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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →To keep an OBS VLC playlist centered as clips with different dimensions play, give the source a fixed bounding box in Transform → Edit Transform, align it to the canvas, and choose how each clip should fit: preserve the whole frame, crop the edges to fill, or stretch it. Test representative clips in the preview: fit can leave bars, crop-to-fill loses edge content, and stretching distorts the image.
Before you start: add a VLC Video source
- Install VLC. OBS requires VLC for its VLC Video source; if you use 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC. See the OBS Media Sources guide.
- In OBS, select the scene where the playlist belongs. In the Sources panel, choose + → VLC Video, create or select the source, and add the video files to its playlist.
- Start playback and select the VLC Video source in the preview or Sources panel before adjusting its transform.
Set a fixed transform so clips stay centered
A VLC playlist can switch between clips with different dimensions. A fixed bounding box and centered alignment help keep the source in a consistent position instead of letting each change appear offset. This approach is community guidance for playlist behavior, so confirm it with your own clips and installed OBS/VLC versions.
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- Right-click the VLC Video source in the preview or Sources panel.
- Choose Transform → Edit Transform.
- Set the bounding-box type and size to match the OBS canvas, then choose the fit behavior that suits your framing goal. Set alignment to the center so differently sized clips are centered within the box.
- Check the preview with a landscape clip, a portrait clip, and any other noticeably different aspect ratio in the playlist. Adjust the box or framing if an important subject is cut off or positioned poorly.
OBS documents Edit Transform, Fit to Screen, Center to Screen, and Stretch to Screen in its Transforming Sources guide. These commands are useful for quick adjustments, but a playlist with changing dimensions benefits from checking the fixed box and alignment directly.
Choose what happens when a clip’s aspect ratio differs
Aspect ratio is the relationship between a frame’s width and height. For example, 16:9 is wider than 4:3. No single framing choice can preserve the whole image, fill a differently shaped canvas, and avoid distortion at the same time.
#1 Best Overall
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| Goal | What to choose | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Show the complete video | Fit inside the canvas while preserving proportions. | The whole frame remains visible, but bars or empty space may appear where the ratios do not match. |
| Fill the canvas without distorting | Scale proportionally until the canvas is covered, then crop the excess. | The image keeps its proportions, but some content at the edges is lost. |
| Fill the canvas by changing proportions | Stretch the source to the canvas dimensions. | The image may look warped. OBS says stretching distorts the source and is generally not recommended; use it only when that distortion is acceptable. |
OBS’s Aspect Ratio Guide explains the fit, stretch, and aspect-ratio trade-offs.
Crop manually for a precise frame
- In the preview, select the VLC Video source.
- Hold Alt while dragging a source edge on Windows or Linux, or hold Option on macOS, to crop that edge.
- Look for the edge turning green in the preview as you crop.
- For exact values, use the source’s Transform → Edit Transform window and set the crop values there.
Manual cropping is useful when a particular clip has borders or a subject near the edge. It does not guarantee that every item in a mixed playlist will be framed well, so inspect the clips that matter most.
Rank #2
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Verify the playlist transition, not just one clip
- Preview clips with different shapes and sizes, especially the widest and tallest items.
- Watch the moment the playlist changes clips. Confirm the new item remains centered inside the intended box.
- Check that subtitles, faces, logos, or other edge details are not clipped by a fill crop.
- If one global crop cannot work for every item, consider whether preserving the whole frame with bars is preferable to losing content.
OBS forum discussions also mention a Scaling/Aspect Ratio filter as something to try for playlists with varying dimensions. That is community advice rather than an official recommendation established by OBS’s guides; test the result in your setup before relying on it. OBS and VLC versions, codecs, and individual files can affect what you see.
Troubleshooting common framing problems
The VLC Video source is unavailable
Install VLC and restart OBS. If OBS is 64-bit, use 64-bit VLC; OBS requires VLC for this source type.
Rank #3
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A clip is centered, but bars appear
This is expected when fitting the entire image inside a canvas with a different aspect ratio. To fill the canvas, crop the excess edges instead, accepting that some image content will be lost.
The image fills the canvas but looks stretched
Change from stretch to a proportional fit or crop-to-fill. Stretching forces the source into the canvas dimensions and can warp the image.
Rank #4
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A new playlist item shifts toward an edge
Recheck the fixed bounding box and centered alignment in Transform → Edit Transform. Preview the transition using the actual clips; the centering recommendation comes from community discussion and may not behave identically in every setup.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
A crop looks wrong on another clip
Different source dimensions make the same crop affect clips differently. Reduce or remove the crop, choose fit with bars, or test the community-suggested Scaling/Aspect Ratio filter. Inspect the full playlist rather than assuming one crop works for all items.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Or let it run in the cloud
If the goal is to keep a YouTube channel live with uploaded videos, StreamNeo is an alternative to leaving a PC and OBS running. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. StreamNeo loops uploaded videos in the cloud; it does not stream from a camera.
- Nothing has to stay on at home: the stream runs in the cloud.
- Uploaded videos stream as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one price per slot rather than quality tiers.
- Automatic recovery is included if YouTube drops the stream.
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Monthly: $9.99 per month. See StreamNeo for service details, or start your free day.
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