Author Archives: Jon Whitehead

How to Live Stream Dance Competitions: The Professional’s Complete Guide [2026]

Live stream dance competitions

By Dacast Editorial Team | Reviewed by Jon Whitehead, COO at Dacast | Updated April 2026 Dance competition organizers are solving a problem most event platforms were not built to handle: hundreds of dances, thousands of family members across time zones, and a live event that generates real revenue only when the right technology is […]

What Is an M3U8 File? A Practical Guide to HLS Playlists (Creation, Security, Troubleshooting)

Comprehensive Guide to M3U8 Files Understanding, Creating, and Using Image

By Dacast Editorial Team | Reviewed by Jon Whitehead, COO at Dacast | Updated April 2026 An M3U8 file is a UTF-8 encoded playlist used by HLS to list media segments and variants for adaptive playback. In 2026, M3U8 files remain the backbone of HLS streaming, enabling adaptive bitrate streaming, low latency HLS, and encrypted […]

Adaptive Bitrate Streaming: What it Is and How the ABR Algorithm Works [2026 Update]

Adaptive Bitrate Streaming_ What it Is and How the ABR Algorithm Works Image

Dacast Editorial Team — reviewed by Dacast’s streaming infrastructure specialists. April 2026 Adaptive bitrate streaming (ABR) is a technology that automatically adjusts video quality in real time based on a viewer’s available bandwidth and device capabilities, delivering the best possible picture without buffering or manual quality selection. For most broadcasters, delivering a high-quality, buffer-free viewing experience […]

Video Resolution – The Ultimate 2026 Guide for Broadcasters

Video Resolution – The Ultimate Guide to Display Resolution for Broadcasters

Video resolution remains one of the most important factors in delivering a professional streaming experience. Whether you are running a live sports broadcast, an enterprise webinar, a hybrid event, or an OTT channel, choosing the right video resolution for streaming directly impacts viewer satisfaction, bandwidth costs, and overall content quality. However, in 2026, streaming workflows are […]

How to Use OBS Studio for Professional Streaming in 2026

How to Use OBS Studio_ A Comprehensive Guide Image

You’re trying to break out as the next big live-streaming sensation but don’t know where to start? First things first, you must be able to produce high-quality streams. To do that, you’ll need to have high-quality screen recordings, crisp audio output, and an optimized recording path. Furthermore, the content must be good enough for high-resolution […]