How does latency affect streaming video?

Video content is on the rise as more marketers uncover innovative ways to interact with their customers. Internet connectivity largely influences the kind of experience you get when doing live streams. Everyone streaming live wants videos that load faster and that are of a higher quality. One key factor you should be on the lookout for during live video streams is – latency.

Latency when used in reference to internet connectivity relates to how much time it takes for a signal to move from the ISP servers to your devices. When you place a search on your browser, therequestis sent to the servers so that it can retrieve the information you are searching for and send it back to you in milliseconds.

You experience low latency (which is good) when you get access to searched results faster. High latency is when it takes you longer to retrieve information. When you are streaming videos, it is prudent that you search for routers and ISP’s with low latency.

Difference between latency and bandwidth

There is a lot of confusion as to the meaning of these two terms. Some people use them interchangeably but the terms are very different. Bandwidth refers to the maximum capacity that your internet connection carries. ISPs will provide packages with different bandwidths depending on your unique requirements. If you purchase a bandwidth of 100Mbps it means you will de downloading content at that speed.

Most of the time you will not be able to download at the specified bandwidth due to a number of factors like network congestion. Latency refers to the delay you get whenever you send a request to the ISP servers.

How latency affects video streaming

If you have a tend to download a lot of video content online then what you should be looking for is bandwidth. If you get a ISP package with low bandwidth then you are going to experience buffering issues when you downloading a video.

However, latency plays a bigger role in live video streaming than bandwidth. This is because during live streaming there is usually some form of interaction between the audience and the servers. Low latency is also good when you are playing some high level multi-players games online. This helps prevent the lag whenever a quick response is required by a player.

Why do people experience latency during video streaming?

  • Connection type

The first cause of delay in your internet transmission is the connection type. Satellites connection tend to come with high bandwidth but with corresponding high latency. If you want to connect to the internet faster then try fiber and cable. When you are sending a video there is some encoding that takes place. You will experience faster video streams if your encoding channel is capable of optimizing to send a signal faster over a channel.

  • Video formats

The type of video format you are streaming can have a direct effect on how large the file is. It goes that if the file you are streaming is large you are going to experience some form of delay.

  • Distance

Whenever you send a command over the internet it travels through your network, reaches the server, processed and then send back with you. If the distance between the source and the servers is large then it is going to take you longer to stream a video.

While there is no known standard for what a good latency rate should be for streaming videos many who do live shows and video developers claim that a delay of five seconds or less should be considered low. However, most internet connections achieve a latency of around 30 seconds to almost a minute.

Most of the people will not often notice latency when doing live videos however if you are having Q&A sessions where you need a response then latency can be very frustrating. Imagine you have a questionnaire where there is a 30 seconds delay. It means it takes 30 seconds for your viewers to know that there is a questionnaire to be filled, another 30 seconds for you to wait for the results to come out and another 30 seconds to send your response back to your audience.

The situation is worse if you are doing live auctions where you need a fast response. Imagine someone who has a low internet connection making a bid. By the time their response comes, other people have made their bids.

How to reduce your latency

Switch to wired connection

Switch to wired connection

Wi-Fi is prone to congestion and if you are doing lots of live streams or online gaming then the best course of action to reduce latency would be to go with a wired Ethernet connection. Also, if you have been using satellite connection you may want to go with fiber or cable. Satellites are located thousands of miles away from your router and this distance causes high latency. Imagine the stress of every signal you send to and from the satellite.

Reduce connected devices and applications

If you have multiple devices and applications using your internet connection then you are going to experience some form of lag. Instead of having four downloads on your machine while still trying to stream Netflix, close the unnecessary applications and focus on the major ones.

Upgrade hardware

At times the problem of latency will be associated with your hardware. It is the norm for gaming applications to have minimum specifications in regard to RAM and processor speed.

How to improve latency during video streams

Problem
Cause
How Fix it
Commands take time to be activated on screen
High latency
Change to wired connection

Change from satellite to fiber or cable

Video streams with constant buffering
Lag
Close unnecessary applications
Games have significant lag
High latency
Use Ethernet cable for your console, upgrade hardware configurations

Conclusion

We live in a world where we cannot operate without live video streams. It is the main way through which brands communicate with their audience online. Also, many news channels have found ways to broadcast their services online to a wider audience. If you are experiencing lag during live video streams try changing to a wired connection, go for fiber instead of satellite and close unnecessary applications during streams.

FAQ

What is a good latency for video streaming?

For browsing anything below 100ms is considered good, while for gaming aim at 50ms and 30ms is idea for good video streaming

What causes lag during video streaming?

It could be your network is congested or you do not have enough bandwidth

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