Media Streaming
Infrastructure.

Yes, with the right plan. Direct play (no transcoding) works on even the smallest VPS. For transcoding, a 2-core VPS handles 1-2 simultaneous transcodes. A 4-core High-Performance VPS handles 3-4. For heavy transcoding with multiple concurrent viewers, consider a dedicated server. Using optimized Plex settings (direct play preferred, limited transcoding) significantly reduces CPU requirements.

Rough estimates: a typical movie (1080p) is 4-8GB, a TV episode is 1-3GB, and a 4K movie is 20-50GB. A 500GB Storage VPS holds roughly 80-120 movies in 1080p. For larger libraries, our Storage VPS plans go up to 2TB, and dedicated storage servers offer 100TB+ for massive collections.

No. All AlphaVPS plans include generous bandwidth allocations at a flat monthly rate. There are no per-GB egress fees, no per-viewer charges, and no surprise overage bills. Stream to as many devices as your bandwidth allows. For truly unlimited bandwidth, explore our unmetered dedicated servers.

Yes - many customers do exactly this. Install your download client (qBittorrent, Deluge, rtorrent) alongside Plex or Jellyfin. Media downloads are stored locally and immediately available for streaming. A Storage VPS is ideal for this combined setup.

Set up Nginx with the RTMP module on your VPS. Point OBS Studio to your server's RTMP ingest URL. Your VPS can then relay the stream to multiple platforms (Twitch, YouTube, etc.) simultaneously, or serve viewers directly via HLS. A High-Performance VPS handles this well for small-to-medium audiences.

It depends on the resolution and whether transcoding is needed. For direct play: a basic VPS supports 5-10 viewers at 1080p. For transcoded streams: 1-2 per core. For live streaming: bandwidth is the bottleneck - a 1 Gbps port supports ~40 concurrent 1080p viewers. Scale up to dedicated servers for larger audiences.

Yes. A VPS or dedicated server can serve as the origin for a commercial streaming setup. For large-scale distribution, combine an AlphaVPS origin server with a CDN. For smaller audiences (under 100 concurrent), a single server may be sufficient. Contact our sales team for custom streaming infrastructure. For high-bandwidth distribution at scale, see our content delivery solutions.

Jellyfin is a free, open-source media server with no subscription requirements - unlike Plex, which paywalls some features. It supports movies, TV, music, books, and live TV. For self-hosters who want complete control and zero licensing costs, Jellyfin is an excellent choice. Both run perfectly on our VPS infrastructure - see more self-hosting solutions.