Skip to main content

Troubleshoot live streaming Issues

This article outlines common issues that may arise while you are streaming live or hosting a live event on Vimeo and how to troubleshoot them. 

In this article:

Supported encoder settings

No matter what encoder you are using, make sure it's configured to the settings listed below based on your Vimeo plan type.

Advanced and Premium plans:

  • Codec: H.264
  • Output resolution: 1920 x 1080 (maximum)
  • Bitrate: 5000kbps (maximum)
  • Frame rate: 30 FPS (maximum)
  • Key frame interval: 2 seconds

Enterprise accounts with the Events feature added:

  • Codec: H.264
  • Output resolution: 1920x1080 (maximum)
  • Frame rate: 60 FPS (maximum)
  • Bitrate: 9000Kbps (maximum)
  • Key frame interval: 2 seconds

Web-based production tool lag

If you are streaming via our web-based production tool and experience lag or slow responsiveness, these issues can often be resolved by clearing your browser's cache. If you don't know how to do that, here's a site that can provide guidance based on your operating system and browser that you use.

Common issues with software encoders

The first indication of an encoder problem is if your encoder doesn’t read a changing bitrate while you are broadcasting. Where you can find bitrate information will depend on your encoding software. In OBS, for example, the bitrate can be found in the bottom right corner of the window.

If you notice your bitrate is constant (or at 0 kb/s), this may mean your encoder settings are incorrect or your encoder needs to be reset. 

You should also check CPU usage and frames-per-second (FPS) to develop a better understanding of how well your software is encoding your stream. If your CPU is averaging above 75%, close all applications other than your broadcasting software (and a browser with the broadcast view open). If all other programs are closed and your CPU is still averaging upwards of 75%, try restarting the encoder software.

If you continue to have issues, check your encoder settings to make sure the source inputs from your camera or capture card are consistent with your encoder settings. For example, if you are recording at 30FPS in your camera, make sure you are streaming at 30FPS in your encoder. For your stream to function on Vimeo, it must have a maximum resolution of 1920x1080 and 60FPS. We also recommend a force key frame duration of 2 seconds.

If you are still experiencing issues with your stream, please contact us with a detailed description of your encoder settings and equipment.

Common hardware issues when streaming

Your hardware encoder should generally be able to dedicate all its CPU usage toward your live stream, so most problems will be related to your settings. If a stream isn’t connecting, and you are not seeing a changing bitrate, make sure your stream is set to a maximum resolution of 1920x1080, a maximum frame rate of 60FPS, and a force keyframe of 2 seconds. If your stream exceeds these limits, it will be rejected by the streaming server. 

If these settings are all correct and your stream is still not connecting, try restarting your machine and setting up your stream again (you should be able to reconnect to the same RTMP URL and Stream Key).

If a complete machine restart doesn't fix your issues, please contact us with a detailed explanation of your broadcast equipment and settings.

Common network problems when streaming

If you’re certain your broadcast settings are correct, but your stream is still not showing up in the broadcaster view, you may have a network connection problem.

Network issues can be tricky to resolve, as they often require input from a third party to solve.

If you suspect your stream is encountering a network issue, please contact us with your external IP address, a link to your upload speed test results, and a detailed description of your broadcast equipment.

In order to avoid losing content to a network connection issue, you should make sure to always record your stream locally through your encoder in addition to the archive on Vimeo.

Related articles