Multistream

Multistream, or multistreaming, is the practice of broadcasting a single live or pre-recorded video feed to multiple distribution platforms at the same time. Rather than streaming to a single destination, a broadcaster uses software or a service to deliver the same source to several destinations such as Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, or custom RTMP endpoints. The approach is commonly used by content creators, event organizers, and educational institutions to broaden reach and engagement.

How it works: An encoder outputs to a multistreaming service, which distributes the feed to configured destinations. Some solutions require only a single output from the encoder to the service, while others support direct multi-endpoint encoding. Many services also provide chat aggregation, analytics, and scheduling features.

Benefits and tradeoffs: Multistreaming can expand audience reach, increase discoverability, and consolidate production in one workflow. However, it increases bandwidth and processing load, can complicate moderation, and may introduce platform-specific latency differences or policy restrictions. Streamers should review terms of service and copyright rules for each platform, and ensure their internet connection is capable of handling the traffic.

Other uses: In digital media, multistream can also refer to containers that carry multiple streams within the same file, such as multiple audio tracks, subtitle streams, or alternate video tracks. In broadcasting, multistream can imply concurrent streaming workflows within a production pipeline.