If you’re someone who wants to start a show online or gain traction as a live streamer, you’ll want to be sure that you’re doing whatever is needed to get the quality necessary for a perfect streaming experience. The thing about live streaming content is that there are a number of things that need to go right for it to be a success.
One of these things is top-notch internet. As you start to look into how to best set up your streaming, here are some things you need to know about the best internet speed for streaming:
How the Internet Impacts Streaming
There are many things that can impact your streaming quality, ranging from the gear that you use to the kind of software platform you’re streaming on. But one of the most important aspects of your live stream experience is that of your internet. Without a reliable connection, you won’t be able to trust that your content will be streamed without any disruptions.
Why speed and quality matter
If you’re hoping to do a livestream call with a friend or an audience of t6wo or so people, you may not worry that much about speed or quality. While you want to be sure that your connection is dependable, you may not think about it as much as if you’re trying to do a large-scale streaming experience, such as for an audience around the world or when you need what is a simulcast type setup to broadcast to viewers with different kinds of quality connectivity.
This is when top speed is paramount so that you can be 100% confident that your content is streamed at the best quality possible for viewers, wherever they may be.
What to look for
One of the first things to learn about with your internet and streaming is the kind of quality you want. The internet speed you choose can impact this. For example, some people may be fine with SD quality with their streaming as they’re using it for more personal connection needs over building a large brand.
Next, there may be some who choose the HD option. High-definition quality resolution is a dependable option for most streamers, as it offers quality that is clear and crisp without them needing to have an expansive amount of bandwidth. UHD isn’t as popular but can be necessary for people who are looking for the ultimate resolution possible. With any of these options, the higher you go, the more bandwidth and higher speed you’ll need to achieve what you want.
The speed you’re looking for
What’s a reasonable speed for simple broadcasting? You may be fine with a speed of around 25-50 Mbps for one or two devices. 4k streaming can use this kind of speed. But let’s say that you want to stream high-resolution content while you’re living in a household with more than three devices. You could benefit from using 50-100 Mbps.
If there are more devices in the household or office that you’re in, it’s important to get even higher speeds so that you can use the data you need for a successful live stream.
Test your speed
If you already have a Wi-Fi setup, but want to be sure that you’re using the best speed possible for the kind of data you want, use a website to test your internet speed. It may be that you need to upgrade to better internet speed services or a wired connection, if you want to be absolutely sure your live stream won’t be disrupted.
In Conclusion
With content creators taking the world by storm with live streaming, it’s important that you learn the best practices for successful lives. This includes understanding more about why internet speed is so important. From the kind of streaming that you want to do to the number of devices depending on the connection, there are various components to consider.