Rent an RTMP Server

You get a Debian server with nginx-rtmp already set up. Your phone streams from the kitchen to the server, and OBS on your gaming PC picks the stream up there. It works for Twitch IRL as well as for multi-cam setups.

Configure RTMP serverAll VPS plans

  1. Phone or camera

    Larix Broadcaster, action cam, OBS

    RTMP push to

    rtmp://your-ip/live/your-key

  2. Your RTMP server

    nginx-rtmp on Debian, Germany

    RTMP pull as a Media Source

  3. Gaming PC with OBS

    Layout, overlays, cameras

    Streamed from OBS as usual

  4. Twitch, YouTube, Kick

RespawnHost does not forward anything. Where the finished stream goes is up to you and your OBS settings.

Why run your own RTMP relay?

With this setup, no third-party service sits between your camera and OBS. Your phone, an action cam, or a second OBS sends straight to your server. On the gaming PC you pull the stream into OBS as a Media Source and send the finished picture from there to Twitch, YouTube, or any other platform. The server comes with nginx-rtmp and an example config. You log in via SSH and set your stream key. With the default config, the delay is usually between 0.5 and 1.5 seconds, and the pull runs at full bitrate.

How the RTMP relay works

  • your-ip is your server's IP address, which you'll find in the panel.
  • your-key is a stream key you choose yourself.

  1. The camera sends to the server

    In Larix Broadcaster, on the action cam, or in OBS on a second laptop, enter your server as the destination.

    Destination in Larix or OBS

    rtmp://your-ip/live/your-key

  2. The server takes the stream

    On the server, nginx-rtmp holds the stream as a live channel. If you want, the server also saves a recording to the NVMe drive or generates an HLS preview for the browser.

    /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
    rtmp {
    server {
        listen 1935;
        chunk_size 4096;

        application live {
            live on;
            record all;
            record_path /srv/recordings;
            record_suffix _%F_%H-%M-%S.flv;
        }
    }
}

  3. OBS picks up the stream

    On the gaming PC, add a Media Source in OBS with the same address as input. Build your layout, overlays, and cameras there, then stream to Twitch, YouTube, or Kick as usual.

    OBS Media Source input

    rtmp://your-ip/live/your-key

Plans for your RTMP server

Every plan comes with Debian and nginx-rtmp pre-installed, runs on KVM with AMD Ryzen and NVMe SSD, and can be canceled monthly.

What the server does for your stream

  • nginx-rtmp pre-installed

    The Debian image ships with nginx-rtmp-module. Push and pull work right after the first boot, and all you enter is your stream key.

  • 0.5 to 1.5 seconds of latency

    That is the typical delay between phone and OBS in an EU setup, which is enough for conversation and reactions in an IRL stream. With a shorter keyframe interval in the encoder and a smaller chunk_size, you can get below 500 ms.

  • Your own stream keys

    You set stream keys yourself. With the on_publish hook in nginx-rtmp you can also enforce authentication.

  • Recording to NVMe

    If you want, nginx-rtmp writes every channel to the NVMe drive as an FLV file. An ffmpeg call in exec_record_done turns it into an MP4 file automatically.

  • Full root access

    You are root via SSH and can set up HLS, DASH, or extra bitrates yourself, or run SRS and MediaMTX alongside.

Hardware and network

The single-core power of the Ryzen CPUs is enough for 1080p60 at more than 8,000 kbit/s, even while HLS is generated in parallel. The server is in Germany, so phones and PCs in Germany and neighboring countries have a short path to it.

System
Debian with nginx-rtmp
RTMP port
1935
Processor
AMD Ryzen above 5 GHz
Memory
DDR5 ECC
SSD
NVMe Gen4
Network
10 Gbit/s uplink, 10 TB traffic per month
DDoS
Gaming DDoS Protection, RTMP included
Location
Germany

Ping test

  • Germany · EU

    —

Ping measured from each regional test server to your internet connection. In-game ping may differ. An unavailable result can mean the connection is blocked or the test server cannot be reached.

What your own RTMP server is good for

  • Twitch IRL from the kitchen or garden

    Larix Broadcaster on your phone sends to your server, and OBS picks the stream up as a Media Source. You stay on camera even when the gaming PC is in another room.

  • Action cam or drone in OBS

    An action cam, GoPro, or drone sends via RTMP to the server. In OBS you add the feed as a source and mix it with your face cam, overlays, and chat.

  • Co-streaming with guests

    Your guest sends their OBS output to your relay, and you pull it into your scene as a Media Source. The picture is usually better and more stable than a camera shared through a voice app.

  • HLS preview in the browser

    The server repackages the stream to HLS or DASH without re-encoding. That lets you embed it on a website or give your mods a preview.

  • Backup recording

    The server records your live stream to the NVMe drive in the background. You can cut VODs, clips, and highlights from it later.

  • Your own relay instead of a restream service

    Instead of going through Restream.io or Castr, the relay runs on your own server with your stream keys. There are no monthly tiers with limits. You only pay for the VPS.

Frequently asked questions

An RTMP server (Real-Time Messaging Protocol) receives live video and passes it on to other clients. A typical flow: an encoder such as a phone, OBS, or a hardware encoder sends RTMP to the server, and another client pulls the stream from there. We run nginx-rtmp on Debian for this.

RTMP server from €4.99 a month

Debian with nginx-rtmp pre-installed, on AMD Ryzen and NVMe. The server is usually online within a few minutes, and then you can send your first stream.

Configure RTMP server