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

Introduction

• Without the multi-bitrate or transcoding feature, your stream is broadcast in only one quality, and viewers with a poor internet connection may not be able to watch it.

Local transcoding vs. Cloud transcoding

There are two ways to offer this feature 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 various qualities needed, and your viewers are guaranteed to be able to watch your broadcasts in the best possible conditions, regardless of their internet connection speed.

• Only one stream with the highest quality will be sent from your side.
• A software encoder is sufficient, although it is recommended to have a hardware encoder for greater reliability and performance.

Manually manage 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 (Infomaniak offers them for sale if needed).
• The encoder (or the server dedicated to this task) must be powerful enough to transcode your stream simultaneously in different qualities. Otherwise, the stream will be cut off and unstable for your viewers.
• A good internet connection is required to simultaneously stream in different qualities.