Hybrid event and live-stream bandwidth calculator.
Work out how much upload your stream really needs, how much to ask the venue for, and what download your remote presenters will use. Every bitrate comes from the platforms' own published encoder settings.
Figures checked 27 October 2026 · Sources listed below
Calculator
Your stream, in Mbps.
| Format | Video bitrate | Dedicated upload to request (2×) |
|---|---|---|
| 720p, 30 fps | 8 Mbps | 17 Mbps |
| 1080p, 30 fps | 14 Mbps | 29 Mbps |
| 1080p, 60 fps | 17 Mbps | 35 Mbps |
| 1440p, 60 fps | 34 Mbps | 69 Mbps |
| 4K, 30 fps | 42 Mbps | 85 Mbps |
| 4K, 60 fps | 50 Mbps | 101 Mbps |
AV team reference table
How to use it
- Pick the format you will actually stream, not the camera's recording format.
- Count only the feeds that leave the venue as separate streams. If a vision mixer cuts between cameras, that is one programme feed.
- Tick every platform the programme goes to at the same time, and say whether the encoder pushes each one itself or hands a single stream to a restream service.
- Add remote presenters who join by video call. Their pictures come in over your download.
- Send the reference table to the venue and ask them to confirm the dedicated upload in writing.
Why venue Wi-Fi is not enough
Wi-Fi is shared. Once delegates arrive, hundreds of phones compete for the same airtime, and the speed you measured in an empty ballroom disappears. A live stream needs a steady upload every second for hours, not a fast burst. Platforms ask for a wired connection: Vimeo recommends Ethernet on a dedicated, unshared network, and LinkedIn asks for at least 10 Mbps upload for a stream of 6 Mbps or less. That is why the calculator adds a planning margin: 2× your total as the figure to request (1.5× if the line is tight), and never less than the minimum upload a platform itself publishes. The spare capacity lets the stream recover after a dropout instead of buffering for viewers.
What to ask the venue AV team
- A dedicated wired line or VLAN for streaming, separate from delegate and exhibitor Wi-Fi, with the upload in the table guaranteed rather than shared.
- Gigabit Ethernet ports at the control desk, and a second, separate line if you are running a backup encoder.
- Outbound RTMP (TCP 1935) and RTMPS (TCP 443) open through the firewall. A static IP is not usually needed for RTMP, because the encoder makes the outgoing connection. Ask only if your workflow receives streams in.
- A full test 24 to 48 hours before the event, on the same port and ideally at the same time of day, streaming to a private or unlisted destination for at least 30 minutes.
Sources and assumptions
Checked 27 October 2026. For planning we use the top of each platform's published range, so the answer errs on the safe side.
- YouTube Live encoder settings: H.264 recommended bitrates of 8 Mbps (720p30 and 720p60), 14 Mbps (1080p30), 17 Mbps (1080p60), 21 Mbps (1440p30), 34 Mbps (1440p60), 42 Mbps (4K30) and 50 Mbps (4K60). AV1 and H.265 need less. YouTube recommends 128 kbps stereo audio and a 2-second keyframe interval.
- LinkedIn Live encoder settings: 720p recommended, 1080p maximum, 30 fps; video 3.5 Mbps recommended, 6 Mbps maximum; at least 10 Mbps upload, which the calculator uses as a minimum whenever LinkedIn is selected.
- Per Meta developer documentation (checked 27 Oct 2026): 1080p60 4.5–9 Mbps, 1080p30 3–6 Mbps, 720p30 1.5–4 Mbps; nothing listed above 1080p.
- Vimeo network configuration for live events: 720p30 at 2.5 Mbps for an upload speed of 4.1–10 Mbps; 1080p30 at 5 Mbps (maximum recommended) and 1080p60 at 9 Mbps (enterprise accounts) for an upload speed of 25.1 Mbps and above. Those upload tiers are used as minimums when Vimeo is selected.
- Zoom system requirements: 1080p group video 3.8 Mbps up and 3.0 Mbps down; 720p 2.6 Mbps up; gallery view receiving 2.0 Mbps for 25 views. Used for Zoom as a destination and for return video calls.
Assumptions: Custom RTMP has no platform figure, so it uses the YouTube recommendation. Platforms that stop at 1080p get a separate 1080p stream; with a restream service, that service has to transcode down. Remote presenters join one video call, and one computer sends the programme back to them; if Zoom is already a destination, they are assumed to be in that same session. Counting 3 Mbps per presenter is our conservative assumption for clean separate feeds, not a published Zoom formula. The calculator covers bandwidth only, not crew, equipment or cost.
FAQ
Bandwidth, answered.
How much upload do I need to stream in 1080p?
For one 1080p, 30 fps programme feed to YouTube, the recommended H.264 bitrate is 14 Mbps plus 128 kbps of audio. With 2× headroom, ask the venue for a dedicated upload of about 29 Mbps. Every extra destination your encoder streams to directly adds its own bitrate.
Does streaming to several platforms at once need more bandwidth?
Yes, if the encoder sends a separate stream to each platform, because the upload adds up. If the encoder sends one stream to a restream service that forwards it, the venue upload stays at one stream per feed.
Why add 1.5× to 2× headroom?
Speed tests measure short bursts, while a stream needs a steady rate for hours. Spare capacity absorbs dips on the line and lets the encoder catch up after a dropout. Vimeo advises setting the bitrate well below your available upload, and LinkedIn asks for 10 Mbps upload for a stream of 6 Mbps or less.
Do we need a static IP address for live streaming?
Not usually. RTMP and RTMPS streams are pushed out from the encoder to the platform, so a normal outbound connection with TCP ports 1935 and 443 open is enough. A static IP matters only if your setup needs to receive streams or remote access from outside.
Planning a hybrid programme and would rather not handle the venue network yourself? See how our event live streaming works, or send us your programme.