CLIENT PROMOTION
Choosing the right real-time video streaming solution can be complex. Should you build from scratch, mix and match components, or opt for a comprehensive platform? Weighing total cost of ownership, customization needs, and hosting options is key. Discover the pros and cons of each approach to find the best fit for your business.
Interactive video streaming has revolutionized how operators engage their players and bettors. To enhance audience interaction, businesses need a robust real-time video streaming platform and a secure, scalable infrastructure. Organizations can choose to build these components from scratch, mix and match different solutions, or opt for an integrated platform that provides them all in one.
First Step: Consider the Components for Real-time Streaming
Delivering real-time video streaming to players worldwide requires several essential components: an encoder for low-latency compression, a transcoder for adaptive bitrate delivery (for smooth streaming), a dedicated ultra-low latency Content Delivery Network (for global reach), a low-latency web player, comprehensive analytics (for quality monitoring), robust security measures, and additional tools like live recordings and thumbnail generation.
Build vs Buy: An overview
When selecting a real-time video streaming solution, evaluating the total cost of ownership (TCO) is crucial. Building a platform from scratch requires significant upfront investment, ongoing maintenance, and a large in-house team, offering customization but high costs.
In addition, when deciding how to host your video solution, you must choose between on-premises and cloud-based options. While there is no one-size-fits-all answer, the tech industry has been steadily migrating to the cloud. Reasons for this shift include cost efficiency, agility, and scalability (cloud-based services allow you to pay only for the resources you use).
Financially, organizations must balance capital expenditures and operational expenditures, with comprehensive platforms typically offering more predictable and lower long-term costs compared to building from scratch or using a piecemeal approach.
Say you’re an online sports betting operator looking to build a real-time streaming solution for microbetting. Starting from scratch would delay time to market, as would a piecemeal approach. What’s more, you’d have to put your own pressing business needs on hold while tackling the real-time infrastructure required to support the new offering.
Deciding on the best real-time video streaming solution involves choosing between building from scratch, a piecemeal approach, or a comprehensive platform. Each option has its pros and cons, from full control and customization to speed to market and cost-effectiveness.
Building from scratch offers a potential high in terms of customization, yet ongoing expenses like server maintenance, upgrades and talent retention. With a piecemeal approach, third-party components for different steps of the video workflow can be combined, but managing multiple vendors and integrations will likely increase costs in the long run. What’s more, you’ll still need a network of internal experts in different areas like software development and IT operations.
A comprehensive platform like nanoStream Cloud is a subscription-based model with predictable pricing which allows to forecast costs from the start. iGaming operators can rely on incorporated features, API-based integration and a browser-based workflow. With the German provider nanocosmos, which has been a trusted and reliable partner in the iGaming industry for 8 years, they can do this with efficient end-to-end control.
Additional information can be found in the full article The Hidden Costs of Building a Real-time Streaming Platform.
