Transcoding

What is it?

Transcoding is the platform's process of taking the one video quality the creator sends and converting it into several versions: 1080p, 720p, 480p, 360p, and so on. It's like a publisher receiving one master copy of a book and printing hardcover, paperback, and pocket editions so every reader can afford one.

Practical example

A streamer sends a single 1080p stream to Twitch. Twitch transcodes it into a "quality ladder." A viewer on fiber internet watches it in full 1080p; another viewer on a weak mobile connection in a moving car gets the 360p version — both watch the same show at the same time without buffering.

Key things to know (non-technical)

• It's one of the most expensive parts of running a streaming platform (heavy computing for every live channel, every minute).
• Without it, viewers with slow internet simply can't watch — there's only the original heavy version.
• The set of generated qualities is called a ladder or renditions.
• This is why some platforms only give transcoding to partners/paying channels — it costs them real money per stream.

In Tupic Live

Tupic Live needs a transcoding ladder so a creator's HD broadcast is watchable on every viewer's connection — and quality tiers (e.g., 1080p only on paid plans) can become part of the pricing model.