Help & Documentation

Getting Started with slush.video

Table of Contents

1. How Slush Works

slush.video enables content creators to broadcast live video to their audience, using WebRTC technology to deliver low-latency streaming between broadcaster and viewers.

Key features of Slush include:

  • Low Latency Streaming: Ultra-low latency with support for 4K, HDR, and high framerates.
  • Pay As You Go: $0.05 per hour watched per viewer, $10 monthly minimum. No complex tiers or sales calls.
  • Stream Forwarding: Broadcast simultaneously to YouTube, Twitch, and other platforms.
  • Embeddable Player: Embed your stream on any website with customizable options.
  • Subscription Tiers: Monetize with custom subscription options for your viewers.

2. Pricing

slush.video uses a simple, pay-as-you-go pricing model:

  • Pricing: $0.05 per hour watched (viewers × stream hours)
  • Monthly Minimum: $10 minimum charge per month per channel (includes 200 hours watched)
  • One Stream Per Channel: Each channel supports one concurrent stream

What are "hours watched"?

Hours watched (also called watch-hours) measures total viewing time across all your viewers. It's calculated as: number of viewers × hours streamed. For example, if you stream for 2 hours to 50 viewers, that's 100 hours watched (2 × 50 = 100).

Usage Limits:

To ensure platform stability, accounts have the following default limits:

  • Concurrent Viewers: 100 viewers at any given time across all your channels

This limit will increase as the service grows. If you're approaching this limit or need higher capacity for a specific event, contact us to request an increase.

3. Channel Subscriptions

Channel subscriptions allow viewers to support their favorite broadcasters with monthly payments. Broadcasters can create custom subscription tiers with different price points, and subscribers gain access to exclusive benefits like subscriber-only streams.

Channel subscriptions are processed through Stripe Connect, which means payments go directly to the broadcaster's connected Stripe account. This is separate from broadcast subscriptions, which broadcasters use to pay for their streaming service.

For Broadcasters

Partner Application Required:

To accept channel subscriptions, you must first become a partner. Apply for partnership from the Monetization section of your channel on your Account page.

Setting up subscriptions:

  1. Apply for partnership status from your Account page
  2. Wait for approval (typically 3-5 business days)
  3. Connect your Stripe account for payments
  4. Create subscription tiers with custom names, descriptions, and pricing (up to $50/month, maximum 5 tiers)

Revenue and Payouts:

  • Keep More Revenue: Slush takes no platform fee on subscriptions - you only pay Stripe's processing fee (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction).
  • Direct Payments: Subscription payments go directly to your connected Stripe account.
  • Payout Schedule: Stripe handles payouts according to your account settings (typically daily or weekly).

Creating Tiers:

  • You can create up to 5 subscription tiers per channel.
  • Each tier requires a name, description, and monthly price ($1-$50).

Editing Tiers:

  • Descriptions: You can edit tier descriptions at any time. Changes take effect immediately.
  • Price Changes: You can change a tier's price, but changes take effect after a 31-day notice period to give subscribers time to decide whether to continue. Price changes are limited to 50% increase or decrease from the current price. All subscribers are notified via email when you schedule a price change.
  • Cancel Price Changes: If you change your mind, you can cancel a pending price change before it takes effect. Subscribers will be notified of the cancellation.

Deactivating Tiers:

  • Deactivating a tier will cancel all existing subscriptions at the end of their current billing period. Deactivated tiers cannot be reactivated.

For Viewers

Supporting your favorite channels with a subscription is easy and gives you access to exclusive benefits.

How to Subscribe:

  1. Visit a channel that has subscriptions enabled
  2. Click the "Subscribe" button to see available tiers
  3. Select a tier and complete checkout through Stripe
  4. Your subscription begins immediately

Managing Your Subscriptions:

  • View all your active subscriptions on your Account page.
  • Change Plans: Switch to a different tier at any time, even if you've cancelled or your current tier is no longer available. Upgrades are charged immediately (prorated for the remainder of your billing period). Downgrades apply a credit to your next invoice.
  • Cancel: Cancel anytime from your Account page. Your subscription remains active until the end of your current billing period. You won't be charged again unless you reactivate.
  • Reactivate: If you've cancelled but your billing period hasn't ended yet, you can reactivate your subscription without being charged again (as long as the tier is still available).
  • Update Payment: Update your payment method anytime from your Account page by clicking "Update Payment" on any active subscription.

Billing:

  • Subscriptions are billed monthly on the anniversary of your signup date.
  • Payments are processed securely through Stripe.
  • You'll receive email receipts for each payment.

4. Event Tickets

Event tickets allow broadcasters to sell one-time access to exclusive livestreams. Unlike subscriptions, tickets are a single purchase that grants access to streams on a specific input—perfect for pay-per-view events, workshops, concerts, or premium content.

Like subscriptions, tickets are processed through Stripe Connect, so payments go directly to the broadcaster's connected Stripe account.

For Broadcasters

Partner Application Required:

To sell tickets, you must be a partner with Stripe Connect enabled. Apply for partnership from the Monetization section of your channel on your Account page.

Creating Tickets:

  1. Go to your Account page and select your channel
  2. Expand the Monetization section
  3. In the Event Tickets area, click Add Ticket
  4. Enter a name, description, and price (minimum $1)
  5. Click Create Ticket

Streaming to a Ticketed Event:

Each ticket has its own dedicated stream key. When you stream using a ticket's stream key, only viewers who have purchased that ticket can watch.

  1. In the Event Tickets section, click the key icon next to your ticket
  2. Copy the stream key shown in the modal
  3. Use this stream key in OBS or your streaming software (same setup as regular streaming)
  4. When you go live with this key, the stream is automatically gated to ticket holders

Managing Tickets:

  • Edit: You can update a ticket's name and description at any time. Price cannot be changed after creation.
  • Deactivate: Deactivating a ticket prevents new purchases but existing ticket holders retain access. This cannot be undone.
  • Purchase Count: The ticket list shows how many viewers have purchased each ticket.

Revenue:

  • Slush takes no platform fee on ticket sales—you only pay Stripe's processing fee (2.9% + $0.30).
  • Payments go directly to your connected Stripe account.

For Viewers

Purchasing a ticket gives you access to exclusive ticketed streams from a broadcaster.

How to Purchase:

  1. Visit the channel page when the broadcaster is live with a ticketed stream
  2. You'll see a message indicating the stream requires a ticket
  3. Click Get Access to view ticket details and price
  4. Complete checkout through Stripe
  5. Return to the channel page to watch the stream

Important Notes:

  • Tickets are one-time purchases—you won't be charged again.
  • Your ticket remains valid for all future streams using that ticket's stream key.
  • Tickets are non-refundable once purchased.

5. Supported Streaming Clients

For the best streaming experience, we recommend using a dedicated streaming application like OBS Studio. Dedicated software gives you full control over encoding settings, scene composition, and stream quality.

slush.video supports streaming from a variety of clients and applications:

  • OBS Studio (Recommended): Popular open-source streaming software for desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux). Offers the most control over your stream quality and settings.
  • Browser: Stream directly from your browser using your webcam, microphone, or screen share—no software installation required. Access it from the Broadcast link on your Account page. Convenient for quick streams, but browser-based encoding has limitations compared to dedicated software.
  • Larix Broadcaster: Professional streaming app available for iOS and Android devices
  • GStreamer: Multimedia framework for custom streaming applications and integrations
  • FFmpeg: Command-line tool for advanced users and automated streaming setups

All clients support streaming to slush.video using WebRTC/WHIP.

Codec Requirements:

Slush supports H.264 and AV1 video codecs with Opus audio. Other codecs (VP8, VP9, etc.) are not supported. Most streaming software uses H.264 by default. AV1 offers better compression efficiency but requires more encoding power.

Browser Streaming Modes

When streaming from your browser, you can choose between two modes:

  • Simulcast: Your browser encodes multiple quality layers simultaneously. Viewers automatically receive the best quality their connection can handle. This is ideal when your audience has varying internet speeds. However, browser-based simulcast has limitations—you have less control over encoding settings, and browsers may not always produce all requested quality layers.
  • Single Stream: Your browser encodes one stream at your chosen quality settings. You get full control over resolution, bitrate, and framerate. All viewers receive the same stream regardless of their connection speed—viewers with slower connections may experience buffering.

Since Slush does not transcode video, these tradeoffs matter: simulcast is the only way to serve viewers with different connection speeds from a browser. For the most flexibility, use dedicated streaming software like OBS, which offers better encoding control and can produce consistent simulcast layers.

Setting Up OBS Studio

Follow these steps to configure OBS Studio for streaming to your slush.video channel:

  1. Open OBS Studio and click the Settings button in the bottom-right corner
  2. Select Stream from the left-hand menu
  3. In the Service dropdown, select WHIP
  4. In the Server field, enter your channel's WHIP endpoint:
    • Go to your Account page and navigate to the Channels section
    • Find the WHIP Endpoint section for your channel
    • Click Copy to copy the endpoint URL
    • Paste the URL into the Server field in OBS
  5. In the Bearer Token field, enter your stream key:
    • On your Account page, find the Stream Inputs section
    • Create a new input by clicking Add Input, or use an existing one
    • Click Copy next to the Stream Key for your chosen input
    • Paste the stream key into the Bearer Token field in OBS
  6. Click OK to save your settings
  7. Click Start Streaming in OBS to begin broadcasting

Tip: You can create multiple stream inputs on your Account page to use different stream keys for different setups or devices. Each input tracks when it was last used, making it easy to manage multiple streaming sources.

6. Community Guidelines & Enforcement

We're committed to keeping slush.video a safe and welcoming platform for creators and viewers. Our Terms of Service outline what content is prohibited, and we enforce these rules through a graduated system.

How We Handle Violations

When someone violates our Terms of Service, we take action based on the severity and frequency of the violation:

  • Warning: For first-time or minor violations, we'll send you a notice explaining what happened and what to do differently. Warnings stay on your account record.
  • Probation: For repeated violations, we may temporarily restrict features like streaming, monetization, or chat participation.
  • Suspension: For continued or severe violations, we may permanently suspend your account.

Repeat Violations

We use a progressive approach: first violation typically results in a warning, second may result in probation, and third may result in permanent suspension. However, we consider the context and severity of each case.

Severe Violations

Some violations are serious enough to warrant immediate suspension without prior warning. These include child sexual abuse material (CSAM), credible threats of violence, terrorism, doxxing, and fraud.

Appeals

If you believe we made a mistake, you can appeal by emailing [email protected]. We review each appeal individually.

For the complete policy, see Section 5 of our Terms of Service.

8. Support

Need additional help? Contact our support team at [email protected]