YouTube expands 4K live streaming feature to regular & 360-degree videos

Aiming to raise the benchmark for live-streaming videos, YouTube has enabled support for 4K live streams to broadcast regular and 360-degree videos in ultra-high definition.

“4K video isn’t just a little different from HD video; it’s a giant leap,” YouTube senior product manager Kurt Wilms wrote in an official blog post. “It shows 8 million pixels total, with an image that has four times more image definition than even 1080p video.

4K video, which was initially introduced in 2010 by the Google-owned video platform, now allows all YouTubers and media partners to stream 4K live content with up to 60 fps. Users can watch 4K live streams via YouTube’s apps for smart TVs, desktop PCs and dedicated 4K streaming devices like Google’s Chromecast Ultra.

"Live streams look better, show a more detailed, crisper picture, and aren’t as blurry when there’s fast action on screen. Basically, 4K makes everything better to look at. And because we support 4K at up to 60 frames per second, creators can make content that looks silky smooth, and more realistic than ever before", says Kurt Wilms, Senior Product Manager, YouTube.

If you want to enjoy four times the quality of 1080p for live-streaming, that means you’ll need a four-times faster Internet to broadcast it. YouTube suggests that 4K at 30fps videos should have a bitrate ranging from 13,000 to 34,000Kbps, which is equivalent to 13-33Mbps as your Internet upload speed.

YouTube will debut the 4K live streams with Game Awards happening today. The video game awards show will feature a live performance of iconic hip-hop duo 'Run the Jewels' as well as premieres of a number of video games, including “Mass Effect: Andromeda” and “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.”