Minimum System Requirements

Modified on: Mon, 4 Nov, 2024 at 10:08 AM

You must meet certain hardware, software, and network requirements to ensure that your Socialive broadcast is produced with the highest video and audio quality. In this article, we will go over the following topics:

Minimum Computer Requirements
Minimum Mobile Requirements
Best Practices for Live Video Streaming
Check Your Network Connection
Check Your Chrome Browser Version

Minimum Computer Requirements

If you need help finding your system specifications, follow these steps for both PC and Mac.

What You Need	Studio Host	Chrome Guest
Hardware	PC or Mac (Macbook Pro 14" or 16")	PC or Mac
Operating System	Minimum Windows 10 macOS El Capitan 10.11 Recommended High Sierra or newer (recommended)
Upload Speed	10 Mbps or more Check Your Network Connection
Browser	Google Chrome Microsoft Edge
Browser Version	Latest version
Processor (CPU)	Minimum Intel i5 U+5 (5th Gen if using a discrete graphics card. Otherwise, 6th Gen U+6) Recommended Intel i7 Quad-Core or equivalent	Minimum i5 Dual-Core 2.3 GHz Pentium Core 2 Duo 2GHz
Memory (RAM)	Minimum 4GB Recommended 8GB Preferred 16GB or more	Minimum 4GB
Graphics Card (GPU)	Recommended Dedicated 512MB VRAM Computers with integrated GPUs are NOT recommended.	N/A

Older MacBook Pro 13" and MacBook Air models that do not have an M series chip are NOT recommended for producers. This is due to the lack of a dedicated graphics card and slower processors. It MAY be possible that newer models without M series chips can stream one 720p 30FPS camera feed and support up to 1-2 guest streams, but testing is recommended.

By using minimum hardware specifications with great network conditions, it is possible to have 1 stream at 720p 30FPS. Other considerations, such as the number of guests, local recordings, tabs left open in your browser, having Microsoft Teams running simultaneously, etc., will impact the performance and may create quality issues with your video output.

Minimum Mobile Requirements

What You Need	Apple Devices	Android Devices
Hardware	iPhones iPhone 13 or newer iPads iPad (10th generation or newer) iPad Air (5th generation or newer) iPad Mini (6th generation or newer) iPad Pro 12.9" (6th generation or newer) iPad Pro 11" (4th generation or newer)	2GB of RAM 16GB storage 8-core CPU with 1.8 GHz clock speed
Operating System	Latest Version	Android 9 or above
App	Socialive	Downloading the Socialive Mobile App
App Version	Latest Version	Latest Version

NOTE: Older iPhone models and iOS versions may be used. However, given their limited processing power, guests may enter Energy Saver mode quickly after joining a broadcast or face other issues. It is highly recommended to test recording on those devices before the actual recording or broadcast.

Best Practices for Live Streaming

Turn Off WiFi and Connect with Ethernet Whenever Possible

Ensure you are connected to the network by ethernet and have turned off WiFi. WiFi signals may not be consistent enough to support high-definition live streaming.

Close All Non-essential Applications and Browser Tabs

Close any browser tab and application that is not essential to ensure the smoothest possible live stream.

Use an External Webcam

External webcams have more space for lenses and other electronics, typically offering better resolutions, video, and audio.

Use a Headset

Using headphones helps eliminate feedback issues from microphones picking up the computer output.

Use a Computer with a Dedicated Graphics Card

Computers with dedicated graphics cards can usually broadcast smoother, higher-quality video.

Checking Your Network Connection

Check your download and upload speed and latency using speedtest.net.

Checking Your Chrome Browser Version

Follow the instructions in the below support articles to check and keep your browser version up to date:

Still, looking for an answer?

Contact Socialive Support via live chat, email at [email protected], or submit a support ticket.