Does Dacast Offer Discounts?

No, Dacast does not offer any discounts for certain types of organizations.

Is There a Special Rate for Non-Profits?

There isn’t a special rate for non-profits, schools, religious entities, or other organizations. The pricing found on the main page applies to all, although discounts are available through larger plan commitments.

How to Access Custom Pricing

If your organization has special streaming needs, we invite you to contact us to learn more about custom-priced plans.

If you have any questions about this feature, please contact us any time, Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources

• Does my Dacast Subscription Automatically Renew?
• How Do I Update my Billing Information?
• Mailinator and Yopmail Setup: Why Won’t it Work on Dacast?
• What does GB stand for and how does it relate to Dacast?
• What payment methods do you accept for my Dacast account?
• When does “Event Plan” Bandwidth expire?
• When Will I Be Billed?

Yes. Your subscription will automatically renew at the same monthly or annual price unless you cancel before the end of the billing period. If you bought a Monthly plan and prepaid for 3 months, it will begin monthly renewals at the end of the prepaid 3 months period.

If you have any questions about this feature, please contact us any time, Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

Additional Resources

• Does Dacast Offer Discounts to Certain Types of Organizations?
• How Do I Update my Billing Information?
• Mailinator and Yopmail Setup: Why Won’t it Work on Dacast?
• What does GB stand for and how does it relate to Dacast?
• What payment methods do you accept for my Dacast account?
• When does “Event Plan” Bandwidth expire?
• When Will I Be Billed?

To update your billing information you navigate to the Account/Billing section after you sign in to your Dacast account. By clicking on “Update Payment Method” you will be able to change your payment method.
NOTE: Your financial institution may automatically update the expiration date on a credit card as a courtesy. Some financial institutions do this to ensure that accounts using recurring payments remain in good standing when a new card is issued. In some cases, your financial institution may also allow recurring charges to continue on an expired card. If you have any concerns about this process, please contact your financial institution. 

If you have any questions about this feature, please contact us any time, Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

Additional Resources

• Does Dacast Offer Discounts to Certain Types of Organizations?
• Does my Dacast Subscription Automatically Renew?
• Mailinator and Yopmail Setup: Why Won’t It Work on Dacast?
• What does GB stand for and how does it relate to Dacast?
• What payment methods do you accept for my Dacast account?
• When does “Event Plan” Bandwidth expire?
• When Will I Be Billed?

Mailinator and Yopmail Limitations

Unfortunately, Mailinator and Yopmail setup are impossible for live streaming on Dacast because our system does not allow disposable email addresses like these. 

We recommend using legitimate emails like Gmail, Yahoo, or Outlook. You can even use your own company email that uses your own domain.

If you have any questions about this feature, please contact us any time, Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

Additional Resources

• Does Dacast Offer Discounts to Certain Types of Organizations?
• Does my Dacast Subscription Automatically Renew?
• How Do I Update my Billing Information?
• What does GB stand for and how does it relate to Dacast?
• What payment methods do you accept for my Dacast account?
• When does “Event Plan” Bandwidth expire?
• When Will I Be Billed?
• Introduction to Live Streaming with Dacast: A Walkthrough
• Should I Use my Dynamic IP or the Gateway Address for a Custom IP?
• How to Setup Live Streaming Video on Your Website
• Setting Up Password Protected Live Streaming with Dacast

GB is an abbreviation for gigabytes, this is a measure of data generally used to specific storage space on a platform or as a level of traffic for bandwidth, and is equal to roughly one billion bytes, or 1,073,741,824 bytes to be exact. Another measure for a gigabyte is that it is traditionally equal to 1,024 megabytes (MB). Dacast does a simpler metric where a GB is equal to 1000 MB, and similarly, a TB is equal to 1000 GB.

In terms of how this relates to Dacast, there are two ways. The first is from bandwidth, which refers to the amount of traffic caused by streaming (higher audience and higher bitrate translate into more bandwidth being consumed). The second is from the amount of storage given to accounts, which is measured in terms of GB.

If you have any questions about this feature, please contact us any time, Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

Additional Resources

• Does Dacast Offer Discounts to Certain Types of Organizations?
• Does my Dacast Subscription Automatically Renew?
• How Do I Update my Billing Information?
• Mailinator and Yopmail Setup: Why Won’t it Work on Dacast?
• What payment methods do you accept for my Dacast account?
• When does “Event Plan” Bandwidth expire?
• When Will I Be Billed?

As our main payment sources, Dacast supports both credit cards (all major credit cards accepted) and PayPal.

If you wish to purchase an event plan or an annual plan you can also pay by check or wire transfer. For wire transfer information please contact one of our sales representatives.

If you have any questions about this feature, please contact us any time, Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

Additional Resources

• Does Dacast Offer Discounts to Certain Types of Organizations?
• Does my Dacast Subscription Automatically Renew?
• How Do I Update my Billing Information?
• Mailinator and Yopmail Setup: Why Won’t it Work on Dacast?
• What does GB stand for and how does it relate to Dacast?
• When does “Event Plan” Bandwidth expire?
• When Will I Be Billed?

For the “event plan” or any other Dacast plan, the bandwidth expires 12 months (1 year) after being purchased.

If you have any questions about this feature, please contact us any time, Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

Additional Resources

• Does Dacast Offer Discounts to Certain Types of Organizations?
• Does my Dacast Subscription Automatically Renew?
• How Do I Update my Billing Information?
• Mailinator and Yopmail Setup: Why Won’t it Work on Dacast?
• What does GB stand for and how does it relate to Dacast?
• What payment methods do you accept for my Dacast account?
• When Will I Be Billed?

Dacast will charge you monthly or annually (depending on your plan), on the anniversary of the date you initially purchased the subscription. Charges are billed at the beginning of your billing cycle.
If you would like to know your next billing date or current plan, you can visit the Plan section after you sign in and click Account.

If you have any questions about this feature, please contact us any time, Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

Additional Resources

• Does Dacast Offer Discounts to Certain Types of Organizations?
• Does my Dacast Subscription Automatically Renew?
• How Do I Update my Billing Information?
• Mailinator and Yopmail Setup: Why Won’t it Work on Dacast?
• What does GB stand for and how does it relate to Dacast?
• What payment methods do you accept for my Dacast account?
• When does “Event Plan” Bandwidth expire?

It is super simple! Once your account is set up with the Advanced Video Hosting Platform, you will automatically be redirect to this platform when clicking on the VOD section of your DaCast account.

Once you are in the Advanced Video Hosting Platform, you can easily go back to your regular DaCast account by clicking on the Live section of the Advanced Video Hosting Platform.

No, China Streaming VOD is an add-on available for Premium and Enterprise plans.

A starter plan, for example, cannot purchase Advanced Video Hosting, but is a feature that is available for a trial duration of 6 months only. 

Contact Dacast support at any time and ask about Advanced VOD. They will grant you access so you can evaluate it and purchase the add-on by clicking Upgrade my plan in the top right of your account.

Premium plans get an extra 800GB storage and Enterprise plans get an extra 1,500GB storage.

Both plans have access to the full set of VOD features:

Once you have the Advanced VOD add-on, click Video on demand in the main menu to access the VOD platform. Once there, you can click Live in the main menu to go back.

No, you won’t need another set of credentials to access both platforms. You can login to dacast.com using your existing DaCast/vzaar credentials.

Unfortunately, you cannot use the API with the Advanced VOD platform.

If you already have VOD assets in the Live platform then you will no longer be able to access them once the VOD add-on has been enabled.

They will not be deleted and can be easily recovered, they will just be hidden while the Advanced VOD add-on is enabled.

No but if you decide to purchase the VOD add-on then we can discuss migrating your library into the VOD platform so you can take advantage of the full set of features for your existing assets.

Yes, the live stream recording feature will continue to work and the content will appear in the VOD platform as expected.

No, Advanced VOD is not meant for partner accounts and cannot be granted to sub-accounts.

To try out the advanced video hosting platform, you need to have a Dacast account. If not, just sign up for our 30 days free trial.

Then, you can just contact our 24/7 customer support team who will set up your account to make sure you can try all the features of the advanced video hosting platform such as China VOD delivery, AES encryption,

You’re using our API and are having issues with it?

Step 1: have you double check the API documentation?

• Our documentation is automatically updated each time we improve our API.
• You can test each API call directly in the documentation. To do so, please enter your broadcaster ID (BID) and your API key using the following format: broadcaster ID_API key 
  Those information are available in your API section under your PREFERENCES section

Step 2: Did you know we had published 2 SDKs to help you using our API?

• SDK for javascript available here, documentation included: https://github.com/dacast/api-nodejs
• SDK for php available here, documentation included: https://github.com/dacast/api-php

Step 3: If you are still having issues after investigating on our available tools and documentation, then we suggest you to write an email to api@dacast.com including:

• “API issues” in the object of the email
• your API key
• the API call you made including the time when you tried it
• any response or error message you received

For faster response, please be advised not to include non-API related issues in this email.
Thank you.

What is a Closed Caption?

Closed captions refer to the visual display of the audio in a program, such as a TV broadcast.
The standards widely used for online video are:
– CEA-608, also known as Line 21
– CEA-708, the latest standard for digital television.

Does Dacast Support Closed Captioning in a Live Stream

Live captioning with 608 and 708 is possible with Dacast’s latest default player.
Note that broadcasters need to have their own infrastructure to insert closed captions to their live streams.

Can I Add Subtitles to Video Content on Dacast?

Yes, you can add subtitles to on-demand video files (VOD) on Dacast.  For more info on this topic, please check out our subtitles walkthrough to learn how to add subtitles to your videos.

If you have any questions about accessing or using the closed captions feature, feel free to contact us directly. Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources 

• Live Streaming Video Provider with 608/708 Caption Support
• 3 Must-Have Features for an OTT Streaming Solution
• Closed Captioning for Web Video Support with SRT and VTT Files
• Closed Captioning Video for Education: Why it’s Needed

If you want to make your video inaccessible, you must turn off the VOD or live stream.

How to Turn Off Streaming on VOD

In order to turn off Dacast live streaming or any VOD, you must navigate to the content and click “Description.” From there, you can toggle the VOD file, live stream, package or playlist to “Off” like so:

Doing so will not only make the video inaccessible but if the content was monetized, it will disable the paywall preventing future people from buying the content.

Turning Live Channels Back On

To make it clear, in the case of live channels, the stream will not automatically turn back on again once you start to stream through the encoder. You will have to go back into “Description” and manually toggle it “On” again before this will happen. 

If you stream often and offer a free stream, we recommend just leaving the channel on to make it easy to begin streaming again during your event or programming.

Additional Resources

• Why Dacast to Broadcast Live and Host your Online Video Content
• How to Setup Live Streaming Video on Your Website
• How to Create a Password-Protected Stream
• Are There Any Limitations on the Dacast Free Trial Account?
• Can I Stream Ad-Free with Dacast?

Low Latency Streaming

Dacast’s new platform makes low latency streaming standards at every plan level. This means to get low latency streaming set up, you simply need to select “standard” (HTML5) or “compatible” (direct M3U8 format if this is available with your plan) as your stream type. You also cannot turn on the 30 Minute Rewind option.

What is Dacast’s Live Streaming Latency?

Both of these choices will give you access to a channel with about 12 to 15-second latency, which is considered low latency by industry standards. The actual latency you experience might be longer if your internet upload speed is slow or your encoder is using too much of your computer’s resources.

Please note that enabling the 30 Minute Rewind setting will increase the latency to roughly 40 seconds.

For any questions regarding low latency streaming with Dacast, please visit our support website. You can find detailed tutorials on all Dacast features, email support, and 24/7 chat support.

Any questions or need help/access to this feature? Please contact us.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources

• How to Set Up a Low Latency HTML5 Channel
• Low Latency Streaming: HLS Stream Ingest
• Streaming Media Solutions with Low Latency Integrated Option
• Low Latency Streaming Solutions with Dacast HLS Direct
• Introduction to Live Streaming: A Walkthrough/

Yes, Dacast supports almost all encoders which can output in RTMP or HLS.
This includes, but is not limited to, hardware devices such as:

TriCaster from NewTek
TouchStream from Digital Rapids
Cube from Teradek

This also includes software solutions as well, such as:

OBS Studio
Wirecast from Telestream
Discover Video
VidBlaster from CombiTech

Our direct low latency streaming solution works with any HLS streaming protocol compatible encoder.

The advantage of using our own HLS compatible live streaming software encoder based on OBS Studio is the cost (free for everyone) and the super-fast set-up with preset encoding settings.  However, you are more than welcome to use your own HLS encoder if you do have one.

Below is an example of the settings we used with a Haivision HLS compatible encoder to stream on a Dacast low latency channel:

Note: For a minimal latency you might want to use :
segment duration: 2000 ms
segment count: 3

If you have tips and suggestions, please contact us or post it in the community section.

If you haven’t signed up for a Dacast account and are seeing this on your credit card statement, chances are you bought access to a stream/video recently from one of our live streaming customers or partners.

So either you did a Pay-Per-View for an event or signed up for a subscription. Try to line up when you purchased and if you watched anything that day for which required payment.

More on Pay-Per-View Streaming and Video Monetization

Dacast’s secure paywall has made it easy for users to monetize their video content with both pay-per-view and subscription methods. 

In addition to these two video monetization models, Dacast also offers ad-based monetization which works very similarly to YouTube’s monetization structure.

The beauty Dacast is that you have the power to control how you monetize your content down to the smallest of characteristics on your paywall. With the help of player API, you can tweak and customize your secure paywall to best serve your audience.

In addition to the endless possibilities with API, the new paywall also comes equipped with some built-in features that include settings geared towards accommodations for global viewers.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources:

• What is the Dacast Pay-Per-View Streaming Platform?
• How to Use Dacast’s New Paywall
• How to Choose a Paywall Monetization Method
• How Long Does it Take to Get Paid After Selling Through a Paywall?
• What is a Paywall?

Yes, Dacast uses a worldwide content delivery network in order to send streams to viewers. This includes both live and on-demand services.

This is due to the CDN connection that Dacast utilizes (Limelight Networks), which has a server presence all over the world.

Background:

Limelight Networks’ interconnection policy seeks to enhance its global connectivity to other networks. Interconnection with any partner network should be mutually beneficial and meet certain technical criteria. Limelight Networks practices a ‘selective’ peering policy. Due to their peering program, Limelight Networks, Inc. operates AS 22822 as its global backbone network but also has other ASNs in specific regions and markets. Limelight’s Interconnect markets and respective ASNs include Canada.

According to CDN Intelligence Reports, the global mobile Content Delivery Network (CDN) market is predicted to reach US$70.3 billion by 2025. This is indicative of the continued growth of online video content, increasing the use of Internet services, and the rise of mobile web access.

Best Practices: 

Always go to www.testmy.net and click on the “Upload Speed Test” tab before starting to live stream to check out the available bandwidth you have for streaming. You should set your streaming bit rate to 75% or less of the reported Upload Speed and everything should be fine.

Any questions or need help/access to this feature? Please contact us.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources

• Intro to Live Streaming: A Walkthrough
• Live Stream Recording Tutorial
• Is My Live Stream Auto-Recorded or Saved on the Video Platform?
• Creating a Playlist: Video Tutorial
• How to Use Dacast’s New Paywall
• Can I Place a Live Stream in a Playlist?
• Can I Use Full HD Content in My Playlist?
• Can I Make a Playlist for VOD Files?

Live Channel Limits

There is no limit to live channels in your Dacast account.

However, by default, you cannot create more than 20 live channels in your Dacast account without contacting us.

If you need more than 20 live channels in your account, please contact us and we will make it happen.

How to Setup More Live Channels

How can you contact us?
– via our 24/7 live chat (directly in your Dacast account)
– via email (support@dacast.com)
– via phone (+1 855 896 9300)

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources

• How to Broadcast Live Video in HTML5
• Free Trial Account: Are there Any Limitations?
• How Long Does the Free Trial Last?
• How Do I Upgrade from a Free Trial to a Normal Account?

Video Bandwidth Limits

There are two things you can do when your video bandwidth is exceeded on Dacast. 

Playback Protection

The first option is to set up “Playback Protection,” which is essentially overage protection. In this scenario, you put a credit card on file that is authorized to refill your bank of bandwidth if you go over your monthly bandwidth or Event Plan bandwidth.

You can check out our Playback Protection walkthrough for more details.

An alternative option is just letting the bandwidth run out. This will cause your streams to shut off when you burn through the bandwidth on your account, but you will not suffer any additional consequences.

Please note that there is a two-hour delay on analytic reporting, so it might take a moment for the system to detect that you are out of bandwidth. 

Your stream will not shut off until the detection is made. This means in some scenarios you might find yourself in the negative if you continue streaming within a two-hour window.

When Does my Bandwidth expire?

Note that all bandwidth expires after 12 months (1 year).

Unused video bandwidth rolls over each month and stays on your account as long as you are on a monthly or annual plan.

If you cancel your plan or decide to downgrade to a lower monthly plan “level,” the remaining bandwidth will be removed from your account.

We encourage you to check out our video bandwidth calculator for an estimate of how much bandwidth your need to purchase.

When Does “Event Plan” Bandwidth expire?

For the “event plan” or any other Dacast plan, the bandwidth expires 12 months (1 year) after being purchased.

Any questions or you want to access this feature? Please contact us.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources

• Does Streaming on Facebook Consume Bandwidth?
• Why Can’t I Create Another Channel After Purchasing Bandwidth?
• How Much Does it Cost to Use Dacast?
• What is Bitrate and How Does it Relate to Dacast?
• Dacast Video Storage Overview and Pricing FAQ
• Video Transcoding Services: Which Video Bitrate Should I Use for Mobile Devices?

In the professional broadcasting world, CDN is short for “content delivery network.” 

A CDN is a network of servers that deliver a web page or web content, such as video, to a user. The CDN copies the web content to a network of servers that are dispersed to different locations around a geographic region.

When a user accesses content that is part of a CDN, the CDN will redirect the request from the originating site’s server to a server in the CDN that is closest to the user and deliver the cached content. 

The closer the CDN server is to the user geographically, the faster the content will be delivered.

Using a CDN is ideal for streaming video, especially to a geographically diverse group of viewers.

Dacast uses top-tier CDNs including Limelight and Akamai, which have some of the largest networks of servers in the world. The global nature of these servers ensure scaleable and high quality live streaming.

Benefits of Using a CDN

As a broadcaster, providing your viewers with high-quality video content is absolutely essential. You want to create an enjoyable viewing experience to keep your viewers coming back. 

Using a global CDN provides several benefits that relate to bringing that high-quality experience to viewers in broader geographic regions.

Some improvements that CDNs offer include faster loading times, lower bandwidth costs, higher content availability, and enhanced security.

Speedier loading times reduce latency. Since viewers tend to have little patience for lagging and buffering, this is a major plus.

CDN vs. Video Hosting

Since they work so closely together, CDNs are sometimes confused with video hosts. When it comes to professional broadcasting, this is not an either/or situation.

A video host (ex: Dacast) is where your video lives. A CDN is simply the tool that brings it to your viewers. 

Think of your nervous system. Everything is operated by your brain, but chains of nerves send signals all over your body to give it the information it needs to function. 

A video hosting platform is a brain. It sends videos (or signals) to people to viewers via content delivery networks (the nerves). Both parts work together to bring viewers the content that has been requested.

Your online video host and CDN will work together to produce a high-quality broadcast.

Any questions or need help/access to this feature? Please contact us.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources

• Live Streaming CDNs and Why Businesses Should Utilize Them
• CDN For Live Streaming: What to Look For?
• Top 7 Video Streaming. CDN Providers for HTML5 Live Streaming in 2020
• CDN Comparison for High Quality Live Streaming & Video Hosting
• Live Streaming CDN Pricing Comparison (2019 Update)
• Can I Use My Own CDN with Dacast?

An encoder is software or hardware that converts video files from one format or code to another. Encoding is an essential part to live streaming.

Here is a quick rundown of how encoding fits into the live streaming process:

1. A camera captions video files in the RAW format.
2. RAW files are transmitted to the encoder.
3. The encoder converts the RAW files into streamable .mp4 files.
4. The .mp4 files are transmitted from the encoder to your streaming platform.
5. Your streaming platform uses HLS (or another protocol) to transmit the .mp4 files to the viewers’ devices.

The encoding process happens in a matter of moments when it comes to live streaming to keep your latency low. 

With Dacast, you can use any encoder that outputs into RTMP or HLS. 

If you have never used an encoder before or are unfamiliar with what this is, we recommend starting with our customized version of our OBS Studio. This software is free and will allow you to start streaming in a few clicks.

Required Encoder Settings on Dacast

The following encoder settings are required for live streaming with Dacast, regardless of your selected resolution and bitrate:

Any questions or need help/access to this feature? Please contact us.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

 

Additional Resources

• Walkthrough: Encoder Setup Guide
• Integrating a Live Encoder with the Dacast Platform
• Introduction to Live Streaming: A Walkthrough
• What is Video Encoding?
• Software vs. Hardware Live Streaming Encoders
• How to Use Wirecast for Live Event Streaming
• Is Wirecast (or Another Encoder) Necessary to Use the AAC Stream Format?
• Wirecast: What to Do When You Get an Error Publishing Stream
• How To Use Wirecast Encoder For Live Event Streaming
• Multi-Bitrate Streaming with vMix and Wirecast: What You Need to Know
• How Do I Broadcast My Screen With Microphone Audio on Wirecast?
• Spanish Tutorial: How Do I Broadcast My Screen With Microphone Audio On Wirecast?
• How to Use Wirecast and OBS Studio with Multiple Video Sources
• Wirecast: What to Do When You Get an Error Publishing Stream
• Introduction to Live Streaming: A Walkthrough
• New Transcoding Limits on VOD
• Transcoding: Everything You Need to Know
• VOD Multi-Bitrate Walkthrough
• Video Streaming Software and Multi-Bitrate Streaming
• Does Dacast Support Broadcasting via My Own Encoder?
• Walkthrough: Encoder Setup Guide
• Integrating a Live Encoder with the Dacast Platform

The HTTP website referrer option on Dacast lets you add website referral restrictions to your content. 

For example, if you own the website www.test.com, you can set up a restriction to block sites that aren’t www.test.com from trying to grab and reuse your embed code.

H2> How a Website Referrer Relates to Dacast

Under the “Security” tab, there is a section called “Domain Control.”

You can click the padlock icon to edit these settings for a live stream, video, or playlist. 

To manage and apply global settings across your account by going to “Settings” on the left sidebar and click “Security.” Scroll to “Domain Control” to add or edit your referrers.

Here is a video that explains how to set up this feature.

Any questions or need help/access to this feature? Please contact us.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources 

• How Does Dacast Do Country Restrictions?
• Referrers and Restrictions for Embedded Video Players
• How to Set Up Your Security Preferences in our Video Platform
• How to Set up a Referrer or a Geo-Restriction on Video Content

What is Bandwidth?

Bandwidth is a rate of data transfer, generally a metric of how much data can be sent in a given time period that is mandated by the stress and traffic caused on a server.

For Dacast, this refers to the amount of traffic caused by streaming (higher audience and higher bitrate translate into more bandwidth being consumed).

How Does Bandwidth Relate to Video Streaming?

This is a very broad question as video streaming depends on your specific needs. More specifically, the price of your Dacast package will largely depend on the bandwidth needed for your project.

The bandwidth depends on how many viewers you are expecting, how long would they be watching, and the quality of your stream (low definition, medium definition, or high definition).

You can use the Dacast bandwidth calculator for an estimate of how much bandwidth you will need.

However, before committing to a plan we strongly recommend speaking with one of our knowledgeable sales representatives to give you the most accurate estimate. Contact us at 855-896-9300.

Any questions or need help with our pricing plans or bandwidth calculator? Please contact us.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources

• How do I see my remaining bandwidth?
• What happens when you run out of bandwidth?
• How does overage protection work for bandwidth?
• Does Video Bandwidth Rollover on Dacast’s Monthly Plans?
• Does streaming on Facebook consume bandwidth?
• Get an email alert when your bandwidth is low
• Dacast Pricing: How Much Does it Cost to Use the Unified Platform?

If you are unfamiliar with bandwidth and streaming, please use the calculator of our pricing page.

Progressive Download is a technique wherein video, or audio content can be watched while downloading to a computer or device. This process differs from streaming in that the file is saved to your computer during the process, although sometimes without the user knowing it and sometimes only temporarily.

Dacast uses a strictly streaming approach that does not support progressive download. This is due to the large volume of content behind paywalls for which a progressive download approach would be prohibited and allow people to take paid content and redistribute it to others easily.

Any questions or need help/access to this feature? Please contact us.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources

• Introduction to Live Streaming with Dacast: A Step by Step Walkthrough
• What is an All-Device Video Player?
• What is an HTML5 Video Player
• How to Create a Live Stream Playlist in Dacast [VIDEO TUTORIAL]
• How to Produce a 24/7 Live Stream
• How to Choose a Video Streaming Solution
• How to Live Stream on Your Website
• Live Streaming Over-the-Top: How Does it Work
• How Do I Know How Many Viewers Viewed My Live Stream?
• New Dacast Analytics Platform: What You Need to Know

There is no viewer limit for videos on regular Dacast accounts. We have facilitated broadcasts with hundreds of thousands of concurrent viewers.

Dacast uses a global Content Delivery Network (CDN) that allows users to stream to vast audiences without the concern of hitting a “limit” that would overwork a smaller server network.

This top tier CDN is available on all plans. If you plan on streaming to large numbers of viewers, please make sure you purchase the appropriate amount of bandwidth.

Any questions or you want to access this feature? Please contact us.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources

• Free Trial Account: Are There Any Limitations?
• How Do I Get More Than 15 viewers?
• Can I Limit Free Access to a Stream?
• How Do I Upgrade my Free Trial Account?
• Can I stream ad-free with Dacast?

The terms frame rate and FPS are often used interchangeably. FPS stands for “frames per second” and refers to the number of video frames that display each second in video. 

Essentially, FPS is the unit of measurement for frame rate.

You can control how many frames per second a video has when broadcasting over Dacast in your encoder settings. 

The human eye is well equipped to see over 100 FPS, although the defacto standard is often around 60 FPS. As a rule of thumb, you can get away with lower FPS (which would also lower the amount of bandwidth you are using) if you are streaming low motion content. 

If there is really fast motion in your video, you should use a higher FPS to make the motion appear more fluid. 

For more information on frame rate settings you should use with Dacast, please take a look at our live streaming encoder configuration guide.  

Any questions or you want to access this feature? Please contact us.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

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Additional Resources

• What is Bitrate?
• Best H.264 Encoder Settings for Live Streaming
• Bitrate vs. Resolution for Broadcasting
• What is Multi-Bitrate Streaming?
• What are the Best Encoder Settings for HLS Live Streaming?

VP9 is a proprietary codec that was developed by On2Technologies in May 2003. It is also called the TrueMotion video codec. VP9 is a “lossy” video compression format and is often used by JavaFX, Adobe Flash and Flash Video Files.

Dacast does NOT recommend using VP9.

If you plan to do All Device (HTML5) live streaming it is recommended to use the H.264 video codec instead. 

If the H.264 codec isn’t an option for you, Dacast also supports the x264 codec. 

It is possible to live stream with VP9, but it has known playback issues in certain digital environments. Use it at your own risk.

What is an Encoder?

The VP9 codec has to do with your live stream encoder.

Encoding is a process used to convert the RAW video files captured by a camera into digital files suitable for live streaming over the internet.

This process uses either a hardware or software encoder.

Required Live Encoder Settings

The following live encoder settings are required for live streaming with Dacast, regardless of your selected resolution and bitrate:

If you have any questions about video encoding or need help with this Dacast feature, feel free to contact us directly.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources:

• Introduction to Live Streaming: A Walkthrough
• VOD Video Renditions & Bitrates for On Demand Content
• What is an Encoder? 
• New Transcoding Limits on VODs
• Transcoding Walkthrough

Short answer: no, you do not.

When you buy a Dacast Streaming Plan, you are buying access to a range of Dacast platform features and services for a period of time and with a certain level of usage (bandwidth) included. This includes the player, broadcast manager platform, content management, access to support, and more.

Dacast is unique from most other existing services in the way that we allow unused bandwidth to roll over from month-to-month for up to 12 months.

If you only used half of your Starter plan bandwidth, the remaining 50% would roll over into the next month. However, this bandwidth only remains available for the life of the plan.

Therefore, an account can not continue to be used, or unused bandwidth reserved for later when the service is canceled or suspended.

Any questions or need help/access to this feature? Please contact us.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources

• How Do I See My Remaining Video Bandwidth?
• Does Streaming on Facebook Consume Bandwidth?
• How Much Does it Cost to Use Dacast?
• What Happens When You Run Out of Bandwidth?
• What is Bitrate and How Does it Relate to Dacast?
• Which Video Bitrate for Mobile Streaming?

Dacast provides two embed code options for live streaming: JS and iframe. Both of these work for playback on your website or app via desktop and mobile devices as long as the content itself supports it. The JS embed code is the default embed code for Dacast, and it supports the most features. This includes being responsive if the elements are designed inside is a different size and working with the referrer restriction feature. 

To embed it in a WordPress website for instance, just copy and paste it in your article. This must be done in the “text” mode.

The iframe embed code is the most universally compatible embed code. The caveat is that some features do not work with it. 

This embed code is not responsive, which means it’s a fixed size. The full-screen feature is also sometimes removed. This usually happens only if you are using iframes within iframes. 

Additionally, the URL based referrer restriction feature does not work with the iframe embed.

Any questions or need help/access to this feature? Please contact us.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources

• How to Embed Live Streaming Video on Your Website
• Using Embedded Players with Dacast: A Walkthrough
• How do I embed on a WordPress site?
• Troubleshooting: The Full-Screen Option Not Working with the Embed Code

Streaming Video and Audio Out of Sync

It is quite common for encoders to get out of sync when streaming both video and audio feeds if the CPU of the machine running the encoder is being taxed.

If you are encountering this issue, please take a look at the system resources monitor while streaming. It might be that you need to change some settings, or perhaps your computer needs an update.

Usually, the CPU going over 60% (especially over 80%) can definitely result in issues. Dropped frames can also result in issues as well. These are typically ISP, packet loss, or server-based issues.  

There are several ways to determine probable causes. Monitoring your encoder tells you everything from the actual input to the actual processing of the stream.

This also applies to the resulting file archive these encoders might be saving to your computer. For more tips on how to diagnose broadcasting issues, check out our guide on how to troubleshoot your live streams.

Required Encoder Settings 

Check your encoder settings to make sure they are set in accordance with Dacast’s required configurations.

The following encoder settings are required, regardless of your selected resolution and bitrate:

Any questions or you want to access this feature? Please contact us.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources

• Does Dacast Support Broadcasting via My Own Encoder?
• Software vs. Hardware Live Streaming Encoders: What’s the Difference?
• Intro to Live Streaming: A Walkthrough
• Live Stream Recording Tutorial
• Is My Live Stream Auto-Recorded on Dacast?

At this time, you receive notifications in the Back Office when your live recording has ended and your recorded file is being integrated.

There are currently no event handlers or callbacks to directly notify you elsewhere when the recorded file has been created and is ready to be played.

Multi-Bitrate Streaming on iOS
It is not possible to select a video bitrate on a video on iOS. This is a limitation coming from iOS, the best video bitrate is automatically selected so your viewers have nothing to worry about.

Multi-Bitrate Streaming on Android
It is possible to select a video bitrate on a video on Android.

If you have any questions about this feature, please contact us any time,

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

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Additional Resources

• How do I Stream Using NanoStream?
• More on Player API
• Step-by-Step Walkthrough to Live Streaming
• How to Live Stream with the Larix Broadcaster Mobile App
• Can I Live Broadcast on My Smartphone with the Dacast Mobile App?
• The Top Mobile Live Streaming Equipment for Every Budget in 2021

This column acts as a detailed Q&A for how storage works over the Dacast system. Please feel free to comment on which topics you’d like to see addressed here.

How Much Storage is Included with My Account?

This depends on your plan level. Please log into your Dacast account and click DASHBOARD and the top center box shows how much included storage you have. If you are considering buying a plan, and not sure which to go with, please consult our pricing page.

How Much is Storage if I Go Over?

The answer to this varies. Developer Plans and Event Plans are charged $0.15 a month for each GB of storage they go over their limit.

How Often is Extra Storage Billed?

If you are over your storage limit, extra storage is billed monthly. 

What is the Minimum Charge for Extra Storage?

For monthly plans, there is no minimum and the charge for extra storage occurs on the same day as your plan rebill date.

How do I Purchase Additional Storage?

Please reach out to our 24/7 Support team at: www.dacast.com/support

You can also increase your included storage by upgrading to a higher plan.

How is Storage Cost Calculated?

Storage cost is calculated from the peak storage used each month for the plan. So deleting all videos just before the billing date, for example, will not bring the cost to 0.

How Does Multi-bitrate Work with Storage?

All bitrates are added up and factored into the storage amount:

Do Inactive Files Count Toward My Storage Total?

Yes, all files on your account (up until they are deleted), regardless of whether they are turned ON or OFF, count toward your storage total. If you are unclear what your total storage might be, please click DASHBOARD on the left sidebar after logging into your account.

If I Cancel My Plan, What Happens to My Stored Files?

If you cancel a plan, and don’t purchase any additional data bandwidth, your files will be removed from your account.

Any questions or you want to access this feature? Please contact us.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources

• Does Streaming on Facebook Consume Bandwidth?
• Why Can’t I Create Another Channel After Purchasing Bandwidth?
• How Much Does it Cost to Use Dacast?
• What is Bitrate and How Does it Relate to Dacast?
• Video Transcoding Services: Which Video Bitrate Should I Use for Mobile Devices?

Dacast’s partnership with China allows us to deliver high-quality video hosting solutions in Mainland China.

The ICP 19031887 contract with China-based CDN services ensures fast delivery without buffering. Hosting Video on Demand in China in just a few clicks is a rarity in the online video industry. With multiple points of presence (PoPs) across the mainland, you gain access to 1.4 billion people behind the Great Firewall.

Serving video content in mainland China is available via our VOD hosting solution.

It is an add-on to existing plans rather than a plan in itself. With our current live streaming pricing plans, this feature will cost from $100, billed monthly, or $200 annually according to your plan.

Any questions or you want to access this feature? Please contact us.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources

• What Does VOD Stand For?
• Top 5 VOD Platforms for Online Video Hosting: A Comparison
• AVOD: Definitive Guide to Ad-Based Video on Demand
• SVOD: Everything You Need to Know About Subscription Video On Demand
• Pay-Per-View Streaming: The Basics of TVOD
• VOD Streaming: The Premier Content Delivery Strategy
• How to Build Your Video On Demand Platform
• Top 5 VOD Platforms for Online Video Hosting
• Building Your Video On Demand Platform
• How to Organize Dacast VOD Content in the New Back Office

Streaming and hosting videos on Dacast uses both video bandwidth and storage. In order to generate an estimate of how much bandwidth you’ll need, we suggest checking out our bandwidth calculator.

In this post, we’re going to walk you through the process of buying extra bandwidth so that you never run out when you’re in need.

Before we get started, feel free to check your remaining video bandwidth to see where your account stands.

How to Buy Bandwidth

On the left sidebar of your Dacast account, click “Account” > “Plan” > “Additional Data.” You will see the pricing indicated on a chart. The higher the bandwidth, the lower the price. 

When you click on the “Purchase Data” button, you will be redirected to the next window. Simply indicate the amount of bandwidth you wish to purchase. 

In this example, based on the pricing, 1 to 5TB cost $0.25 per GB, so in order to purchase 1TB, you put 1000 (1TB=1000GB). The price will then cost for this purchase at $250 (1000GB x $0.25). 

When you click the “Next” button, you will need to input the mode of payment. You can choose one that is already saved on your Dacast account or use a new one. 

How to Purchase Extra Storage

If you are over your storage limit, the extra storage will then be billed to you monthly. Pricing would vary depending on the plan. 

For example, Developer Plans and Event Plans are charged $0.15 a month for each GB of storage they go over their limit.

If you want to purchase extra storage on your Dacast account beforehand, you can get in touch with your account manager directly or our 24/7 support team, who will then push your request directly to the account manager. 

Another option is to increase your included storage by upgrading to a higher plan.

If you have any questions about video bandwidth or need help with this Dacast feature, feel free to contact us directly.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources:

• Does Streaming on Facebook Consume Video Bandwidth?
• Why Can’t I Create Another Channel After Buying Video Bandwidth?
• How Much Does it Cost to Use Dacast?
• What is Bitrate?
• What is the Best Video Bitrate for Mobile Streaming?

In the professional broadcasting world, CDN is short for “content delivery network.” 

A CDN is a network of servers that deliver a web page or web content, such as video, to a user. The CDN copies the web content to a network of servers that are dispersed to different locations around a geographic region.

When a user accesses content that is part of a CDN, the CDN will redirect the request from the originating site’s server to a server in the CDN that is closest to the user and deliver the cached content. 

The closer the CDN server is to the user geographically, the faster the content will be delivered.

Using a CDN is ideal for streaming video, especially to a geographically diverse group of viewers.

Dacast uses top-tier CDNs including Limelight and Akamai, which have some of the largest networks of servers in the world. The global nature of these servers ensure scaleable and high quality live streaming.

Benefits of Using a CDN

As a broadcaster, providing your viewers with high-quality video content is absolutely essential. You want to create an enjoyable viewing experience to keep your viewers coming back. 

Using a global CDN provides several benefits that relate to bringing that high-quality experience to viewers in broader geographic regions.

Some improvements that CDNs offer include faster loading times, lower bandwidth costs, higher content availability, and enhanced security.

Speedier loading times reduce latency. Since viewers tend to have little patience for lagging and buffering, this is a major plus.

CDN vs. Video Hosting

Since they work so closely together, CDNs are sometimes confused with video hosts. When it comes to professional broadcasting, this is not an either/or situation.

A video host (ex: Dacast) is where your video lives. A CDN is simply the tool that brings it to your viewers. 

Think of your nervous system. Everything is operated by your brain, but chains of nerves send signals all over your body to give it the information it needs to function. 

A video hosting platform is a brain. It sends videos (or signals) to people to viewers via content delivery networks (the nerves). Both parts work together to bring viewers the content that has been requested.

Your online video host and CDN will work together to produce a high-quality broadcast.

Any questions or need help/access to this feature? Please contact us.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources

• Live Streaming CDNs and Why Businesses Should Utilize Them
• CDN For Live Streaming: What to Look For?
• Top 7 Video Streaming. CDN Providers for HTML5 Live Streaming in 2020
• CDN Comparison for High Quality Live Streaming & Video Hosting
• Live Streaming CDN Pricing Comparison (2019 Update)
• Can I Use My Own CDN with Dacast?

It stands for File Transfer Protocol, and deals with FTP clients like Filezilla as a way to upload content to your account. FTP clients are external programs which allow you to connect to a web service, like Dacast, using login details that include a:

server
username
password

This is the suggested method for uploading files around or over 1.5 GB in size. If you need help on using this feature over Dacast, please refer to this video tutorial.

The promo code limits apply to uses, not users. In other words, a promo code set to a limit of one can only be used once.

This rule applies even if the same user attempts to apply a promo code a second time.

Types of Monetization Available with Dacast

Promo codes can be applied to any monetization methods that use the Dacast paywall. There are three methods of monetization offered by Dacast: SVOD, TVOD, and AVOD.

SVOD is a subscription-based method that allows viewers to have unlimited access to a video library for as long as their subscription lasts. Subscriptions are typically weekly, monthly, or quarterly.

TVOD is most commonly known as pay-per-view. As the name suggests, viewers pay for what they want to watch.

AVOD refers to ad-based monetization. You have the option to serve ads on your content. Ads are funded by your advertisers, so rather than paying out of pocket, your viewers pay for the content with a minute or so of their time.

Both SVOD and TVOD use the Dacast paywall, so you can set promo codes for any content that is monetized with either of these methods.

Any questions or need help/access to this feature? Please contact us.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources

• How Many Different Promo Codes Can I Have for Pay-Per-View?
• How to use Dacast’s New Paywall
• Will Viewers be Asked to Put in a Promo Code if None is Set?
• Paywall Monetization: A Video Guide
• What is Video Monetization and Does Dacast Support It?

If you are pricing in multiple currencies, you must individually define the price in each currency.

EXAMPLE: If you want to set a price in EUR and USD, you will have to individually define each price. This website can guide you through the conversions.

Dacast does not provide customer support for the viewers, but only to its customers.

If you are interested in live customer support for your viewers, this may be possible at an extra cost via our professional services. 

Any questions or need help/access to this feature? Please contact us from within your Dacast account directly if you are interested. 

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources:

• How to Use Dacast’s New Paywall
• How to Choose a Paywall Monetization Method
• How Long Does it Take to Get Paid After Selling Through a Paywall?
• What is a Paywall?
• Intro to Live Streaming: A Walkthrough
• Live Stream Recording Tutorial
• Is My Live Stream Auto-Recorded or Saved on the Video Platform?

It is super easy! As long as you already have your ad network, and are on a paid account with Dacast, it is as easy as 1-2-3.

Simply enable the pay-per-view advertising feature on the engagement page of your VOD section, then once you have done so, just click on the “New Ad” button and it will help you generate a URL.

You just need to copy and paste the URL of your ad in your Dacast account and that’s it.

This paywall section of your Dacast account gives you access to the main tools you need to monetize video content.

Some of the paywall functions include:

• Access to your saved pay-per-view/subscriptions/promo codes presets (section “Presets” of your Paywall
• Creation of price groups and promo codes (section “Groups” of your Paywall)
• Access to your Pay Per Views and Subscriptions balance lines (section “Transactions” of your Paywall)
• Access to your balance (section “Withdrawals” of your Paywall)
• Customization of your paywall using paywall themes (section “Theming” of your Paywall)
• Payment requests and managing your payment settings (sections “Settings” of your Paywall)

Types of Monetization Available with Dacast

There are three methods of monetization offered by Dacast: SVOD, TVOD, and AVOD.

SVOD is a subscription-based method that allows viewers to have unlimited access to a video library for as long as their subscription lasts. Subscriptions are typically weekly, monthly, or quarterly.

TVOD is most commonly known as pay-per-view. As the name suggests, viewers pay for what they want to watch.

AVOD refers to ad-based monetization. You have the option to serve ads on your content. Ads are funded by your advertisers, so rather than paying out of pocket, your viewers pay for the content with a minute or so of their time.

Check out this tutorial for more info.

If you have more questions relating to video monetization tools and the Dacast paywall, please check out our FAQs dedicated to Dacast’s paywall

Want to familiarize yourself with Dacast’s platform and video monetization capabilities before committing? Try risk-free for 30 days.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources:

• Video Monetization: How to Use the Dacast Paywall
• How to Set up a Price on Video Content
• How to Apply a Promo Code on Dacast
• How to Set up Group Pricing
• How to Apply a Promo Code to Group Pricing
• How to Edit or Delete a Price, Group Pricing, or Promo Code
• How to Read Revenue Analytics
• What is Video Monetization?
• How to Use PPV on Dacast

You do not need to worry about that. Our new secure paywall prevent multiple logins at the same time. This means that several viewers cannot share the same login following a single purchase and watch the content simultaneously. If you still have questions about it, please feel free to reach out to us 24/7.

You can create an infinite number of prices per content.

For all your video monetization efforts, Dacast will give you back your video paywall revenue in USD, EUR, or GBP, based on your initial setup in the paywall.

Any questions or need help/access to this feature? Please contact us.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources

• Will I Have to Pay an Exchange Rate (Conversion) Fee if I Ask for a Payout in any Other Currency Than USD?
• Does Dacast Generate a Currency Conversion for PPV and Subscriptions?
• What Currencies Does Dacast Support for Payout?
• Do I Have to Pay a Conversion Fee on Dacast?
• How to Set Up Referrer Restrictions on Dacast
• How Does Dacast Handle IP Video Country Restrictions?
• How to Set up Video Security Preferences

Your viewers will be refunded in the currency of their initial purchase.

It is not possible to watch simultaneously a video content with the same login. So even if a viewer shares his login, no one will be able to access the video content at the same time.

The Dacast paywall manages different currencies to enhance the inclusivity of the platform. 

Here is how Dacast’s monetization tools manage different currencies:

STEP 1: Your viewers pay the pay-per-view or subscription price for your video content in whatever currency pricing you set up in your Dacast account. All the transactions are available under Paywall > Transactions.

STEP 2: Dacast collects the money and converts automatically and directly the transaction amount from the selected currency into the paywall balance currency chosen for the broadcast.

STEP 3: Dacast takes its commission fee (9.9%, plus $0.40 on each viewer purchase.)

STEP 4: Dacast pays you back the net revenue in USD, EUR, or GBP (based on your initial paywall set up) when you request your payment.

To show you how this works in action, we’re going to give you a little walkthrough of transactions in the Dacast dashboard. 

Once you’re in the Dacast dashboard, please go to the “Paywall” section. Click on it and choose “Transactions.” Here you will see all transactions on your account.

You will see: 

• Currency 
• Price (the amount the viewer paid)
• Credit (this part is converted to USD if the viewer purchased in different currency)
• Debit (the debited amount or the commission Dacast collects from the purchase)

If you want to request a withdrawal of your earnings, simply click on “Withdrawals”:

Here you will see where you can add your preferred withdrawal method if it’s your first time doing so. At this point, you can also make a new withdrawal request.

For withdrawal methods, you can use the following:

• Bank Account (US & International)
• Check
• PayPal

There is some information that you should gather once you decide which withdrawal method you are going to use.

For bank accounts, please gather:

• Account number
• Routing number
• Account holder’s full name and address
• Bank name and address

For check details, please gather:

• Payee’s name and address

For PayPal details, please gather:

• The email address associated with your PayPal account

Once you have filled in all of the information, simply click “Withdrawal Request.”

Please note, for first-time payment request withdrawals, the first payment request will take a minimum of 30-35 days to process. Subsequent withdrawal requests will take less time.

The processing delay, minimum withdrawal request, and fee for each withdrawal method are as follows: 

• PayPal funds transfer
  • Delay: 10 business days minimum (after the first payment has been made)
  • Minimum: 1000 USD
  • Fee: 
    • US: Free
    • International: 5 USD
• Check
  • Delay: 10 business days minimum (after the first payment has been made)
  • Minimum: 100 USD
  • Fee: $10 

• Money transfer to a US bank account
  • Delay: 10 business days minimum (after the first payment has been made)
  • Minimum: 100 USD
  • Fee: Free

• Money transfer to an international bank account
  • Delay: 10-15 business days minimum (after the first payment has been made)
  • Minimum: 250 USD
  • Fee: 10 USD

The reason for the 5-day minimum delay is because it is dependent on our assessment of refund and dispute risk from viewers who purchased the content. 

If there is any refund and dispute activity, there may be a longer delay. So, therefore, as a word of advice, we always recommend that broadcasters leave at least 10-20% of the balance to minimize any payment delay.

Types of Monetization Available with Dacast

As a reminder, there are three methods of monetization offered by Dacast: Subscription, Pay-per-view, and Ad-based monetization.

• Subscription-based: allows viewers to have unlimited access to a video library for as long as their subscription lasts. Subscriptions are typically weekly, monthly, or quarterly.
• Pay-per-view: as the name suggests, viewers pay for what they want to watch.
• Ad-based monetization: serve ads on your content. Ads are funded by your advertisers, so rather than paying out of pocket, your viewers pay for the content with a minute or so of their time.

If you have any questions about video monetization or need help with this Dacast feature, feel free to contact us directly.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources:

• Can I See a List of People Who Bought My Stream?
• How to Configure Dacast Payment Settings in the New Video Platform
• Paywall Monetization: A Video Guide
• How to Choose a Paywall Monetization Model
• Where Can I Check My Received Payments in the New Back Office?
• How to set up Cleeng Paywall with Dacast OVP

Pay-Per-View vs. Subscription

Pay-per-view and subscription are two monetization models available with the Dacast paywall.

When it comes to video monetization, a subscription requires a viewer to pay for unlimited access to your content over a fixed amount of time.

Pay-per-view, on the other hand, requires viewers to pay for access to individual pieces of content. 

Video Monetization

To put these two video monetization methods into perspective, someone can set up an annual subscription where viewers can watch uploaded content as much as they like over that year. Someone else can set up a pay-per-view for a two-hour program, where the viewer gets to watch only that program and nothing more. 

Please note that a subscription enables you to automatically bill on a recurring subscription cycle, while pay-per-view is a single payment billing model.  

Any questions or need help/access to this feature? Please contact us.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources

• Video Monetization: The Ultimate Guide for Broadcasters
• How to Use Dacast’s New Paywall
• AVOD: Definitive Guide to Ad-Based Video on Demand
• SVOD: Everything You Need to Know About 
• 3 Best Video Monetization Method

Credit card and Paypal can be used when purchasing a PPV or a subscription. Please note that with Paypal, your viewers will have access to less currency options compared to credit card.

However, if you need a specific currency that you do not see in your paywall, please contact us. 

Yes! The Dacast Online Video Platform supports video monetization for both live and on demand content. What is video monetization?

Simply put – video monetization is getting paid for the videos you publish online. Not so much for the creation, but rather when audiences view or download your content. The more people that watch the greater your earnings.

But how does it all work?

Broadcasters can generate revenue from their videos in a number of different ways. The most common include inserting ads, incorporating sponsors, offering subscriptions, or creating product or service reviews.

Types of Monetization Available with Dacast

Dacast supports the following monetization methods: Subscriptions, Pay-Per-View, and Ads-Insertion. 

SVOD is a subscription-based method that allows viewers to have unlimited access to a video library for as long as their subscription lasts. Subscriptions are typically weekly, monthly, or quarterly.

TVOD is most commonly known as pay-per-view. As the name suggests, viewers pay for what they want to watch.

AVOD refers to ad-based monetization. You have the option to serve ads on your content. Ads are funded by your advertisers, so rather than paying out of pocket, your viewers pay for the content with a minute or so of their time.

How Do You Monetize Videos?

One of the easiest ways to get started with video monetization is by inserting ads or using “suggested” content links in your published media. Anyone who has ever watched a YouTube video will recognize this concept. As viewers engage with these sponsored links you earn income for each click or a percentage of completed affiliate sales.

Broadcasters can also look for sponsors and include targeted product placement throughout their content. With sponsors, you need to have a decent following to charge premium rates. However, if you cater to a specific audience or niche, brands will still pay good money for advertising (even with a smaller following).  The key is ensuring any sponsors align with your site values and audience interest.

What is a Paywall?

A video paywall in your Dacast account gives you access to the main tools you need to monetize video content.

Some of the paywall functions include:

• Access to your saved pay-per-view/subscriptions/promo codes presets (section “Presets” of your Paywall
• Creation of price groups and promo codes (section “Groups” of your Paywall)
• Access to your Pay Per Views and Subscriptions balance lines (section “Transactions” of your Paywall)
• Access to your balance (section “Withdrawals” of your Paywall)
• Customization of your paywall using paywall themes (section “Theming” of your Paywall)
• Payment requests and managing your payment settings (sections “Settings” of your Paywall)

What are the Biggest Advantages of Dacast’s paywall?

There are several advantages of using a secure paywall like the one offered with Dacast.

Some of the biggest Dacast paywall advantages include:

• Group pricing: Sell one ticket and give access to multiple content options (VODs, Live Streams, Playlists).
• Powerful subscription system: Offer your customers a recurring pricing option with several frequencies available.
• Multiple currencies: More than 135 currencies available. If you do not see your currency on the list, please contact us.
• Multi-language interfaces: Choose among 10 different languages when using the paywall.
• Video Preview: Promote an event by showing a video teaser on the paywall before your viewers purchase the content.
• Live event support for your viewers: One of our professional services (contact us if you are interested).

Dacast’s paywall is secure, fully white-label, and offers unlimited prices and promo codes for all your video content.

Who Can Access Dacast’s Paywall?

Dacast’s paywall is available to users with the following plans:

• Free trials
• Scale plans and above
• Starter plans with the Paywall option ($75 per month/year)
• Event plans superior and equal to $750

Any questions or need help with the video monetization and paywall features? Please contact us.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources

• What does PPV stand for?
• How to Use Dacast’s Secure Paywall
• How to Use PPV on Dacast
• What’s the Difference Between Subscription and PPV?
• Does Dacast Charge Commission on Monetization?
• How to Set up a Price on Video Content
• How to Apply a Promo Code on Dacast
• How to Set up Group Pricing
• How to Apply a Promo Code to Group Pricing
• How to Edit or Delete a Price, Group Pricing or Promo Code
• How to Read Revenue Analytics

helpdesk@inplayer.com

How to Get a Refund For a Paywall Issue?

Your viewers will need to contact helpdesk@inplayer.com.

How to Resolve Paywall Issues

Your viewers can also contact this same email address if they are facing an issue such as:

• resolving username and password problems
• payment processing assistance and problem resolution
• assistance with navigating around application menus
• account and subscription management
• voucher code usage assistance

When you enable your paywall for the first time, you will be able to configure it in USD, EUR, or GBP.
We will pay you in the currency you selected (USD, EUR, or GBP) with no additional fees charged. 

However, if you request a payout in a different currency, your bank or PayPal might charge you an exchange rate (conversion) fee.

Any questions or need help/access to this feature? Please contact us.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources

• Does Dacast Generate a Currency Conversion for PPV and Subscriptions?
• What Currencies Does Dacast Support for Payout?
• In What Currency Will Dacast Issue My Paywall Revenue?
• Do I Have to Pay a Conversion Fee on Dacast?
• How to Set Up Referrer Restrictions on Dacast
• How Does Dacast Handle IP Video Country Restrictions?
• How to Set up Video Security Preferences

Dacast is now a unified video platform that includes live and on demand streaming, making advanced video hosting a standard feature. We are in the process of a full migration, and for all customers interested in the new offering, and have put together a thorough tutorial on how to navigate the Dacast VOD solution. We will cover everything from video uploading, transcoding, live stream encoding your videos, to video monetization, and configuring the integrated paywalls and more.

To access this tutorial, please click and navigate to this support article:

Navigating the Dacast VOD Solution: A Walkthrough

Any questions or you want to access this feature? Please contact us.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources

• What Does VOD Stand For?
• Top 5 VOD Platforms for Online Video Hosting: A Comparison
• AVOD: Definitive Guide to Ad-Based Video on Demand
• SVOD: Everything You Need to Know About Subscription Video On Demand
• Pay-Per-View Streaming: The Basics of TVOD
• VOD Streaming: The Premier Content Delivery Strategy
• How to Build Your Video On Demand Platform
• Top 5 VOD Platforms for Online Video Hosting
• Building Your Video On Demand Platform
• How to Organize Dacast VOD Content in the New Back Office

In March 2019, Dacast acquired vzaar, a professional video hosting platform based in London, England. Recently, Dacast released a unified video platform which includes live and on demand streaming, making advanced video hosting a standard feature. We are in the process of a full migration, and for all customers interested in the new offering, and have put together a thorough tutorial on how to navigate the Dacast VOD solution. We will cover everything from video uploading, transcoding, live stream encoding your videos, to video monetization, and configuring the integrated paywalls and more.

To access this tutorial, please click and navigate to this support article:

Navigating the Dacast VOD Solution: A Walkthrough

Any questions or you want to access this feature? Please contact us.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

Additional Resources

• What Does VOD Stand For?
• Top 5 VOD Platforms for Online Video Hosting: A Comparison
• AVOD: Definitive Guide to Ad-Based Video on Demand
• SVOD: Everything You Need to Know About Subscription Video On Demand
• Pay-Per-View Streaming: The Basics of TVOD
• VOD Streaming: The Premier Content Delivery Strategy
• How to Build Your Video On Demand Platform
• Top 5 VOD Platforms for Online Video Hosting
• Building Your Video On Demand Platform
• How to Organize Dacast VOD Content in the New Back Office

In this post, we are going to discuss what VOD is, what VOD stands for, and explain the meaning of VOD. We will also explain the differences between VOD streaming and VOD streaming.

What is VOD? 

VOD stands for video on demand and is a way of accessing content online from video libraries without traditional playback. Where traditional broadcast channels and media outlets forced consumers to view content on their schedule, VOD services allow audiences to access videos at their leisure and from any compatible device.

What does VOD stand for? 

VOD stands for “video on demand.” In the video streaming space, VOD refers to content that is uploaded to a library for viewers to access at their leisure.

What is the meaning of VOD? 

The meaning of VOD streaming is different from live video streaming because it is previously recorded as opposed to broadcast in real-time. 

Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and Prime Video are some examples of streaming services that use the VOD model. A lot of VOD platforms use OTT streaming, which means they stream over the internet.

Since Dacast is a unified streaming platform, it supports both live streaming and advanced VOD hosting. Your viewers will not access your videos directly on Dacast, but rather in a VOD library that you build on your own site or app using a Dacast embed code.

Professional-grade VOD content is most popularly monetized with subscriptions or pay-per-view. However, it is possible to monetize with advertisements or advertisements paired with subscriptions.

VOD Features on Dacast

In 2019, Dacast acquired vzaar, an advanced VOD hosting platform. More recently, the two platforms have merged, giving users a totally seamless, unified streaming experience.

Because of this merger, Dacast has inherited quite a few powerful VOD features.

These features include:

• Advanced VOD Organization Tools
• Chapter Markers for VOD Content
• FTP Upload
• Multi-Bitrate Streaming

With the help of these and other VOD-specific features, you can expect a pleasant user experience for both you and your viewers when you use Dacast for your professional video hosting needs.

Not yet a Dacast user, and interested in trying Dacast risk-free for 30 days? Sign up today to get started.

GET STARTED FOR FREE

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Additional Resources 

• Walkthrough: How to Set Up Video On Demand (VOD) with Dacast
• VOD Streaming: The Premier Content Delivery Strategy
• Build Your Own Video On Demand Platform
• Top 5 VOD Platforms for Online Video Hosting
• My VOD is Not Working – Did I Do Anything Wrong?
• What is vzaar VOD Video Hosting?
• Can I Continue Using the VOD Section of the Dacast Live Platform?
• How To Purchase and Use Dacast’s Advanced Video Hosting Platform?
• Can I Set Up On Demand Audio Streaming on Dacast?