This guide covers multi-bitrate or transcoding, which allows you to stream a video stream in the best possible quality based on your viewers' internet connection.

Introduction

• Without the multi-bitrate or transcoding feature, your stream is only broadcast in one quality, and viewers who do not have a good Internet connection may not be able to watch your stream.

Local transcoding vs Cloud transcoding

There are two ways to offer this functionality to your visitors: local transcoding or cloud transcoding.

Advantages and disadvantages

Let Infomaniak handle the transcoding

The entire process is automatic: Infomaniak configures and transcodes the necessary qualities, and your viewers are guaranteed to be able to follow your broadcasts under the best possible conditions, regardless of their internet connection speed.

• A single maximum quality stream will be sent from your side.
• A software encoder is sufficient, although it is recommended to have a hardware encoder for more reliability and performance.

Manually managing transcoding locally

The entire process is manual: you must configure the qualities and their number, as well as have the required network and hardware configuration to ensure transcoding and data transmission:

• An encoder is required for transcoding (available for sale from Infomaniak if necessary).
• The encoder (or the dedicated server for this task) must be powerful enough to simultaneously transcode your stream in different qualities. Otherwise, the stream will be cut and unstable for your viewers.
• A good Internet connection is required to send the stream in different qualities simultaneously.