> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://gcore.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Video CDN Overview
## Video delivery with Gcore CDN
In this section, "Video CDN" is a short name for delivering video through standard Gcore CDN. It uses the same Gcore CDN infrastructure to cache and distribute your already-prepared video files, live streams, and VOD content through edge locations worldwide.
This section focuses on video-specific delivery with CDN: supported formats, cache settings, origin protection, security, troubleshooting, and best practices for HLS, DASH, MP4, and other workflows. It helps you deliver video that is already prepared by your own encoder, packager, media server, or storage origin, so viewers can watch with stable playback and fewer origin bottlenecks. If you need transcoding, use the [Gcore Video Streaming](/streaming).
## Legal requirement
Before you deliver HLS, DASH, or other video streams via CDN, ask Gcore Support to enable video delivery for your CDN account. This approval helps us verify the use case, content rights, and anti-piracy requirements.
To request approval, follow [Request streaming activation](/cdn/getting-started/create-a-cdn-resource/create-a-cdn-resource-for-video-streaming#step-1-request-streaming-activation) in the setup guide. You'll need to contact Support and provide your Client ID, domain name, company name, content type, sample stream URL, viewer geography, and broadcasting license or content compliance policy. For sports, TV channels, events, or other third-party protected content, Support may ask for license or rights confirmation before enabling delivery.
If video delivery isn't enabled yet, CDN requests for streaming file types can return `402`. For details, see [Resolve errors by status code](/cdn/troubleshooting/gcore-error-status-codes#other-errors-402-504-508-556-557).
## Supported video formats
Video CDN supports multiple streaming protocols and formats:
| Format | Live | VOD | Use Case |
| ----------------------------- | ---- | --- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| **HLS** (HTTP Live Streaming) | ✅ | ✅ | Most common, wide device support, Apple-native |
| **MPEG-DASH** | ✅ | ✅ | Industry standard, great for non-Apple devices |
| **HTTP-FLV** | ✅ | ✅ | Ultra-low latency (1-3s), high concurrency, popular in Asia |
| **MP4** | ⚠️ | ✅ | Direct downloads, progressive playback |
HLS files (`.m3u8`, `.ts`, `.m4s`) are delivered by CDN as HTTP content. You don't need Gcore Video Streaming if you already have prepared HLS files and don't need transcoding. However, Video CDN delivery must be enabled for your CDN account by Gcore Support so we can verify the use case and protect the CDN from piracy and fraud.
MP4 isn't a live streaming format for Video CDN, but you can simulate VOD2Live streaming using [Live imitation in Gcore Video Streaming](/streaming/video-hosting/create-an-illusion-of-a-live-broadcast-with-uploaded-videos). Gcore automatically transcodes the file and plays it on a fixed schedule, so viewers watch it on the live timeline and can't fast-forward.
## Low-latency streaming capabilities
Gcore Video CDN supports ultra-low latency delivery for live streaming:
**Low-Latency HLS (LL-HLS)**
* 2-4 second glass-to-glass latency
* Native support on iOS and modern browsers
* Uses CMAF segments with immediate streaming
**Low-Latency MPEG-DASH (LL-DASH)**
* 2-4 second glass-to-glass latency
* Broad device compatibility (Android, Smart TVs, web browsers)
* Requires Chunked-Proxy module activation
Both protocols use Gcore's Chunked-Proxy technology to stream content immediately as it's received from the origin, eliminating the typical "store and forward" delay. This reduces latency from 10-15 seconds down to 2-4 seconds.
Learn more: [DASH and LL-DASH](/cdn/video-cdn/dash)
## Key features
### Global CDN delivery
* 210+ edge locations across 6 continents
* Automatic routing to nearest edge server
### Optimized for video
* Sliding window caching for live streams (RAM-based)
* Range request support for efficient seeking
* Large file optimization for VOD delivery
* Origin shielding to reduce origin load by 80-99%
### Security and access control
* Geo-blocking: Restrict content by country
* Secure tokens: Time-limited authenticated URLs
* Referrer validation: Prevent unauthorized embedding
* IP access control: Whitelist/blacklist specific IPs
* DDoS protection: Built-in protection against attacks
### Advanced configuration
* Custom domains (CNAMEs)
* Custom cache rules per file type
* HTTP/2 and HTTP/3 (QUIC) support
* WebSocket support for interactive features
* Real-time statistics and monitoring
## Get started with video CDN
Determine which streaming format you're using:
* [HLS and LL-HLS](/cdn/video-cdn/hls) - Most common format for HLS MPEG-TS, and LL-HLS CMAF
* [DASH and LL-DASH](/cdn/video-cdn/dash) - Industry standard DASH and LL-DASH CMAF
* [FLV Streaming](/cdn/video-cdn/flv-streaming) - Ultra-low latency option for HTTP-FLV
Contact [Gcore Support](mailto:support@gcore.com) to enable Video CDN delivery for your CDN account. This is a CDN-side approval, not a request to activate the Gcore Video Streaming platform. Provide:
* Your domain and company name
* Content type (sports, education, entertainment, etc.)
* Sample stream URL
* Expected viewer geography
* Broadcasting license or content compliance policy
Follow the [simple setup guide](/cdn/getting-started/create-a-cdn-resource/create-a-cdn-resource-for-video-streaming) to create your video CDN resource.
Set appropriate cache TTLs for your video files:
* **Playlists (`.m3u8`)**: 1-2 seconds (live) or 5-60 seconds (VOD)
* **Segments (`.ts`, `.m4s`)**: 60 seconds (live) or 1-24 hours (VOD)
Test your stream with the CDN URL and deploy to production when ready.
## Use cases
### Live Sports Broadcasting
* Deliver sports events to 100K+ concurrent viewers
* Enable geo-restrictions based on broadcasting rights
* Use origin shielding to protect origin from traffic spikes
### Educational Platforms
* Stream online courses and webinars globally
* Implement secure tokens for paid content access
* Use custom domains for branded experience
### Entertainment & Media
* Deliver movies and TV shows on-demand
* Implement geo-blocking for regional licensing
* Use secure tokens to prevent unauthorized sharing
### User-Generated Content
* Scale video delivery for social platforms
* Handle spiky traffic patterns efficiently
* Reduce origin bandwidth costs by 80-95%
## Pricing
Video CDN pricing is based on:
* **CDN traffic volume**: Pay for bandwidth delivered to viewers
* **Optional features**: Origin shielding, custom SSL certificates
## Video CDN vs Video Streaming
Understanding the difference between these two services is crucial for choosing the right solution:
**What it does:**
* Caches and delivers your already-prepared video streams
* No transcoding – just distribution
* Works with HLS, DASH, FLV, MP4 and all other formats
**Choose Video CDN if:**
* You already have HLS/DASH/FLV streams ready
* You handle transcoding on your own servers
* You need advanced CDN features (geo-blocking, secure tokens, custom domains)
* You want full control over encoding settings
* You need to reduce origin bandwidth costs
**Example use cases:**
* You have a media server producing HLS streams
* You're migrating from another CDN provider or adding Multi-CDN
* You need geo-restrictions or custom access policies
* You want to offload bandwidth from your origin servers
**What it does:**
* Accepts raw video input (RTMP, SRT, WebRTC, or pulls HLS)
* Transcodes into multiple quality levels automatically
* Packages into HLS and MPEG-DASH formats
* Delivers via CDN with built-in player
**Choose Video Streaming if:**
* You need transcoding (raw RTMP/SRT input)
* You want automatic ABR (Adaptive Bitrate) generation
* You need DVR or recording features
* You want an all-in-one hosted solution
* You're streaming from encoders (OBS, vMix, hardware encoders)
**Example use cases:**
* Live events streaming from OBS or hardware encoders
* Live streaming from web browser via WebRTC WHIP
* Online courses requiring automatic quality adaptation
* Broadcasting with DVR (pause/rewind) functionality
**Learn more:** [Video Streaming Platform](/streaming)
## Next steps
Simple guide to create your first Video CDN resource
Configure HLS live streams and VOD delivery
Ultra-low latency streaming with HTTP-FLV
Need transcoding? Check out our all-in-one solution
## Additional resources
* [CDN Resource Configuration](/cdn/getting-started/create-a-cdn-resource/overview)
* [Secure Token Setup](/cdn/cdn-resource-options/security/use-a-secure-token/about-secure-token)
* [Origin Shielding](/cdn/cdn-resource-options/general/enable-and-configure-origin-shielding)
* [CDN Statistics](/cdn/view-statistics-of-a-cdn-resource)