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OpenTraceBroadcaster

OpenTraceBroadcaster is an OBS Studio plugin that displays real-time measurement values from DMM (Digital Multimeter) and LCR (Inductance, Capacitance, Resistance) meters directly in your live streams and recordings.

Features

  • Real-time measurement overlay in OBS Studio
  • DMM and LCR meter support via OpenTraceCapture integration
  • Automatic unit detection (V, A, Ω, F, H, Hz)
  • Configurable appearance through OBS properties panel
  • Cross-platform support (Windows, macOS, Linux)

Installation

Prerequisites

  • OBS Studio installed
  • OpenTraceCapture library
  • Compatible DMM/LCR measurement device

Build from Source

  1. Build OpenTraceCapture: 

    cd OpenTraceCapture
meson setup builddir
meson compile -C builddir
meson install -C builddir

  2. Build the plugin: 

    cd OpenTraceBroadcaster
./build.sh

  3. Install the plugin: 

    meson install -C builddir

Usage

  1. Connect your measurement device (DMM or LCR meter)
  2. Start OBS Studio
  3. Add a new Source → "Measurement Overlay"
  4. Configure the overlay in Properties:
  5. Adjust width and height
  6. Set font size and decimal precision
  7. Toggle unit display
  8. Position the overlay in your scene

The plugin automatically detects connected devices and displays measurements in real-time.

Configuration Options

Setting Description Range
Width Overlay width in pixels 200-800px
Height Overlay height in pixels 50-200px
Font Size Text size 12-48px
Decimal Places Measurement precision 0-6 places
Show Units Display unit symbols On/Off
Auto Range Automatic unit scaling On/Off

Supported Devices

Any measurement device supported by OpenTraceCapture, including:

  • Keysight/Agilent multimeters
  • Fluke multimeters
  • Rigol multimeters
  • LCR meters with serial/USB interfaces

See the supported hardware page for a complete list.

Use Cases

  • Electronics tutorials - Show live measurements during demonstrations
  • Product reviews - Display real-time power consumption or specifications
  • Educational content - Visualize electrical measurements for students
  • Troubleshooting streams - Share diagnostic measurements with viewers

Troubleshooting

Plugin not appearing in OBS: - Verify the plugin is installed in the correct OBS plugins directory - Check OBS log files for loading errors

No measurement data: - Ensure your device is connected and recognized by the system - Test device detection with OpenTraceCLI --scan - Verify OpenTraceCapture can access the device

Measurements not updating: - Check device connection and power - Restart OBS Studio - Verify device compatibility with OpenTraceCapture