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Most video teams today face a familiar scenario: You have a large content library, but no real strategy to monetize it beyond basic VOD. You’ve thought about spinning up a live streaming workflow - for reruns or syndication - but the setup feels complex. You’re still dealing with stitching, scheduling, overlays, and ad insertion manually or across multiple tools.
Meanwhile, viewers are shifting. They’re spending more time on always-on streams. FAST channels, lean-back experiences, autoplayed live feeds - the kind of content that just plays when they open an app, without any friction and without any decision paralysis. They just want a stream that looks and feels alive.
But launching and managing a linear channel still feels like broadcast work since it’s infrastructure-heavy, time-consuming and is prone to errors.
That’s where Cloud Playout comes in. Smart video teams are moving away from broadcast rooms and OBS hacks. They’re building branded, 24/7 streams with cloud-native playout systems - ones that run entirely from a browser, support both VOD and live, and push content to every major destination.
This article walks through:
Let’s break it down.
Across sports, media, creator platforms, and OTT - we keep seeing the same shift:
Teams are asking: “How do we get more out of the content we already have?”
Cloud playout answers that by turning any video library into a dynamic stream - one that monetizes, grows engagement, and help reinforce brand presence without the cost or overhead of live production.
The most common triggers for switching:
So, Cloud Playout doesn’t replace a team. It makes the same team capable of more - with fewer bottlenecks, and faster iteration.
With FastPix, you can run the entire playout stack from a browser:
This isn't theoretical. It's how lean teams are operating today - without managing servers or deploying custom logic just to insert an ad break.
Here’s the core idea: your content is organized into a stream, plays like a linear channel, and broadcasts to the platforms your audience already uses.
The FastPix workflow follows five steps:
Import → 2. Program → 3. Channel → 4. Monetize → 5. Distribute
Let’s break that down. (Watch our walkthrough video or read our detailed guide)
1. Import your content
Upload videos, pull from URLs, or connect a live stream. FastPix supports both VOD and live sources. You can tag each video with metadata - genre, duration, language, content type, etc. These tags become useful later when you want to build smart playlists or apply rules like “only show sports clips during prime time.”
This step is also where you handle your file housekeeping. No need to re-encode or prepare files in advance. FastPix takes care of that.
2. Program your playlists
You can build:
For example, if you tag all your music videos as #funky, you can build a “Funky Hour” playlist that updates itself whenever new content gets added. You can also mix in live segments with VOD, add EPG info, and prepare your program the same way a TV station would.
3. Create your channel
You can create either a looping or scheduled channel. Apply branding (logos, overlays), add slates for downtime, and insert bumpers for smooth transitions. This is where the stream stops feeling like a playlist - and starts feeling like a channel.
4. Monetize your stream
If you’re monetizing your content, this is where insert ads.
FastPix supports:
You can bring your own ad server, or plug into SSAI platforms that supports SCTE logic. Either way, you get full control over when and how ads are inserted, without editing your original files.
5. Distribute it anywhere
Once your channel is live, you can simulcast the stream to:
You can even generate preview streams or test your channel privately before going live. All you need is a destination and stream key - FastPix handles the rest.
Here’s what teams are building with FastPix cloud playout:
Some use playout as a delivery layer. Others as a lightweight broadcast system. Either way, the outcome is the same: a real channel, up and running without heavy lift.
1. Sports broadcasting
Cloud playout has transformed sports broadcasting by allowing broadcasters to manage live events without the need for extensive on-site equipment.
Case study: TNT Sports and UEFA Youth League
TNT Sports partnered with UEFA to broadcast a Youth League game entirely in the cloud. Traditionally, broadcasting such an event would require a large crew and heavy equipment on-site. Instead, only eight people were needed at the stadium, while seven others operated from a studio 20 kilometers away. Using six wireless cameras connected to the cloud via 5G, they achieved a seamless broadcast experience with significantly reduced transportation costs and improved workflow efficiency.
2. Live event streaming
Cloud playout simplifies the streaming of live events, making it easier to reach audiences across multiple platforms without complex setups.
Case study: Virtual music festivals during COVID-19
When music festivals went virtual during the pandemic, organizers turned to cloud playout solutions. For example, a well-known festival used cloud technology to stream performances from various artists, integrating live feeds and pre-recorded content. This allowed them to engage global audiences while reducing logistical challenges.
3. Media management
Cloud playout offers a simple, efficient way to store, organize, and schedule video content, making team collaboration easier.
Case study: CBS Sports Golazo Network
CBS Sports used cloud-based media workflows for the Golazo Network, allowing teams to work remotely across multiple AWS regions. The cloud infrastructure streamlines scheduling and content distribution, improving flexibility and scalability for sports broadcasting.
4. OTT services
Over-the-top (OTT) platforms utilize cloud playout to manage vast libraries of on-demand content efficiently.
Case study: Hulu
Hulu uses cloud playout to deliver streaming content efficiently. This setup allows them to scale services based on demand while maintaining high-quality streaming across devices, especially during peak times, like when new episodes of popular series are released.
Whether you’re launching a FAST channel, reviving a video library, or building something entirely new, FastPix Cloud Playout gives you a clean, scalable way to go live - with less work and no infrastructure overhead.
You can start with a few videos and a basic loop. Or build a full 24/7 channel with overlays, schedules, live cut-ins, and ad breaks.
Ready to give it a try? Explore the Cloud Playout guide or spin up your first channel now.
If you want to see it in action first, book a walkthrough with our team. We’ll show you how it fits into your stack.
By leveraging multiple Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) globally, FastPix cloud playout optimizes video delivery for various devices, ensuring a smooth, high-quality viewing experience.
Yes. With FastPix you can slot a live feed into any channel schedule alongside your VOD assets. For example, you could run a continuous 24/7 loop of pre-recorded shows, then cut into a live event at 8PM, and switch back to your loop automatically once it’s done. This is handled directly from the dashboard or API—no need for external switching gear.
Playlists or reruns work on those platforms, but they lock you into one destination and offer little control over branding, scheduling, or monetization. FastPix Cloud Playout lets you create a true linear channel - where you control overlays, ad breaks, bumpers, and distribution. And instead of being tied to one platform, you can simulcast to YouTube, Twitch, Facebook Live, and your own app at the same time.
FastPix channels support slates and fallback logic. If a live input goes down, the channel can automatically cut to a slate, a backup video, or return to scheduled VOD programming. This prevents downtime and avoids showing viewers a broken stream. You define these rules at the channel level, so failover is automatic.
No. One of the biggest benefits of cloud playout is that you don’t need a specialized ops team. Channels can be programmed, monitored, and updated from a browser. What used to require broadcast engineers is now manageable by content managers, product teams, or even developers integrating playout into a larger app.
A looping channel plays your content continuously, cycling through the same playlist on repeat - ideal for branded entertainment loops or music streams. A scheduled channel runs programming based on actual time slots, like traditional TV - perfect for events, news, or FAST channels that need to line up with an EPG (Electronic Program Guide).
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