{"id":8581,"date":"2023-06-08T12:32:09","date_gmt":"2023-06-08T12:32:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mslive.co.in\/blog\/?p=8581"},"modified":"2023-08-26T10:34:19","modified_gmt":"2023-08-26T10:34:19","slug":"managed-dedicated-live-streaming-server-in-chennai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.mslive.co.in\/blog\/managed-dedicated-live-streaming-server-in-chennai\/","title":{"rendered":"Dedicated Streaming Server Providers in Chennai"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Most conversations about live stream<\/a> quality automatically jump to the visual aspects. We talk about crisp images without any buffering or lag. Although it is often forgotten, audio<\/a> is an equally important component of the viewer experience.<\/p>

In order to maintain the quality of your live stream\u2019s audio<\/a>, you need to make sure that you are using the best audio codec<\/a> setting when encoding the file.<\/p>

This article will review the basics and help you solidify your knowledge of the best audio codec<\/a> settings for online video streaming<\/a>. We\u2019ll go over what exactly an audio codec is, in addition to some common audio codecs<\/a>. We will also discuss some other audio settings including audio bitrate, channels, and so on.<\/p>

Equipped with this information, you\u2019ll be able to make an informed decision about which audio codec<\/a> to use for streaming live video<\/a>.<\/p>

Let\u2019s get started.<\/p>

What is an Audio Codec?<\/strong><\/p>

\"\"<\/p>

The word \u201ccodec<\/a>\u201d is short for \u201ccoder\/decoder.\u201d<\/p>

The term codec is a portmanteau that combines the words \u201ccoder\u201d and \u201cdecoder.\u201d A codec<\/a> is a standard or tool for encoding and decoding multimedia files.<\/p>

\u201cRAW\u201d or uncompressed audio<\/a> files are recorded using techniques that capture as much data as possible. This provides very high quality but results in very large file sizes that aren\u2019t practical for live streaming<\/a>.<\/p>

To make audio files smaller and easier to distribute, we use a codec<\/a>.<\/p>

The first thing a codec<\/a> does is encode an audio<\/a> file. This encoding involves tossing out extra information to reduce file sizes while maintaining as much quality as possible. This process involves a sequence of complex mathematical functions.<\/p>

The second role of a codec is decoding, which is essentially playing back an audio<\/a> file that has previously been encoded. To make a complex process very simple, this means reversing the math done during the encoding step.<\/p>

In short, an audio codec<\/a> is a protocol for compressing digital audio to save space and for playing back with the video.<\/p>

Common Audio Codecs<\/strong><\/p>

There are several common audio codecs<\/a> available for use. However, MP3<\/a> and ACC are the most common.<\/p>

There is a wide range of audio codecs available today. However, not all audio codecs<\/a> are equally supported.<\/p>

Some devices may support one audio codec<\/a>, but not another. Some provide better quality, while others focus on compression above all else.<\/p>

These are important considerations when it comes to deciding on the best audio codec<\/a> for a given situation. Let\u2019s go over a few of the most common and best audio codecs.<\/p>

1. MP3<\/strong><\/p>

The most well-known audio<\/a> format is probably MP3<\/a>, which is technically called MPEG-2 Audio Layer III.<\/p>

Originally introduced in the 1990s, MP3 revolutionized digital audio<\/a>. Files were much smaller than the previous formats, allowing them to be streamed and downloaded over the internet.<\/p>

MP3<\/a> also helped push the era of portable digital music past the CD era by enabling iPods and other early \u201cMP3 players.\u201d It is still widely used today.<\/p>

2. AAC<\/strong><\/p>

Developed a few years after MP3<\/a>, AAC built on the success of that format but increased compression efficiency.<\/p>

AAC<\/a> generally provides better audio quality at the same bitrate as MP3 or comparable quality at lower bitrates.<\/p>

AAC has been upgraded several times. The latest version of the standard is HE-AAC. It is a closed source format but is probably the most widely used audio codec<\/a> on the internet today. It is supported by most video streaming platforms<\/a>.<\/p>

3. WAV (LPCM)<\/strong><\/p>

WAV, which is short for \u201cWaveform Audio<\/a> File Format,\u201d was originally released more than 25 years ago.<\/p>

It is known to be primarily used on Windows<\/a> computers to store uncompressed audio in the LPCM format.<\/p>

4. WMA<\/strong><\/p>

Another codec on the market, albeit one that is becoming less common, is WMA\u2014Windows Media Audio<\/a>. This codec was developed as an alternative to MP3<\/a> but has become somewhat of a niche product.<\/p>

The Best Audio Codec<\/strong><\/p>

\"\"<\/p>

ACC is currently the best audio codec<\/a> for professional broadcasting<\/a>.<\/p>

We believe that AAC is the best audio codec<\/a> for most situations. AAC is supported by a wide range of devices and software platforms<\/a>, including iOS, Android, macOS, Windows<\/a>, and Linux. Other devices such as Smart TVs and set-top boxes also support AAC.<\/p>

Besides wide support, AAC<\/a> also has the advantage of better audio quality compared to MP3<\/a>. Blind listening tests generally show that AAC is the best codec available for general use.<\/p>

This may change in the future as Opus becomes more broadly supported. However, hardware and software changes move slowly. That day is likely still a few years away.<\/p>

For internet video<\/a>, AAC is the best audio codec for live streaming<\/a> as well as video on demand<\/a>. This is generally configured via settings in your hardware or software encoder.<\/p>

Recommended Audio Bitrate for Streaming<\/strong><\/p>

Bitrate refers to the amount of data contained in a digital media file per second of that media. Typically measured in Kbps (Kilobits per second), the audio bitrate can often be a stand-in for quality.<\/p>

All else being equal, an AAC audio<\/a> file that\u2019s encoded at a bitrate of 192 Kbps will sound better than one encoded at 64 Kbps.<\/p>

Our recommended audio bitrates for video<\/a>, when using AAC, our recommendation for the best audio codec<\/a>, are as follows:<\/p>