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To reduce data use in a 24/7 OBS stream, lower the stream’s total bitrate first. If the picture still works for your content, also lower the output resolution or frame rate. Every sustained 1 Mbps of total outgoing stream data is about 10.8 decimal GB per day, so even a modest bitrate reduction adds up over a month. Check the estimate against your own ISP or mobile plan: there is no single India-wide data quota or price.
1. Measure upload stability before changing OBS
Run a speed test and test the connection at the time and in the conditions you expect to stream. YouTube recommends testing upload bitrate, while OBS advises choosing a bitrate the connection can sustain reliably. Leave headroom for normal variation rather than using all the measured upload capacity; other devices and traffic on the same connection can compete with the stream.
Test with audio and movement similar to the intended programme. A mostly static documentary information screen, a slow-moving image, and footage with rapid motion or fine detail do not place the same demands on the encoder. YouTube’s live encoder settings and bitrate guidance is for live ingestion, not prerecorded video uploads, and should be checked again before streaming because platform recommendations can change.
2. Lower the bitrate in OBS
- In OBS Studio, open Settings → Output.
- Find the video bitrate setting for your streaming output and reduce it from the current value.
- Apply the change, then run a private or otherwise suitable test stream and inspect both OBS’s connection status and YouTube’s stream health.
- Judge the image using the actual material you will stream. If detail becomes hard to read, blocking or smearing appears, or movement looks poor, raise the bitrate or adjust resolution and frame rate instead.
Bitrate is the main practical control for outgoing data. A lower value generally sends less data, but it does not preserve the image exactly: the result depends on content, codec, resolution, frame rate and viewer playback conditions. OBS’s overview guide describes bitrate and output settings.
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Use YouTube’s live recommendations as a reference, not a guarantee
YouTube publishes different live bitrate guidance by codec, resolution and frame rate. Its current guidance includes these H.264 recommended ranges and AV1/H.265 recommended values:
| Live output | H.264 recommended video bitrate | AV1/H.265 recommended video bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| 720p, 30 or 60 fps | 3–8 Mbps | 6 Mbps recommended; 2 Mbps minimum listed |
| 1080p, 30 fps | 5–14 Mbps | 10 Mbps recommended; 4 Mbps minimum listed |
| 1080p, 60 fps | 6–17 Mbps | 12 Mbps recommended; 4 Mbps minimum listed |
These figures are YouTube’s live encoder guidance, not a guarantee that every stream will look good at every listed value. Use the row for the codec actually selected in OBS. The figures refer to video; add audio when estimating total outgoing bitrate. YouTube also specifies CBR and recommends a two-second keyframe interval, not exceeding four seconds. Follow the current encoder page for the applicable settings.
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3. Reduce resolution or frame rate if the content allows it
In Settings → Video, review OBS’s output (scaled) resolution and frame rate. Sending a smaller frame or fewer frames per second can make a lower bitrate more workable, but the trade-off depends on what viewers need to see. Fine text, archival footage with visible texture, and fast motion can suffer sooner than a static or slowly changing scene.
- Try a lower output resolution when small details are not essential at full size.
- Try a lower frame rate when the programme has little fast motion.
- Change one setting at a time and test a representative section before leaving the stream unattended.
Do not infer quality from a title such as “documentary” alone; inspect the actual scene, especially subtitles, credits, maps and other fine details. OBS identifies scaled output resolution and frame rate among its video settings in its overview guide.
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4. Include audio and overhead in the data estimate
YouTube recommends 128 Kbps for stereo audio. Audio is usually smaller than video in a typical stream, but it still contributes to the total being sent. If OBS’s bitrate figure is video-only, add the audio rate before estimating use.
For a continuous stream, an approximate decimal-gigabyte calculation is:
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GB per 24 hours ≈ total outgoing Mbps × 10.8
This is a conversion from bits per second to decimal gigabytes, not a published usage statistic from YouTube or an Indian provider. Assuming the stated bitrate represents the whole stream:
| Total outgoing bitrate | Approximate data per 24 hours |
|---|---|
| 1 Mbps | 10.8 GB |
| 2 Mbps | 21.6 GB |
| 3 Mbps | 32.4 GB |
| 6 Mbps | 64.8 GB |
| 8 Mbps | 86.4 GB |
At the same decimal conversion, 128 Kbps of stereo audio adds about 1.38 GB per day if it is not already included in the bitrate figure. Real usage can differ because of protocol overhead, bitrate variation, reconnects and other devices using the same connection. Providers may report decimal GB or binary GiB and can meter data differently, so compare the estimate with your own router, ISP or mobile usage meter and the current terms of your plan. Mobile tethering and cellular routers may be especially sensitive to a continuous stream, but no universal Indian quota, fair-use threshold or price applies.
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5. Use dynamic bitrate only as a congestion fallback
OBS’s Dynamically change bitrate to manage congestion option can reduce bitrate when the connection cannot keep up. That may help avoid dropped frames during congestion, but OBS warns that the lower bitrate reduces picture quality and does not fix the underlying connection problem. Prefer a sustainable baseline and investigate repeated instability. See OBS’s stream connection troubleshooting.
6. Check stability and understand what does not save data
- Unstable Wi-Fi: OBS recommends a wired connection when Wi-Fi is unreliable. Ethernet may improve connection stability, but it does not lower bitrate or data consumption. See OBS’s stream buffering troubleshooting.
- Dropped frames or buffering: Check whether your upload link is stable and whether the selected bitrate is sustainable; lower it if the connection cannot support it.
- YouTube playback quality: YouTube transcodes live streams into multiple output formats so viewers can receive a suitable playback stream for their device and connection. That affects viewer playback choices, not the upload data OBS sends to YouTube. See OBS’s transcoding explanation.
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