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Question

Uploading High Quality Videos

  • July 15, 2025
  • 3 replies
  • 44 views
S
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Hi All

Thank you for your attention. 

I am trying to upload a video to Brightcove and upon publishing the quality is grainy. May I please confirm the right settings to choose when uploading videos. 

Best

Srishti

    3 replies

    G

    Hi Srishti,

    Grainy or low-quality playback usually happens when the uploaded file is not optimized for streaming, or if the source quality is too low. Brightcove automatically creates renditions for different devices and bandwidths, but the quality of those renditions depends on the original file you upload.

    Recommended Upload Settings

    To ensure the best playback quality, we recommend:

    • Resolution: Minimum 1920x1080 (Full HD). If you have higher-resolution content (e.g., 4K), Brightcove will down-convert as needed.

    • Bitrate: For HD video, use a target bitrate between 8–12 Mbps (H.264). Lower bitrates (under 2 Mbps) often look pixelated after processing.

    • Codec: H.264 (High Profile).

    • Container: MP4.

    • Frame rate: Match the source (commonly 24, 25, or 30 fps). Use a constant frame rate.

    • Audio: AAC, 128 kbps or higher.

    Best Practice Tips

    • Always upload the highest-quality master file available. Brightcove will handle creating renditions for different viewing conditions.

    • Avoid files that have already been heavily compressed (e.g., exports for social media or email).

    • If your video looks grainy after upload, try re-exporting it with the above settings and re-uploading.

    E
    • emilyjohn54
    • New Participant
    • December 3, 2025

    Hi Srishti,

    Grainy or low-quality playback usually happens when the uploaded file is not optimized for streaming, or if the source quality is too low. Brightcove automatically creates renditions for different food devices and bandwidths, but the quality of those renditions depends on the original file you upload.

    Recommended Upload Settings

    To ensure the best playback quality, we recommend:

    • Resolution: Minimum 1920x1080 (Full HD). If you have higher-resolution content (e.g., 4K), Brightcove will down-convert as needed.

    • Bitrate: For HD video, use a target bitrate between 8–12 Mbps (H.264). Lower bitrates (under 2 Mbps) often look pixelated after processing.

    • Codec: H.264 (High Profile).

    • Container: MP4.

    • Frame rate: Match the source (commonly 24, 25, or 30 fps). Use a constant frame rate.

    • Audio: AAC, 128 kbps or higher.

    Best Practice Tips

    • Always upload the highest-quality master file available. Brightcove will handle creating renditions for different viewing conditions.

    • Avoid files that have already been heavily compressed (e.g., exports for social media or email).

    • If your video looks grainy after upload, try re-exporting it with the above settings and re-uploading.

    I’m actually wondering the same thing. I’ve been uploading videos to Brightcove as well, and I’ve noticed that the published version sometimes looks more grainy than the original file. I’m not fully sure which export or upload settings work best with their encoding pipeline.

    If anyone here knows the ideal resolution/bitrate or recommended format for getting the cleanest playback on Brightcove, I’d really appreciate the guidance too.

    G

    Hi,

    I strongly recommend reading out the next article in our Documentation Database: https://studio.support.brightcove.com/general/references/video-source-file-specifications-and-recommendations.html#highres, there you can clear up regarding best practices, resolutions, bitrates and aspect ratios

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