Introduction – Storm Streaming Server
What is Storm Streaming Server?
Storm Streaming Server is a cross-platform application that can be installed on PC/Mac computers and servers running any system from the Windows, macOS, Linux, or Unix families — a dedicated installer is provided for each. The software is compatible with both x86-64 and ARM64 architectures. A Docker-based deployment is also available.
Storm Streaming Server can be used without a commercial license. The built-in developer license allows up to 5 concurrent streams and 10 viewers — perfect for testing and evaluation. Visit our Download page to get started.
Key Features
Transcoding — Storm Streaming Server can automatically create a quality ladder for any incoming stream based on pre-configured presets (parameter sets). Transcoding supports both CPU-based (software) and GPU-accelerated (hardware) encoding, allowing you to balance quality and performance based on your infrastructure. See Transcoding Configuration for setup details.
Control Panel — A built-in web-based Control Panel provides full server configuration and monitoring. The panel offers real-time access to server metrics (CPU, memory, bandwidth), easy stream preview, creation and management, as well as detailed statistics overview.
Real-Time Statistics — Available through the Control Panel, real-time viewer and stream statistics include end-viewer latency, connection quality, buffer behavior, device information, and browser details — giving you full visibility into your audience's experience.
Clustering — Storm Streaming Server features one of the most advanced clustering systems available among streaming servers. Servers can be added or removed on the fly without downtime. The cluster also enables intelligent stream selection for transcoding based on criteria such as viewer count or activity. Learn more in the Clustering Introduction.
REST API — A dedicated REST API provides full programmatic control over every aspect of the server — from authentication and stream management, through transcoding configuration, to cluster orchestration. Comprehensive technical documentation covers the entire API surface.
Supported Technologies
Protocols
| Protocol | Description |
|---|---|
| RTMP, Enhanced RTMP | Industry-standard protocol for stream ingest from encoders such as OBS, XSplit, or FFmpeg. |
| HLS, LL-HLS | HTTP-based adaptive streaming for broad device compatibility including iOS, Android, and Smart TVs. |
| MPEG-DASH | Adaptive bitrate streaming protocol for web-based delivery. |
| WebSockets / MSE | Low-latency browser playback using Media Source Extensions over a persistent WebSocket connection. |
| WebSockets / WebCodecs | Ultra-low-latency browser playback leveraging the WebCodecs API for direct frame decoding. |
Codecs
| Type | Supported Codecs |
|---|---|
| Video | VP8, VP9, H.264, H.265, AV1 |
| Audio | Opus, AAC |
Hardware Encoders
| Encoder | Vendor | Description |
|---|---|---|
| NVENC | NVIDIA | Hardware-accelerated encoding on NVIDIA GPUs. |
| QSV | Intel | Quick Sync Video — hardware encoding via Intel integrated and discrete GPUs. |
| AMF | AMD | Advanced Media Framework — hardware encoding on AMD GPUs. |
To get started, check out the Quick Start guide for a step-by-step walkthrough of your first broadcast. For detailed installation instructions, see the Windows, macOS, Linux/Unix, or Docker guides.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please create a support ticket and our team will help you.