Wonder what combination of screen size and bit rate will create the ultimate streaming video experience? Here are some recommendations to use for your next live-streaming project. Settings are good for both live streams and recorded files.
Bitrate Limit
Streaming live video on Videolinq is limited to 8 MBps bitrate. Streams using a bitrate above 8 MBps will be disconnected.
Recommended Settings
1080i Video Resolution: 1920x1080 Frames per second: 60 Video codec: H.264 Main Video bitrate: 4 - 8 Mbps Rate control: CBR Audio codec: AAC Audio bitrate: 128 Kbps Keyframe: every 2 seconds | 1080p Video Resolution: 1920x1080 Frames per second: 30 Video codec: H.264 Main Video bitrate: 3 - 6 Mbps Rate control: CBR Audio codec: AAC Audio bitrate: 128 Kbps Keyframe: every 2 seconds |
720p Video Resolution: 1280x720 Frames per second: 30-60 Video codec: H.264 Main Video bitrate: 2 - 4 Mbps Rate control: CBR Audio codec: AAC Audio bitrate: 128 Kbps Keyframe: every 2 seconds | 480p Video Resolution: 854x480 Frames per second: 30 Video codec: H.264 Baseline Video bitrate: 0.5 - 2 Mbps Rate control: CBR Audio codec: AAC Audio bitrate: 96 Kbps Keyframe: every 2 seconds |
360p Video Resolution: 640x360 Frames per second: 30 Video codec: H.264 Baseline Video bitrate: 0.5 - 1 Mbps Rate control: CBR Audio codec: AAC Audio bitrate: 64 Kbps Keyframe: every 2 seconds | 240p Video Resolution: 426x240 Frames per second: 30 Video codec: H.264 Baseline Video bitrate: 0.3 - 0.7 Mbps Rate control: CBR Audio codec: AAC Audio bitrate: 32 Kbps Keyframe: every 2 seconds |
Using High-End Encoders
Broadcast-grade encoders provide more control over a live stream configuration. Use the following recommended settings to configure your encoder:
Codec & Profile:
Settings: Set to MPEG-4 AVC (H.264).
Profile: Select Main or High if Main is not available
Rate Control:
Mode: Select CBR (Constant Bitrate).
Bitrate: Set to 6000 kbps (or 6.0 Mbps).
Buffer Size: if available, set to 2x the bitrate (12000 kb) to maintain strict CBR.
GOP (Group of Pictures):
GOP Size: Set to 60 frames (assuming 30 fps for a 2-second interval).
GOP Mode: Set to Fixed.
IDR Interval: Set to 1 (meaning every GOP starts with an IDR frame).
Resolution & Frame Rate:
Resolution: 1280x720 or 1920x1080.
Framerate: 30 fps (or 30000/1001 for NTSC compatibility).
Scan Type: Progressive.
Audio Settings
Codec: AAC-LC (Low Complexity).
Bitrate: 128 kbps.
Sample Rate: 48 kHz.
Coding Mode: 2.0 Stereo.
Regional Entry Point
Read this article and learn how to improve your connection to Videolinq.
Target Destinations
Before configuring a live stream, confirm what's the bitrate and resolution set by your target endpoints (for example: YouTube accepts 4K video up to 50 Mbps*, but Facebook Live limits the stream to 1080p at a maximum of 4 Mbps). When streaming to social media sites, we recommend sending to Videolinq a minimum of 720p stream at 4 MBps H.264 video with 128 KBps AAC audio and distributing the same stream to all destinations.
Tips & Tricks
Encoding live video requires a lot of computer power. When you encode close all unused programs to free system memory. To encode high-quality HD video with an RTMP encoder like OBS, we recommend a Windows/Mac computer with Intel i7 CPU and 16 GB RAM. Using a less powerful CPU or memory will work, but the quality of the output stream may be affected. Streaming long videos of 30+ minutes? Laptops don't have cooling fans and will get hot quickly. For 30+ minutes of live streams, we recommend using a desktop workstation.