General FAQ
What is Gcore Video Streaming?
Gcore Video Streaming is a global, high-load streaming PaaS designed for live and on-demand video at massive scale. Gcore Video Streaming supports LL-HLS, LL-DASH, HLS MPEG-TS, HLS/DASH CMAF, and MP4, and reliably delivers streams from SD up to 8K. It handles 1M+ concurrent viewers with ultra-low latency and includes AI services, live overlays, playlists, subtitles, restreaming, recording, clipping, and detailed playback analytics.Is usage calculated in seconds or minutes?
All usage is measured in seconds internally and then aggregated and displayed in minutes for billing clarity. Rounding up to the nearest integer is used.How are services charged?
Gcore Streaming is billed separately for three components: transcoding, CDN delivery, and storage. Free Full HD transcoding is included by default. CDN delivery is billed per minute of delivered video; storage covers all transcoded renditions and recorded streams. Full billing terms and conditions are in the tariff overview.How can I estimate usage and pricing?
The Streaming pricing calculator generates a rough monthly estimate covering the full workflow:- Transcoding (included by default),
- Storage for VOD and recorded live streams,
- CDN delivery, based on viewing time.
- total video duration,
- expected number of viewers,
- average watch time per viewer.
What video qualities are included in free transcoding?
Free transcoding includes multi-bitrate encoding up to Full HD (1080p) for both horizontal and vertical (mobile) video. Available qualities include:- LQ — Low Quality
- SD — Standard Definition
- HD — High Definition
- FHD — Full HD
Why does billing show more minutes than I actually watched?
Billing is based on data delivered, not only on what was watched. If a player buffers video segments, those segments are delivered by the CDN and therefore billed. For example, if 30 seconds of video are buffered but playback stops after 1 second, the full 30 seconds are still counted as delivered.Why is video usage billed in minutes instead of GB?
Minutes are the clearest and most predictable unit for video usage. Video duration is fixed, while file size in GB varies significantly depending on codec, bitrate ladder, resolution, frame rate, and encoding profile. Gcore uses a single unified storage model for each video asset. This storage includes:- video and audio streams,
- all transcoded renditions,
- metadata, thumbnails, previews, and technical artifacts.
- Free multi-bitrate transcoding
- Unified storage for the entire video entity
- Delivery billed by delivered video data
AI FAQ
What AI video features are available?
AI services are available for VOD workflows, including:- Automatic speech recognition (ASR) and subtitle translation
- Content moderation (nudity, violence)
Live Streaming FAQ
Can I go live directly from a browser?
Yes. Using WebRTC WHIP, streams can be published directly from a browser or browser-based app that captures camera and microphone input.Can I broadcast a pre-recorded video as live?
Yes. This is supported via Live Imitation (Simulated Live / Playout). Upload a VOD asset and schedule it to run as a live stream, creating a real-time viewing experience. To broadcast the stream to social platforms, combine it with restreaming. The Simulated live from VOD article describes the setup and scheduling options.Can I restream my live stream to social platforms?
Yes. Restreaming (simulcasting) is available as an add-on service (€0.10 per stream under 24 hours). Send one contribution stream and distribute it simultaneously to platforms like Facebook while serving viewers through Gcore. Configuration steps and pricing details are in Restreaming.Can I use multiple audio tracks in live streams?
No. Live streams currently support one audio track only (AAC stereo). Multi-track or multi-channel audio is not supported at this time. The Input parameters and codecs article lists all supported audio and video configurations for ingest.Does Gcore support SCTE-35 ad markers in HLS?
Not through Gcore Live Streaming. SCTE-35 signals received through RTMP or SRT ingest aren’t converted intoEXT-X-CUE-OUT, EXT-X-CUE-OUT-CONT, or EXT-X-CUE-IN tags in HLS manifests.
If the origin already outputs an HLS manifest with ad markers embedded, Gcore CDN passes the manifest through without transcoding. To use this setup:
- Configure an origin that outputs HLS manifests with ad markers already embedded.
- Create a CDN resource pointing to that HLS origin.
- Enable the HLS Streaming feature on the CDN resource.
- Point the downstream ad insertion system — Broadpeak or another SSAI provider — at the CDN URL.
Can viewers rewind or pause a live stream?
Yes. The DVR (time-shift) feature allows viewers to pause and rewind live streams while the broadcast continues. The Pause and rewind live streams article describes DVR configuration and available viewer controls.Does Gcore support 2-way video calls or conferencing?
No. Gcore does not support direct WebRTC-to-WebRTC communication. Gcore Video Streaming focuses on one-to-many delivery at scale using HTTP-based protocols (LL-HLS, LL-DASH). Direct WebRTC relay is not supported.Does Gcore support WebRTC ingest?
Yes. Gcore supports WebRTC ingest via WHIP, with transcoding to LL-HLS / LL-DASH for scalable delivery. The WebRTC ingest (WHIP) article describes the WHIP protocol and configuration.What is the maximum duration of a live stream?
- One-time live streams: up to 24 hours
- Continuous streams: 24/7/365, available with the 24/7 transcoding option (enabled via an account manager)
What latency can I expect for live streams?
All live streams are low-latency optimized by default, delivering approximately 2–4 seconds glass-to-glass using LL-HLS or LL-DASH. For legacy HLS MPEG-TS workflows (.m3u8 / .ts), a reduced-latency mode of ~9 seconds is available to maximize compatibility.
The How low-latency streaming works article describes the optimization model and protocols.
Can Gcore force my live stream 10-12 fps to 50 or 60 fps?
By default, no. The output FPS follows the source, up to the frame rate configured in the transcoding preset (30 fps unless changed). Gcore does not generate extra frames to raise a lower input rate on its own. When the encoder connects, the live transcoder reads the source FPS once from the incoming stream metadata at the beginning of the live session. This FPS value is not re-detected later and is not changed dynamically during transcoding. If the encoder connects while it is already sending a reduced frame rate because of CPU overload, unstable timestamps, encoder-side buffering, or network issues, the live output will continue with that lower frame rate for the whole current session. The only way to apply the corrected FPS is for the encoder to reconnect and start a new live session. Force FPS is a special per-stream setting that overrides this behavior: when enabled, the output is always at the frame rate configured in the preset, no matter what frame rate the encoder sends. This is useful for events where encoders are repeatedly stopped and restarted (for example, between event stages) and may briefly reconnect at an unstable or lower frame rate. Force FPS is not available through the Customer Portal or the API. It is applied by Gcore on a per-stream or per-account basis together with a preset that has the target frame rate (for example, 50 or 60 fps) configured. Contact an account manager or Gcore support to enable it. For troubleshooting without Force FPS, verify that the encoder is configured with a fixed FPS value, enough bitrate for that FPS, and low-latency settings: Why can the recording look correct while the live stream shows 10-12 fps? Recording and live transcoding are separate, independent processes. Recording saves the incoming stream for later processing, while the live transcoder starts with the source metadata detected when the live session begins. Because of this, a recording may still look correct even when the live playback session was started from degraded source FPS. If reconnecting the encoder restores the expected frame rate, this usually means the new live session was started with correct source metadata. The Record live streams article describes the recording feature and configuration.Are live streams recorded automatically?
Yes. With the Record feature enabled, live streams are automatically saved to Streaming Storage and become available for playback or export after the broadcast ends. The Record live streams article describes the recording feature and configuration.Is there a free trial for live streaming?
Yes. A 14-day free trial includes 30 minutes of storage/encoding to test the workflow. For extended testing, contact us.VOD FAQ
Can I use external storage (e.g., my own S3)?
No. External storage for original files is not supported.Are original uploaded files kept?
No. Original files are automatically deleted after transcoding. Transcoded renditions (SD, HD, Full HD) are available for download in MP4 format. The Download files article covers the process and available formats.How can I migrate my video library?
Videos must be re-uploaded to Gcore Streaming, where they are automatically transcoded. Bulk and API-based migration tools are available, and assistance can be provided if needed. The Batch upload and migration article describes the full migration process and available bulk upload tools.What output qualities are supported?
Available output video quality is up to 8K HDR. The Output parameters after transcoding article lists all supported quality levels and codec specifications.Troubleshooting & Support
Live streaming issues
For issues with live stream ingest or playback:VOD playback issues
For issues with on-demand video playback:Why do I see an HTTP 502 error?
For Gcore Streaming playback, check the CDN and streaming origin configuration first:- CDN presets: If CDN resource settings were modified manually away from the Gcore presets, the handshake may fail.
- Token sync: If secure tokens are enabled but not synchronized correctly, the edge will reject the request.
How can I open a support ticket?
If troubleshooting does not resolve the issue, contact support@gcore.com and include:- Link to the affected stream or video.
- Description of the issue and clear steps to reproduce it.
- Troubleshooting steps already taken.
- Network diagnostic: A screenshot or text output from
curl https://gcore.com/.well-known/cdn-debug/json. - Speed test: A screenshot of the results from gcore.com/.well-known/cdn-debug.
- HAR file: A browser network log (how to generate a HAR file).