Yes. A cloud-based setup can stream continuously without keeping the source video library on the streaming server’s local disk. But that does not mean the videos or stream data are stored nowhere: the source files may live in cloud object storage, and the service may write live-stream manifests and segments there too. A 24/7 channel also needs a continuous input or playout process; storage by itself will not keep a stream live.
What “without storing videos locally” means
In a cloud workflow, the server or streaming service does not have to use its own local disk as the permanent home for your source videos. You can keep those files in remote object storage and have a playout process read them when needed.
However, a live stream usually produces delivery files as well as using source files. For example, Google Cloud’s Live Stream API writes HLS or DASH output, including manifests and media segments, to Cloud Storage. Its overview of the Live Stream API describes transcoding live signals into those formats and saving output streams to Cloud Storage. The HLS quickstart also configures a bucket for the output files.
- Local server disk: Can be avoided as the permanent home for the source library.
- Cloud object storage: May contain source videos, generated stream segments and manifests, or saved clips.
- Temporary buffers: An encoder or streaming process may use memory or temporary working space. The cited documentation does not establish zero buffering or zero transient writes for every setup.
- CDN cache: A content delivery network may cache output, depending on its configuration.
So the precise answer is that the source library need not be stored on the streaming server’s local disk—not that the system stores no video anywhere.
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#1 Best Overall
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What a 24/7 cloud channel needs
A continuous channel needs both a source of program material and a process that keeps publishing it. One possible architecture is a cloud playout or encoder process that reads videos from object storage and continuously supplies a live input to a managed transcoding service. Another is to use a provider’s supported live input and connect that stream to its playback and delivery components.
Google Cloud’s Live Stream API accepts SRT or RTMP input and can transcode it into HLS or DASH output. Cloudflare documents live inputs identified by unique stream keys, with playback through its Stream Player or HLS/DASH-compatible players. AWS documents a cloud live-video workflow using CloudFront and AWS Media Services that can be configured as a 24×7 channel. These are examples of implementation paths, not evidence of a universal playlist recipe or a performance ranking.
Rank #2
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Do not assume that a managed transcoder automatically schedules and loops a playlist. The documented services establish ingest, transcoding, output, and delivery capabilities; the source and scheduling process still need to be chosen and configured.
Choose an approach: managed transcoding or cloud playout
| Approach | What the cited documentation supports | What to compare |
|---|---|---|
| Managed live transcoding | Google Cloud Live Stream API accepts SRT/RTMP input and creates HLS/DASH output in Cloud Storage. Cloudflare Stream documents live inputs and supported playback options. | Operational burden, required ingest format, output formats, storage and retention design, delivery integration, and redundancy controls. |
| Cloud playout with cloud media services and a CDN | AWS documents a cloud live workflow configurable as a 24×7 channel; Google Cloud media guidance describes writing to a bucket and reading through a CDN. | Control over scheduling and source assets, ownership of custom software, recovery process, storage layout, CDN setup, and maintenance effort. |
Google Cloud’s media workload best practices recommend placing regional buckets near transcoding resources for enhanced streaming performance. This is implementation guidance, not a guarantee of a particular viewer experience. The cited sources do not establish a universal price, uptime, or reliability winner. Before choosing a provider, check current region support, pricing, quotas, and service terms for the specific configuration you plan to use.
Rank #3
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Plan storage and retention deliberately
Decide separately where source assets, live output, and any clips will be kept. In Google Cloud’s documented Live Stream API workflow, output manifests and segments are written to Cloud Storage, which can be configured as a backend for Media CDN. That is cloud storage, not the streaming server’s local disk.
Google Cloud’s live-to-VOD documentation distinguishes DVR sessions from clips. DVR output can share the live stream’s storage location and is removed with the segment files when the configured retention window expires. Clips are copied to a user-specified directory so they are not deleted when that retention period ends. For this Google Cloud Live Stream API feature, the documented maximum retention window is 30 days; this limit should not be applied to other providers.
Rank #4
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Kids’ channel requirements are separate from server storage
Whether a channel is made for kids affects YouTube’s audience settings and available features, not whether cloud streaming can avoid local disk. YouTube requires creators to designate whether content is made for kids. Its guidance considers factors such as subject matter, intended audience, characters or actors, language, songs, stories, games, and activities. YouTube says its guidance is not legal advice; if you are unsure how the rules apply, consider seeking legal counsel.
YouTube lists feature restrictions for videos and live streams set as made for kids, including personalized advertising, comments, and live chat. Account for those limits when planning channel operations and monetization. See YouTube’s guidance on determining if content is made for kids and its instructions for setting a channel or video’s audience.
Best Value
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Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is a continuous YouTube stream of uploaded videos, StreamNeo is #1 to try: it keeps a stream running from the cloud, at any uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps for one flat price per slot, and the first day is free. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live; StreamNeo loops the uploaded videos, so your computer does not need to stay on. It is for YouTube streams of uploaded videos, not camera broadcasts.
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Quick Recap
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