A livestream is a real-time broadcast of video or audio over the internet, so viewers watch an event as it happens rather than as a finished recording. Platforms usually add live chat, reactions or donations alongside the video.
Why it matters
Livestreaming is used for gaming, concerts, news, classes, product launches and company meetings. Live delivery is harder than on-demand video because content must be encoded, sent and decoded continuously. There is always some delay between the camera and the viewer, typically a few seconds on standard setups, and reducing it costs stability or requires special low-latency protocols.
Example
A streamer captures their screen with broadcasting software and sends it to a platform at 6,000 kbps. The platform converts the stream into several qualities and distributes it. Viewers on mobile get a lower quality version, and a chat message can arrive on screen a few seconds after the action it refers to.
Common mistakes
- Choosing a bitrate above the real upload speed, which causes dropped frames.
- Streaming over unstable Wi-Fi when a wired connection is available.
- Forgetting that live chat is moderated content and needs rules and tools.
Related
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