Last updated: 2026-01-06

TimTheTatman is widely reported to stream with OBS Studio on a two‑PC setup, using Streamlabs for his alerts and on‑screen notifications.¹ For most creators in the U.S. who just want to go live reliably with guests and branding, a browser‑based studio like StreamYard is a faster, simpler choice.

Summary

• TimTheTatman’s public gear breakdowns point to OBS Studio as his main streaming and recording software, with Streamlabs powering alerts.¹²
• His workflow is built around a high‑end two‑PC gaming rig, capture cards, and custom scenes—great for big Twitch‑style channels.¹
• Most creators don’t need that complexity; they care more about ease of use, guest access, and stable, high‑quality video than about ultra‑fine encoder tweaks.
• StreamYard gives you a browser‑based studio with easy guest links, multistreaming, and studio‑quality 4K recording on paid plans, without a convoluted setup.³

What streaming software does TimTheTatman use?

Multiple public gear and setup breakdowns report that TimTheTatman uses OBS Studio as his primary streaming and recording software.¹ One detailed gear guide notes that “like many streamers, TimTheTatman uses OBS to record videos and stream gameplay,” describing it as his go‑to encoder on a dedicated streaming PC.¹(https://thesweetcamera.com/timthetatman-camera-gear/)

On top of OBS, he has partnered with Streamlabs for his on‑stream alerts and notifications.² A profile covering his rebrand explains that Tim worked with Streamlabs to build out his alert package—those animated pop‑ups you see when someone subscribes, donates, or becomes a member.²(https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/timthetatman-shows-off-fresh-rebrand)

That means his core stack looks like this:

• OBS Studio for scenes, encoding, and recording
• Streamlabs as an overlay/alerts layer plugged into OBS

It’s a classic high‑end gamer workflow—powerful, but not exactly plug‑and‑play.

Does TimTheTatman use OBS or Streamlabs (and what’s the difference)?

The short version: OBS runs the stream; Streamlabs decorates it.

OBS Studio is a free, open‑source desktop app for live streaming and recording. You build scenes by combining sources like your game capture, webcam, and overlays, then OBS encodes and sends that to Twitch or YouTube.⁴(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OBS_Studio)

Streamlabs, on the other hand, is an OBS‑style tool and web platform focused on overlays, alerts, and monetization. Their FAQ explains that Streamlabs Desktop lets you live stream from your computer to sites like Twitch, YouTube Live, and Facebook Gaming, with overlays and alerts built in.⁵(https://support.streamlabs.com/hc/en-us/articles/14698267028379-New-to-Streamlabs-Start-Here)

In Tim’s case, public reporting points to OBS as the engine and Streamlabs as the alert system plugged into that engine, not an either/or choice.¹²

For you, the key question isn’t “OBS or Streamlabs?” It’s: “Do I actually need a complex desktop encoder stack at all?” If your priority is getting live quickly with guests and simple scenes, that’s where a browser‑based studio like StreamYard usually fits better.

How does TimTheTatman’s two‑PC streaming setup work?

Several breakdowns of Tim’s rig describe a classic two‑PC workflow: one machine for gaming, another just for streaming.³(https://streamyard.com/de-de/blog/what-streaming-software-does-timthetatman-use)

A simplified version of that setup:

1. Gaming PC runs the game at high FPS with a powerful GPU.
2. Capture card (e.g., an AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K) grabs the HDMI signal from the gaming PC and sends it to the streaming PC; this card is documented as compatible with OBS and Streamlabs.¹(https://thesweetcamera.com/timthetatman-camera-gear/)
3. Streaming PC runs OBS, handles scenes, encoding, and recording.
4. Streamlabs alerts are added as browser sources inside OBS.

This approach keeps gaming performance smooth while giving OBS plenty of headroom to encode a high‑quality stream. It’s great if you’re a full‑time creator, comfortable with advanced settings, and ready to invest in extra hardware.

Most people reading this aren’t there yet.

If you’re not planning to run dual PCs, buy a capture card, and tune encoder presets, you can get 90% of the viewer experience—clean video, solid audio, good overlays—by running a single, browser‑based studio.

TimTheTatman OBS settings: what’s publicly known (and what isn’t)?

Here’s an important reality check: there is no verified, up‑to‑date public list of TimTheTatman’s exact OBS settings. A recent breakdown from StreamYard’s team notes that there isn’t a published preset, bitrate, or encoder configuration shared directly by Tim.³(https://streamyard.com/de-de/blog/what-streaming-software-does-timthetatman-use)

Community guides will often guess at things like:

• Bitrate (e.g., 6,000+ Kbps for Twitch)
• Encoder (NVENC vs. x264)
• Resolution and FPS

But unless Tim publishes his current profile himself, those details stay speculative.

This is why chasing “pro streamer settings” often backfires. Their numbers assume:

• Similar internet upload speeds
• Similar GPUs and CPUs
• Similar platform priorities (Twitch vs. YouTube, 1080p vs. 1440p, etc.)

Instead of copy‑pasting a celebrity streamer’s config, it’s usually smarter to:

• Start with your platform’s recommended settings
• Test at modest bitrates and scale up
• Focus on a workflow you can actually run every week

Browser‑based studios help here, because the platform handles encoding logic for you—you choose resolution and destinations, not codec flags.

Should you copy TimTheTatman’s software stack?

If you’re running a Twitch‑style, game‑heavy channel and love tweaking settings, a desktop encoder like OBS or Streamlabs Desktop still makes sense. You’ll get deep control over scenes, sources, and filters, plus plugin ecosystems for advanced overlays and effects.⁴⁵

But that level of control comes with trade‑offs:

• More moving parts (PC performance, driver conflicts, plugin updates)
• Steeper learning curve
• Harder guest onboarding (your guests still need Zoom/Discord/etc.)

Most creators I talk to have mainstream goals:

• High‑quality streams without random cuts or crashes
• Recordings they can reuse later
• Easy, no‑download links for guests
• Simple branding and flexible layouts

For that group, copying Tim’s exact stack is usually overkill. You want his results, not his complexity.

Is StreamYard a better fit than OBS for most creators?

For a lot of U.S.‑based streamers, yes.

Here’s why a browser‑based studio like StreamYard is often the default recommendation:

• No installs, no drivers. You run everything in your browser. Guests join from a link—no software to download, which is why many users say guests can join “easily and reliably without tech problems” and that StreamYard passes the “grandparent test.”
• Fast learning curve. People routinely describe StreamYard as “the most reliable and easy-to-use software” they use right now and say they “jumped on it for its ease of use, user-friendliness, and clean setup.”
• Guest‑first by design. You can have up to 10 people in the studio, plus additional backstage participants for coordination, which is ideal for interviews, panels, or co‑hosts.
• Solid recordings without tinkering. On paid plans, you get studio‑quality multi‑track local recording in up to 4K UHD and 48 kHz audio—comparable to purpose‑built recording platforms—without needing separate apps or a dual‑PC workflow.
• Multistreaming built in. Paid plans let you stream to multiple destinations at once (for example, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn) from a single studio, similar in spirit to tools like Restream but without wiring an external encoder.³(https://streamyard.com/pricing)
• Modern extras without extra tools. Features like AI Clips automatically turn your recordings into captioned shorts and reels, so you can repurpose content without another editor. You can even regenerate clips and steer them toward topics you care about with a text prompt.

Compared with OBS, Streamlabs, or Restream:

• You give up some ultra‑fine, scene‑by‑scene control that advanced gamers might want.
• In return, you save a lot of setup time and dramatically simplify guest onboarding.

Many users explicitly say they moved away from “complex setups like OBS or StreamLabs” to StreamYard because they prioritize ease of use and reliability.

When might OBS or Streamlabs still be the right call?

There are a few clear cases where copying Tim’s desktop approach is reasonable:

• You’re doing high‑control game broadcasts. If your content is 95% gameplay and you care deeply about things like per‑scene filters, advanced chroma keying, or plugin‑based effects, OBS/Streamlabs give you that low‑level control.⁴⁵
• You already own a dual‑PC rig and capture cards. In that world, a local encoder is usually the most direct way to squeeze value out of your hardware.
• You’re comfortable being your own tech support. Desktop encoders reward tinkerers; they’re less forgiving if you just want to hit “Go Live” and focus on your guests.

For everyone else—coaches, podcasters, small businesses, churches, educators—the outcome you care about is a stable, professional‑looking show, not a highly customized encoder stack.

In those cases, starting with StreamYard and only adding OBS or Streamlabs later (if you truly outgrow the browser workflow) is usually the more practical path.

What we recommend

• If you’re TimTheTatman‑level and love tweaking: A desktop encoder like OBS Studio with Streamlabs alerts remains a powerful combo.
• If you just want reliable, pro‑looking streams fast: Start with StreamYard’s browser‑based studio for easy guest links, flexible layouts, and strong recording quality.³(https://streamyard.com/pricing)
• If you ever add gaming or complex scenes: You can still pair OBS with StreamYard later via RTMP, using StreamYard as your multistreaming and guest layer.
• Focus on workflow, not celebrity setups: Borrow inspiration from Tim, but choose the tool that makes it easiest for you to go live consistently.

Footnotes

1. What Camera (And Other Tech Gear) Does TimTheTatman Use ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

2. TimTheTatman shows off fresh rebrand ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

3. What Streaming Software Does TimTheTatman Use? — StreamYard ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

4. OBS Studio — Wikipedia ↩ ↩² ↩³

5. New to Streamlabs? Start Here. ↩ ↩² ↩³