Scene Share problems

Start by identifying the connection mode:

• A hosted Stage uses a Stage code. The signed-in host selects Host a stage and accountless guests select Join backstage.
• Self-host direct and older direct sessions use a complete encrypted Receiver SRT URL. They do not use the hosted backstage form.

Do not paste one credential type into the other flow.

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Host cannot create a Stage

1. On Role, select Host a stage and complete browser authorization if requested.
2. Enter a non-empty Stage name.
3. Wait for Relay region to finish loading, then select an available region.
4. Check that the signed-in account has hosted access.
5. Retry Continue to Configure after the dock returns to Ready.

An empty hosted-time balance prevents starting a selected guest’s full feed even if backstage setup is available. Check the footer and Hosted time.

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Stage code is not accepted

• Paste the complete current code beginning with Stage-.
• Enter the Display name the host should see.
• Remove leading or trailing whitespace.
• Confirm the host has not selected End stage or started over.
• Ask the host to copy the code again from Invite guests backstage or Stage code.
• Do not paste an srt:// Receiver SRT URL into Stage code.

After Backstage found appears, verify the Stage name and Hosted by identity before selecting Continue.

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Guest is backstage but not Ready

• On Configure, confirm the local OBS Program preview is the intended output.
• Wait for the OBS canvas to initialize. Scene Share requires a valid Program video frame of at least 320 × 180.
• Select Ready to be selected and wait for You’re ready and waiting.
• If the optional preview capture fails, read the warning carefully: the guest can still become Ready without a current still.
• If the control request fails, keep the dock open, restore network access, and retry.

Ready should show Program armed and Nothing is being sent. It arms later selection; it does not start the full Program feed.

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Host does not see a waiting guest

• Confirm host and guest used the same current Stage code.
• Keep OBS and the Scene Share dock open on the guest computer so presence heartbeats continue.
• Check both computers’ internet access and security software.
• Ask the guest whether the dock still says Backstage.
• Refresh Stage status from the host’s Live page.
• If the guest appears Offline, have them leave and join the Stage again after the connection recovers.

Waiting guests exchange control presence only, so a zero media-throughput reading is normal.

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Preview still is missing

• Preview sharing starts off for every Stage.
• The guest must enable Allow one preview still while waiting before selecting Ready to be selected.
• The still is a silent 320 × 180 image, not a live preview.
• A guest can remain Ready even when still capture or upload fails.
• A host refresh request does not capture automatically. The guest must approve Share updated preview still?
• If the guest declines, no replacement image is sent and the guest remains Ready.

When preview is off, the host should see initials and Program capability rather than Program pixels.

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Ready guest cannot be selected

1. Confirm the roster still shows the guest as Ready, not Setting up, Offline, or Connection issue.
2. Confirm the host prepared a Target OBS scene and Manage source reports Scene ready.
3. Check that hosted time is available before starting a new selected feed.
4. If another guest is active, use Switch feed and confirm the prompt.
5. Refresh Stage status and retry after any in-flight selection finishes.

Scene Share never grants more than one full Program feed at once.

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Incoming Program is missing

• Return to Configure and select the intended Target OBS scene.
• Select Manage source.
• Look for the plugin-owned Media Source named vAudioLink Incoming Program.
• Check whether that source was added to a different scene.
• Make sure the scene item is visible.
• If an unrelated source already uses that name, rename the user-created source and select Manage source again. Scene Share does not overwrite a source it does not own.

The managed source can remain connected even when its target scene is not currently displayed.

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Switching guests briefly shows no feed

This is expected during break-before-make switching. Scene Share stops the current guest and revokes that private session before the next guest receives a media grant. The same Incoming Program source is then reopened for the replacement feed. If the gap does not clear:

1. Wait for the selection request to finish and refresh Stage status.
2. Confirm the next guest remains Ready and online.
3. Select Take off stage, wait for No guest is on stage, then take the desired feed again.
4. Check the guest dock for a private-output or reconnecting error.

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Selected guest is not sending

• The guest dock should move from Backstage to ON STAGE and then report Sending full program.
• Confirm the guest’s OBS Program has active video and the intended audio.
• Allow OBS/Scene Share through endpoint security or firewall software.
• Stop other heavy uploads.
• If OBS reports missing MPEG-TS/SRT, H.264, or AAC support, repair or reinstall OBS Studio.
• Have the host take the guest off stage, then let the guest become Ready and select the feed again.

If the guest selects Stop sending & return backstage, the local media output is latched off. The guest must explicitly become Ready again before another media start.

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Incoming Program is black or stalls

• Confirm one guest is actually On stage. An idle source is expected when nobody is selected.
• Confirm the guest sees the intended Program locally.
• Wait for Opening Incoming Program to change to a receiving state.
• Check that vAudioLink Incoming Program is visible in the selected target scene.
• Compare guest upload and host receive activity.
• Reduce Maximum active feed from 8 to 6 Mbps, or from 6 to 3 Mbps.
• Prefer wired Ethernet and pause other large transfers.
• Save both OBS logs if transport is active but OBS never decodes a video frame.

A short black or idle interval is normal during a deliberate Switch feed.

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Audio is missing or duplicated

Scene Share carries AAC audio inside the same muxed Program stream.

• Check Program audio on the selected guest before transmission.
• Check the vAudioLink Incoming Program meter on the host.
• Confirm the managed source is not muted.
• Confirm the host’s intended OBS stream or recording track includes that source.
• Do not rebuild the received audio through a second source; that creates duplication or independent delay.

For synchronization testing, use the one managed source and make a visible clap while speaking. If that single source is consistently out of sync, record a short sample and save host and guest logs with matching timestamps.

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Stop, take off stage, leave, and end

• A waiting guest selects Withdraw readiness to prevent selection.
• A selected guest selects Stop sending & return backstage to stop locally and become not Ready.
• The host selects Take off stage to stop the selected feed while keeping backstage open.
• A guest selects Leave to exit the Stage.
• The host selects End stage to stop the selected feed and disconnect everyone.

If control connectivity fails during a stop, the guest output still stops locally. Keep the dock open long enough to confirm withdrawal, then leave and rejoin after the connection recovers.

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Receiver SRT URL is rejected

This section applies only to a Self-host direct sender paired with an older direct-compatible receiver or another consumer that explicitly accepts the generated URL. The current Scene Share 1.0.1 Join backstage route cannot consume it.

• Confirm the receiving software actually exposes its legacy direct URL input; otherwise use a hosted Stage between current docks.
• Copy the complete encrypted srt:// value including its query string.
• Remove accidental whitespace without editing the URL itself.
• Confirm the self-host server is still running and reachable.
• Ask the direct sender for a new URL if the session expired.

Hosted Stage users should ask for the current Stage code instead. See Self-host from OBS for the compatibility boundary.