Stream Quality Settings & Required Upload Speeds

When setting up a new or scheduled stream, one of the requirements is to select the stream quality setting. Stream quality refers to the size of the video being recorded and sent to streaming platforms. This article walks through the various stream quality options and how to choose the most appropriate quality for your network and platform.

In this article:

Stream Quality Settings

By default, the stream quality options in Switcher Studio are limited to 360p, 480p, 540p, and 720p. The stream quality options will vary, however, based on whether or not you have enabled 1080p streaming.

Note: 1080p is now a default streaming resolution in the Switcher app and does not require being enabled through the Switcher Dashboard.

Default Stream Quality Options

  • 540p
  • 720p
  • 1080p

    • Running a Speed Test

    We recommend running a speed test of the network you will be streaming with and using the results to select a stream quality. Most speed test tools are provided by ISPs, which use servers very close to you and show the best potential internet speed available, but it's not always the most accurate for real-world uses. For the most accurate speed test, use our built-in tools or the Internet Speed Test from CloudFlare.

    Note: Switcher Studio has built-in speed test options if you are streaming to Facebook or if you are using Custom RTMP. If you are not using the built-in option, we recommend running a speed test at https://speed.cloudflare.com/ from a browser on the device you will be using with Switcher Studio.

    Choosing a Stream Quality

    Once you have identified your speeds using the speedof.me speed test, compare your upload speed to the list below to identify which stream quality setting is best for you. Here are our recommendations based on the minimum upload speeds required to support each option:

    • 270p: 1.5mbps upload

    • 360p: 2mbps upload

    • 540p: 2.5mbps upload

    • 720p: 6mbps upload

    • 1080p: 12mbps upload

    If you use a built-in speed test, the stream quality will be selected for you based on the speed test results. If your network tends to drop out, we recommend selecting the stream quality one option lower than what your speed test indicates. For example, if 720p is selected after your speed test, you can manually select 560p. Choosing a lower quality will reduce the chances of losing your broadcast due to a network drop.

    Keyword(s): stream, quality, setting, speed, network, high, definition, 540, 720, 1080