Bitrate

In media streaming, for example, the quality of audio/video is essential in ensuring a good user experience. Imagine you just boarded a public transport at its station and started using the wi-fi in it.

At the transport station, the wi-fi signal seems fine, and you can watch a movie with high-quality audio and video. After the transport took off, you noticed and experienced buffering and poor video quality when watching the film with the same wi-fi.

Also, as the transport moves across the city, the video and audio quality becomes normal at some locations. This situation is due to changes in the wi-fi signals, which produce adaptive or variable Bitrate streaming. Increasing Bitrate can result in a better audio and video streaming experience. However, doing so has trade-offs, like an increase in bandwidth consumption.

What is a Bitrate?

Bitrate refers to the number of bits of information that can be transferred over the internet at a particular time. Bitrate is measured in bits. One byte consists of eight bits of data. Depending on the size of the data, bitrate can be in kilobytes per second (Kbps) or megabytes per second (Mbps). Using a video file, for example, its bitrate is defined as the amount of data in the video that can be processed per second at a specific time. The higher the bitrate of the video, the better its quality.

Determining what bitrate to use depends on several factors. The table below demonstrates the bitrate settings YouTube recommends uploading Standard Definition Range (SDR) videos.

Benefits of Bitrate

Flexibility: Depending on the use case, developers can implement constant or variable bitrates for their applications. These options help choose a constant bitrate for situations whereby an increase in bitrate causes increased bandwidth consumption.
Accessible and scalable: In VoIP communication, for example, the Bitrate can be adjusted for some call participants who do not have a good internet connection and poor bandwidth. Changing the Bitrate for these participants helps to scale communication to many people.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the impact of using a higher or lower Bitrate value for VoIP calls?

An increase in Bitrate can improve a call's quality. However, that can also cause buffering and inability to sync audio with video. A lower bitrate can result in buffering and poor color and video quality.

How can Bitrate be implemented in apps?

The implementation of Bitrate can be done programmatically so that it is automatically adjusted based on the users' network condition and device capabilities. Alternatively, Bitrate-integrated applications can provide an option to assist users in configuring the Bitrate themselves.

Is there a specific amount of Bitrate for improving audio and video quality in VoIP calls?

The amount of specified Bitrate depends on the type of VoIP application. For example, the Bitrate required for providing users the best quality livestreaming may differ from that of a video calling or audio room application.

How does Bitrate differ from Frame Rate?

Bitrate refers to the number of bits of data transmitted per second through a network. On the other hand, frame rate is the number of frames displayed per second. When working with video, the Bitrate and frame rate should always balance to produce the best quality.

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