This document provides technology and connectivity specifications for venues broadcasting a live stream with Field59 and for users viewing those streams. Following these requirements should result in a clear video experience for viewers.
Venues
- If possible, having a dedicated internet connection for your encoder is preferred. This ensures that there are no other devices connecting to the internet and using upload bandwidth that you need to get your stream out from the venue to our live stream servers.
- If you are on a wired Internet connection using an encoder (like a TriCaster or other computer that takes a video feed in from HDMI or SDI), a minimum of 2 Mbps upload out from the encoder is recommended to ensure a quality stream.
- If a venue is not able to give you a dedicated Internet connection, then the venue’s overall upload bandwidth may need to be much higher. If you can’t get a dedicated connection, when you get to the venue, we recommend doing a speed test (from a website like speedtest.net) on that connection to see what the available upload bandwidth is, and you/we can adjust the stream quality based on what is available. Or depending on what kind of encoder you might be using, some encoders can run their own checks.
- If you are streaming via a wireless connection, you’ll also want to perform a speed test, particularly if that wifi is not dedicated to you. You’ll want to know what the speed test results are showing so that you don’t try to stream at a higher bitrate than can get out of the venue.
Viewers
- The computer or device an end viewer uses to watch the stream should have most up-to-date version of the operating system, browser, and flash player (if viewing on desktop).
- The computer or device also needs an internet connection that can handle downloading the stream — for example, if the Field59 customer stream is outputting 1.5 Mbps and 750 Kbps stream bitrates, then the minimum download bandwidth the end viewer needs should be greater than 750 Kbps. This can be checked at: http://www.speedtest.net/