YouTube Becomes a Hotspot for Streamers
Streamers like Timothy “TimTheTatman” Betar, Benjamin “DrLupo” Lupo, Ludwig “Ludwig” Ahgren, and Sykkuno have all made the switch to YouTube, joining popular names in the esports scene such as Rachell “Valkyrae” Hofstetter and Dr Disrespect.
But it’s not just big stars who are flocking to YouTube. Many others are also moving to the platform because of its superior capabilities and higher quality compared to its competitors.
Optimizing Your Streaming Settings on YouTube
If you’re new to streaming on YouTube or looking for ways to enhance your current streaming settings, here are some tips to help you get the most out of the platform, according to YouTube.
YouTube recommends using a variable bitrate in the Live Control Room, which allows your encoder to automatically detect the best resolution and frame rate for your stream. This takes away the hassle of manual adjustments.
However, if you prefer to use a different program or want to tweak the settings yourself, YouTube provides the following guidelines for bitrate and resolution. The optimal settings will depend on your hardware and network speed.
Recommended Static Bitrate and Resolution Settings
4K / 2160p @60 fps
- Resolution: 3840x2160p
- Video Bitrate Range: 20,000–51,000 Kbps
4K / 2160p @30 fps
- Resolution: 3840x2160p
- Video Bitrate Range: 13,000–34,000 Kbps
1440p @60 fps
- Resolution: 2560×1440
- Video Bitrate Range: 9,000–18,000 Kbps
1440p @30 fps
- Resolution: 2560×1440
- Video Bitrate Range: 6,000–13,000 Kbps
1080p @60 fps
- Resolution: 1920×1080
- Video Bitrate Range: 4,500–9,000 Kbps
1080p
- Resolution: 1920×1080
- Video Bitrate Range: 3,000–6,000 Kbps
720p @60 fps
- Resolution: 1280×720
- Video Bitrate Range: 2,250–6,000 Kbps
720p
- Resolution: 1280×720
- Video Bitrate Range: 1,500–4,000 Kbps
480p
- Resolution: 854×480
- Video Bitrate Range: 500–2,000 Kbps
360p
- Resolution: 640×360
- Video Bitrate Range: 400–1,000 Kbps
240p
- Resolution: 426×240
- Video Bitrate Range: 300–700 Kbps
YouTube also suggests the following encoder settings based on your needs and provides some advanced settings to further optimize your streaming.
Recommended Encoder Settings
- Protocol: RTMP Streaming
- Video codec:
- H.264, 4.1 for up to 1080p 30 FPS
- H.264, 4.2 for 1080p 60 FPS
- H.264, 5.0 for 1440p 30 FPS
- H.264, 5.1 for 1440p 60 FPS
- H.264, 5.1 for 2160p 30 FPS
- H.264, 5.2 for 2160p 60 FPS
- Frame rate: Up to 60 fps
- Keyframe frequency: 2-4 seconds
- Audio codec: AAC or MP3
- Bitrate encoding: CBR
Recommended Advanced Settings
- Pixel aspect ratio: Square
- Frame types: Progressive Scan, 2 B-Frames, 1 Reference Frame
- Entropy coding: CABAC
- Audio sample rate: 44.1 KHz
- Audio bitrate: 128 Kbps stereo
If all of this technical jargon seems overwhelming, and you’re unsure which settings are right for you, you can’t go wrong with 720p and 30 FPS. It strikes a balance between quality and performance, and most viewers won’t notice the difference compared to higher quality options.
You can also rely on the automatic variable bitrate option to determine the best settings, which is a lifesaver for streamers who want to jump right into streaming without worrying about adjusting the settings.