What are the best settings to use when streaming via encoder? Follow this guide for the best streaming experience.

StreamWay has very loose guidelines on incoming streaming settings, as we don’t display your streams to an audience. Instead, we send it off to your end platforms such as Twitch, YouTube, and more. With that in mind, following the guidelines set by each platform you intend to stream to with StreamWay is important.

StreamWay Common Guidelines

While we have no set limitations, we find these settings are what most StreamWayers use. 

Video Guidelines

• Resolution: Up to 3840 × 2160
• FPS: 30 or 60
• Codec: H.264 (x264)
• Mode: Strict CBR
• Keyframe Interval: 2 Seconds
• Max Bitrate: 15,000 Kbps
• Min Bitrate: 500 Kbps

Audio Guidelines:

• Codec: AAC-LC, Stereo or Mono
• Max Bitrate: 160 Kbps (AAC)
• Sampling Frequency: 44.1 (AAC)

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YouTube

YouTube has fewer limitations and offers superior quality options compared to alternative platforms. It is important to select a quality setting that aligns with your internet connection to ensure a consistent streaming experience.

For additional guidance, refer to YouTube’s official guide.

Video Guidelines

Facebook

If you stream to Facebook at the same time as well as to other platforms, you want to make sure that your stream matches the restrictions that Facebook has. If your stream has higher parameters than suggested, you may have trouble streaming to Facebook.

Video Guidelines

• Resolution: Up to1920 × 1080
• FPS: max 60
• Codec: H.264 (x264)
• Mode: Strict CBR
• Keyframe Interval: 2 seconds (recommended), max 4
• Max Bitrate: 9,000 Kbps

Audio Guidelines:

• Codec: AAC-LC, Stereo or Mono
• Max Bitrate: 128 Kbps (AAC), max 256 Kbps
• Sampling Frequency: 44.1 (AAC)

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X

Please follow the stream specifications recommendations below for the best experience.

Video Guidelines

• Resolution: 1280 x 720 (recommended) and 1920 x 1080 (maximum)
• FPS: 30 (recommended) and 60 (maximum)
• Codec: H.264/AVC
• Keyframe Interval: 3 seconds
• Max Bitrate: 9,000 Kbps (recommended) and 12,000 Kbps (maximum)

Audio Guidelines:

• Codec: AAC-LC
• Max Bitrate: 128 kbps (maximum)
• Sampling Frequency: 44.1 (AAC)

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Twitch

If you stream to Twitch, the main limiting factor is a maximal bitrate of 6000 Kbps. If you exceed that Twitch bitrate limitation, you will get an error, and your viewers will not be able to watch your stream.

Video Guidelines

• Resolution: 1920 × 1080
• FPS: max 60
• Codec: H.264 (x264)
• Mode: Strict CBR
• Keyframe Interval: 2 Seconds
• Max Bitrate: 6,000 Kbps

Audio Guidelines:

• Codec: AAC-LC, Stereo or Mono
• Max Bitrate: 160 kbps (AAC)
• Sampling Frequency: 48.0 (AAC)

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LinkedIn

If your stream exceeds any of the requirements below, especially the FPS, LinkedIn will not allow the stream to connect to its platform.

• Duration: max4 hours
• Aspect Ratio: 16:9
• Resolution: max 1080p
• Frame Rate: max 30 fps
• Key Frame: every 2 seconds (60 frames)
• Bitrate: max 6,000 Kbps video; max 128 kbps audio, 48 kHz sample rate
• Encoding: H264 video, AAC audio
• Protocol: RTMP/RTMPS (preferred)

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Instagram

Here are Instagram’s recommended settings when using Live Producer to avoid any potential issues with your stream.

Video Guidelines

• Aspect Ratio: 9×16 (recommended but not required)
• Resolution: 720×1280
• Frame Rate: 30 fps (note: 30 fps is recommended, but Live Producer can also support 60 fps if desired. When using 60 fps, the Live Producer preview screen will still display 30 fps.)
  • Alternatives (supported but not recommended): 480p at 30fps, 360p
• Bitrate: 2,250-6,000 Kbps

Audio Guidelines

• Sample rate: 44.1KHz
• Channel layout: Stereo
• Bitrate: up to 256 Kbps

Don’t want to worry about manually adjusting your stream settings? Use StreamWay Studio! It automatically optimizes video settings for the smoothest streaming experience on the most popular platforms

References

• Facebook
• X
• Twitch
• Linkedin
• Instagram