OBSBot, giveaway system, and access
Frequently Asked Questions
Short and ordered by flow: basics first, then setup, then operation and special cases.
English translation for convenience only. The German version is authoritative.
OBSBot
OBSBot step by step
Start with basics and requirements, then continue with setup, platform topics, and recovery.
Giveaway system
Quick path through the giveaway section
Basics and license first, then giveaways and Discord workflows.
General
What is StreamWizard?
StreamWizard has two parts: the OBSBot, which runs the 24/7 stream as a plugin inside OBS Studio, and the giveaway system in the dashboard with a public entry page, points, tickets, community prizes and the draw. You control both from the dashboard and Discord.
Is StreamWizard free?
No. StreamWizard is provided through paid license models. Each user account can currently start a one-time 7-day Premium trial without payment details. After that, access continues through the regular license models. Current pricing is published on the pricing page.
Is there a live example?
Yes. twitch.tv/knebel_de runs around the clock with StreamWizard.
How long does setup take?
It depends on the product. The giveaway system is quick to set up: save your imprint, contact email and privacy confirmation, connect Twitch, confirm the system bot as moderator - then enable the module and make it public, and your entry page is reachable. The OBS plugin is a good deal more work: seven steps across OBS Studio, StreamElements, your own Discord server and Twitch. Plan for close to an hour rather than a quarter of an hour. What you need for it is listed under Requirements.
What is the best order to set up OBSBot?
- In the dashboard under "OBS plugin", copy the install command, close OBS, and run the command
- Start OBS, open the "StreamWizard OBSBot" dock from the "Docks" menu, and enter the license key on the "Einrichtung" tab ("Setup" once the dock is set to English)
- Enter the video folder in the dashboard under "OBS plugin" › "Settings", or enter your own YouTube channel in the dock under "Setup" › "Online playback"; decide what gets streamed in the dock under "Operation"
- Create the !aktuell custom command in StreamElements with ${settitle ${2:}} and user level moderator - that is what produces the stream title. If the plugin is set to English, name the command !now
- In Discord, create a private mod channel, invite the bot to your server using the invite link, and select both in the dashboard
- Connect Twitch in the dashboard via "Connect Twitch" - the system bot becomes a moderator in your channel. For Kick, /kickcode in the mod channel opens the dialog for code and verifier.
Requirements
What hardware and software do I need?
- OBS Studio – the plugin runs as a module inside it
- PC or server (Windows, Linux, or macOS)
- Stable internet connection
- Discord account and your own Discord server
- Twitch account for the stream
- MP4 video files in one folder
Does the PC need to stay on all the time?
Yes — the machine with OBS and the bot must stay running to keep the stream live. But you do not need to sit in front of it. The bot works fully autonomously and you control everything conveniently via Discord.
Which operating systems are supported?
Windows, Linux, and macOS. The plugin runs wherever OBS Studio runs. Ready-made packages exist for Windows (x64) and macOS (Apple Silicon).
Account & License
How do I create an account?
Go to streamwizard.de and log in with your Discord account. Your account is created automatically on first login.
Does my account need to be activated?
No. Your account is active as soon as you sign in with Discord for the first time - there is no administrator approval step at registration. What you can use is determined by your license: the one-time 7-day Premium trial or a booked model. Only an account that was deactivated by an administrator afterwards has to be re-enabled - you are notified about that by email.
What license models are available?
- Premium – Monthly license. The OBS plugin is included, and the giveaway system is unlocked while the Premium subscription is active.
- Premium-Test – One-time 7-day trial per user account. Functionally equivalent to Premium, but it ends automatically and does not create a subscription.
- VIP – Yearly license. The OBS plugin is included, and the giveaway system is unlocked with the paid VIP yearly license.
- Super VIP / Admin – The giveaway system is permanently or administratively unlocked.
What is the license key and where do I find it?
The license key authenticates your enabled StreamWizard license with the server. You can find it in the dashboard under Overview → License Key. For operation you enter it once in the OBS dock on the "Setup" tab; the plugin then stores it inside its own OBS configuration directory. The giveaway system needs no key - it runs in the dashboard and is tied to your signed-in account.
Is the giveaway system included in my license?
The giveaway system is unlocked for active Premium subscriptions, the active 7-day Premium trial, paid VIP yearly licenses, as well as Super VIP and admin accounts. Regular OBSBot access alone does not automatically unlock the giveaway system. With VIP, unlocking happens through a one-time yearly payment; depending on country, device, and availability, Stripe checkout may show methods such as Link, PayPal, Klarna, card, Bancontact, Amazon Pay, or EPS bank transfer.
Giveaway system & community prizes
What do I use the giveaway system for?
The giveaway system is intended for giveaways, community prizes, participant lists, drawings, and prize claiming. It does not just supplement the OBSBot at the margins, but covers its own community workflow.
How does the giveaway system work with Discord?
Discord is used for status, prize management, approvals, and operational flows around giveaways. This keeps it transparent for the team and community how prizes are prepared, drawn, and claimed.
How do viewers join giveaways?
Viewers buy tickets with the points they have collected – in Twitch chat using the configured command (!ticket by default) and on the public entry page. The more tickets someone holds, the better their odds in the draw. Only viewers who stay genuinely active in chat count for the draw – the bot checks continuously. Plain chat spam does not count.
How does claiming work after a win?
Winners must actively claim their prize in Twitch chat with !claim. How long the claim window stays open is up to you. The bot automatically reminds users about open prizes at configurable intervals and sends a final notice shortly before expiry. If the prize is not claimed in time, it goes back into the pool.
What happens after a false !claim?
False claim attempts are not silently ignored. If someone uses !claim even though there is no open prize for that account, the bot removes that user from the current participant pool and temporarily blocks them from further drawings.
What happens to raffles when the stream is offline?
The giveaway system is not supposed to force real drawings while the stream is offline. Scheduled draws are postponed, manual Discord-triggered draws are only allowed when the stream is online, and the system schedules automatic rechecks while offline. If prizes were mistakenly marked as drawn while the stream was not live, they can be reset to available again.
How strict is the workflow for community prizes?
Community prizes deliberately do not pass through unchecked. Only one active submission per user is intended, only a limited number of community prizes can be active at the same time, and regular physical prizes require image proof. In addition, the submitter's Twitch name is recorded so moderation, winner assignment, and possible rewards remain traceable.
Can my team see who is currently in the pool?
Yes. The bot can automatically refresh a participant post in the designated Discord channel. That lets your team see in one place who is currently registered instead of reconstructing participant status from scattered chat messages.
Where do I find the giveaway system and community prizes?
In the dashboard under Giveaways > Community prizes. There you manage channels, commands, drawings, and prize workflows centrally.
Step 1: Get OBS Studio ready
Which OBS version do I need?
OBS Studio version 32 or newer. Older versions will not load the module - that is an OBS rule, not a setting. Newer versions are fine.
Do I still need Java?
No. The plugin is a module for OBS Studio and runs inside its process. There is no second program, no runtime, and no JAR file any more.
Do I need to enable the OBS WebSocket server?
No. The WebSocket was how the old Java bot talked into OBS from the outside. The plugin is already inside and uses the OBS interface directly - no port, no password, and no connection that can drop.
What scene and source do I need in OBS?
None by hand. If the scene and media source are missing, the plugin creates them on first start with defaults for continuous operation. Existing items are never changed - if you already have your own scene, enter its name on the "Setup" tab.
Do I need to install FFmpeg?
No. The plugin uses the media decoder that OBS ships with anyway. It downloads nothing and places nothing alongside.
Step 2: Install the plugin
Where do I get the plugin?
In the dashboard under OBS plugin. Within your active license entitlement you will find the ready-made install command there - with your license key in it and sorted for your system.
How do I install it?
Close OBS, copy the command from the dashboard and paste it: on Windows into PowerShell, on macOS and Linux into the terminal. The script fetches the manifest and package, verifies the SHA-256 checksum, and only then installs.
Why does the Windows command look so complicated?
Because it decodes the raw bytes as UTF-8 itself. Otherwise Windows PowerShell 5.1 would read the script incorrectly and abort with a misleading message. Please copy the command in full, do not shorten it.
The command reports "sh is not recognized" - what now?
Then the macOS command was pasted into PowerShell. On Windows, use the PowerShell command. In the dashboard the matching one is at the top and carries the "your system" marker.
Can I install manually?
Yes. The installation page has the archives for Windows and macOS. The archive contains an install script with the same verification. This is only needed if the command does not run through - for example behind a firewall that blocks scripts.
How do I update the plugin?
By itself. The plugin checks a signed manifest, stages the new version, and swaps it on the next OBS start. There is no separate updater any more.
How do I uninstall it?
Run the same command with -Deinstallieren (Windows) or --deinstallieren (macOS, Linux) appended.
Step 3: Setup in the dock
Where do I find the dock?
In OBS under the menu "Docks" > "StreamWizard". It can be docked or floated like any other OBS panel.
Is there still a botconfig.json?
No. You make every setting in the dock, and the plugin stores it next to the OBS configuration itself. You no longer need to open any file by hand.
What do I enter first?
The license key on the "Setup" tab. The key in the install command only authorizes the download - for operation it is entered once in the dock.
Where do the videos come from?
Two ways, and they can be mixed: a local base folder with your files (subfolders included) or your own YouTube channel. YouTube videos play in the embedded player - nothing is downloaded. Under "Operation" you set what gets streamed.
How do I control the order?
Through clusters: videos are grouped together. When the schedule is built, the clusters are shuffled while the videos inside a cluster follow their episode number - so a series stays in the right order.
Step 4: Set up Discord bot
How do I add the bot to my Discord server?
You can find the invite link in the dashboard under OBS Bot or on the installation page. Click it, select your Discord server, and confirm the authorization. Afterwards, the bot should be a member of your private mod area.
Which Discord channels do I need?
- Private category – Ideally create a private category or area for the bot first.
- Mod channel – Your command center. Here /obs opens the control panel, and the bot posts status updates and button panels.
- Log channel – The bot writes detailed log messages here such as errors, token refreshes, or video changes.
Step 5: Connect Twitch
How do I connect Twitch?
- In the dashboard under "OBS plugin", click "Connect Twitch".
- Confirm the authorization at Twitch. Afterwards the central system bot is a moderator in your channel.
- Nothing else is needed: chat announcements, !skip, !vote, !mark, and the viewer counter all run through that system bot.
Do I need a Twitch code in the Discord mod channel?
No. The plugin no longer holds its own Twitch token. The !settwitchcode command has no effect - the bot only replies that Twitch no longer needs a code and that the connection is made in the dashboard.
Do I need to renew the Twitch token regularly?
No. The plugin holds neither an access nor a refresh token for Twitch; StreamWizard maintains the system bot connection server-side. !tokenstatus and !refresh only concern Kick.
What do I do if nothing arrives in Twitch chat?
In the dashboard under "OBS plugin", check whether the system bot is still a moderator in your channel and refresh the link with "Reconnect Twitch". You do not need to generate a code for this.
Optional YouTube workflow
Is this a YouTube downloader?
No. The plugin embeds YouTube’s official player in an OBS browser source - exactly as a web page would. Nothing is fetched, converted, or stored.
How does it work technically?
The plugin fetches the channel video list through the YouTube Data API and builds the schedule from it. Playback runs through the embedded player in a browser source. If a video exists locally as a file, the file takes precedence.
What do I need for this?
Your channel and a browser source in OBS whose name you enter on the “Setup” tab. You do not need your own Google project or a sign-in – StreamWizard takes care of that.
Do I need this at all?
No. The plugin works just as well with local video files only. Under “Operation” you set whether local, YouTube, or both are streamed.
Playlist & Videos
How does the playlist work?
The bot scans your video folder and automatically creates a playlist.json. Each video is recorded with path, name, and duration. Videos are played in sequence and marked as "played". Local files keep their order – from a manifest or alphabetically by file name. Only the clusters from your YouTube channel are shuffled on each rebuild.
Which video format is supported?
MP4 is the primary format. Make sure all videos are in the configured directory.
Can I add new videos while the bot is running?
Yes. New videos are automatically detected at the next playlist rebuild. You can also trigger a rebuild manually via Discord.
What happens if a video is missing or damaged?
The bot detects missing or unplayable files and skips them automatically without interrupting the stream.
How is the stream title updated for each video?
On each video change the plugin announces the current video in chat; StreamElements then sets the title following the pattern: title prefix + video name + title suffix. The video name is derived from the filename; with "zeichen_vorne_weg" you can remove prefixes like 001-. This requires the StreamElements command !aktuell with ${settitle ${2:}} (!now if the plugin is set to English).
Discord Control
How do I control the bot via Discord?
The bot sends an interactive button panel to the mod channel. There you can click to:
- Start / stop the bot
- Skip videos
- Announce the title in chat again
- View system information
- Create new playlist
- Trigger recovery / restart
- View logs
What text commands are available in Discord?
!bothelp | Shows all commands |
!tokenstatus | Check Kick token status |
!update | Update configuration or playlist |
!restart | Restart bot |
!log | Show current logs |
!refresh | Reload configuration |
Can I control the stream from anywhere?
Yes. Since control runs through Discord, you can manage the bot from any device with Discord access — whether phone, tablet, or PC.
Twitch Chat Commands
How does vote skip work for viewers?
- A viewer starts a vote with !voteskip
- Enough viewers have to join the vote – you set the threshold in the dashboard
- Once the threshold is reached, the video is skipped
- The initiator then has a 1-hour cooldown
What does the !mark command do?
With !mark <reason>, authorized users can mark a video (e.g. due to audio issues). Marked videos can be retrieved and reviewed via !getmarked in Discord.
Can moderators skip videos directly?
Yes. Moderators can skip the current video immediately with !skip, without a vote.
Stability & Recovery
What happens if the stream crashes or OBS hangs?
“Recover” is something you trigger yourself – via the button in the Discord control panel or in the dashboard: stop the bot, discard the playlist, restart, rebuild the playlist. What runs on its own is supervision: a dead playback thread is restarted, a stalled one is reported in red to Discord and deliberately left alone.
What happens during an internet outage?
When the network returns, the plugin re-registers its Discord channel routes and re-checks the Kick subscriptions. There is no Twitch connection to restore – chat is handled by the central system bot.
Can the connection to OBS drop?
No. The plugin runs inside the same process as OBS - there is no connection that could drop. What can fail is a file or the network for online videos; a supervisor reports a playback thread that stopped making progress.
Can I manually restart the bot?
Yes. Via the Discord mod channel, you can trigger a restart with !restart or via the recovery button.
Troubleshooting
The plugin does not show up in OBS - what should I do?
Check three things: did you restart OBS? Does your OBS meet the required minimum version? And is the module also sitting inside the OBS installation - then OBS loads only one of the two copies and silently skips the other. The installer warns in that case and names the path.
The dock is there but nothing runs
The license key must be stored on the "Setup" tab. Without it the plugin deliberately does not continue. Then set a base folder or a YouTube channel on the "Videos" tab - without videos there is no schedule.
The Discord bot is offline
- Check your internet connection
- Check the status page for a reported outage – the Discord bot runs on our side, not on your machine
- Check that the bot is still a member of your Discord server and has the required permissions in the channels
Videos are not playing
Check the base folder on the "Videos" tab - it must be reachable, including a network drive or external disk. For online videos, the matching source must be selected under "Operation". The log in the dock names the reason for every skipped video.
Advanced
How do I set up the StreamElements command for automatic title changes?
Create the following custom command in StreamElements:
| Command Name | !aktuell |
| Response Type | whisper |
| Userlevel | moderator |
| Response | ${settitle ${2:}} |
Can I change the language of the dock?
You switch the dock language in the dock itself; the default is German. German and English are included; if a translation is missing, it falls back to German.
How does automatic updating work?
The plugin checks a signed manifest in the background at regular intervals, stages the new version and swaps it in on the next OBS start - the loaded module file cannot be replaced while OBS is running. The update button in the Discord panel triggers that check immediately. There is no separate updater any more.