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Use an OBS Browser Source to place a clock and weather panel over a nature scene. Load it from a hosted URL or a local HTML file, set the source dimensions, and move it above the footage in the Sources list. A clock can run from a local page; a weather display generally also needs an internet connection and a weather-data provider.
Choose an overlay approach
OBS Project describes Browser Source as “one of the most versatile sources available in OBS.” It can show a web page from a URL or a local file, making it suitable for an overlay built as a web page. OBS Project: Browser Source
| Approach | Useful when | Main dependency | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local HTML clock | You need only a clock and want to keep the page on the streaming computer. | The local file and the computer’s clock. | Few external dependencies, but you must choose or maintain the HTML page. OBS forum clock resource |
| Local HTML weather widget | You want a configurable weather and time panel. | The local file, internet access, and—in some implementations—an API key and provider. | Flexible, but weather depends on an external service and its current terms. Community weather widget examples |
| Weather plugin | You prefer a packaged plugin and theme approach. | Plugin compatibility and its data source. | Check maintenance, compatibility with your OBS version, and permissions before depending on it continuously. OBS forum weather plugin listing |
| Hosted overlay URL | You do not want to maintain local HTML. | The overlay host and internet access. | Simple to add as a URL, but availability depends on the host. OBS Project: Browser Source |
A local page is not necessarily an offline weather solution: if it requests weather data from an API, that request still needs a working network connection and service. Examples use different providers and configuration, so check the current API terms and limits before putting one on a continuous stream. Community widget examples · WeatherAPI example
Add the overlay as an OBS Browser Source
- Open the scene. In OBS, select the nature-stream scene where the overlay should appear.
- Add the source. In the Sources dock, select + and choose Browser. Give it a recognizable name, such as “Clock and weather.” OBS Browser Source can load a URL or a local file. OBS Project: Browser Source
- Choose the page. Paste the hosted widget URL, or enable the local-file option and select the HTML page. A local clock page is one documented community setup path. OBS forum clock resource
- Set the viewport dimensions. Enter a width and height appropriate for the overlay’s canvas or intended bounding area. OBS’s default Browser Source viewport is 800 by 600 pixels; it may not match the page design or your video canvas. Resize or crop only as the design requires. OBS Project: Browser Source
- Place it over the footage. In the Sources list, move the Browser Source above the nature video source. A source higher in the list appears above sources below it. Then drag it to an uncluttered area of the preview. OBS Project: Sources Guide
- Check the displayed settings. Verify the time zone and 12- or 24-hour format. For weather, check the chosen location and units as well; settings depend on the particular widget. Community widget examples
Make the clock and weather readable
- Keep the panel compact and position it over a relatively calm part of the scene so it does not cover the main subject.
- Use clear contrast against changing footage. A restrained translucent background plate can help the text remain legible without dominating the nature scene.
- Leave padding from the frame edge so the overlay does not appear cramped or get lost at the boundary.
- Preview the scene at the output size viewers will see; text that looks large in the OBS editor may be too small in the finished stream.
These are design recommendations, not official OBS presets.
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Keep the Browser Source working in a continuous scene
In the Browser Source properties, OBS provides controls for refreshing the cache and refreshing the source when a scene becomes active. It also offers Shutdown source when not visible, which unloads the page while the source is hidden. If the overlay must keep running in a continuously visible nature scene, do not leave it hidden or rely on it continuing to execute while unloaded. OBS Project: Browser Source
A hosted page relies on its host being available. A local HTML file avoids relying on a remote host for the page itself, but weather fetched through an API still depends on network access and the provider. Test the chosen page after a network interruption and an OBS restart; OBS’s source controls do not establish that a particular third-party widget will recover correctly. A simple fallback, such as a clock-only display or static label, can keep the scene useful if weather data stops loading.
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If the widget stops updating
- Confirm the source is visible and that Shutdown source when not visible is not unloading a page you expect to remain active.
- Try the Browser Source cache-refresh control. If the issue occurs after changing scenes, check the scene-activation refresh option.
- For a local page, confirm the selected file is still present and accessible. For a hosted page, check whether it loads in a browser.
- For API-based weather, check the internet connection, API-key configuration, location and units, and the provider’s current terms or usage limits.
- After an OBS restart or network interruption, preview the overlay before relying on it for a long broadcast. No long-duration reliability test is established for the community examples cited here.
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