Does your/your guest's video look clear inside the StreamYard studio while streaming, and blurry on the live broadcast/recording? Issues like this are usually due to a poor or unstable internet connection.
On StreamYard the quality of each person's video/audio feed is dependent on their own individual internet connection. This way, if the host of the stream has a poor connection, it will not impact the guests (and vice versa). This also means if a certain participant in the studio is suffering from quality issues, they will need to troubleshoot their own connection on their end.
Test your Internet
In order to stream with StreamYard we recommend a minimum of 5-10 mb/s upload and download speed. Also- it's important to note that a stable connection is much more important than a quick one while streaming. If your connection is unstable and drops out or becomes slower at times, you may still encounter quality issues in your stream even if you have good speeds.
Speed Test
Head to this internet speed test site: https://www.speedtest.net/ , and click "Go". Once the test is done running, your results will appear. Take note of your Upload/Download speed. You will want to be sure they are at least 5-10mb/s.
Stability Test
Speeds looking good? Test your packet-loss next.
A packet-loss test measures 2 things. Firstly, it measure how much of the information (packets) that your computer sends to our servers is dropped/lost, and how much of it arrives late. Ideally, your packet loss is as close to 0 as possible. Dropped or lost packets will cause quality related issues in your stream. Secondly, this test will also measure the latency in your connection. Latency is the amount of time that it takes for information sent from your network to reach our servers. Ideally, your latency should be at or below 100ms.
Click on this packet-loss test link here: https://packetlosstest.com/
- Scroll down the Test Settings section, and click on the drop down menu next to "Or select a Preset Approximation".
- From the menu that appears, choose "720p H264 WebRTC Stream". This will make sure that the packet-loss test correctly tests internet conditions for live streaming video.
- For your server option, ensure that "Georgia" or "New Jersey" are chosen. StreamYard's servers are all US based, so choosing one of these will give the most accurate picture of the health of your connection to our servers.
- Click Start! Your test will run. If done correctly, it will send and receive 2840 packets. Here is an example of what good results from the test look like. The packet-loss numbers say 0, and the latency remains below 100ms (represented by that red horizontal line).
- Here is what bad results look like. Notice the packet-loss, and the latency spikes above 100ms. This would indicate instability in the connection.
Troubleshooting Steps
Here are a few tips we recommend to try and troubleshoot internet related issues:
1. Plug in via Ethernet
On StreamYard, the stability of the connection is much more important than a quick one. Since Wifi is wireless, at times your connection to your modem can be unstable, or affected by your distance to it. Try plugging in directly via ethernet if possible. If you are unable to, try bringing the router as close to you as possible. If you are already plugged in via ethernet it's possible a cord or port may be faulty. Try swapping out your ethernet cord, and plugging it into a different port on your router/computer.
2. Close extra tabs/apps
Having extra tabs/applications open on your computer can affect StreamYard's performance. Try closing fully out of any extra/unnecessary tabs and applications that may be open, to help improve the performance of your device.
3. Try using an Incognito/Private window in your browser.
Sometimes certain extensions you may have installed, or cached data in your browser can affect StreamYard. Try opening an incognito/private window in your browser and test streaming from there to see if you experience an improvement in quality!
Note- we do not recommend using an Incognito/Private window if you have Local Recordings enabled for your broadcast as it can greatly reduce the storage allocation of the browser. If you plan to do local recordings, skip this step.
How to open an incognito window in Chrome
How to open a Private window in Firefox
4. Switch browsers.
Our recommended browsers are Google Chrome and Firefox. Sometimes, switching the browser you are using can have an impact on the quality of your stream. If you are using Chrome, try switching to Firefox (and vice versa).
5. Restart your computer and router.
If you are experiencing connectivity issues when you believe you shouldn't be, restarting your devices is a great way to reset everything. You can do this by turning off/unplugging your computer and router and turning it back on again. Some routers also have a "Reset" button on them that you can push.
6. Disable your VPN/Firewall/Proxy.
If you are running a VPN/Firewall/Proxy, or are on a connection at a place of work and using a work-provided device, there may be security implementations that are affecting StreamYard's ability to function. Try disabling these and connecting to StreamYard again. More information about using StreamYard with a Firewall/Proxy can be found here.
7. Check for any System Updates
An out of date operating system, or browser may be affecting your functionality. Check your computer's settings, and browser settings to make sure you are updated to the latest version.
8. Try a different network/device.
Sometimes your network/device itself may just be having issues. Try switching to a different network or device to see if your quality improves.
9. Contact your Internet Service Provider.
If everything seems as it should be, but your speed and packet-loss test results are still indicating poor stability/speed in your connection, there may be an issue with your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Try reaching out to them to see if there may be outages or high throttling detected in your local area!