How To Stream Using HEVC and Solo PRO

This guide includes some pointers to stream using the HEVC video codec from your Solo PRO.

About HEVC

HEVC is the next generation codec after H.264.  It is also known as H.265, but more commonly referred to as HEVC.  It is roughly twice as efficient as H.264, meaning that at half the bit rate as compared to H.264, you should visually see the same quality.  This is more noticeable at both low bit rates and at high resolutions like 4K.  At high bit rates of 1080p or less, the advantages of HEVC will be somewhat less noticeable.

HEVC and SRT

RTMP as a protocol, only support H.264.  Some software and services have opted to support HEVC in RTMP via some non-universal changes, but this leaves each service to implement this technique in its own way.  

Rather than support that, your LiveU Solo PRO and LRT subscription support the streaming protocol Secure Reliable Transport or SRT.  SRT can easily carry HEVC.

This means that if you want to stream from your Solo PRO using HEVC, you must use the SRT-OUT-Caller destination type. This is the only current destination type where you will see HEVC as an option.

Select HEVC on the SRT Destination Setup Page

For more information about using the SRT destination page, see the article on setting up an SRT destination.  

On that page, you will see a simple selector to choose between HEVC and H.264.  If your target destination supports receiving HEVC, such as OBS or vMix, give it a try!  

The rest of the destination setup remains the same as for the H.264 codec.