Bitrate

The bitrate setting affects stream quality in Moonbeam as it directly represents the amount of data transmitted per second.

Setting Bitrate

You can set the maximum bitrate for your stream using the --max-bitrate option:

moonbeam --max-bitrate 20000 stream MyHost "My Game"

Moonbeam adjusts stream bandwidth up to 20 Mbps. It scales down based on network conditions or lower resolution/FPS needs.

Note

• The --bitrate option is an alias for --max-bitrate. Both options function identically.
• Bitrate values are specified in Kbps (kilobits per second). So 20000 represents 20 Mbps.

Automatic Calculation

If you don’t specify a max bitrate, Moonbeam will automatically calculate an appropriate bitrate based on the resolution and FPS settings. This calculation takes into account:

1. The maximum resolution you’ve set (or your display’s native resolution if not specified)
2. The maximum FPS you’ve set (or your display’s refresh rate if not specified)
3. Your current network conditions

Tip

For most users, allowing Moonbeam to automatically calculate the bitrate will provide the best balance of quality and performance.

Best Practices

1. Network Speed: Set your max bitrate to no more than 70-80% of your upload speed (on the host) and download speed (on the client) to leave headroom for other network traffic and to account for fluctuations.

2. Resolution and FPS Considerations: Higher resolutions and frame rates require higher bitrates. As a rough guide:

   • 1080p60: 10-20 Mbps
   • 1440p60: 20-40 Mbps
   • 4K60: 40-80 Mbps

3. Game Type Considerations:

   • Fast-paced games with lots of motion (e.g., FPS, racing) benefit from higher bitrates.
   • Slower-paced games (e.g., strategy, RPGs) can often look good at lower bitrates.

4. Visual Quality vs. Latency: Higher bitrates generally provide better visual quality but can increase latency. Find a balance that works for your game and network.

Caution

Setting a bitrate that’s too high for your network can result in increased latency, frame drops, or connection instability. Always ensure your network can handle the bitrate you set.