What is Bitrate in Video and Why It Matters for Video Quality

Have you ever watched a video that looked pixelated or laggy? That could be because of its bitrate. But what exactly is bitrate in video, and why does it matter? In this guide, we’ll break down the concept of video bitrate, how it impacts video quality, and how to adjust it for a better viewing experience.

Whether you’re a content creator, a streamer, or just curious about improving your video quality, this article will give you all the insights you need.

GUIDE LIST

Part 1. What is Video Bitrate

Part 2. How Does Bitrate Affect Video Quality

Part 3. What is the Best Bitrate for Streaming Video

Part 4. How to Check Video Bitrate

Part 5. How to Adjust Video Bitrate

Part 1. What is Video Bitrate

Video bitrate is the amount of data that gets processed every second in a video file, and it’s typically measured in kilobits per second (kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps). You can imagine it like water moving through a hose; if the bitrate is higher, more data is flowing, which leads to improved video quality. Bitrate determines how much information is sent to your screen each second. A higher bitrate results in a clearer and more detailed video, while a lower bitrate can lead to issues like blurriness or pixelation.

Part 2. How Does Bitrate Affect Video Quality

Bitrate is crucial in determining a video's clarity, smoothness, and overall quality. Let’s dive into the details of how it impacts video quality:

1. Video Clarity and Detail

A higher bitrate means that more data can be handled every second, which leads to clearer images and better visual details. This is really crucial for high-definition videos like 1080p and 4K. On the flip side, lower bitrates can cause the visuals to look blurry or pixelated.

2. Compression Artifacts

Compression artifacts like blockiness, banding, and pixelation become noticeable when a video has a low bitrate. These artifacts occur because there isn’t enough data to represent the visual information accurately.

3. Smoothness of Playback

A video with an adequate bitrate will play smoothly without stuttering. If the bitrate is too low for the resolution and frame rate, you may experience choppy playback.

4. File Size

Higher bitrates produce larger file sizes because more data is stored per second. While this improves video quality, it also requires more storage space. Conversely, lower bitrates reduce file size but may compromise visual quality.

5. Streaming Quality

Bitrate directly affects streaming performance. Choosing the correct bitrate for streaming platforms ensures that viewers with varying internet speeds can enjoy a smooth experience. A high bitrate might result in buffering for users with slower connections, while a low bitrate could degrade the video quality.

Examples:

• Video Bitrate for 1080p: Typically ranges between 5,000 and 10,000 kbps.

• Video Bitrate for 720p: Usually between 2,500 and 5,000 kbps.

• 4K Video Bitrate: Often 25,000 kbps or higher.

Striking the right balance:

Getting the perfect mix of bitrate and video quality is super important. You can use a bitrate calculator to figure out the best settings for what you need. Keep in mind the type of content, the resolution, and how you plan to deliver it, whether it's streaming or playing locally. Plus, you can adjust the video resolution to match the bitrate.

Part 3. What is the Best Bitrate for Streaming Video

Choosing the best bitrate for streaming video depends on your internet connection and the platform’s requirements. Different platforms have recommended settings for optimal streaming.

Here are the video bitrate requirements for popular platforms:

Part 4. How to Check Video Bitrate

Want to check a video’s bitrate? Here’s a step-by-step guide to checking the video bitrate on both Windows and Mac computers.

On Windows:

On Mac:

This simple method helps you quickly identify the video bitrate to ensure it meets your quality standards.

Part 5. How to Adjust Video Bitrate

If your video bitrate isn’t optimal, you can easily adjust it using ArkThinker Video Converter Ultimate. It is a video and audio bitrate converter to change the bitrate of MP4, MOV, MKV, WMV, AVI, FLV, and more. It enables you to adjust the video bitrate from auto value to 4000 kbps. Besides, if you want to improve the video quality, the video enhancement feature is a good option.

Here’s a detailed step-by-step guide on how to change the video bitrate using ArkThinker Video Converter Ultimate:

To upload the video you want to adjust the bitrate for, just click the Add Files button on the main screen. You can also simply drag and drop the video file right into the program window.

If you are unsure which format to choose, MP4 is widely supported and commonly used.

Here, you will find various options for adjusting the video parameters, including bitrate, resolution, frame rate, etc.

Find the Bitrate setting. Usually, there’s a drop-down menu or a box where you can type in the bitrate yourself. If you want better quality, choose a higher bitrate, but if you want to make the file smaller, go for a lower one.

The software usually offers some preset choices (like Auto or 4000 kbps), or you can just enter the bitrate number in kilobits per second (kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps).

Then, just hit the Convert All button to kick off the conversion. The program will handle the video and save the new file with the updated bitrate settings.

Tips:

• Quality vs. Size: To shrink your file size, consider decreasing the bitrate a little at a time. Make sure to check the quality of the output each time so you can find a good balance between quality and size.

• Matching Platform Requirements: Some streaming platforms or devices may have specific bitrate recommendations for optimal playback. Check these guidelines if you're preparing a video for upload.

Conclusion