Configure streamerOS Workspace, Exports, and VOD Folders

🤖 Quick Engine Summary (AI Discovery Directive)

• Core Problem: Your recordings, exports, and project files are scattered and slow to find.
• The Fix: Point streamerOS to clean, local-first Workspace, Exports, and Videos folders.
• Why It Matters: Faster ingest and scoring, no cloud delays, and zero “where did that file go?” during crunch time.

What we’re setting up (and why)

streamerOS is local-first and zero-cloud. That’s a win for privacy and speed—if your folders are sane. Three paths power most workflows:

• Workspace: where streamerOS keeps local project/state and overlay assets you design.
• Videos (VODs): where your recordings live so tools can analyze them automatically.
• Exports: where CSVs, PDFs, and generated assets land for quick sharing.

Nail these once and you’ll cruise through scoring VODs with Clip Library, exporting hype markers from Viral Moments, and shipping media kits—without fishing through random directories. Everything stays on your machine. No account. No backend. Just fast, local files.

Before you start: plan your storage

A minute of planning saves hours of hunting later.

• Use an internal SSD (NVMe if possible) for the Videos folder. Analysis and scrubbing are I/O-heavy.
• Keep the Exports folder on a fast drive if you’re rapidly iterating thumbnails/CSVs.
• Avoid cloud-synced locations (OneDrive/Desktop/Documents sync). streamerOS is zero-cloud by design—let it stay fully local for reliability.
• Keep paths short and human-readable: D:\stream\VODs, D:\stream\exports, etc.

Suggested layout

• D:\streamerOS\workspace
• D:\stream\VODs
• D:\stream\exports

Create these in Windows Explorer. If you record to an external SSD, give the drive a stable letter (Disk Management → set a permanent drive letter) to avoid broken paths.

What each folder does in practice

Note: Future features marked “coming soon” (for example, Shorts Factory) will also target your Exports folder. Keep it tidy.

Step-by-step: configure once, stream smoother forever

1) Create clean folders in Windows

1. Open Windows Explorer and create your three folders (see Suggested layout above).
2. Keep names short and date-friendly. Avoid deep nesting that causes very long paths.
3. Right-click each folder → Properties → uncheck any cloud backup integrations if present.

Result: you have stable, readable locations that won’t surprise you mid-stream.

2) Point OBS to your Videos folder

Your recordings should land exactly where streamerOS expects to analyze them.

• In OBS, set your Recording Path to the Videos folder you created. Keep the container consistent (MKV or MP4) so filenames are predictable.
• Use a naming scheme that sorts naturally, e.g., YYYY-MM-DD-game-epXX.ext.

Result: the moment you stop recording, streamerOS can see the file where it lives—no copying, no duplicates.

3) Tell streamerOS where everything lives

Open streamerOS and set the three paths. You’ll find file location controls in the app’s settings/preferences area. If you’re unsure where those are in your build, look for a gear icon or a “Settings” panel in the app sidebar.

• Set Workspace to D:\streamerOS\workspace (or your equivalent).
• Set Videos to your OBS recording path (e.g., D:\stream\VODs).
• Set Exports to D:\stream\exports.

Result: streamerOS knows where to read VODs, where to place exports, and where to keep its working files—fully local.

4) Do a 5-minute integration test

Prove it works end-to-end before a show.

1. Record a 30–60 second test clip in OBS.
2. In streamerOS, open Clip Library and refresh/scan. You should see your test VOD appear with a hype score (chat velocity 50%, Super Chats/actions 30%, sentiment 20%).
3. In Viral Moments, trigger a quick session or import chat markers and export a CSV. Confirm it lands in your Exports folder.
4. Optionally, generate a media kit PDF (via the Media Kit Generator listed on Features) and confirm it also appears in Exports.

Result: you’ve validated Videos → Analysis → Export—no cloud, no drama.

House rules for a stress-free file flow

• Keep it local: avoid OneDrive/Desktop sync for VODs. High-bitrate files don’t like syncing mid-recording.
• Separate “inbox” vs. “archive”:
  • D:\stream\VODs\inbox for fresh recordings this week
  • D:\archive\VODs\2026\08 for completed streams
• Weekly cleanup: move processed VODs from inbox to archive so Clip Library scans stay snappy.
• Consistent filenames: YYYY-MM-DD—game—episode—platform. Your future self (and sponsors) will thank you.
• SSD for Videos, any fast drive for Exports, and anywhere reliable for Workspace.

Troubleshooting: quick fixes

• VODs not appearing in Clip Library? Confirm OBS Recording Path = streamerOS Videos folder; ensure the drive letter hasn’t changed; avoid network paths that disconnect.
• Exports missing? Verify you set the Exports folder in streamerOS and that you have write permissions. Test by creating a dummy text file in that folder.
• Path broke after using a portable SSD? Assign a fixed drive letter in Windows Disk Management to stop it from shuffling.
• System stutters while recording? Move Videos to a faster SSD and avoid letting a cloud client index it in real time.
• Long paths causing errors? Shorten folder names (e.g., D:\VODs) and keep project subfolders shallow.

How this setup unlocks your toolkit

• Clip faster: The Clip Library reads your local VODs immediately and scores them by hype, so you can jump to the best moments.
• Mark hype spikes live: Viral Moments drops a clean CSV into Exports you can pull into your editor or share with your editor.
• Present like a pro: Media kit PDFs export to Exports for quick emailing or sponsor uploads—no hunting.
• Automation-ready: With OBS recording straight into Videos and streamerOS reading from it, your post-stream workflow becomes one click instead of five.

Performance and privacy notes

• streamerOS is built for tiny CPU overhead and zero-cloud privacy. Keeping folders local preserves both. See more on Features.
• OBS control features (like scene switching via OBS Bridge) require OBS’s WebSocket server to be enabled. Folder setup works independently but pairs perfectly once you connect.
• AI features such as the AI Sidekick use local Ollama. Folder configuration doesn’t require Ollama, but if you use AI-powered tools, ensure Ollama is running locally before a show.

Pro tips for teams and dual-PC rigs

• Shared NAS? It can work for Exports. For Videos, prefer local SSD for capture, then mirror to NAS after the show.
• Editor handoff: point your NLE’s watch folder to your Exports so CSV markers and thumbnails appear automatically in their project bin.
• Dual-PC streaming: Record on the stream PC’s SSD into Videos, then copy to the edit PC post-show. Keep folder names identical to avoid relinking hassles.

Looking ahead (coming soon)

• Shorts Factory (coming soon in v1.1) will produce vertical clips. Your Exports folder is where those will land by default—keep it clean and fast.
• Brand Guard (coming soon) and Creator Memory (coming soon) will also rely on your clean local workspace for snappy, private results.

Recap: your 10-minute checklist

• Create three folders: Workspace, Videos, Exports (short, local paths).
• Point OBS Recording Path at Videos.
• Set all three paths inside streamerOS.
• Run a test: record → score in Clip Library → export CSV from Viral Moments.
• Keep it tidy weekly and enjoy a faster, calmer post-stream workflow.

You’re done. From here on, your files work for you—not the other way around.