YouTube Changes Live Encoder Settings

By Bern Rexer

<<< UPDATE >>> here are the latest YouTube Live Encoder settings.

YouTube has made notable changes to their recommended live encoding settings. Particularly with the video bitrate increase for each of the four stream resolutions of 240p, 360p, 480p, and 720p - but also adding a 1080p live streaming resolution. These resolutions can be selected by the viewer from the quality cog adjustment on the bottom right of the YouTube player. 

YouTube's addition of a New Platform suggests encoding a single 6Mbps stream which their media servers then transcode to the lower bitrate streams. 

The bitrates have increased considerably as shown from charts below of the old and new suggestions. 

240p increases from 300Kbps to 500Kbps 

360p increases from 600Kbps to 1000Kbps

480p increases from 1000Kbps to 2000Kbps

720p increases from 2400Kbps to 4000Kbps

OLD recommendations:

OLD encoder settings for YouTube live streaming published by YouTube

NEW recommendations:

NEW encoder settings for YouTube live streaming published by YouTube*

Most YouTube accounts do not have the ability to stream live. Those that are enabled may only have a basic feature of the streaming to a single bitrate of 360p. And some have the enhanced live streaming feature to stream to all four bitrates. Furthermore, YouTube has added a 'New Platform' for live streaming which transcodes a single higher bitrate stream to the lower bitrates. 

YouTube live streaming Old and New Platform*

Transcoding a single highest bit rate stream down to the lower bit rates and to mobile devices is a big step forward for YouTube live streaming.  A video on the ytliveops YouTube channel discusses transcoding and the new platform. 

*Published from the YouTube Live Streaming Guide 3/8/2013

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<UPDATE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

YouTube now has updated their encoding suggestions to included a recommended bitrate. This is great news as it shows their is flexibility with encoding bitrate. More testing will determine how the YouTube transcoders  handle dynamic bitrates which is offered by many encoders. 

YouTube Live Recommended Encoding Bitrates

By Bern Rexer

Live streaming on YouTube will change the way we present our media. Think about the power of Google behind media distribution. I think it will disrupt the streaming media CDN marketplace (and much more).

Remember when YouTube offered video uploads and distribution for free? Many thought that business idea wasn't sound. YouTube probably lost a lot of money initially. But now we see they are the second largest search engine of content (behind Google).

It has been a year since YouTube began offering live streaming (see youtube-is-going-live) and they are limiting who has access to the live feature - but rolling it out incrementally.

Live content on YouTube enables exposure to users who otherwise may not have been able to receive that content. This week the International Olympic Committee and YouTube announced that the London 2012 Olympic Games will be streamed live from the IOC YouTube Channel to users in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
~
MXPI is enabled to stream live on YouTube and produces or consults for television and live event producers. I've been webcasting for over ten years along with more than a decade of live television experience and true passion for the technology.

So this Blog is about streaming live on YouTube, the technology required, and methods of process along with opinions and best case scenarios.

Hopefully this blog will answer some questions and generate some discussion -
How does the YouTube Live feature work?
Can your YouTube channel benefit from streaming live?
What equipment or services do I need to stream live on YouTube?

Cheers
:o)
-Bern Rexer