Auto
Uses Beebo’s playback decision and the current player/settings to choose a suitable route. It is not a promise that every stream continuously switches between multiple resolutions.
The details behind your playback
A few controls.
A better fit for you.
Choose the picture size, soundtrack and subtitles that suit the moment. Beebo uses the source computer to prepare a compatible stream when processing is needed.
Technical information reviewed . Source implementation, local checks and device validation are identified separately.
Find the controls while a video is playing
- Open the player’s quality or settings control.
On supported streaming players, the gear or playback-settings panel gives access to available quality, audio and subtitle choices. Exact placement differs by device and release.
- Choose only what you want to change.
Start with Auto for normal viewing, or select a smaller size when the connection struggles. Choose an audio language/commentary track or a subtitle track if the source includes one.
- Check the resulting playback route.
A soundtrack or subtitle change can cause remuxing or conversion. Your original video file remains unchanged.
Downloaded/offline playback uses the file and controls available on that device. It does not ask an offline computer to create a new stream. Streaming controls and offline controls should be tested separately.
Auto, Original and smaller picture sizes
Original
Requests the source picture without resizing when the player and connection support it. Original 4K bitrate can be much higher than the converted profiles.
1080p, 720p or 480p
Requests a bounded output size. Lower choices reduce the configured bitrate; they ask the source computer to convert when needed. Smaller input video is not enlarged.
| Profile | Maximum picture | Target video bitrate | Default stereo audio | Approximate data per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 1920 × 1080 | 8,000 Kbps | 192 Kbps | 3.69 GB |
| 720p | 1280 × 720 | 4,000 Kbps | 160 Kbps | 1.87 GB |
| 480p | 854 × 480 | 1,500 Kbps | 128 Kbps | 0.73 GB |
Picture sizes are bounding boxes: aspect ratio is preserved and smaller sources are not enlarged. Bitrates are configured targets, not measured speed guarantees. Hourly estimates combine the listed video and stereo audio targets using decimal GB, before protocol overhead, retries or bitrate variation. Original playback uses the original file’s bitrate instead.
Newer Windows versions also have a 2160p (4K) live conversion size, with a target of 28,000 Kbps. It is offered only for a source of at least 1440 lines and only when a graphics-card encoder works, so it never enlarges a smaller film, and it is not part of the table above. Compatible 4K original playback, 4K remux and reducing a 4K input are supported routes with their own conditions. See the four separate 4K capabilities.
$ Included for local playback
The conversion controls described here do not require a separate Beebo transcoding upgrade for use on your own computer at home. Hardware, electricity and your connection remain yours. Optional Beebo-managed connectivity is a separate service: check the current service offer and limits. A paid connection cannot make an incompatible player or overloaded computer support a format.
Pick the soundtrack and how it sounds
| Control | What it does | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Audio-track choice | Selects a valid soundtrack from the file, such as another language or commentary. | Depending on the container and player, Beebo may repackage the stream or convert audio. It does not always need to re-encode the picture. |
| Passthrough | Keeps supported original audio when owner settings and the receiving chain allow it. | Only select it for a player/receiver combination that supports the format. |
| Stereo / surround | Chooses a compatible downmix or up-to-5.1 conversion output. | A 7.1 original and a 5.1 converted stream are different; object metadata can be lost in conversion. |
| Dialogue mix | Uses a channel-aware downmix intended to make speech easier to follow. | It changes the audio and requires processing. |
| Night mode | Compresses dynamic range and limits peaks. | Useful for quieter listening; it is not original, unmodified audio. |
| Volume levelling | Offers Basic or measured loudness normalization. | R128 measurement can be pending, with Basic used as a fallback. |
| Audio delay | Moves soundtrack timing within ±500 ms. | Use it to correct lip sync in the supported stream-processing path. |
Audio processing numbers
Night mode uses a compressor threshold of 0.07, ratio 2.5, attack 15 ms and release 250 ms, with a limiter. Measured loudness processing targets −16 LUFS, −1.5 dB true peak and loudness range 11. These are processing settings, not measured guarantees for every speaker and source.
The audio-copy policy in the live-audio module is limited to AAC, AC-3 and E-AC-3 with up to six channels. Higher-channel original passthrough is a separate path and must be tested on the actual receiver.
Subtitle text, pictures and timing
| Kind | How Beebo handles it | Tradeoff |
|---|---|---|
| Text subtitles | Separate text playback or conversion to WebVTT where appropriate. | Usually avoids picture conversion when the rest of the stream is compatible. |
| Sidecar files | Picks up supported .srt and .vtt files beside the matching video. | Use matching video/subtitle names and the correct language/cut of the video. |
| Image subtitles | Can be burned into the picture when the player cannot render them directly. | Burn-in forces picture conversion; it can change quality and turn an HDR source into SDR. |
| Subtitle timing | The current desktop release includes a subtitle timing adjustment control. | Verify the player/distribution and the selected subtitle path; it is distinct from audio delay. |
| Preferred language | Supported players can retain language preference for later playback. | Only available tracks can be selected; a preference cannot create a translation. |
| Optional online search | Uses the subtitle provider configured by the owner. | External account, API access, daily limits and charges depend on the provider’s current terms. |
Set up optional subtitle search
- On the computer, open Settings and find Subtitle search.
- Use the provider/account instructions shown in that setup screen. Supply the required API credentials there.
- Use the connection test to check access and any reported download allowance.
- Search from a supported player, choose the result matching your copy and language, then verify timing.
The home computer performs the search/download for supported remote players. Downloaded subtitle files are saved beside the video, with the language in the filename. Existing subtitle files are not intentionally overwritten by the download flow.
No external provider subscription is included with Beebo. Use subtitles and media you are authorized to access. Search is optional; local subtitle playback does not require that provider account.
Owner controls for the source computer
In desktop Settings, look for Quality choices for phones, TVs and browsers and the relevant home-theater controls. Settings can differ by release and operating system.
Allow conversion
Choose whether the server can make compatible playback streams. If you turn it off, incompatible files or burned-in subtitles may no longer play on that device.
Protect capacity
Use the concurrent-conversion limit to match your computer. Default limits vary with the capacity profile and available hardware; a busy queue is not an extra paid unlock.
Optional codecs
AV1 output is an owner opt-in and is off by default. It also needs a suitable encoder and a player declaring AV1 decoding. H.264 remains the normal fallback.
Temporary files and preparing an item ahead of time
Normal on-demand streaming creates temporary pieces and clears old or idle session work. The original library file is read, not overwritten. Owner-selected preparation can warm a stream before viewing, but it is not a permanent offline copy on every device.
To watch when the source computer is off, complete a supported download to the device first and verify it offline. Read the offline viewing guide.
When something does not look or sound right
Why is a quality choice unavailable?
The source may be smaller than that size, conversion may be disabled, the chosen route may be incompatible, or the computer may be busy. Check the player’s explanation and owner settings. Trying Original only helps if the device and connection support the original file.
Why does my phone only offer 480p?
Workaround for older builds. A saved sound setting (volume leveler, night mode, audio delay or the stereo mix-down) makes your home PC convert the audio, and the phone app then picked only a 480p conversion. This was confirmed on one phone: turning the volume leveler off brought Original back. Open the Quality, audio & subtitles panel, turn those sound settings off and choose your quality again. Repaired in Android tester67 (build 117), a test download published Nov 2, 2026, 3:47 AM Eastern: with Night mode, the volume leveler, a delay, Stereo or the dialogue-focus mix-down on, a 1080p film stays 1080p on home Wi-Fi and other direct, unmetered connections; on slow or relayed links (and on mobile data) the picture may be lowered and the phone says so; and a "Turn off sound settings" row in Quality, audio & subtitles puts them back to normal. It was checked on a Pixel 3 and a Galaxy S9+ only, so it is not a general result; on an older build, or if it does not help on your phone, use the workaround.
Why did subtitles trigger conversion?
Text subtitles can often be supplied separately. Image subtitles need to be rendered somehow; if the player cannot render them directly, they are burned into the video. That requires picture conversion and can affect HDR.
Why did surround sound become stereo?
The selected track, receiving player, connection or owner setting may require a downmix. Check the actual route and receiver input mode. A source badge or many physical speakers does not prove that a multichannel signal reached them.
Why is an HDR conversion less vivid?
Full conversion currently targets SDR. Tone mapping must fit the source and the available host filters; if a compatible method fails, fallback colors can be wrong. Record the file attributes and route for a tester report rather than marking all HDR playback as verified.
What information helps a tester reproduce this?
App version/distribution, device and operating system, original codec/resolution/audio/subtitle format, selected quality and playback path, and the exact action that caused the issue. Use original or authorized sample media and avoid exposing personal account details. Send a scoped tester report.