Here’s All You Need to Know before Purchasing an Encoder for Live Streaming

All live events begin with the encoded stream that a live-streaming encoder produces. Now, if you are about to live stream any event, you know that you will need an encoder, but you might not be sure about what encoder is the right choice for your internet video broadcasting.
You have nothing to worry about because you’ve come to the right place. Read on to know all about choosing the right encoder for your live-streaming needs.
Are All Encoders Made The Same Way?
Different live-streaming encoders are made for unique purposes. Given below is a detailed breakdown of the four major differentiators:

1. Hardware
Hardware encoders are the devices that are made to compress and decompress the video data for the purpose of live-streaming. All the processing power, in this case, is solely dedicated to encoding, which controls any lags or buffers at the time of streaming.
Software encoders are cheaper than the hardware counterparts, and they are also easier to modify or update. Since updating codecs can turn to be a major pain, having the right hardware encoder is very important.

2. Software
Software encoders happen to be downloadable programs that can run on computer devices. These are usually customizable and priced reasonably. Speed is usually the major drawback of the software encoders. As they run on systems that are already busy, they might find it hard to use similar processing power to the hardware encoders.
3. Video Data Format
Regardless of whether its software or hardware, the live stream encoders depend on codecs to get the video data in the right format. Codec refers to the tool that helps to process video data and place it in the byte stream. A codec compresses the video file size only to get it decompressed in the stream.
Various types of codecs exist, with each one doing the job a bit differently. When you invest in top-notch quality video encoders, you can be assured of getting the best codec, as well.
Based on the codec, the process will have either a low-end or lossless compression. The simplest explanation of low-end is that the streaming quality is lower than the original quality offered by the camera. And, lossless is when the stream retains its quality.

4. Audio Data Format
Audio encoding has only two popular formats, namely, MPEG Audio Layer III (MP3) and Advanced Audio Encoding (AAC). Both of these formats are good enough, and it ultimately depends on the commonly used viewing device among your target audience.
Choosing The Right Encoder For Live Streaming
You will have to keep a couple of things in mind when it comes to choosing the right encoder as per your need.
Understand What The Streaming Service Needs
You should check with the live-streaming service to know more about the compatible encoders. At times streaming services use their own codec, even though you mostly get loads of options. Therefore, it’s important to check before buying.
Know The Significance Of Portability
Though any good quality encoder available these days have enough portability, it is still crucial to understand how important portability is for an encoder. Do you want to carry around a huge box for each event? Or, do you want to go for a software encoder that is easy and weightless?
Regardless of the option that you go for, the important things to remember are streaming quality and speed.
Have A List Of Necessary Functionalities And Features
You will need a couple of features to make sure that your stream is of top-notch quality. Here are some of the options that you need to look into:

● Multi-bitrate
● Multi-camera switching
● Closed captioning
● Graphics and live replays

Do Not Go Beyond Your Budget
Encoders come in a wide price range, but you will have to make sure that you don’t go outside your budget. There is no point in spending thousands of dollars extra on a product when you can get all the features you need on a cheaper model.

Endnote
So, now you have all the information that you need in order to make the right choice in buying an encoder that meets your needs. It’s time to take a look at your product options and take your pick.