C64 Stream

Bridge your Commodore 64 Ultimate directly to OBS Studio for seamless streaming and recording over your network connection.

This plugin implements a native OBS source that receives video and audio streams from C64 Ultimate devices (Commodore 64 Ultimate or Ultimate 64) via the Ultimate's built-in data streaming capability.

The plugin connects directly to the Ultimate's network interface, eliminating the need for capture cards or composite video connections.

Features:

• Native OBS integration as a standard video source
• Real-time video streaming (PAL 384x272, NTSC 384x240)
• Synchronized audio streaming (16-bit stereo, ~48kHz)
• Network-based connection (UDP/TCP)
• Automatic VIC-II color space conversion
• Authentic CRT effects with configurable presets (scan lines, bloom, tint, pixel geometry)
• Built-in recording capabilities (BMP frames, AVI video, WAV audio)

Configuration

The plugin uses a properties.ini file to provide default settings for connecting to your C64 Ultimate device. This file is automatically installed with the plugin and contains the standard C64 Ultimate network settings:

• Hostname: c64u (the default C64 Ultimate hostname)
• Control Port: 64 (the standard C64 Ultimate control port)
• DNS Server: 192.168.1.1 (common router DNS)
• Video/Audio Ports: 11000/11001 (C64 Ultimate streaming ports)

These settings work out-of-the-box with most C64 Ultimate setups. You can override any of these settings directly in the OBS source properties if your setup differs.

Quick Start

What You'll Need

• OBS Studio 32.0.1 or above
• C64 Ultimate or Ultimate 64
• Ethernet connection between your OBS computer and Ultimate device. Wifi is not supported.
• For complete and up-to-date hardware and software requirements, please refer to the OBS Studio System Requirements.

Note

The plugin has been verified to work on the systems listed below. Other environments have not been verified and are not supported explicitly, but community contributions are always welcome.

Easy Installation 📦

In the following instructions, replace $VERSION with the latest released version as shown on the Releases page.

Windows

Verified on Windows 11:

1. Close OBS Studio
2. Download the plugin package with name c64stream-$VERSION-windows-x64.zip. It should now be in your Downloads folder (typically C:\Users\<YourName>\Downloads).
3. Install the plugin to C:\ProgramData\obs-studio\plugins by either extracting the ZIP with a tool of your choice or by running the following in Powershell:

Expand-Archive -Path "$env:USERPROFILE\Downloads\c64stream-*-windows-x64.zip" -DestinationPath "C:\ProgramData\obs-studio\plugins" -Force

4. Start OBS Studio

If you are using Windows Firewall and block all incoming connections, you may have to setup an exclusion to allow for incoming UDP connections to port 11000 (Video) and 11001 (Audio) from the C64 Ultimate a follows. Be sure to adjust the RemoteAddress from 192.168.1.64 to the IP of your C64 Ultimate before you run this in Powershell:

New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "C64 Stream" -Direction Inbound -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 11000,11001 -RemoteAddress 192.168.1.64 -Action Allow

macOS

Verified on macOS Sequoia 15.7 and Tahoe 26.0 with Apple Silicon M4 (Intel systems should also work):

1. Close OBS Studio
2. Download the plugin package with name c64stream-$VERSION-macos-universal.pkg. It should now be in your ~/Downloads directory.
3. Install the plugin to $HOME/Library/Application Support/obs-studio/plugins/c64stream.plugin by running the following on the command line:

Note

These commands are required due to platform packaging constraints on macOS and will be simplified in a future release.

cd ~/Downloads && \
xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine c64stream-*-macos-universal.pkg && \
sudo installer -pkg c64stream-*-macos-universal.pkg -target / && \
mkdir -p "$HOME/Library/Application Support/obs-studio/plugins" && \
cp -R "/Library/Application Support/obs-studio/plugins/c64stream.plugin" \
      "$HOME/Library/Application Support/obs-studio/plugins/" && \
chmod -R 755 "$HOME/Library/Application Support/obs-studio/plugins/c64stream.plugin"

4. Start OBS Studio

Linux

Verified on Ubuntu 24.04 and Debian 12. Other distributions may work but are not officially supported.

Ubuntu / Debian (Recommended)

1. Close OBS Studio
2. Install OBS Studio (32.0.1+):
   • Ubuntu 24.04:

     sudo add-apt-repository --yes ppa:obsproject/obs-studio
     sudo apt update
     sudo apt install -y obs-studio

   • Debian 12:

     sudo apt update
     sudo apt install -y -t bookworm-backports obs-studio

3. Download the plugin: c64stream-$VERSION-x86_64-linux-gnu.deb
4. Install the plugin:

   sudo dpkg -i ~/Downloads/c64stream-*-x86_64-linux-gnu.deb

5. Start OBS Studio

Other Distributions (Fedora, Arch, etc.)

For non-Debian-based distributions, you can extract the .deb package manually:

1. Close OBS Studio
2. Install OBS Studio using your distro's package manager
3. Download the plugin: c64stream-$VERSION-x86_64-linux-gnu.deb
4. Extract and install manually:

   cd /tmp && ar x ~/Downloads/c64stream-*-x86_64-linux-gnu.deb && tar -xf data.tar.* && \
   sudo cp -r usr/share/obs/obs-plugins/c64stream /usr/share/obs/obs-plugins/ && \
   sudo cp -r usr/lib/obs-plugins/c64stream.so /usr/lib/obs-plugins/ && rm -rf data.tar.* control.tar.* debian-binary usr

5. Start OBS Studio

Note

The plugin is built and E2E tested on Ubuntu 24.04, Debian 12, Fedora 40, and Arch Linux.

Further Details: See the OBS Plugins Guide.

Configuration ⚙️

Getting Your C64 on Stream:

1. Add Source: In OBS, click the "+" icon in the Sources tab. A window of all sources appears. Select "C64 Source":

   

A new window opens. Keep the default settings and click "OK":

2. Open Properties: Select the "C64 Stream" source in your sources list, then click the "Properties" button to open the configuration dialog

3. Configure IPs / Host Names: Configure the host name or IP address of your C64 Ultimate and click "OK".

🎉 DONE! Enjoy streaming from your C64 Ultimate.

Plugin Setup

General

• Version: Information about release version, Git ID, and build time
• Debug Logging: Check this to see debug logs

Network 📡

• DNS Resolution Details:

• Default: 192.168.1.1 (most common home router DNS server)

• Fallback: If router DNS fails, the plugin tries standard DNS servers

• Enhanced Resolution: The plugin uses multiple resolution strategies for maximum compatibility

• C64 Ultimate Host: Enter your Ultimate device's hostname (default: c64u) or IP address to enable automatic streaming control from OBS (recommended for convenience), or set to 0.0.0.0 to accept streams from any C64 Ultimate on your network (requires manual control from the device)

• OBS Server IP: IP address where C64 Ultimate sends streams (auto-detected by default)

• Auto-detect OBS IP: Automatically detect and use OBS server IP in streaming commands (recommended)

• Configure Ports Use the default ports (video: 11000, audio: 11001) unless network conflicts require different values

• Buffer Delay: Sets the network buffer for incoming UDP packets arriving from the C64 Ultimate (0–500 ms, default 10 ms). The buffer size is expressed in milliseconds to represent the time-based delay it introduces, compensating for packet loss, reordering, and variable network latency. Larger buffers improve stability under high-latency or congested conditions but increase end-to-end delay.

Recording 💾

The plugin includes built-in recording capabilities that work independently of OBS Studio's recording system, letting you save raw C64 Ultimate data streams directly to disk.

Recording Options

The plugin offers three independent recording options that can be enabled separately or together:

📊 Network and Streaming Events (CSV):

• Records detailed timing data for network packets and OBS processing events
• Creates obs.csv (OBS processing timeline) and network.csv (UDP packet analysis)
• Minimal Performance Impact: Lightweight logging with microsecond precision
• Use Cases: Debug performance issues, analyze network jitter, validate frame timing
• Files: session_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS/obs.csv and session_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS/network.csv

🖼️ Raw Frames (BMP):

• Saves individual video frames as uncompressed BMP files
• Useful for debugging video issues or creating frame-by-frame analysis
• Performance Impact: Enabling this feature will reduce streaming performance due to disk I/O
• Note: CRT effects (scanlines, bloom, afterglow, etc.) are NOT applied to recorded frames. Palette changes ARE applied.
• Files saved as: session_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS/frames/frame_NNNNNN.bmp

🎬 Raw Video and Audio (AVI + WAV):

• Records uncompressed AVI video and separate WAV audio files
• Captures the raw data stream without OBS processing
• High Disk Usage: Uncompressed video files are very large (~50MB per minute)
• Note: CRT effects (scanlines, bloom, afterglow, etc.) are NOT applied to recorded video. Palette changes ARE applied.
• Video file: session_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS/video.avi (24-bit BGR format)
• Audio file: session_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS/audio.wav (16-bit stereo PCM)

File Organization

All recording files are organized into timestamped session folders in the recordings directory:

recordings/
├── session_20240929_143052/
│   ├── frames/           # BMP frame files (if "Raw Frames" enabled)
│   ├── network.csv       # Network timings (if "CSV Events" enabled)
│   ├── obs.csv           # OBS timings (if "CSV Events" enabled)
│   ├── video.avi         # Uncompressed video (if "Raw Video" enabled)
│   └── audio.wav         # Uncompressed audio (if "Raw Video" enabled)
└── session_20240929_151234/
    └── ...

Session Management: A new session folder is automatically created each time recording is enabled. The output folder can be changed in the plugin properties.

Usage Notes

• Independent Operation: All recording operates independently of OBS Studio's built-in recording
• Mix and Match: All three recording options can be enabled simultaneously
• Instant Recording: Recording starts immediately when a checkbox is checked and continues until unchecked
• ⚠️ Persistent State: Checkbox states persist across OBS restarts - uncheck to stop recording or risk filling disk space
• Real-Time Writing: Files are written in real-time as data is received from the C64 Ultimate
• Auto-Organization: Session folders are created automatically with proper directory structure
• Recommended: Enable CSV recording for debugging and disable BMP/AVI recording for normal streaming

Debug & Analysis CSV Logs 📊

When "Network and Streaming Events (CSV)" recording is enabled, the plugin generates detailed CSV logs for debugging OBS performance and analyzing C64 Ultimate network streams. These logs enable bit-accurate recording analysis and precise frame timing measurements.

Generated CSV Files:

• obs.csv - OBS processing timeline with microsecond precision
• network.csv - UDP packet reception log with network timing analysis

Examples from recent automated E2E runs against a 'mocked' (i.e. simulated) Ultimate 64:

• PAL: obs.csv, network.csv
• NTSC: obs.csv, network.csv

Sample OBS Timeline (obs.csv):

event_type,frame_num,elapsed_us,data_size_bytes,fps,audio_samples_total,video_packets_received,audio_packets_received,sequence_errors
video,1,43874,368640,59.826,0,160,12,0
audio,0,48250,768,59.826,0,175,13,0

Sample Network Analysis (network.csv):

packet_type,elapsed_us,sequence_num,frame_num,line_num,packet_size,jitter_us
video,225,1510,7671,8,780,0
audio,2341,847,0,0,192,125

Use Cases:

• Debug OBS Performance: Analyze frame processing delays and audio sync issues
• Network Stream Analysis: Monitor UDP packet timing, jitter, and sequence errors
• Bit-Accurate Recordings: Capture every frame with precise timing for forensic analysis
• C64 Ultimate Diagnostics: Validate device streaming performance and network stability

Sample Recording: See docs/recordings/session_19700101_024625 for complete examples with all file types.

Activation: Enable the "Network and Streaming Events (CSV)" checkbox in the Recording properties. CSV files are generated only when this option is explicitly enabled.

Effects ✨

Recreate the authentic look and feel of classic CRT monitors and TVs with configurable visual effects that simulate the characteristics of vintage displays.

Presets: One-click configurations for different display types

• Classic CRT - Balanced scan lines and bloom for general retro appeal
• Amber Monitor - Warm amber tint reminiscent of early computer monitors
• Green Monitor - Classic green phosphor terminal look
• Sharp Pixels - Crisp pixel doubling for arcade-style clarity
• Phosphor Glow - Dramatic phosphor persistence trails with extended afterglow. The sample image here was taken from the automated E2E test which shows an afterglow for each moving diagonal line.
• Vintage TV - Softer look with prominent scan lines for old television feel
• Arcade Cabinet - High-contrast effects for authentic arcade experience

Customizable Effects:

• Scan Lines: CRT raster line simulation with precise control (see table below). The "Scan Line Strength" slider (0.0–1.0) controls how dark the gaps appear. At 0.0, gaps are invisible; at 1.0, they are completely black.

• Bloom: Glow effect that makes bright pixels bleed into darker areas

• Pixel Geometry: Independent width/height scaling for authentic pixel aspect ratios

• Blur Control: Fine-tune between crisp pixels and soft scaling

• Afterglow: CRT phosphor persistence effect (0-250ms) with configurable decay curves

• Screen Tint: Amber, green, or monochrome overlays for period-accurate monitor simulation

Reset: To reset to default values, simply select the "Default" preset. If you have changed individual effects whilst the "Default" preset was active, select any other preset first and then re-select the "Default" preset.

Perfect Scan Lines

Tip

This section is for users seeking perfect display quality. The techniques described here are mostly required when using effects that include scan lines and/or pixel scaling.

The Scan Line Distance setting controls the gap between each pair of adjacent C64 pixel rows, simulating the dark lines between phosphor rows on a CRT monitor. Each mode uses a specific integer scaling factor to ensure perfectly uniform scanlines with zero variance.

To achieve pixel-perfect scanlines without any scaling-induced artifacts such as slight blurriness, the source must be scaled to exact dimensions in OBS. Because OBS does not lock aspect ratio for numeric transforms, both height and width must be set explicitly.

First, right-click on the C64 Stream source → Scale Filtering → Point. This is a one-time setting that tells OBS to use nearest-neighbor scaling.

Then, right-click the C64 Stream source in OBS → Transform → Edit Transform, then enter the exact values from the table below, assuming you are using a 1920 x 1080 ("Full HD") screen. Adjust the width/height settings as needed if you use a different screen:

Mode	Distance	Scale	Pattern	Output Width	Output Height	Canvas Fit
None	0%	4×	No gaps	1456 px	1088 px	Full (8 px vertical crop)
Tight	25%	5×	4 bright + 1 dark	1820 px	1360 px	Vertical overflow
Normal	50%	3×	2 bright + 1 dark	1092 px	816 px	Letterboxed
Wide	100%	4×	2 bright + 2 dark	1456 px	1088 px	Full (8 px vertical crop)
Extra Wide	200%	3×	1 bright + 2 dark	1092 px	816 px	Letterboxed

The following screenshot assumes you select "Wide" scan line mode, again assuming you use a 1920 x 1080 screen:

Color Palettes 🎨

Customize the VIC-II color palette to match different C64 hardware variants, personal preferences, or artistic styles. The palette system supports both shipped (preset) and user-defined (custom) palettes.

Shipped Palettes: The plugin includes the following preset palettes:

• Default - Standard VIC-II colors matching original C64 hardware
• Cool - Blue/cyan color temperature shift
• Inverted - RGB color inversion (negative image)
• Monochrome - Grayscale conversion
• Muted - Reduced saturation with pastel-like tones
• Neon Blast - Maximum saturation for high-intensity colors
• Night - Red-shifted colors for comfortable late night viewing
• Vibrant - Increased color saturation for enhanced visual impact
• Warm - Amber/orange color temperature shift

Palette Controls:

• Palette Dropdown: Select from shipped palettes or any custom palettes you've added
• Import palette: Imports a .vpl file
• Export palette: Exports the currently active palette (with any color adjustments) to a .vpl file
• Color Editor: Expand to access 16 color pickers (0-15) for editing individual VIC-II colors. Changes apply immediately to the video output

Auto-Save Behavior:

• Custom palettes are automatically saved when you edit them in the color editor
• Preset modifications: If you edit a shipped preset palette, a custom copy is automatically created with the same name (the original preset remains unchanged)
• The settings automatically update to use the custom copy, so your changes persist across OBS restarts
• No manual save action is required for palette edits

VPL Palette Format:

Palettes use the standard VICE VPL format:

# VICE Palette file
#
# Syntax:
# Red Green Blue
#
# TYPE:VICII
# NAME:My Palette
# DESC:Optional description shown as tooltip

00 00 00
FF FF FF
8D 2F 34
...

• NAME: (optional) Display name shown in the dropdown
• DESC: (optional) Description shown as tooltip when hovering over the palette
• First 16 non-comment lines are RGB hex values in RR GG BB format (space-separated)
• Files must have exactly 16 color entries

Storage: Custom palettes are saved to the palettes directory. Shipped palettes are bundled with the plugin as read-only defaults.

Import/Export Configuration

Import and export your complete plugin settings:

• Import settings: Click to load settings from a previously exported .ini file. All current settings will be replaced
• Export settings: Click to save all current settings to a .ini file. Use this to backup configurations, share setups, or attach to bug reports

Exported configurations are saved to the settings directory.

File System Structure 📁

The plugin uses three distinct filesystem locations:

1. Plugin

This folder contains OBS plugin binary and loader files.

OBS Studio searches for plugins in multiple locations. The installation location depends on how you installed the plugin:

Platform	Package Install (System-Wide)	User Install (Local Development)
Windows	C:\ProgramData\obs-studio\plugins\c64stream\	N/A (uses system path)
macOS	/Library/Application Support/obs-studio/plugins/c64stream.plugin/	~/Library/Application Support/obs-studio/plugins/c64stream.plugin/
Linux	/usr/lib/obs-plugins/c64stream.so	~/.config/obs-studio/plugins/c64stream/bin/64bit/c64stream.so

2. Shipped Data

This folder contains read-only defaults bundled with the plugin.

OBS searches in this order:

1. User plugin directory (if it exists)
2. System plugin directory

The data directory contains:

• Effect presets (effect_presets.ini)
• Palette presets (palettes/*.vpl)
• Default network settings (properties.ini)
• Localization files (locale/*.ini)

Platform	Package Install (System-Wide)	User Install (Local Development)
Windows	C:\ProgramData\obs-studio\plugins\c64stream\data\	N/A (uses system path)
macOS	/Library/Application Support/obs-studio/plugins/c64stream.plugin/Contents/Resources/	~/Library/Application Support/obs-studio/plugins/c64stream.plugin/Contents/Resources/
Linux	/usr/share/obs/obs-plugins/c64stream/	~/.config/obs-studio/plugins/c64stream/data/

Note

Package Install is for end users who install via .deb packages, .pkg installers, or .zip extraction to system directories.

User Install is for local development using VSCode build tasks or local-build.sh --install. The E2E tests also use these user install paths.

3. User Data

This folder contains your custom content.

For easy access, simple backups, and visibility, it is always stored in <Documents>/obs-studio/c64stream/, regardless of how you installed the plugin:

<Documents>/obs-studio/c64stream/
├── settings/        # Exported configuration files (.ini)
├── palettes/        # Custom palette files (.vpl)
└── recordings/      # Recording session folders

Sample Locations:

• Windows: %USERPROFILE%\Documents\obs-studio\c64stream\ (e.g., C:\Users\YourName\Documents\obs-studio\c64stream\)
• macOS: ~/Documents/obs-studio/c64stream/ (e.g., /Users/yourname/Documents/obs-studio/c64stream/)
• Linux: ~/Documents/obs-studio/c64stream/ (e.g., /home/yourname/Documents/obs-studio/c64stream/)

End-to-end tests 🧪

This project is continuously validated with automated end-to-end (E2E) tests that simulate a C64 Ultimate, drive OBS, and verify the full pipeline from UDP packets to recorded video/audio.

Each test scenario produces a short, self-contained report with packet stats, frame progression information, A/V synch details, as well as the recorded video and a sample frame from that video. Here's an example from the ntsc_default scenario with no effects applied:

Here's another one from the ntsc_green_monitor scenario. You see how the frame progress counter on the bottom left and the central diagonal moving lines both left behind afterglow trails:

Many recent reports (without videos) are checked into this GitHub repository:

• Main E2E results
• PAL results
• NTSC results

You can download all Latest E2E results (with videos) as GitHub CI build artifact ZIP.

For more information, see doc/e2e.md.

Network Details

Hostname vs IP Address 🌐

The plugin supports both hostnames and IP addresses for the C64 Ultimate Host field with enhanced DNS resolution that works reliably across all platforms:

Using Hostnames (Recommended):

• Default: c64u - The plugin will try to resolve this hostname to an IP address
• Custom: my-c64u or retro-pc - Use any hostname your C64 Ultimate device is known by
• FQDN Support: The plugin automatically tries both hostname and hostname. (with trailing dot) for proper DNS resolution

Using IP Addresses:

• Direct IP: 192.168.1.64 - Standard IPv4 address format
• Fallback: 0.0.0.0 - Accept streams from any C64 Ultimate (no automatic control)

DNS Resolution

The plugin offers hostname resolution that works reliably on Linux and macOS where system DNS may fail for local device names:

1. System DNS First: Tries standard system DNS resolution (works for internet hostnames and properly configured networks)
2. FQDN Resolution: Attempts resolution with trailing dot (e.g., c64u. for some network configurations)
3. Direct DNS Queries: On Linux/macOS, bypasses systemd-resolved by querying DNS servers directly:
   • Uses configured DNS Server IP (default: 192.168.1.1)
   • Falls back to common router IPs: 192.168.0.1, 10.0.0.1, 172.16.0.1

C64 Ultimate Setup 🎛️

Automatic Configuration (Recommended): The OBS plugin automatically controls streaming on the Ultimate device. When you configure the Ultimate's hostname or IP address in the OBS plugin settings, the plugin tells the Ultimate device where to send streams and sends start commands automatically. Thus, no manual streaming adjustments are needed on the Ultimate device.

Manual Configuration:

1. Press F2 to access the Ultimate's configuration menu
2. Navigate to "Data Streams" section
3. Set "Stream VIC to" field: your-obs-ip:11000 (e.g., 192.168.1.100:11000)
4. Set "Stream Audio to" field: your-obs-ip:11001 (e.g., 192.168.1.100:11001)
5. Save configuration changes
6. Manually start streaming from the Ultimate device

For comprehensive configuration details, refer to the official C64 Ultimate documentation.

Technical Details 🔧

This plugin implements the C64 Ultimate Data Streams specification to receive video and audio streams from Ultimate devices via UDP/TCP network protocols.

Supported Platforms:

• Windows 10/11 (x64) - verified on Windows 11
• Linux with X window system or Wayland - verified on Kubuntu 24.04
• macOS 11+ (Intel/Apple Silicon) - verified on macOS Sequoia 15.7 and Tahoe 26.0

Software Requirements:

• OBS Studio 32.0.1 or above

Hardware Requirements:

One of:

• Commodore 64 Ultimate
• Ultimate 64 Elite
• Ultimate 64 Elite MK2

Video Formats:

• PAL: 384x272 @ 50Hz
• NTSC: 384x240 @ 60Hz
• Color space: VIC-II palette with automatic RGB conversion
• CRT Effects: GPU-accelerated shader-based post-processing with configurable presets

Audio Format:

• 16-bit stereo PCM
• Sample rate: ~48kHz (device dependent)
• Low-latency streaming

Network Requirements:

• UDP/TCP connectivity to Ultimate device
• Bandwidth: ~22 Mbps total (21.7 Mbps video + 1.4 Mbps audio, uncompressed streams)
• Built-in UDP jitter compensation via configurable frame buffering

Recording Formats:

• BMP frames: 24-bit uncompressed bitmap images
• AVI video: Uncompressed BGR24 format with precise timing
• WAV audio: 16-bit stereo PCM, sample rate matches C64 Ultimate output
• Session organization: Automatic timestamped folder creation

Troubleshooting 🔍

Plugin missing from OBS?

• Confirm OBS Studio version 32.0.1+
• Verify plugin installed to correct directory
• Check OBS logs for plugin loading errors
• Restart OBS completely after installation

No video stream? 📺

• Verify that both IP addresses are correct
• Check Ultimate device has data streaming enabled
• Confirm firewall allows UDP traffic on configured ports

Lost / Repeated Frames? 📺

• May occur when OBS cannot keep up, typically during high CPU or GPU load.
• Reduce or disable filters. The afterglow effect is particularly CPU-intensive. Test the Default preset with all filters disabled.
• Lower the output resolution to 1280×720.
• Disable OBS recording and any plugin-side recording.

Effects not working? 📺

• No visual change: Ensure source is active and receiving video data
• Performance drops: Complex effects (high bloom/blur) may impact frame rate on older hardware
• Preset not applying: Try manually adjusting individual effect settings

Audio sync issues? 🔊

• Check audio port configuration (default 11001)
• Verify OBS audio monitoring settings
• Buffer delay changes: If you first increase the network buffer delay (e.g., to 500ms) and then decrease it (e.g., to 200ms), audio may become delayed relative to video. Workaround: Remove and re-add the C64 Stream source, or restart OBS Studio to reset the audio timing reference. For best results, set your desired buffer delay when initially configuring the source.

Connection acting up? 📡

• Network latency should be <100ms for optimal performance
• Check for network congestion or WiFi interference
• Consider wired Ethernet connection for stability

Hostname not resolving? 🌐

If the plugin can't resolve your C64 Ultimate hostname (e.g., c64u), try these solutions:

Quick Fix:

1. Use IP Address: Instead of c64u, enter the device's IP address directly (e.g., 192.168.1.64)
2. Check DNS Server IP: Verify the DNS Server IP setting matches your router's IP address
   • Common router IPs: 192.168.1.1, 192.168.0.1, 10.0.0.1
   • Find your router IP: Run ip route | grep default (Linux) or ipconfig (Windows)

Advanced Troubleshooting:

1. Test DNS Resolution Manually:

   # Linux/macOS - Test if router can resolve the hostname
   dig @192.168.1.1 c64u
   
   # Windows - Test DNS resolution
   nslookup c64u 192.168.1.1

2. Platform-Specific Issues:

   • Linux: systemd-resolved may not forward local hostnames to router DNS
   • macOS: Similar DNS forwarding issues with local device names
   • Windows: System DNS typically works without issues

3. Configure Custom DNS Server:

   • Set DNS Server IP to your router's IP address (usually 192.168.1.1)
   • Try alternative common router IPs: 192.168.0.1, 10.0.0.1
   • Check your router's DHCP settings for the correct DNS server IP

4. Enable Debug Logging:

   • Check "Debug Logging" in plugin properties
   • Look for DNS resolution messages in OBS logs
   • Messages show which DNS resolution method succeeded

Alternative Solutions:

• Static DNS Entry: Add 192.168.1.64 c64u to your system's hosts file
• mDNS/Bonjour: Use .local suffix (e.g., c64u.local) if your network supports it
• Router Configuration: Ensure your router's DNS server has the device hostname registered

Recording troubles? 💾

• Files not created: Verify output folder path exists and is writable
• Performance drops with BMP saving: Frame saving impacts performance significantly; disable if not needed
• Large disk usage: AVI recording creates uncompressed files (~50MB/minute); monitor disk space
• Recording stops unexpectedly: Check disk space and folder permissions

For Developers 🔧

See the Developer Documentation for build instructions, testing procedures, and contribution guidelines.

License

This project is licensed under the GPL v2 License - see the LICENSE file for details.