Video quality and streaming

Arketa includes unlimited video storage with no transcoding on standard plans — videos are served as uploaded. This works well for most clients, but connections, devices, and file quality all affect what they experience.

What affects playback quality

File format and encoding — Videos encoded in H.264/MP4 play on the widest range of browsers and devices. Videos in HEVC (default iPhone format), MOV, or other formats may not play on all browsers.

File size — Large, uncompressed files buffer more on slower connections. Compressing with Handbrake before uploading significantly reduces buffering without visible quality loss.

Client's internet connection — Arketa can't control this, but well-prepared files minimize the impact of slower connections.

Client's device and browser — Older browsers or devices may struggle with some formats. Chrome (updated) handles the widest compatibility.

How Premium Video Storage improves this

Standard storage serves videos as-is. Premium Video Storage (powered by Mux) processes your videos into multiple quality levels and streams the best quality the viewer's connection can handle in real time — similar to how Netflix and YouTube work.

This is the best solution for studios with many international clients, clients on mobile data, or clients in areas with slower or inconsistent connections.

Best practices for reliable playback

• Use H.264/MP4 — see file types and limits
• Compress large files with Handbrake before uploading
• Record at 1080p/30fps — 4K doesn't improve client experience and quadruples file size
• For iPhone recordings, set Camera → Formats → Most Compatible before recording