While circumstances can vary from network to network the general rule of thumb is as follows:
Have twice the amount of upload bandwidth available as you will need for your stream. Go to speedtest.net to determine your upload speed.
- Example: If you want to stream a video at 1.5mb you would want (at the minimum) 3mb of upload and more will only help.
The BoxCaster, BoxCaster Pro and Broadcaster automatically set the bitrate for your broadcast depending on the available bandwidth at the start time of your live stream.
Below are BoxCast upload speeds for each device (minimum and maximum bitrates each device will send as well as the target bitrate we would like to see to get that specific quality level). Bear in mind, these are the speeds the unit itself will send. So, as stated above, multiply by 2 for minimum recommended upload speeds on your network itself (e.g. if you would like to send 720p using an HDSD2 we would like to be able to send that signal at 3.5Mbps and your network would need to have at least 7Mbps available to safely achieve that).
Minimum Upload Speeds
| Resolution | Min Bitrate | Target Bitrate | Max Bitrate |
| 480p | 700 kbps | 1.5 Mbps | 4.9 Mbps |
| 720p | 1.5 Mbps | 3.0 Mbps | 4.9 Mbps |
| 1080p | 3.0 Mbps | 4.0 Mbps | 4.9 Mbps |
BoxCaster HDSD2
| Resolution | Min Bitrate | Target Bitrate | Max Bitrate |
| 480p | 300 kbps | 2.5 Mbps | 4.8 Mbps |
| 720p | 300 kbps | 3.5 Mbps | 4.8 Mbps |
| 1080p | 300 kbps | 4.0 Mbps | 4.8 Mbps |
BoxCaster Pro
| Resolution | Min Bitrate | Target Bitrate | Max Bitrate |
| 720p30 (HEVC) | 500 kbps | 4.0 Mbps | 6.0 Mbps |
| 720p60 (HEVC) | 800 kbps | 6.0 Mbps | 9.0 Mbps |
| 1080p30 (HEVC) | 1.0 Mbps | 8.0 Mbps | 12.0 Mbps |
| 1080p60 (HEVC) | 1.5 Mbps | 12.0 Mbps | 18.0 Mbps |
RTMP
| Resolution | Min Bitrate | Target Bitrate | Max Bitrate |
| 720p30 | 1.0 Mbps | 4.0 Mbps | 6.0 Mbps |
| 720p60 | 1.5 Mbps | 6.0 Mbps | 9.0 Mbps |
| 1080p30 | 2.0 Mbps | 8.0 Mbps | 12.0 Mbps |
| 1080p60 | 3.0 Mbps | 12.0 Mbps | 18.0 Mbps |
Broadcaster App
| Resolution | Min Bitrate | Target Bitrate | Max Bitrate |
| 720p30 | 1.0 Mbps | 4.0 Mbps | 6.0 Mbps |
| 720p60 | 1.5 Mbps | 6.0 Mbps | 9.0 Mbps |
| 1080p30 | 2.0 Mbps | 8.0 Mbps | 12.0 Mbps |
| 1080p60 | 3.0 Mbps | 12.0 Mbps | 18.0 Mbps |
These are just general recommendations and the optimal upload speed and bitrate depend on the type of content that you are streaming. Other conditions to consider are the BoxCaster's optimal settings for HD broadcast and the HEVC compatibility of iOS devices with the Broadcaster app.
Bear in mind that your upload speed is the most important factor in streaming video but it is not the ONLY factor. Equipment in your network setup (ethernet cables, switches, routers, modems) all play an important part in reliably delivering video data.
Check out this video for more information!