How much data does it take to stream on twitch:With the increasing price of data, one has to be calculative or intentional in its usage. One of the data-draining activities on Twitch is gaming. You may have been bothered as to how much data it takes to stream on Twitch.
Becoming a regular streamer on Twitch means you’ll have to get an unlimited internet connection. In addition, you’ll need a good download and upload speed. Trust me, streaming with the poor network on Twitch can be very annoying.
In this post, we will be helping you with tips on how to manage your data usage on Twitch. We will also discuss the factors influencing this huge data consumption.
Factors that affect data usage on Twitch
The answer to the question ‘how much data does it take to stream on twitch?’ is not far-fetched. The answer lies in these factors below.
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Bitrate
Bitrate is the term used to describe the amount of data being transferred into audio. That is the number of data bits that are being consumed in a given time. Have in mind that in 1 byte, there are 8 data bits. For a video, the data rate is measured in bits per second. That is if a video file is running at 1 megabyte per second, its bitrate would be eight megabits per second. For higher image quality, you’ll need a higher bitrate.
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Resolution
Resolution is a term used to describe the image size of a video file. The resolution affects image size and not image clarity. A video file with a higher resolution gives you a greater viewing.
However, this does not imply that you’ll have a high-quality image because you have a high-resolution image. The resolution does not determine the quality of your video. The resolution of an image is measured in pixels.
In conjunction, with streaming a video with a resolution of 240p at 0.5mbps bitrate, you will use approximately 225MB of data per hour.
Below is a table indicating data consumption at specific bitrates and resolutions in one streaming hour.
| Bitrate (kbps) | Resolution (p) | Data usage per hour (MB) |
| 400 – 800 | Low 360 | 360 |
| 800 – 1200 | Low 480 | 540 |
| 1200 – 4000 | HD 720 | 1125 |
| 4000 – 8000 | HD 1080 | 1575 |
| 8000 – 14000 | 4K | 7000 |
There’s no one way to determine the exact amount of data you use to stream per hour. This is because the value is influenced by various factors, which include; internet speed, frame rate, bandwidth, etc. However, you can arrive at an average using the figures in the table above.
Note: Streaming on Twitch with a 4k resolution isn’t advisable. This will result in a two-way issue. That is, you’ll have to use up lots of data to avoid buffering. On the other hand, your viewers, on the other hand, will need a strong internet connection to watch your content. Using a lower resolution will be an advantage to both you and your viewers. It will also help you reduce data usage and save data.
How to reduce data usage on Twitch
Below are some of the several ways to reduce your data consumption when streaming on Twitch.
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Change the quality of your video
Changing the video quality to a lower setting will help save data on Twitch. A lower quality video means will require a lower data consumption.
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Compress your data
You can optimize your data by compressing it. Compressing your data means you lower your data usage.
Likewise, compressing your data helps to speed up the loading time of website pages on the internet without altering your video content or quality.
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Reduce your streaming time on Twitch
You’ll definitely consume more data if you spend more time streaming on Twitch. For instance, you can try reducing the number of hours you spend streaming a video game.
This will help you reduce and save the amount of data you would have used to stream on Twitch.
You may be bothered about not being able to attract viewers because your streaming time is now reduced. With great content and scheduled time, you don’t need to bother about attracting viewers.
To know more about how long to stream on Twitch, check out our post on ‘How long can you stream on Twitch?’
How to add panels to a Twitch channel
Panels are used in customizing call-to-action buttons if a Twitch streamer wants to engage viewers outside the Twitch platform.
Hence, as a new broadcaster, you should learn how to add panels to Twitch. However, learning how to customize your channel’s theme is very important for more views.
Below are the steps needed to add panels to Twitch:
Step 1:Create a new panel
On Twitch you can create different panels for different purposes. Although different panels have different goals, these are steps for creating a standard new panel.
- Switch the “Edit Panels” option from OFFto ON. You can find it below your screen.
- Create a new Twitch info panel.
- Click on the + sign
- Add the panel title
- Attach an image link to your panel
- Add a complete description
- Complete the changes by clicking ‘Submit’.
Step 2:Edit your Twitch panels
After following the procedures in step 1 above, you need to modify it to reflect your channel’s niche. Some of the most important recommendations in customizing your Twitch channels include:
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Customize your panel’s size
Ensure that the Twitch panel size is in line with the Twitch guidelines. The optimal size is 320 x 160 pixels.
However, you are free to double the pixel count to 640 x 320 pixels to achieve an HD panel.
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Change the text color to match your channel’s theme
The default color on Twitch is #ffffff, but as a content creator, you have the freedom to change it to any color shade. Use the color input and experiment with different colors.
After this, turn OFF the editing option to check results on the regular page view. If you are not satisfied with the panel’s outlook, go through the editing process again.
Step 3:To organize panels, follow this process
- Ensure that the “Edit Panels” option is ON
- Select the panel you want to move by hovering over it
- Click the panel you wish to move
- Release the panel
- Switch OFF the “Edit Panels” option
At this point, your channel theme should appear more attractive and professional.
Twitch permits you to modify your panel until it suits your taste. You can arrange, organize, and re-organizing your Twitch panels.
Although less customized panels can also attract new viewers to your channel. But, customized panels are helpful in growing your channel.
Conclusion
By now, you should know that the data you consume while streaming is dependent on various factors. Hence, to answer the question ‘How much data does it take to stream on twitch?You’ll have to consider the video quality, length, and elements you used in the video.
To reduce your streaming data, consider watching videos in low resolution, considerably 360p.