Do you wish to live stream something? Then you will need to pay your attention to multiple factors. Internet speed holds a prominent place out of them. This is where you should know what the ideal internet speed for live streaming is. Continue to read and we will share more details about it.
The quality of internet video streaming is determined by a number of factors. Internet speed is one of these factors. Various streaming arrangements need the use of various internet connections. Due to a variety of factors, some broadcasts need a quicker internet connection than others. Following that, we'll talk about the best internet speeds for a variety of scenarios. Finally, we'll talk about the relevance of internet speed for viewers.
Why do you need to have a good internet speed for streaming?
To make internet streaming feasible, a lot of work goes on behind the scenes. Various technologies, such as streaming protocols, operate behind the scenes to transport data chunks from the live streaming setup to user-facing video players. Online video streaming needs a reliable and secure internet connection.
Internet speed is measured in two ways: download speed and upload speed. As a broadcaster, you must pay close attention to the upload speed of your internet connection. In general, for live broadcasting, your upload speed should be at least twice as fast as the total bandwidth you'll consume.
Ethernet is the finest form of internet connection for live broadcasting. This kind of link is both stable and dependable. If Ethernet isn't available, WiFi comes in second. A wireless connection may get the job done, but it's not as dependable as a wired connection.
Cellular data is the last resort option if neither Ethernet nor WiFi are available. If you want to stream using cellular data, we suggest reading our guide to remote streaming.
What is a Good Upload Speed for Live Streaming on the Internet?
Many broadcasters are unsure of what internet speed is ideal for live broadcasting. That, however, is contingent on a number of things. Your connection speed should be at least twice as fast as the bandwidth used by your stream. An upload speed of 672 kbps to 61.5 Mbps would enough in most cases. Because this is such a broad range, it's critical to assess your specific streaming requirements to obtain a more precise response.
Let's briefly talk out bandwidth and two associated streaming measures to give you a better idea of how this works on a technical level.
- Bandwidth of Video
The quantity of data carried during a video stream is referred to as video bandwidth. Broadcasting requires a lot of bandwidth for a variety of reasons. For starters, it has an impact on the kind of internet speed you need. Your live streaming charges are also affected by the amount of bandwidth you utilize.
Several variables influence your bandwidth use, but the two most important are video bitrate and video resolution. As a result, higher-traffic, higher-quality broadcasts need more bandwidth.
- Bitrate of Video
The video bitrate is the quantity of data transmitted in a given length of time. Bits per second, or bps, is a common unit of measurement. Smaller files are encoded in kilobits per second (kbps). At the encoder level, bitrate may be changed. The video resolution is changed using this modification.
- Resolution of the video
The number of pixels that make up the video frame that creates the picture on the screen is referred to as video resolution. In most cases, the better the quality of a video, the more pixels it includes. A crisper picture may be achieved by using more pixels. The width and height of a video are measured in pixels. Online material with a 1920 x 1080 video aspect ratio, for example, would have 1920 pixels on the bottom and 1080 pixels on the top.
Because higher-resolution streams demand more bandwidth, higher-resolution videos need a faster internet connection. Your stream may lag or become choppy if you attempt to broadcast a high-resolution movie over a sluggish internet connection.
- Viewing Live Streams - Download Speeds
The quality of streaming seems to have improved over time, with video start failures down 33% year over year, buffering down 41%, and visual quality up 25%. The steady increase in the speed of internet connections is one of the causes behind this. The speed of both mobile networks and residential internet services is improving.
Remember how we spoke about how internet speed has two components? As previously stated, upload speed is critical for broadcasting material, while download speed is critical for viewing streaming video. In the United States nowadays, the average download speed is roughly 99.3 Mbps.
Here are some basic recommendations for internet speed and video streaming:
- 25 Mbps is more than enough for streaming 1080p HD video.
- 10 Mbps is more than enough for 720p video.
- 5 Mbps is enough for 480p video.
You have no influence over the internet speed of your viewers as a broadcaster. However, you may look at your analytics data to see how fast your viewer's connection is. This may enable you to change your multi-bitrate streaming strategy.
- Internet Speed and Encoder Configurations
Broadcasters may better grasp their internet speed needs by understanding how bandwidth, bitrate, and video quality link on a more practical level. Lower bitrate settings result in low-resolution/low-quality broadcasts, whereas higher bitrate settings result in high-resolution/high-quality streaming, as seen in the live encoder settings chart above. As previously stated, bitrate and resolution have a direct relationship with bandwidth use, which determines the required internet speeds. It is fair to assume that the better the resolution, the quicker the internet will be required.
Internet speed for different streaming requirements
To recap, your internet speed should be twice as fast as the bandwidth you want to use. You can figure out how much bandwidth you need in one of two methods. It will be the total of the bitrates of each rendition you're streaming in if you're conducting multi-bitrate streaming. This is your ultimate number if you're simply streaming at a single bit rate. As previously said, the needed internet speed for streaming is determined on the specific streaming arrangement.
From a technological sense, internet speed is directly proportional to bandwidth demand. The amount of bandwidth used is determined by the bitrate and video resolution. The number of people that are watching your stream and how long they are watching it. You may use a bandwidth calculator to calculate your minimal internet speed for streaming by multiplying this figure by two. Let's go through some particular internet speed needs and provide some recommendations for various streaming scenarios.
For your convenience, we've based these recommendations on the following anticipated internet needs for various resolutions:
- 5.5Mbps for 1080p resolution streaming
- 2.2Mbps for 720p resolution streaming
- 800kbps for 480p resolution streaming
- 500kbps for 240p resolution streaming
Let's take a deeper look at some real-world streaming instances now.
- Sports streaming
Sports streaming is popular because it enables fans to see their favorite teams and individuals compete regardless of where they are. The goal of professional sports broadcasting is to reach a big audience. Because this form of streaming necessitates a realistic viewing experience, high-resolution video is required. A reliable internet connection with a speed of at least 5.5 Mbps is required. Because these TV-grade feeds are under a lot of stress, a tethered Ethernet connection would be perfect.
In contrast, streaming a high school game uses far less data, thus a slower internet connection will suffice. Take, for example, high school volleyball. Because each team has a limited roster of 12 students, your potential audience is substantially less than that of a professional sports event.
- Education streaming
In education, online video is increasingly popular, particularly when it comes to streaming courses and lectures. Because video quality isn't a requirement for this sort of feed, standard definition streaming will do; an internet connection with a speed of at least 800 kbps would suffice.
Other sorts of education are available that are not tied to academics. Consider various types of courses that individuals may attend, such as fitness classes. Fitness broadcasters may choose higher bitrate streaming since graphics are crucial in this form of broadcasting, hence quicker connection is required.
- Government streaming
Meeting transparency standards is one of the most common streaming usage for government entities. Basically, several municipalities broadcast meetings that they are compelled to make accessible to citizens through live streaming.
- Music or movie streaming
Concerts and music festivals are major events that are often televised in HD. It is usual for event organizers to charge a virtual entry fee to monetize these broadcasts. There is a level of expectation when viewers pay for streaming. Viewers want a more realistic experience, which necessitates high-quality streaming with minimal latency. This indicates that high-resolution streaming internet connections of at least 5.5 Mbps are required.
- Radio streaming
Radio streaming is a little different from the other scenarios we've looked at so far. Because radio is often audio-only streaming, it uses less bandwidth, therefore it doesn't need a high-speed internet connection.
Churches employ live broadcasting for a variety of purposes. Streaming services are the most popular application of web video for churches. Most members of the church community are OK with low-quality broadcasts as long as the sermons and music are clear. With an internet connection of roughly 800 kbps, a standard quality stream should function perfectly.
Choral and choir performances, as well as other church presentations, may need a significantly quicker internet connection for church broadcasters who desire higher-resolution streaming.
Internet speed you need for different streaming platforms
In addition to the broadcasts, they host with their white-label video players, many broadcasters stream on social media streaming services. The benefit is that it allows you to reach out to an established audience on a platform with which they are already acquainted.
The following are the required internet speeds for live streaming on some of the most popular platforms:
- 4,000 kbps for Facebook
- 1,500 to 4,000 kbps on YouTube
- 2,500 to 4,000 kbps on Twitch
- 150 percent of the video bitrate on Dailymotion
- 10 Mbps for LinkedIn Live
Final words
Broadcasters can deliver higher-quality broadcasts by understanding how internet speed influences live streaming. It's vital to keep in mind that different sorts of streaming need various internet speeds. Make sure that you pay special attention to the upload speeds to ensure the quality of your streams. On top of that, you may also think about using a video streaming panel such as VDO Panel to get the most out of your streaming experiences.
