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About restreams

Restreams is a feature that helps to broadcast your live stream or playlists to external video platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, and any other platforms with RTMP/RTMPS access. Example: you use our Video Streaming for an educational site where you hold webinars. One day, you decide to expand your audience and start to broadcast on several more platforms (e.g., Facebook and YouTube). In this case, you must push a total of three live streams: the first one for your site through our Video Streaming, the second one for Facebook, and the third one for YouTube. This requires a powerful device for streaming because when you push three separate streams at the same time, it’s a high load on the processor. To optimize this process, we recommend using Restreams. In this case, you push only one stream into our Video Streaming and then route it to the necessary platforms. How it works. You get the credentials from the target platform (Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, etc.): stream URL and stream key. Then create a restream in the Gcore Customer Portal. When creating the restream, add credentials and choose the appropriate live stream. The setup is complete. You can begin the live stream; it will be broadcast on our player and the target platform. Here’s how retransmission looks schematically: 1 stream at the input, many RTMP restreams at the output: 
                 +-----------------------+
 RTMP            |                       | -------->  Facebook (RTMP)
  or   --------> |    Gcore Streaming    | -------->  YouTube (RTMP)
 SRT             |                       | -------->  Twitch (RTMP)
                 +-----------------------+ -------->  Other RTMP targets
Features. Restreams can be broadcast on an unlimited number of platforms. The price of the service depends on how many platforms you want to stream to. The fewer platforms there are, the cheaper it is. By default, when you enable the feature, you will be able to stream to one platform. To increase the number of platforms, contact technical support. We will change the limit and the price of the service.
Supported restreaming combinations are limited to:
  • RTMP → RTMP
  • SRT → RTMP
Please note that SRT → SRT restreaming is currently not supported.

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Configure a restream

1. To enable the feature, send us a request via [email protected] or the chat window in the bottom-right corner of our website. Please specify your ID in the request, so that we can identify your account. You can find it on the main page in the Gcore Customer Portal.
Configure a restream
The message template: “Greetings! Please enable the Restreams feature for an account with ID … (your ID)”. By default, we enable one available restream per account. If you want to use more than one, specify the number of restreams in the message. We will notify you when the feature is activated. After that, you will be able to use it for your account. 2. Get credentials from the target platform for the restream. Our guides for popular platforms describe how to do it: Facebook, YouTube and Twitch. For example, we want to broadcast our live stream on YouTube. To do so, we should go to YouTube and click Go live. Then select a Streaming software solution. There we will need the credentials (stream URL and stream key). We will use them in step 6 of this guide.
Configure a restream
3. Go to the Restreams section and click Create a restream.
Restreams section
The configuration page opens. Complete the remaining steps in it.
remaining steps
4. Turn on the Active toggle if you want to broadcast your video content after configuration. If you don’t turn the toggle off, an inactive restream won’t be broadcasted. 5. Give a name to your restream. 6. Enter the credentials from step 2 of this guide as follows: 
URL/KEY
For example, our stream URL is: rtmp://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2 and stream key is: ab123-cde4-f56g-hi78-90j. So, in the URL field, we should add the following:
stream URL
where:
  • rtmp://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2 is the URL
  • / is the connecting symbol
  • ab123-cde4-f56g-hi78-90j is the KEY
7. Select which type of video content you want to restream. You can broadcast live streams and playlists. Note : Playlists must be looped so that you can restream them. 8. Pick a stream or playlist that you want to broadcast from the drop-down list. 9. Save changes. Then you should enable the live stream or playlist (depending on your choice), wait several minutes while the settings are applied, and restart the Restreams page. If everything was set up correctly, you would see the Live label.
Restreams page
You can do this if the live stream or playlist is over, but you want to restream it again in a while. If the key and URL were not changed, and the restream still exists in the Gcore Customer Portal, there are no additional settings. If the key or URL were changed, you should add current credentials in the configuration of restream.
Restreams page

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Restream Failover

Just like for regular streams, restreams have a failover algorithm too. If there is a problem getting the original stream, it will be re-requested multiple times. Restream retry algorithm:
  1. Original stream is active
  2. If the original stream is unavailable and is down for more than ±3 seconds:
    1. The system will activate the retry mechanism.
  3. The system will attempt to re-request (PULL) the original stream for approximately 60 minutes.
    1. If original stream is back, the timer is reset to zero and the restream is restored.
    2. Otherwise the restream stops permanently. To resume it, you will have to activate it manually or via API.

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Restream Troubleshooting

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Facebook

Common Issues
  • Expired or invalid stream key/token
    The RTMP connection is rejected if the event is marked as finished in the Facebook UI or if the token/stream key has been regenerated.
  • Keyframe interval exceeds 4 seconds
    Facebook enforces a maximum GOP size of 4 seconds; exceeding this value results in rejection.
  • Unstable or insufficient bitrate
    Significant bitrate drops may cause Facebook to terminate the stream.
  • Incorrect event configuration
    Using an outdated or incorrect stream key leads to immediate connection failure.
Solutions
  • Confirm the stream key is active and the event is in Live or Preview state.
  • Set keyframe interval to 2 seconds (recommended) or 4 seconds (maximum).
  • Maintain a stable, constant bitrate.
  • Update stream keys after Facebook regenerates them.
  • Verify correct ingest server selection.
Facebook documentation: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/162540111070395?id=1123223941353904

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YouTube

Common Issues
  • Invalid stream key or inactive event
    YouTube rejects connections when the key is incorrect or the event is not yet open.
  • Unsupported codec or profile
    YouTube requires H.264 (Baseline/Main/High) and AAC audio.
  • Unstable input bitrate
    Bitrate drops cause buffering and disconnects.
  • High keyframe interval
    YouTube recommends a GOP of 2 seconds.
Solutions
  • Verify the stream key and event status before connecting.
  • Use standard H.264 + AAC encoding.
  • Keep keyframe interval at 2 seconds.
  • Ensure encoder output is stable and avoids bitrate spikes.
  • Enable low-latency only if supported reliably by your pipeline.
Youtube documentation: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2853702

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Twitch

Common Issues
  • Rate limiting or ingest overload
    Frequent connection attempts may trigger temporary limits.
  • Excessive bitrate for account type
    Twitch generally recommends a maximum of 6,000 Kbps for non-partners.
  • Unsupported codec settings
    Twitch requires H.264 + AAC.
  • Disconnects due to unstable upstream
    Twitch is sensitive to jitter and packet loss.
Solutions
  • Follow Twitch bitrate and profile recommendations.
  • Use a 2-second keyframe interval.
  • Select the closest ingest server.
  • Reduce connection retries to avoid rate limiting.
  • Use CBR and ensure stable network paths.
Twitch documentation: https://help.twitch.tv/s/article/broadcasting-guidelines

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Other Social Platforms

Common Issues
  • Stream keys are frequently rotated.
  • Strict GOP/keyframe interval requirements (often 2 seconds).
  • Dynamic regional ingest endpoints.
  • Some platforms accept only RTMP or specific RTMP variants.
Solutions
  • Validate the latest stream key before restreaming.
  • Use a standard 2-second keyframe interval unless specified otherwise.
  • Maintain consistent bitrate and resolution.
  • Review platform-specific RTMP error codes for precise causes.