bitrate
Streaming quality metric
Bitrate is the amount of data transmitted per unit of time, typically measured in bits per second (bps) or kilobits per second (kbps).
Higher bitrates generally mean better quality for audio and video: Stream at a higher bitrate if your connection can handle it.
In audio encoding, bitrate determines file size and fidelity—128 kbps sounds compressed while 320 kbps approaches CD quality.
Data compression algorithm
- compressionForcing into smaller space
- losslessRetaining all original information
- lossySacrificing fidelity for size
- encodingConverting data to format
quantization · algorithm · VBR · sampling · kbps · Mbps · Gbps · MP3
Data transmission capacity
- throughputProcessing rate over time
- megabitsMillion-bit data units
- kilobitsThousand-bit data units
- gigabitsBillions of bits
data · upload · download · transfer · speed · latency · packets · network
Data transfer speed measure
- MP3Lossy audio compression standard
- AACSound compression format
- FLACLossless audio compression format
- samplingExtracting subset for study
fidelity · podcast · Spotify · music · stereo · mono · channels · lossy
codec
Data compression algorithm
- compressionForcing into smaller space
- losslessRetaining all original information
- lossySacrificing fidelity for size
encoding · quantization · algorithm · VBR · sampling · kbps · Mbps · Gbps · MP3 · AAC
bandwidth
Data transmission capacity
- throughputProcessing rate over time
- megabitsMillion-bit data units
- kilobitsThousand-bit data units
gigabits · data · upload · download · transfer · speed · latency · packets · network · broadband
kbps
Data transfer speed measure
sampling · fidelity · podcast · Spotify · music · stereo · mono · channels · lossy · lossless
Mbps
Megabits per second
- resolutionFormal decision or determination
- 4KHigh-resolution video standard
- 1080pVideo resolution standard
720p · UHD · HDR · framerate · clarity · sharpness · H.264 · footage · recording · export
buffering
Temporary data accumulation
Twitch · livestream · playback · quality · resolution · 480p · 720p · 1080p · 4K · HDR
- audiosound, headphones, audio track, volume control, sound recording
- videovideo, AVI, clip, footage, film
- Audio/Video Termsstereo, mono, HD, 4K, surround sound
- multimediaaudio, video, images, graphics, animation
- adjustable settingsbrightness, volume, contrast, sensitivity, speed
- Music StreamingSpotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Tidal
bitrateno signal
Communication link absent
silence · dead air · compressed · lossy · degraded
bitratefile size
Storage space occupied
storage capacity · duration · resolution · sample rate · frame rate