Each video uploaded to Stream will end up with a slightly different set of resolutions and bitrates used for streaming, to ensure that we're using bandwidth wisely and only using more bits when it's needed. To address this variability in video content, Stream measures the characteristics of the uploaded video then recommends bitrate for each rendition. However, a PowerPoint presentation in a video with mostly static text can still get a great viewing experience at a lower bitrate. If a video has lots of motion, it will need to be delivered with a higher bitrate to achieve a great viewing experience. However not all videos are created equal, different types of videos require different bitrates to achieve a high quality viewing experience. The higher the quality of the rendition the more bits it requires. Stream won't generate a resolution of the video that exceeds the resolution of the originally uploaded video.Īfter the number of video qualities or renditions is decided, the next stage is to determine the bitrate for each rendition. If instead the uploaded video is 480p, it will create fewer quality levels (about 3) to step down to the lowest quality version.
Using abr viewer 1080p#
For example, if it's a 1080p or higher video it will create more quality levels (about 6) to step down to the lowest quality version. Stream takes into consideration the original resolution of the video. Stream uses some smarts to determine how it creates the different video qualities and sizes from the original uploaded video to be used for adaptive bitrate streaming.įirst, Stream determines how many different video qualities or renditions should be created for the uploaded video. Smart encoding of uploaded videos for adaptive bitrate streaming During video playback, the video player lets the viewer to manually override the automatic playback quality, to select a specific video playback quality. The adaptive bitrate streaming does all this work in the background while the video plays with the least amount of disruption or buffering. If a viewer is watching on a smaller screen, they'll always get a smaller version of the video. The quality and resolution of the video will also be proportional to the size of the player. When the bandwidth drops, the player streams a low-quality version of the video. When the available bandwidth is high, the player streams a high-quality version of the video. Stream uses HTTPS unicast adaptive bitrate streaming (ABR) to dynamically select the best video playback quality based on the available network bandwidth and size of the video player.ĭuring playback, the player adapts to fluctuations in network conditions and size of the player. Each video file is then encoded to a standard format with several different video qualities and sizes for playback. There are many supported video formats that can be uploaded to Microsoft Stream. In this article Adaptive bitrate streaming