How to Troubleshoot PlayOn Producer

  • Updated

Please follow this guide to assist in diagnosing the PlayOn Producer software.

Crashing or Freezing

If Producer is crashing on startup or freezing at the initial speed test, reach out to NFHS Support so we can assist you.

No Sound in Audio Device Menu

Before diving into NFHS Producer troubleshooting, first have the on-site crew confirm the settings on any audio mixers that are in place before the computer.

  1. Check your computers privacy settings
  2. Click the Windows button & type Settings to bring you to your computers
  3. Select Privacy & Security tab
  4. Ensure that under Microphone settings, "Microphone access" is set to On and Producer has the necessary access.

Video Playback Issues

If the video playback is sped up and the sound is choppy with stream buffering intermittently, follow these steps.

    1. Verify that the processor listed meets or exceeds the CPU requirements for Producer found in our guide On-Site Manual Broadcasts Overview.
    2. Close any non-essential applications under the Processes tab, identifying and ending any non-essential processes, including anti-viruses and cloud storage apps, such as Dropbox.
    3. To completely uninstall and reinstall PlayOn Producer, follow these steps:
      • First, uninstall your current version of PlayOn Producer by using the "Add or Remove a Program" feature in the windows settings menu
      • Once that process completes, in your computer's File Explorer, navigate to C:/Users/Public/Public Documents and delete the "PlayON! Sports" Folder
      • Then, navigate to C:/Program Files (x86) and delete the "PlayON! Sports" Folder. Optionally, you can remove these items from the recycle bin to be extra safe
      • Lastly, reinstall the PlayOn Producer version you wish to use from Latest Playon Producer Install and Drivers.

You must restart your computer for certain processes to leave your computer RAM and free up space for new processes. Once your computer is re-booted, you can try to broadcast again.

No Video or "No Signal" Screen in Producer Preview Window

  1. Swap the HDMI cable between capture device and camera to confirm if a bad cable is in the way
  2. Make sure your camera is outputting a compatible resolution
  3. You can find the latest StarTech drivers in PlayOn Producer Installation and Drivers

Capture Device Not Detected in Video Device Menu

  1. Check your capture card device's compatibility in our guide Recommended Capture Cards for PlayOn Producer
  2. Swap the USB cable between the capture device and computer to confirm if a bad cable is causing issues
  3. Check if OBS recognizes your capture device
  4. Consult our guide Using a Custom RTMP Inside OBS to Stream to the NFHS Network

Stream Health Warning During Broadcast

This is a general error state that could be caused by a number of things.  The most common are slow or unstable internet connection or high CPU usage.

Verify internet speed with a speed test at http://speed.cloudflare.com.

Further Troubleshooting

If you fail to find success with the steps above, you can try to broadcast with a less CPU-intensive program, such as OBS, or use a computer with a better CPU.

Collecting PlayOn Producer Log Files

If NFHS Network developers need to investigate your issues further, we might ask for your Producer logs. 

      1. Inside your computer's File Explorer, navigate to C:\Users\Public\Documents\PlayON! Sports\Producer\Logs

      2. Copy all of the files created the same day the crash occurred (3 files per event)

      3. Attach these in your reply to our request