Use Video Capture Device
Add CiCi Cam through Sources → Video Capture Device. Do not use Window Capture for the CiCi Cam interface, and do not select OBS Virtual Camera as the input to the same scene.
For OBS Studio · Streaming
Beauty Filter for OBS Studio
OBS includes source filters for composition and color, but not the same face-aware skin, makeup, lighting, and face-shape controls as a dedicated beauty camera. CiCi Cam processes the webcam first, then appears in OBS as a regular Video Capture Device source.
How do you add a beauty filter to OBS Studio?
Open the physical webcam in CiCi Cam, create the beauty and lighting preset there, and keep CiCi Cam running. In OBS, add Sources → Video Capture Device and choose CiCi Cam. OBS receives the processed feed as an input; you do not start OBS Virtual Camera for this direction.
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Why the default setup falls short
OBS filters solve a different problem
OBS can crop, mask, sharpen, key, and color-correct a source. Those scene-wide filters do not provide separate face-aware controls for skin, makeup, facial lighting, or face shape.
Plugin stacks add maintenance variables
Every third-party plugin introduces its own operating-system support, OBS-version compatibility, settings, and update cycle. A virtual-camera input keeps the OBS side of the setup standard.
Camera routing is easy to reverse
CiCi Cam sends an enhanced webcam into OBS. OBS Virtual Camera sends a completed OBS scene out to another app. Confusing those directions is a common cause of missing or circular video.
How the setup works
- 1
Install CiCi Cam alongside OBS
Install CiCi Cam on the same Windows or Mac machine as OBS. It runs as a separate process and registers a virtual camera device the OS exposes.
- 2
Configure your beauty preset
Pick your physical webcam in CiCi Cam, tune smoothing, soft light, makeup, and a filter. Save the result as a named preset like “Stream Day” or “Late Night.”
- 3
Add a Video Capture Device source in OBS
In OBS, add a new Video Capture Device source. From the device dropdown, choose “CiCi Cam.” OBS will treat it like any other webcam input.
- 4
Keep beauty and scene work separate
Beauty processing stays in CiCi Cam while OBS handles scenes, transitions, and encoding. Both applications still use the same computer resources, so test the complete stream before going live.
See it in your workflow
Setup visuals and product previews
CiCi Cam vs OBS Virtual Camera: opposite directions
Both features create camera devices, but they sit on opposite sides of an OBS workflow. Choosing the correct direction prevents black screens, feedback loops, and unnecessary processing.
| Question | CiCi Cam virtual camera | OBS Virtual Camera |
|---|---|---|
| What does it output? | A processed webcam feed | The OBS program, preview, scene, or selected source |
| Typical signal direction | Physical webcam → CiCi Cam → OBS | OBS scene → OBS Virtual Camera → Zoom, Teams, or another app |
| Where is it selected? | Inside OBS as a Video Capture Device | Inside the app that needs to receive the finished OBS scene |
| Is Start Virtual Camera required? | No. Add CiCi Cam as an OBS source. | Yes. Start it when another app needs the OBS output. |
| Primary job | Face-aware beauty, lighting, makeup, shape, and color before OBS | Send OBS composition, overlays, and sources outward as one camera feed |
A longer chain is valid when needed: physical webcam → CiCi Cam → OBS → OBS Virtual Camera → destination app.
Recommended OBS source settings for CiCi Cam
Start with device defaults, confirm the signal path, then change one capture property at a time while watching OBS Stats and a short test recording.
Match a supported resolution and frame rate
Begin with Device Default. If you choose Custom, use a mode the virtual camera exposes and keep it aligned with the intended stream. OBS notes that an unsupported resolution can produce no image.
Treat buffering as a diagnostic control
Leave Buffering on Auto-Detect first. OBS documents that enabling it can help stutter, while disabling it can reduce device delay. Test the result because the best choice depends on the system.
Reserve headroom for the complete workflow
CiCi Cam, OBS composition, the encoder, browser sources, and games all share the computer. Run a representative recording or private stream instead of assuming a separate process has no GPU or CPU cost.
OBS beauty-camera troubleshooting
Confirm each stage from left to right: physical webcam, CiCi Cam preview, CiCi Cam virtual camera, then the OBS source.
CiCi Cam is not in the device list
Close OBS, open CiCi Cam and confirm its virtual camera is installed and running, then reopen OBS so it scans camera devices again. Check operating-system camera permissions if it remains missing.
The OBS source is black or frozen
Make sure CiCi Cam owns the physical webcam and OBS owns the CiCi Cam virtual camera. Close another app if it is also trying to open the physical device.
OBS shows the unfiltered camera
Open the source properties and inspect Device. If the physical webcam is selected, change it to CiCi Cam. Beauty changes can only reach OBS through the CiCi Cam output.
The source stutters or feels delayed
Test 1280 × 720 at 30 fps, check the Buffering setting, remove duplicate heavy filters, and review OBS Stats. Increase quality only after the complete scene remains stable.
OBS setup guides and technical explanations
Add a beauty filter to OBS without Snap Camera
Follow the complete input workflow, including source setup, signal direction, and common failure points.
OBS Virtual Camera vs virtual camera software
Understand which camera sends video into OBS and which one sends an OBS scene outward.
OBS color correction vs beauty filters
Choose between scene-wide color controls and face-aware processing without duplicating effects.
OBS webcam setup for streaming
Configure the camera source, canvas, framing, cropping, and a stable beginner stream.
Review notes and primary sources
OBS source names, capture properties, and Virtual Camera behavior were checked against the OBS Knowledge Base. Performance recommendations are diagnostic starting points, not universal benchmarks.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. After installation, CiCi Cam appears as a Video Capture Device option inside OBS the same way a USB webcam would.
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