FAQ
Quick answers about tiers, latency, codecs, and encoder settings.
Why do we have unregistered and registered free options?
Anonymous access keeps onboarding fast and supports VDO.Ninja users who need quick scale. Registered accounts help manage misuse and keep the service sustainable. Paid plans fund dedicated servers and higher-quality routing so free usage can stay available. VDO.Ninja also supports self-hosted MediaMTX and Cloudflare SFU as alternatives.
Why might some connections have higher latency?
Latency can increase with distance to the edge server, network congestion, or protocol choice. WebRTC (WHIP/WHEP) is lowest-latency but sensitive to jitter. HLS is higher-latency by design.
Why might OBS lag or drop frames?
Common causes include encoder overload (CPU/GPU), upload saturation, or overly aggressive bitrate/quality settings. If you see drops, lower bitrate or resolution and confirm your keyframe interval is set correctly.
Opus vs AAC: what should I know?
WebRTC uses Opus for low latency. HLS requires AAC, so Opus inputs must be transcoded for HLS playback, which adds processing. See the Cloud Transcoding guide.
Is Meshcast end-to-end encrypted?
No. Streams terminate on Meshcast servers for delivery, recording, and protocol support (HLS/RTMP/VOD), which isn’t compatible with true end-to-end encryption.
Recommended encoder settings?
Start here, then tune for your network and content:
- 1080p30 at 4-6 Mbps video, 128-160 kbps audio.
- CBR, keyframe interval 2s, and a low-latency preset.
More detail: Encoder Settings.
Where should I go next?
Start with Quick Start or browse the full guide list.