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What is a video server?TypesBenefitsServer renting vs purchaseHow to set up a streaming serverNext stepsAdditional resources
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Dedicated server for streaming video: Types, how to choose, and how to get started

Tired of buffering, dropped frames, or your audience bailing before your content even loads? If you’re serious about delivering high-quality video or game streams, you can’t afford shaky infrastructure. The solution starts with your server.

Let’s break down what kind of server you need, why dedicated hosting matters, and how to set it up without spinning your wheels.

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What is a video server?

A video server is a specialized server that stores, processes, and delivers video content to viewers over a network—whether it’s a live stream or on-demand playback. It handles incoming media streams, encodes or transcodes them if needed, and distributes the content to end users across devices.

These servers power everything from Twitch channels to full-blown video platforms like Netflix or Vimeo. The faster and more reliable your server, the better the viewing experience.

Types of streaming servers

Streaming servers aren’t all built the same. Depending on your goals (live gaming, subscription video content, or multi-platform syndication) you’ll need the right type of server to deliver consistent performance.

Here are the most common options:

  • Media servers – Purpose-built for real-time streaming. Popular examples include Wowza, Red5, and Nimble Streamer.
  • Web servers with streaming add-ons – NGINX or Apache paired with RTMP or HLS modules for lightweight delivery.
  • Cloud-based streaming platforms – Services like AWS Media Services or Vimeo OTT that handle the heavy lifting, but come with usage-based pricing.
  • Dedicated servers – Bare-metal machines fully dedicated to your streaming setup. Ideal for high control, consistent performance, and large audiences.
Server TypeBest ForProsCons
Media server (e.g. Wowza)Professional live streamingBuilt-in features, protocol supportRequires licensing + setup
Web server + RTMP/HLSLightweight live/on-demand useFlexible, open-sourceManual config, less feature-rich
Cloud streaming platformScalable streaming, fast setupEasy to deploy, no hardwareCost scales with traffic
Dedicated serverHigh-performance, full controlPredictable performance, root accessMore technical setup, fixed monthly fee

Do you need a dedicated server for video streaming?

If you’re serious about your streaming quality and growth, a dedicated server setup is hard to beat. You’re not sharing resources with anyone, which means fewer slowdowns, tighter security, and full control over your environment.

Benefits of using a dedicated server for streaming:

  • Consistent performance – No noisy neighbors eating up bandwidth or CPU.
  • Higher throughput – More network and disk I/O, which means smooth playback.
  • Customization – Install whatever streaming stack you want, tweak encoding settings, run custom scripts, etc.
  • Better scalability – You can choose a high-core CPU, add GPUs, or configure RAID storage depending on your workload.
  • Lower latency – Especially critical for live game streams, interviews, or esports.

Renting vs purchasing a dedicated server for video

You can either buy your own hardware and colocate it, or rent a dedicated server from a hosting provider. Both paths work, but they suit different situations.

Here’s how to compare the two:

ConsiderationRent from providerPurchase your own
Initial costLow upfront; monthly feeHigh upfront hardware + colocation
Setup timeImmediate provisioningShipping, racking, and configuring
ScalabilityEasy to upgrade or change plansMust replace or expand hardware
MaintenanceHandled by hostYou’re responsible for everything
FlexibilityMay have limitations based on providerFull hardware + network control

Renting makes sense for most streamers, especially if you’re just starting or want to focus on content, not infrastructure. Buying is best if you need ultra-specific hardware and have the technical chops (or a team) to manage it.

How to set up a dedicated server for video streaming

Once you’ve picked a hosting provider, here’s how to get rolling:

  1. Choose a plan – Look for a dedicated server with a high-core CPU, plenty of RAM, SSD storage, and unmetered or high-bandwidth ports (10Gbps+ if you’re pushing 4K).
  2. Pick an OS – Most streamers go with Linux (Ubuntu or CentOS) for flexibility. Windows Server is an option too, especially for GUI-based tools, but not all hosting providers offer it.
  3. Install your streaming stack – Popular choices include:
    • Wowza or Nimble Streamer for pro-grade media servers
    • NGINX + RTMP module for lightweight live streams
    • FFmpeg for encoding/transcoding
  4. Configure streaming protocols – Set up RTMP, HLS, DASH, or WebRTC based on your target devices and platforms.
  5. Secure your server – Use a firewall, SSH key auth, and HTTPS for all stream endpoints.
  6. Connect your encoder – OBS Studio, XSplit, or vMix can push your video stream to the server’s RTMP endpoint.
  7. Monitor and optimize – Use tools like Netdata or Prometheus + Grafana to watch performance and tweak as needed.

Additional resources

What is a dedicated server? →

Benefits, use cases, and how to get started

Cloud servers vs dedicated servers →

Pros, cons, use cases, and more, so you can decide what you need

Fully managed dedicated hosting →

What it means and what fully managed services cover on dedicated hosting

Chris LaNasa is Sr. Director of Product Marketing at Liquid Web. He has worked in hosting since 2020, applying his award-winning storytelling skills to helping people find the server solutions they need. When he’s not digging a narrative out of a dataset, Chris enjoys photography and hiking the beauty of Utah, where he lives with his wife.

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