Live stream publishing information on Streamio

About live streaming through Streamio:

Streamio receives video using the RTMP protocol, which is the most common solution for high-quality live streaming of audio, video, and data.

Video and audio

Video should have a fixed “constant” bitrate of max 3000 kbps. By staying below 3000 kbps, you can be sure that the live broadcast maintains a high quality, with a margin for it to work well for all viewers (even those with a mobile connection). It is of course possible to broadcast live with a higher bitrate than 3000 kbps, but then we recommend that you use our live transcoding service – read more about it here! Keep in mind that it is not only the video file, but also the audio track that draws bandwidth. We recommend encoding with H.264 and delivering the audio with AAC/48 kHz, more if recommended settings come below!

Internet connection

Make sure there’s plenty of margin on your internet connection. 3000 kbps is 3 Mbps, which sounds a bit but you should have at least 5 free megabits for there to be margins. There may be others using the connection as well. This is especially relevant if you use mobile/4G/LTE connection to broadcast, as this in itself varies greatly in quality over time.

Ingestion settings:

protocol:

• RTMP

video:

• H.264,
• constant bitrate (CBR)
• Suitable bitrate is max 3000 kbps

sound:

• AAC,
• 48kHz,
• appropriate bitrate 128 kbps normally

address:

• See the Live tab – “Streaming settings” and the button “Ingestion Details”
• Port: 1935
• Application Name, Stream Name, Token: See the button “Ingestion Details” (same as above)

Recommended settings for live streams:

This is not an absolute recommendation, but more things need to be considered to choose the right quality.

What’s the result?

What are you broadcasting? (panel debates require less than sport)

Where are our viewers, and what is their bandwidth?

What’s my equipment capable of?

What can my internet connection handle?

Below we suggest some setting values that can serve as a basis for self-experimentation. If you need more tips and advice, you can always contact us, either by chat in your Streamio account, by email or phone!

Normal quality

Resolution: 540p, 960x540px
Frames per second: 25-30 fps
Bitrate: 1200-1500 kbps
Audio bitrate: 128 kbps
Audio sample rate: 48 kHz

High quality

Resolution: 720p, 1280x720px
Frames per second: 25-30 fps
Bitrate: 2000-2500 kbps
Audio bitrate: 128 kbps
Audio sample rate: 48kHz

Very high quality

Resolution: 1080p, 1920x1080px
Frames per second: 30-60 fps
Bitrate: 2500-6000 kbps (consider the risks of going above 3000, see below)
Audio bitrate: 128 kbps
Audio sample rate: 48kHz

The higher the quality of the live broadcast, the higher the risk of any user experiencing interference. This, of course, depends on the target group and where these are accessed, as well as the content broadcast. If you are worried, you can lower your settings further. A lower bitrate increases the number of recipients who receive a good reception. Test your way through and you will see which settings are best for you!

If you wish to broadcast with a higher bitrate than 3000 kbps, we recommend using our live transcoding service – read more about it here! Compare our recommended settings with and without live transcoding here.

Also, keep in mind that constant bitrate, as a rule, varies greatly. If you pan the camera while streaming or have a lot of movement in the frame, this will rise. With increasing bitrate, more and more users will have potential problems; therefore, it is always a good idea to use a lower bitrate or live transcoding so that as many people as possible will have a good streaming experience.