Streaming Quality and Bitrates

September 02, 2020 15:43

If you are streaming via your iPhone's LTE connection or an LTE USB modem, one concern you may have is the cost of a data plan needed to stream.

It is better to choose the lower quality where your connection has a chance to hit the maximum bitrate instead of a quality where you are always close to the minimum bitrate. For example, HD at its minimum bitrate of 0.7 Mbps will look pixelated compared to Medium quality at that same .7 Mbps bitrate. At this same speed, the Medium quality version will be a little soft but will not have the same distortion, thus created a better experience for your viewers.

Choose a quality that matches a bitrate that is half your upload speed results.

Bitrate Estimates

Below we provide a rough estimation as to how much data each streaming quality will require per minute. Please note that these are estimations and numbers may vary.

Since data plans are typically measured in gigabytes, that is the measurement we have provided.

Quality	Min-Max Bitrate	Est. Data Usage(GB/hr)
360p	0.3 - 1 Mbps	.13 - .44 GB
1080p	1.2 - 6 Mbps	.55 - 2.65 GB
720p	0.7 - 2 Mbps	.30 - .88 GB
480p	0.4 - 1.5 Mbps	.18 - .66 GB

How do I choose which streaming quality to use?

You can test your upload speed by going to www.speedtest.net or using their apps for Android or iOS.

Make sure that you are on the same network that you will use when streaming.When using a 4G/LTE data network, connectivity may fluctuate and be affected by other data users with the same telecom provider in the area. When on a local Wi-Fi network, connectivity may fluctuate and be affected by other users on the same Wi-Fi network. This upload speed can change, so it is good to run a few tests. Some users test hours before a live event when not many other users are in the area, and get a great speed test result. However, once an event begins and many more people are in the area and using the same network, you may see a slower speed test result.

We recommend you have a minimum upload speed of 5-10 Mbps, ideally on a network connection that is not shared with any other computers or devices. Customers who purchased a Mevo Boost or Mevo Power over Ethernet adapter should use the Ethernet port when possible, as this is the most reliable way to connect to the internet.

Selecting your streaming quality

Streaming Qualities

Not all streaming providers allow 1080p streaming. Example: Twitter is capped at 720p

In the live edit view of the Mevo mobile app, tap the red button in the lower-left corner.
Choose your streaming quality. Select your desired streaming provider and hit Go Live