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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is there a bandwidth limit?

HeapStream does not impose bandwidth limits, adhering instead to a fair use policy. If a customer's bandwidth consumption begins to impact their own viewers and others, we will reach out to discuss a more suitable solution.

What type of content is allowed?

We permit all forms of legal content, as long as it does not include threats aimed at any person or group. Content that is deemed offensive can be marked accordingly, and viewers must agree to view it.

What formats and resolutions are delivered through Heapstream?

Heapstream delivers videos in a variety of formats and quality levels. Our team of experts determines the optimal bitrate, resolution, and codec for your content. We use the industry-standard H264 codec to deliver all videos. Additionally, we offer several adaptive streaming levels ranging from 360p to 2160p to ensure seamless streaming for your audience, regardless of their device or bandwidth constraints.

Is it possible to have videos autoplay with sound enabled?

Unfortunately, autoplay with sound is not possible due to restrictions imposed at the browser level. For more information on this limitation, refer to the following documentation: Autoplay Guide ⧉.

However, autoplaying videos with muted sound is easily achievable. If you're using our player, you can enable autoplay through the following methods:

  • Include an autoplay URL parameter when using our embed URLs to achieve the same effect.

When uploading videos, we suggest using the following configurations:

  • MP4 containers, AAC audio codec, H264 video codec, with a frame rate of 30 or below frames per second
  • Ensure the moov atom is positioned at the front of the file for fast start
  • Opt for H264 progressive scan (avoid interlacing)
  • Choose the H264 high profile
  • Implement Closed GOP
  • Encode and upload content in the same frame rate as it was recorded
  • Select mono or stereo audio (Heapstream will mix audio tracks with more than 2 channels down to stereo)

Which file formats for input are accepted?

Users have the option to upload videos in the following file formats:

MP4, MXF, FLV, AVI, GXF, 3GP, MKV, MPG, MPEG-2 PS, LXF, QuickTime, MPEG-2 TS, WebM, MOV

Are High Dynamic Range (HDR) video content supported?

Upon uploading HDR videos, they undergo re-encoding and are delivered in SDR format to guarantee compatibility with a broad spectrum of viewing devices.

Public versus Private videos

Heapstream provides you with the flexibility to decide whether your videos are publicly accessible, similar to platforms like YouTube and Vimeo, or set to private with restricted access for specific users, resembling platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Udemy.

On Heapstream, videos can be tagged as either public or private. When you create a video, you have control over its privacy settings.

By default, all created videos are set to private. If you prefer to make your videos public, you can toggle the public attribute to true allowing anyone with the video URL to watch it.

How to structure videos in folders

Use tags to categorize your videos effectively.

In the Heapstream dashboard, you also search by tag, simplifying the process of locating your videos.

Which frame rates (FPS) are supported?

Heapstream supports videos at any FPS, although videos will undergo re-encoding for playback at 60 FPS. If the original video has a frame rate below 60 FPS, we will re-encode it at the original frame rate.

In cases where the frame rate is variable, excess frames within a 1/30 second interval will be dropped (for instance, if there are more than 1 frame within 1/30 seconds).

Resolutions 240p,360p,480p will be encoded at maximum 30 FPS for higher device compatibility.

Is there a maximum upload size?

A video upload can be at most 20GB.

If I cancel the service, are the videos deleted?

Videos are deleted within 30 days after canceling the service.

Is there an upload limit?

There is not. Unfinished uploads count towards your total storage.

Can I download the original video files?

Yes, you can.