Livestreaming How Important for Hardware Encoding
Comparing live streaming solutions? Researching the departure between using hardware and software for streaming? Looking to understand the fundamentals of encoding settings for streaming? Read on! We'll be going over all of that and more than in this hardware encoder primer.
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What is a hardware encoder?
When it comes to streaming video across the web, uncompressed video and sound files are also large and bulky to send in real time. The solution is to compress these files first.
A hardware encoder is a dedicated appliance that captures, compresses (encodes), and delivers audio and video information to a destination. Specifically, a live streaming hardware encoder is a device that can stream video over local expanse networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), or across the Internet.
Online streaming destinations include streaming platforms similar YouTube Live, LinkedIn Live, and Facebook Live likewise as live streaming services like Vimeo, Akamai, and Wowza.
Examples of live streaming encoders include Epiphan'due south Pearl Nano, Pearl Mini, and Pearl-ii. In improver, many hardware encoders characteristic other capabilities, similar live video switching and local video recording.
Sound and video inputs on hardware encoders
Hardware encoders typically have a variety of inputs that let you direct connect higher-end video and audio equipment similar cameras and microphones. For example, Pearl-2 can capture local video over HDMI, USB, and SDI inputs, analog sound inputs over XLR and RCA, and networked AV inputs over NDI, SRT, and RTSP.
By dissimilarity, to connect the same equipment to a general-purpose computer arrangement, you'd need a capture carte du jour to stream video from a camera or a front-stop audio interface for professional sound.
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Hardware encoders vs. live streaming software
Live streaming software is an application running on full general-purpose, off-the-shelf computers (such as a laptop or a desktop machine). A few examples of streaming software include vMix, Wirecast, and OBS. Much like a hardware encoder, live streaming software compresses and streams video to a destination.
The main difference is that hardware encoders dedicate all processing power to capturing, encoding, and streaming. In contrast, computer-run streaming software has to share resources with other processes on the auto. Hardware encoders are designed from the ground up specifically for encoding and streaming, which makes them a more reliable streaming solution compared to their software counterparts. This is why professional broadcasters rely on hardware encoders in mission-critical situations.
Encoding settings: Fundamental terms to understand
Encoding settings have a direct impact on stream quality. Generally speaking, the higher the settings (within specific value ranges),the higher the video quality.
Streaming platforms oft offer a listing of recommended encoding settings for live streaming. Information technology'southward a skilful idea to use them as a guide. Here is an overview of the key encoding parameters users have control over.
Codecs
A codec is the pinch method for making media files smaller. Different codecs provide unlike types of compression to fit specific use cases. Not all video codecs are fit for live streaming.
A few examples of widely used video codecs for streaming are Motion-JPEG (MJPEG), H.264/AVC, and H.265/HEVC. H.264/AVC is arguably the most unremarkably used codec today. H.265/HEVC is the next generation of codecs later on H.264/AVC. It promises identical quality to H.264 at about half the bitrate, decreasing upload bandwidth requirements.
Note that audio gets encoded separately from the video. The most commonly used audio codec is called AAC.
Encoding resolution
Encoding resolution is the video frame size, expressed in pixels every bit width x peak. Two common resolutions are 1280 x 720 (i.e., 720p) and 1920 x 1080 (i.e., 1080p). Higher streaming resolutions such as 4K are less popular because they require significant processing ability, upload bandwidth, and 4K resolution support on the viewer's side.
Considering anybody's setup is a little different, it's good practice to give viewers a option of resolutions when viewing your content. If the CDN yous're using includes transcoding (many do), in that location'due south no extra work to be washed on your end. Simply send the highest quality stream and the CDN will nowadays the viewer with a range of resolutions.
Frame rate
Frame rate is the number of images encoded per second, in frames per second (fps). Standard frame rates include 24, 25, xxx, and 60 fps, with xxx fps beingness the most widely used setting for online streaming.
Bitrate
Bitrate describes how much data is transmitted per unit of time. Bitrate is usually measured in kilobits per 2d (Kbps) and less ofttimes in megabits per 2nd (Mbps). The college the bitrate, the higher the video quality – simply also the larger the file size.
Finding the correct bitrate setting is about residuum. A low bitrate setting will cause the live stream to look jittery and low quality. On the other hand, setting the bitrate likewise high may cause video buffering for viewers because the file size becomes likewise big.
The bitrate setting will depend on the chosen codec, resolution, and frame rate. For example, the video bitrate range for a 1080p at xxx fps stream is between 3,000–6,000 Kbps, whereas the bitrate range for 4K lx fps streaming is between 20,000–51,000 Kbps.
In improver to adequately chosen bitrate, some other crucial factor for high-quality online video commitment is sufficient local upload bandwidth. No matter how high the bitrate or how powerful the hardware encoder, low bandwidth can become the bottleneck for streaming quality.
To a higher place is a screenshot of the encoding settings tab in Pearl Web UI
Streaming protocols: What they are and how they work
A streaming protocol is a method by which multimedia is delivered to the streaming destination. It's a ready of rules that decides how to cut upward the encoded video into smaller chunks and deliver information technology to the destination, on time and in the right gild. Different hardware encoders support specific sets of streaming protocols. In addition, some streaming protocols will only work with particular codecs, whereas other protocols are codec-agostic.
Different video streaming protocols tin evangelize video online with varying degrees of delay. For example, some protocols tin can instantly transfer data from the hardware encoder to the destination, whereas others have more time. This is known as streaming latency.
For one-way transmissions, some latency is no big deal. For events with interactivity, notwithstanding, high streaming latency is unacceptable. Thus, latency requirement is one of the factors that inform the choice of streaming protocol.
One of the most commonly used streaming protocols is the Real-Fourth dimension Messaging Protocol (RTMP) and its secure variant (RTMPS). RTMP(S) is a robust and universally supported protocol. Still, information technology only works with the H.264 codec and has some latency (3–30 seconds).
HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) is another mutual protocol supported past nearly every browser, operating organization, and even Smart TVs. HLS only works with H.264 and H.265 codecs.
A directly HLS competitor is MPEG-DASH. Unlike HLS, MPEG-DASH is a codec-doubter protocol. When it comes to streaming latency, both HLS and MPEG-Nuance are on the higher end of the scale (xxx–45 seconds).
Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) is an open-source, codec-doubter streaming protocol. It enables robust, low-latency streaming even over suboptimal networks. Its ability to deliver loftier-quality content in well-nigh existent-time over the Internet gives broadcasters a viable alternative to expensive satellite technology. SRT is not as widely supported as RTMP, for example, but it is gaining popularity and support in the realm of hardware encoding.
Advice on choosing a hardware encoder
Hardware encoder models are priced based on the number and type of input connectors, supported streaming and encoding technologies, and, most importantly, processing power. Every boosted input source and encoding channel adds actress load on the encoder's CPU. Higher-stop hardware encoders, like Pearl-ii, can capture multiple audio and video sources, encode multiple channels at a high resolution, and stream to multiple destinations simultaneously. More than basic models may but capture one or two sources and stream one program to i destination.
Nosotros recommend choosing a hardware encoder based on your encoding and streaming requirements. For example, if you are looking to capture just one input from a production mixer and stream it to a single online destination – consider a single-channel encoder similar Pearl Nano. On the other paw, if y'all are looking to capture multiple HDMI, SDI, and perchance NDI sources and stream multiple encoded channels to multiple destinations – consider a workhorse hardware encoder like Pearl-2.
Originally published on June 2, 2019, this post was updated on Nov one, 2021, with more relevant information.
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