Technical
Stream delay / latency
The gap between what you do and what viewers see — usually 2–10 seconds. Low-latency modes shrink it for chat interaction; adding delay protects against stream snipers.
Related terms
- Stream sniping
Watching someone's live stream to find and target them in the same game. Against the rules in most games — and a reason many streamers use a stream delay.
- Bitrate
How much data your stream sends per second. Higher bitrate = better image quality but needs more upload speed. Twitch caps it around 6,000–8,500 kbps.
- Ingest server
The platform server that receives your stream. Picking one near you (usually automatic) means lower latency and fewer dropped frames.