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.

Preamble

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

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 necessary qualities, and your viewers are guaranteed to be able to follow your broadcasts in the best possible conditions, regardless of their internet connection speed.

• Only one maximum quality stream will be sent from your side.
• A software encoder is sufficient, although it is recommended to have a hardware encoder for better 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 necessary).
• The encoder (or the server dedicated to 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 simultaneously send the stream in different qualities.