So, what’s a good bitrate for streaming? Simply put, a video bitrate is the amount of data you can transfer over the internet anytime. It is a metric for how much data your computer sends over the internet at a given time.
As far as video is concerned, the bitrate is the most important factor.
Streaming videos with a high bitrate, high resolution, and a high frame rate are far better for your audience’s viewing experience. However, the video bitrate impacts the end-user experience.
Suppose you want your viewers to have an enjoyable experience while watching your videos. In that case, you need to ensure that the bitrate is high enough to transport your data quickly and reliably across the internet. Also, you need to have the best video bitrate to get the best quality from a video.
In this article, we’ll learn more about bitrates for streaming.
The time for introductions is over; let’s get down to business!
What Is a Good Bitrate for 1080P Streaming?
3500 to 5000 kbps of bandwidth is a good bitrate for streaming.
Broadband consumption is high when streaming live video online. Many variables go into determining the exact quantity. When it comes to streamed content, encoding is vital, but the content itself is also quite significant. Streaming resolution and frame rate (measured in frames per second or fps) are both important considerations.
According to this recommendation, a video in 1080p at 30 frames per second should have a bitrate of 3,500–5,000 kbps, the same as a video in 720p at 60 frames per second. The download and upload speed are required to meet the requirements.
For videos at a frame rate of 60 frames per second and 1080p resolution, we recommend a bitrate of between 4500 and 6000 kbps. Anything between 5.6 Mbps and 7.4 Mbps is the ideal upload speed.
Is 2000 Bitrate Good for Streaming?
The answer is “yes!” The bandwidth of 2000 kbps is more than adequate for online video streaming.
Is Higher Bitrate Better for Streaming?
The short answer is: yes, a higher bitrate is better for streaming and results in higher video quality than a lower bitrate. By increasing the bitrate of a video, you can improve its quality. Also, when comparing images, larger bitrate results in higher quality, while a lower bitrate results in a lower quality.
Having a lower bitrate means that the computer will compress more of the video, and the video’s content will be less visible. Therefore, because low-bitrate streaming loses so much data, the effect is noticeable to the naked eye.
In addition to the location, bandwidth, and type of device your viewers are using to stream, several other factors contribute to your stream’s quality.
A greater bitrate transfers more data faster, resulting in better video quality. For example, a video stream with a 1080p resolution and 60 fps would have excellent video quality at a bitrate of 6000 kbps. However, even at a 720p resolution, a video with a bitrate of fewer than 3000 kbps will be of poorer quality.
What Bitrate Is Best for Streaming?
Sacrificing playback quality for a high-resolution stream is a terrible idea.
It would be best if you were most concerned about your internet service provider’s upload speed. The upload rate is the rate at which the system transfers data from your local computer to servers on the internet. Those unfamiliar with the word may find it helpful to know that “upload rate” refers to this rate. We’ll go into more detail below, but you can use anything from 672 kbps up to 61.5 Mbps. You may also be wondering why “higher” does not equate to “better.”
Higher bit rates do not guarantee greater quality. For example, an extremely high bitrate can contribute to an unstable stream in some circumstances. However, watching a steady, smooth video stream at a lower resolution, such as 720p, is significantly more enjoyable than trying to broadcast out 4K and get choppy or frozen footage.
A General Advice
You’ll want to limit your bitrate to 6000 kbps at the very least for “normal” streaming setups at the time of this publication. Just think of it as an unchanging constant, similar to the speed of light in space.
You can find the best bitrate broadcast settings for the platform in a guide specific to your setup and equipment, such as those provided by YouTube or Twitch. A good rule of thumb for streaming full HD videos is to aim for a bitrate of 3500 to 6000 kbps, depending on the framerate used. Starting at 2500 kbps and peaking at 4000, 720p HD is more tolerant to an entry-level streaming setup.
Ensure that your hardware (encoding, etc.)and internet connections can support various resolutions and frame rates. Keep in mind that viewers are more likely to assess your broadcast negatively if the playback is broken or unpleasant than if it is “Full HD” or greater. For example, a 720p, 30 fps broadcast is okay (as we mentioned, clocking a 2500-4000 kbps bitrate).
Is 6000 Bitrate Too High?
Yes, it is too high. However, transmitting a higher resolution video will significantly impact the video bitrate you should choose for your content.
The bitrate requirements are lower for videos with lesser resolutions. As a result, your video’s bitrate will need to grow as the video quality resolution increases.
It is not always the case that increasing the bitrate will result in improved audio or video quality; in this particular instance, the increased bitrate is the source of the instability. However, it’s critical to remember that 6000 is the maximum number you can use. In many instances, unstable stream behavior is due to having a high bandwidth throughout the duration of a broadcast.
How to Check the Bitrate of a Video?
The unit of measurement for bitrate in bits per second is abbreviated to bps for short. Therefore, we express this value as a numerical value.
Although kilobits per second (kbps) is a useful measurement for audio and other smaller files, it is insufficient to determine the amount of data rapidly moving in video files.
As a result, instead of referring to bits per second in kilobits, we refer to bits per second (bps).
Concerning video bitrates, we commonly use megabits per second (Mbps). Using this number, you can see how many bits of data are being posted and downloaded to and from the internet every second.
How Much Bandwidth Does Twitch Streaming Use?
Video streams with a 1080p resolution and 60 frames per second require an upload speed of 6 Mbps at the very least, according to Twitch. If you plan on uploading any video more than 3 minutes in length, you’ll need at least 3Mbps of bandwidth.
Be mindful that these are simply the best estimations and guidelines. For example, upload speeds between 7 and 10 megabits per second are ideal for Twitch streams, especially if you have multiple people using the same Internet connection.
It’s easy to figure out how many gigabytes you’ll need if you stream for three hours at a 6 Mbps upload speed.
The total data consumption for the stream will be roughly 8.1 gigabytes (GB) if the bit rate is 8,000 megabits per second (Mbps).
Knowing how much bandwidth you use daily will help you figure out how much you will need in a month by multiplying that by 30.
Using this formula, you may know how much bandwidth you’ll need to stream on Twitch with your current internet provider speed.
To get the best deal for your streaming, you need to know how much data you consume monthly.
Suppose your current plan is limited to a particular amount of GB per month. In that case, upgrading to an unlimited connection may be worth it.
What Bitrate Should I Use for Obs Streaming?
OBS is among the most well-known and widely used live-streaming software alternatives. There is a learning curve for Open Broadcast Software (OBS), a very capable live streaming video platform. Your live streaming may require optimization once it is up and running.
To begin, you must consider the streaming platform you intend to use. In addition to Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch’s ideas, documentation is available for each service that provides extra information. Bitrate Recommendations for OBS streaming include:
1080p(30FPS)
- Framerate: 25-30 fps
- Bitrate: 3000-6000 Kbps
- Audio Sample Rate: 44.1kHz
- Audio Bitrate: 128-192Kbps
1080p
- Framerate: 60 fps
- Bitrate: 4500-9000 Kbps
- Audio Sample Rate: 44.1kHz
- Audio Bitrate: 128-192Kbps
720p(30FPS)
- Framerate: 25-30 fps
- Bitrate: 1500-4000 Kbps
- Audio Sample Rate: 44.1kHz
- Audio Bitrate: 128-192Kbps
720p
- Framerate: 60 fps
- Bitrate: 2250-6000 Kbps
- Audio Sample Rate: 44.1kHz
- Audio Bitrate: 128-192Kbps
480p
- Frame rate: 25-30 fps
- Bitrate: 500-2000 Kbps
- Audio Sample Rate: 44.1kHz
- Audio Bitrate: 128-192Kbps
360p
- Frame rate: 25-30 fps
- Bitrate: 400-1000 Kbps
- Audio Sample Rate: 44.1kHz
- Audio Bitrate: 128-192Kbps
240p
- Frame rate: 25-30 fps
- Bitrate: 300-700 Kbps
- Audio Sample Rate: 44.1kHz
- Audio Bitrate: 128-192Kbps
Final Words – Bitrates For Streaming
All that matters is how quickly your video can be uploaded and downloaded online and how well the video will look when it’s finished uploading.
To communicate your video data as quickly as possible to your viewers, your video’s bitrate must be higher. Internet speed and download speed are also important factors for stream quality.
You can also use Dacast, which helps you stream your videos on various devices thanks to its multi-bitrate streaming capability. In addition, adaptive bitrate streaming ensures that your visitors receive the video file at best possible bitrate for their device.
The sum of these factors helps create a better watching experience for your video content overall.
Also, are you a streamer looking for better lighting for your streams? Here are the 6 Best Lighting For Streaming Options in 2023.
