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ABR

Adaptive Bit Rate

Adaptive bitrate streaming is used to handle streaming video and audio over networks, making it possible to handle differences in network bandwidth. This is, for instance, common in mobile data networks, where available bandwidth fluctuates as the user moves around. Without ABR, there is a big risk that video playout will stall with buffering, or crashing out of the playout session.


In ABR, different versions of the stream is produced with different resolutions. A high-resolution full HD video will require a high bandwidth. At the lower end of the scale, a low-resolution version of the video will give a worse user experience, but can be provided over a low-bandwidth network.


All modern video players are capable of handling ABR streams. Typically, the player will itself determine what the available bandwidth is and automatically choose the most appropriate ABR level.


The set of bitrate levels is often referred to as the ABR ladder. The definition of who many bitrate levels should be provided, and their respective resolutions, is something broadcast organisations typically design and maintain.


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