Broadcast by Whisbi > Set up your broadcast > Streaming and network quality > Quality settings

Quality Settings

Get the broadcast by Whisbi app from the App Store:
https://apps.apple.com/es/app/broadcast-by-whisbi/id1458593300

This article contains two workflows: before starting a stream or while live streaming.

‘Set the quality according to your connectivity situation’
Context
The quality of a stream has a lot of dependencies from the Wi-Fi connection, the network carrier or device, such as bandwidth capacity, network availability and processing the image quality. Consider changing the quality of the broadcast when you are using a different Wi-Fi than the dedicated Wi-Fi for the Broadcast of Whisbi, when you are making use of a carrier or when you are using the front camera instead of the rear camera of a device.

Problem

  • Streaming from external locations with unknown Wi-Fi, or in studios where 4G or 3G is required, often results in unexpected bandwidth constraints which stop a broadcast. 
  • Streaming on-site at events where one moves in-between places means that wifi and cellular networks change, resulting in streaming cuts.
  • The problem is that once you start a live streaming service you cannot change your connection since the impact will be seen on the end-user side.

Solution

We are giving you full control over the quality of your broadcast with ‘quality settings’, so you can control different situations when you are on the go, when you are visiting a conference with a ‘Guest Wi-Fi’ or when you have to use your personal phone to broadcast. 

Choose between Low (cellular network), Medium (wifi up to 2Mbps) and High (HDTV quality) quality according to your situation and give the viewer a seamless Broadcast experience from everywhere. Medium quality is always the default setting, however, when you change it once, it will save your last preference. 

The following quality settings are used in the Broadcast by Whisbi iOS app:

Quality settingFrame sizeBitrate per secondFrame rate per second
Mobile352×288280 Kbps30 fps
Default setting: Web640×4801.5 Mbps30 fps
HD1280×720, or 720p3.75 Mbps30 fps

Implementation:

Ensure that the customer has an iOS device that meets the following requirements to be able to stream a broadcast:

  • iPad Pro 2019 or later, 11 inch (or higher) with A12X processor and 256 GB capacity, running iOS 13.0 or later
  • iPhone X or later, with 128 GB running iOS 13.0 or later

Network limitations:

  • 3G – Use Low for streaming over 3G only in the most desperate scenarios. Our app handles it, and it has been tested in live 3G scenarios, but you should try to improve your network where possible.
  • 4G
    • When using 4G, the Low-quality setting guarantees reliability, and medium quality can often be used too, but test first. High quality is not to be used on 4G.
  • Wifi
    • Only use High quality if there is a dedicated Wi-Fi to broadcast on which has at least 3Mbps dedicated all the time. Test it before going live. 
  • Always test the quality with a test account, URL or channel BEFORE going live.

Requirements for changing quality while live streaming:

  • In order to change the quality, you will need to comply with the minimum network bandwidth of that quality setting: 1Mbps-2Mbps (Low quality), 2Mbps to 5Mbps (Medium quality) and 5Mbps or higher (High quality).
  • You can change your quality from low to medium or high quality
  • You can change your quality from medium to low or high quality
  • You can change your quality from high to low or medium quality
  • There is no limit on changes to the quality, but the end-user experience will benefit from fewer changes.
  • The bandwidth tester that is available before the broadcast is not available in the ‘Settings’ screen during the broadcast.
  • The high quality of a stream applies a different aspect ratio of the video than the low and medium quality. The high quality of a stream applies the 16:9 aspect ratio as video size.

How to choose the quality before starting the stream?

  1. Get the broadcast app from the Apple app store
    1. https://apps.apple.com/es/app/broadcast-by-whisbi/id1458593300
  2. Open the Broadcast app
  3. Login with your account
  4. Click on ‘Quality settings’ before you start the broadcast
  5. Choose the quality according to your most performing quality test on the viewer side

How to choose the quality while live streaming?

  1. Log in to the ‘Broadcast by Whisbi’ iOS app with your credentials of the Whisbi service. See the app in the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/broadcast-by-whisbi/id1458593300
  2. Make sure to select the right channel and camera.
  3. Before you start broadcasting set the quality according to your network state and capacity. If needed you can execute the ‘Test your bandwidth’ feature in the ‘Settings’ screen (left below corner).
  4. Click on ‘Start broadcast’ to start your live stream.
  5. When you decide to change the quality during the broadcast you should click on ‘Settings’ (left below corner).
  6. You can choose between the following quality settings:
    – Mobile (320×255) – 280 Kbps (255p resolution)
    – Default setting: Web (640×480) – 1,5 Mbps (480p resolution)
    – HD (1280×720) – 3,75 Mbps (720p resolution)
    Note: Don’t forget to click on ‘OK’ to apply your changes
    (see below screenshot)
  7. The quality of the stream will be changed to the selected quality (if changed).