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v1.0.4

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@github-actions github-actions released this 12 May 09:50
v1.0.4
9e57ab1

What's New in v1.0.4

The very first cross-platform release of the OBS Glitch / Distortion Filter — a real-time video filter that makes your webcam (or any source) look like it's barely holding together.

Platform Support

Platform Download Status
Windows obs-distort-filter-windows.zip Ready
Linux obs-distort-filter-linux.tar.gz Ready
macOS obs-distort-filter-macos.tar.gz Ready

Features

  • Pixelation — Blocky low-res look with optional randomization
  • RGB Shift + Chroma Bleed — Chromatic aberration and color bleeding
  • Wave Distortion — Sine-wave warping with speed control
  • Scanlines + Interlace — Retro CRT / broadcast decay look
  • Glitch Blocks — Horizontal tearing, inversion, and noise
  • Packet Loss — Macroblock corruption (smear, invert, solid color, noise)
  • Freeze Frames — Random decoder freeze simulation
  • Flicker — Brightness instability
  • Ghost — Faint trailing echo image
  • Horizontal Hold — Old TV horizontal jitter
  • Posterize — Color banding / reduced bit depth
  • Rolling Bar — Slow interference bar rolling down screen
  • Per-Effect Randomizers — Make individual effects jitter unpredictably
  • Vignette — Darkened edges

Installation

Windows

Method 1: Automatic Installer (Recommended)

  1. Download obs-distort-filter-windows.zip from the Assets section below.
  2. Extract it anywhere (e.g., your Desktop).
  3. Right-click INSTALL.ps1 → Run with PowerShell.
    • The script auto-detects your OBS installation.
    • If it can't find it, type the path when prompted (e.g., C:\Program Files\obs-studio).
  4. Restart OBS Studio if it was running.

Method 2: Manual Copy

  1. Close OBS Studio completely.
  2. Copy the files to your OBS install folder:
    • obs-plugins/64bit/obs-distort-filter.dll → C:\Program Files\obs-studio\obs-plugins\64bit\
    • data/obs-plugins/obs-distort-filter/distort_filter.effect → C:\Program Files\obs-studio\data\obs-plugins\obs-distort-filter\
    • data/obs-plugins/obs-distort-filter/locale/en-US.ini → C:\Program Files\obs-studio\data\obs-plugins\obs-distort-filter\locale\
    • Create the obs-distort-filter and locale folders if they don't exist.
  3. Restart OBS Studio.

Default Windows Paths:

Install Type Typical Path
Standard C:\Program Files\obs-studio\
Steam C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\OBS Studio\
Portable Wherever you extracted the portable zip

Linux

Method 1: Install Script

  1. Download obs-distort-filter-linux.tar.gz from the Assets section below.
  2. Extract it: tar xzf obs-distort-filter-linux.tar.gz
  3. Run the installer: 
    cd obs-distort-filter-linux
chmod +x INSTALL.sh
./INSTALL.sh
  4. Choose user-local (recommended, no sudo) or system-wide installation.
  5. Restart OBS Studio.

Method 2: Manual Copy (User-Local)

  1. Close OBS Studio.
  2. Create the plugin directory: 
    mkdir -p ~/.config/obs-studio/plugins/obs-distort-filter/bin/64bit
mkdir -p ~/.config/obs-studio/plugins/obs-distort-filter/data/locale
  3. Copy the files from the extracted archive: 
    cp obs-plugins/64bit/obs-distort-filter.so ~/.config/obs-studio/plugins/obs-distort-filter/bin/64bit/
cp data/obs-plugins/obs-distort-filter/distort_filter.effect ~/.config/obs-studio/plugins/obs-distort-filter/data/
cp data/obs-plugins/obs-distort-filter/locale/en-US.ini ~/.config/obs-studio/plugins/obs-distort-filter/data/locale/
  4. Restart OBS Studio.

Method 3: Manual Copy (System-Wide)

  1. Close OBS Studio.
  2. Copy the .so to your system OBS plugins directory: 
    sudo cp obs-plugins/64bit/obs-distort-filter.so /usr/lib/obs-plugins/
# or /usr/lib64/obs-plugins/ on some distros
  3. Copy data files: 
    sudo mkdir -p /usr/share/obs/obs-plugins/obs-distort-filter/locale
sudo cp data/obs-plugins/obs-distort-filter/distort_filter.effect /usr/share/obs/obs-plugins/obs-distort-filter/
sudo cp data/obs-plugins/obs-distort-filter/locale/en-US.ini /usr/share/obs/obs-plugins/obs-distort-filter/locale/
  4. Restart OBS Studio.

Prerequisites: libobs0t64 (or equivalent) must be installed. Most OBS installs include this.

macOS

  1. Download obs-distort-filter-macos.tar.gz from the Assets section below.
  2. Extract it: tar xzf obs-distort-filter-macos.tar.gz
  3. Copy the plugin bundle to your OBS plugins folder: 
    cp -R obs-distort-filter-macos/obs-plugins/obs-distort-filter.plugin \
  ~/Library/Application\ Support/obs-studio/plugins/
  4. Restart OBS Studio.

Note for macOS users: If you see a "cannot be opened" security warning, right-click OBS → Get Info → check "Override Malware Protection" or go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → allow the plugin. This is normal for unsigned plugins.

How to Use

  1. Add or select any video source (webcam, display capture, media, etc.).
  2. Right-click the source → Filters.
  3. Under Effect Filters, click the + button.
  4. Select Glitch / Distortion Filter.
  5. Adjust the sliders live while watching the preview.

Pro tip: Start with the default settings and slowly raise sliders one at a time to find your look.

Compatibility

Platform Status Architecture
Windows 10/11 Fully supported x64
Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, Arch, etc.) Fully supported x64
macOS Fully supported x64 / Apple Silicon
  • OBS Studio: 29.x, 30.x, 31.x (built with backward ABI compatibility)
  • GPU: DirectX 11 (Windows), OpenGL (Linux), Metal (macOS) capable
  • Architecture: 64-bit only

Debugging

The filter doesn't appear in the Effect Filters menu

  1. Did you restart OBS? The plugin is only scanned on startup. Close OBS completely and reopen it.
  2. Are the files in the right place? Both the plugin binary (.dll/.so/.dylib) and the .effect shader file must be present. If either is missing, OBS loads the module but the filter won't register.
  3. Wrong OBS path? If you have multiple OBS installs (Steam + standalone + portable), make sure you copied the files into the one you're actually running.
  4. 32-bit vs 64-bit? This plugin is 64-bit only. Make sure you copied to obs-plugins\64bit\, not 32bit.

obs_register_source: Tried to register obs_source_info with size 424 which is more than libobs currently supports (408)

This plugin uses obs_register_source_s(..., 408) for backward compatibility. If you see a struct size error, you may have an older version of the plugin cached somewhere. Search your entire OBS folder for obs-distort-filter and delete all copies, then reinstall.

Black screen when the filter is applied

  1. Open OBS → Help → Log Files → View Current Log (Windows) or launch OBS from terminal (Linux/macOS).
  2. Search for distort_filter.effect or shader.
  3. If you see a shader compile error, the .effect file may be corrupted or in the wrong folder. Re-copy it from the release zip.
  4. Make sure your GPU drivers are up to date.

Lag or high GPU usage

  1. Reduce Pixel Size (smaller blocks = less shader work).
  2. Lower Scanline Intensity or Interlace.
  3. Reduce Freeze Frames frequency or duration.
  4. The effect runs entirely on the GPU, so integrated graphics may struggle at high resolutions. Try at 1080p or lower.

Linux: error while loading shared libraries: libobs.so

Install the OBS runtime libraries: sudo apt install libobs0t64 (Ubuntu/Debian) or equivalent for your distro.

Linux: plugin not found after installing

Make sure you used the correct path. User-local install goes to ~/.config/obs-studio/plugins/obs-distort-filter/bin/64bit/obs-distort-filter.so. Verify with ls ~/.config/obs-studio/plugins/obs-distort-filter/bin/64bit/.

macOS: "cannot be opened" security warning

Right-click OBS → Get Info → check "Override Malware Protection" or go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → allow the plugin. This is normal for unsigned plugins.

The filter applies but looks weird / not what I expected

  • Check that Randomize Pixel, Randomize Wave, or Randomize Glitch aren't turned up unexpectedly — these make effects jitter and can look chaotic.
  • Try resetting all sliders to defaults by removing and re-adding the filter.

Still stuck?

  1. On Windows, run the included DIAGNOSE.bat from the release zip — it reads your latest OBS log and highlights errors.
  2. Open Help → Log Files → View Current Log (Windows) or launch from terminal (Linux/macOS) and search for distort or obs-distort.
  3. If you see something unexpected, copy the log and open an issue at https://github.com/Barnacules/obs-distort-filter/issues.

Support

This plugin is free and open source. If it made your stream more interesting, a tip is appreciated but never expected.

Found a bug or have an idea? Open an issue at https://github.com/Barnacules/obs-distort-filter/issues.

Assets 5
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v1.0.0 — Initial Release

v1.0.0 — Initial Release

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@Barnacules Barnacules released this 12 May 07:47
v1.0.0
6d14c99
This commit was created on GitHub.com and signed with GitHub’s verified signature.
GPG key ID: B5690EEEBB952194
Verified
Learn about vigilant mode.

What's New in v1.0.0

The very first release of the OBS Glitch / Distortion Filter — a real-time video filter that makes your webcam (or any source) look like it's barely holding together.

Platform Support

Platform Download Status
Windows obs-distort-filter-release-x64.zip Ready
Linux obs-distort-filter-linux.tar.gz Ready
macOS — Coming via GitHub Actions CI on next release

Features

  • Pixelation — Blocky low-res look with optional randomization
  • RGB Shift + Chroma Bleed — Chromatic aberration and color bleeding
  • Wave Distortion — Sine-wave warping with speed control
  • Scanlines + Interlace — Retro CRT / broadcast decay look
  • Glitch Blocks — Horizontal tearing, inversion, and noise
  • Packet Loss — Macroblock corruption (smear, invert, solid color, noise)
  • Freeze Frames — Random decoder freeze simulation
  • Flicker — Brightness instability
  • Ghost — Faint trailing echo image
  • Horizontal Hold — Old TV horizontal jitter
  • Posterize — Color banding / reduced bit depth
  • Rolling Bar — Slow interference bar rolling down screen
  • Per-Effect Randomizers — Make individual effects jitter unpredictably
  • Vignette — Darkened edges

Installation

Method 1: Automatic Installer (Recommended)

  1. Download obs-distort-filter-release.zip from the Assets section below.
  2. Extract it anywhere (e.g., your Desktop).
  3. Right-click INSTALL.ps1 → Run with PowerShell.
    • The script auto-detects your OBS installation.
    • If it can't find it, type the path when prompted (e.g., C:\Program Files\obs-studio).
  4. Restart OBS Studio if it was running.

Method 2: Manual Copy

  1. Close OBS Studio completely.
  2. Copy the files to your OBS install folder:
    • obs-plugins/64bit/obs-distort-filter.dll → C:\Program Files\obs-studio\obs-plugins\64bit\
    • data/obs-plugins/obs-distort-filter/distort_filter.effect → C:\Program Files\obs-studio\data\obs-plugins\obs-distort-filter\
    • data/obs-plugins/obs-distort-filter/locale/en-US.ini → C:\Program Files\obs-studio\data\obs-plugins\obs-distort-filter\locale\
    • Create the obs-distort-filter and locale folders if they don't exist.
  3. Restart OBS Studio.

Default OBS Install Paths

Install Type Typical Path
Standard C:\Program Files\obs-studio\
Steam C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\OBS Studio\
Portable Wherever you extracted the portable zip

How to Use

  1. Add or select any video source (webcam, display capture, media, etc.).
  2. Right-click the source → Filters.
  3. Under Effect Filters, click the + button.
  4. Select Glitch / Distortion Filter.
  5. Adjust the sliders live while watching the preview.

Pro tip: Start with the default settings and slowly raise sliders one at a time to find your look.

Compatibility

  • OS: Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
  • OBS Studio: 29.x, 30.x, 31.x
  • GPU: DirectX 11 or OpenGL capable
  • Architecture: 64-bit only

Debugging

The filter doesn't appear in the Effect Filters menu

  1. Did you restart OBS? The plugin is only scanned on startup. Close OBS completely and reopen it.
  2. Are the files in the right place? Both the .dll and the .effect file must be present. If either is missing, OBS loads the module but the filter won't register.
  3. Wrong OBS path? If you have multiple OBS installs (Steam + standalone + portable), make sure you copied the files into the one you're actually running.
  4. 32-bit vs 64-bit? This plugin is 64-bit only. Make sure you copied to obs-plugins\64bit\, not 32bit.

obs_register_source: Tried to register obs_source_info with size 424 which is more than libobs currently supports (408)

This means an older version of the DLL is still cached somewhere. Search your entire OBS folder for obs-distort-filter.dll and delete every copy, then reinstall the latest release.

Black screen when the filter is applied

  1. Open OBS → Help → Log Files → View Current Log.
  2. Search for distort_filter.effect or shader.
  3. If you see a shader compile error, the .effect file may be corrupted or in the wrong folder. Re-copy it from the release zip.
  4. Make sure your GPU drivers are up to date. The shader uses standard HLSL but very old drivers may have issues.

Lag or high GPU usage

  1. Reduce Pixel Size (smaller blocks = less shader work).
  2. Lower Scanline Intensity or Interlace.
  3. Reduce Freeze Frames frequency or duration.
  4. The effect runs entirely on the GPU, so integrated graphics may struggle at high resolutions. Try at 1080p or lower.

The filter applies but looks weird / not what I expected

  • Check that Randomize Pixel, Randomize Wave, or Randomize Glitch aren't turned up unexpectedly — these make effects jitter and can look chaotic.
  • Try resetting all sliders to defaults by removing and re-adding the filter.

Still stuck?

  1. Run the included DIAGNOSE.bat from the release zip — it reads your latest OBS log and highlights errors.
  2. Open Help → Log Files → View Current Log and search for distort or obs-distort.
  3. If you see something unexpected, copy the log and open an issue on the GitHub repo.

Support

This plugin is free and open source. If it made your stream more interesting, a tip is appreciated but never expected.

Found a bug or have an idea? Open an issue at https://github.com/Barnacules/obs-distort-filter/issues.

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