If you're here, it's likely that the sudden news about Twilio Programmable Video has thrown a curveball into your quarterly plans. We get it - disruptions in your tech stack can be a game-changer. But worry not! VideoSDK is here, not just for migration but to enhance your experience – turning this unexpected twist into an opportunity for an upgrade.
Quality is the Core!
When it comes to video calls, quality is everything. You can throw in a bunch of cool features or fancy tech, but if you lack in quality, it's a deal-breaker. No arguments there! We understand this, and that's why in this blog, we're diving into the nitty-gritty of quality.
Numerous factors can affect the quality of a video call, with the most basic connection being tied to your network. Thus, while exploring options for migrating to different service providers, you must not compromise the quality.
That's why we're putting VideoSDK against Twilio in a quality showdown under various network bandwidths. See for yourself how VideoSDK not only keeps up but outperforms Twilio's standards.
Setting up the platform
Before we jump into the comparison, let's quickly examine key parameters for our evaluation, including devices, configurations, network throttling, and more.
- We'll be covering standard one-to-one web video calls
- Both the sender and receiver are using MacBook Pro devices.
- In maintaining an unbiased assessment, VideoSDK and Twilio configurations have been set to default. Since their default settings are almost identical.
- Additionally, for measuring network bandwidth, we'll be using fast.com
Test Scenarios
Now that we've covered the setup, let us cover what scenarios we'll be creating to compare call quality between VideoSDK and Twilio.
Firstly, we'll evaluate metrics under normal conditions to establish a baseline.
Following that, we'll introduce network bandwidth throttling from only the narrator's side, simulating various scenarios at -
- 1mbps
- 500kbps
- 250kbps
Results
Here's a look at the important metrics we followed in different network situations, showing how VideoSDK and Twilio tackled challenges. Watch Rajan in the next video showcasing VideoSDK and Twilio demonstrating how they performed.
Let's break down the results, exploring how each handles FPS, latency, and packet loss under different network bandwidths.
Frames Per Second (FPS)
As shown in the video, VideoSDK outshines Twilio in managing Frames Per Second (FPS) at different bandwidths. The comparison highlights VideoSDK's ability to deliver smoother and more consistent frame rates that too at better resolutions.
Latency
The latency battle between VideoSDK and Twilio is neck-to-neck, with VideoSDK performing slightly better at higher resolutions.
Packet-loss
Both VideoSDK and Twilio performed better at managing packet loss, with Twilio performing slightly better, but at the expense of lower bitrate and resolutions.
Conclusion
Upon reviewing the videos and closely tracking the metrics, it's evident that VideoSDK and Twilio engaged in a neck-to-neck battle. VideoSDK won at delivering superior resolutions, bitrate and FPS even under lower network bandwidth conditions. On the other hand, Twilio, while successfully mitigating packet loss and latency, compromised on the other at lower values. Despite these trade-offs, VideoSDK emerged as the provider offering an overall enhanced experience for viewers.
