source properties.

Always do a private test show before a big event. If something still is not working, the in-app Help page has live chat support. To compare the browser studio, RTMP and multistreaming side by side, see our features page.