AWS Elemental MediaLive
Live video encoding
A broadcast-quality live encoder in the cloud: receives live signals, encodes them into multiple bitrates, and pushes them to MediaPackage, a CDN, or other platforms; channels can run two redundant pipelines.
- Cost$$$ High
- Difficulty●●●●●
- Costs money when idle?Yes
- Managed by AWS
Think of it asLike a TV station's control room that turns camera footage into a broadcast signal.
When to use it
✓ Use it when
Professional 24/7 live broadcasting or large events that need high reliability.
✗ Avoid it when
Simple interactive livestreaming in an app → Interactive Video Service; video files → MediaConvert.
Common uses
- 24/7 TV channel on OTT
- Live broadcast of sports tournaments
- Live events with redundancy
What does it cost?
- Pricing model: Billed by channel running hours, depending on input/output configuration (resolution, codec, number of pipelines); long-term reservations are available.
⚠️ Cost traps
Forgetting to stop a channel after an event costs money every hour, day and night.
