Pre-recorded live
Stream pre-recorded video as live, on your schedule.
Upload a finished video, set a start time, and Castr broadcasts it as a live stream to your embedded player, YouTube, Facebook, and any other RTMP destination you use. No encoder, no studio, no repeating the same broadcast for a second time zone.
Built for agencies, ministries, media teams, training providers, and channel operators that need repeatable scheduled programming.
Trusted by broadcasters and channel operators
Business outcomes
The workflow should create value, not more operational risk.
01Cut live production risk
Record and edit ahead of time, then broadcast at the scheduled moment. No mid-stream mistakes, no encoder to babysit.
02Keep recurring programs on time
Schedule each week's service, course session, or campaign premiere in minutes, and Castr starts the broadcast at the set time with no one at the controls.
03One schedule, every destination
The scheduled broadcast multistreams to YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, and your own player, exactly like a live stream.
Capabilities that matter
Everything you need to broadcast pre-recorded video as live.
Upload MP4 files and Castr plays them out as a real live stream, in two modes: schedule a one-time premiere, or loop a playlist continuously. Pre-recorded (VOD-to-live) streaming is included on every plan, and storage, file, and loop limits scale by tier.
Two ways to run it
Scheduled premieres the video at a set date and time and plays it out as live. Loop runs the playlist continuously, 24/7 (Premium and higher).
Simulive delivery
Everyone watches together. Viewers join at the current moment of the broadcast, like a live stream, instead of starting the video from the beginning.
Multiple destinations
Send the broadcast to YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, custom RTMP destinations, and your website player at once.
Playlists
Queue several MP4 files into one broadcast: 2 on Starter and Standard, 10 on Premium, 15 on Ultra.
Upload or import files
Upload MP4 files straight from your computer, or import them from Dropbox. Both work on every plan.
Replay and hosting
Keep the video available as an on-demand replay after the broadcast ends.
Need the complete matrix? See capability availability and plan tiers in one place.
Compare plans and capabilities →How to live stream a pre-recorded video
How to live stream a pre-recorded video, step by step.
The whole flow runs in the Castr dashboard. There is no encoder, no OBS, and nothing to keep running on your computer. Once the broadcast is scheduled, Castr plays it out from the cloud.
Set up the broadcast
-
1. Upload your video
Add MP4 files from your computer or import them from Dropbox. Pre-recorded storage ranges from 4 GB on Starter to 20 GB on Ultra.
-
2. Build the playlist
Queue one file or several in a single broadcast: 2 files per stream on Starter and Standard, up to 15 on Ultra.
-
3. Pick Scheduled or Loop
Schedule a one-time premiere for a specific date and time, or loop the playlist continuously.
Infinite loop is available on Premium and higher.
Go live and follow up
-
4. Connect destinations
Add YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, custom RTMP endpoints, and the embedded player on your own website. Each platform receives a standard live feed.
-
5. Let Castr go live for you
At the scheduled time the broadcast starts from the cloud. Your computer can stay off.
-
6. Keep the replay
The video stays hosted after the broadcast, so you can publish it on demand or schedule a rerun.
Every plan includes pre-recorded (VOD-to-live) streaming. Concurrent pre-recorded streams range from 1 on Starter to 3 on Ultra, and maximum file duration from 60 to 240 minutes by plan.
Compare pre-recorded stream limits by planSimulive streaming explained
What simulive streaming is, and how it compares to Premiere.
Simulive (simulated live, also called VOD-to-live) means broadcasting a recorded video through a real live stream at a scheduled time. Viewers watch together on a live timeline, chat reacts in real time, and every platform treats the stream as live.
Simulive with Castr
-
A real live feed
Castr converts the file into a standard live stream, so every destination sees a normal live broadcast, not an uploaded video.
-
Every destination at once
One scheduled broadcast reaches YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, custom RTMP destinations, and your own embedded player simultaneously.
-
Recurring and back-to-back events
Schedule multiple broadcasts at different times for weekly services, course sessions, and time-zone repeats.
-
24/7 channels
Loop a playlist continuously to run an always-on channel.
Infinite loop is on Premium and higher. See 24/7 playout for full channel scheduling.
vs YouTube and Facebook Premiere
-
Premiere is single-platform
YouTube Premiere and Facebook Premiere schedule a video on that one platform. A Castr simulive broadcast reaches all your destinations from one schedule.
-
Your own player included
Premieres keep viewers on the social platform. Castr also delivers the broadcast to an embedded player on your website, under your branding.
-
No per-platform setup
You do not upload the file to each platform or configure a premiere in each dashboard. Upload once, schedule once.
-
No encoder required
No OBS and no re-streaming a screen. The file plays out from Castr's cloud.
Simulive fits content that is finished ahead of time: launches, training, services, and premieres where you want a shared live moment without live production risk.
Seen enough to test it? Start a 7-day trial with no credit card, or talk through your exact setup first.
Customer workflows
See how video teams put the platform to work.
Fitness · FressiTV
How FressiTV Runs Live Classes and a Workout Library as One Service
Since 2020, FressiTV has used Castr to run its live class schedule and workout library as one experience, whether a member joins a class, picks a recording, or casts a session to the TV.
Read the storySports · The Pits TV
How The Pits TV Powers Its Motorsport OTT Platform with Castr
The whole streaming lifecycle, from live delivery and paid viewing to replay and content protection, consolidated from separate systems into one workflow.
Read the storyOperator fit
Designed for recurring, accountable video work.
Operational complexity matters more than company size. The strongest fit is a team with a named owner, a repeatable schedule, and a real consequence if delivery fails.
Review your workflow with CastrStrong qualification signals
- Prepared conferences and training
- Weekly ministry programming
- Product launches and premieres
- Backup programming for events
Switching to Castr
Move off your current platform without dropping a broadcast.
You do not have to cut over blind. Run Castr in parallel with your current provider while you test, and let our video team confirm the fit before anything switches.
Run in parallel
Upload one of your existing videos and run a test broadcast to a private destination while your current platform keeps serving viewers. Nothing changes for your audience until you are ready.
Map the workflow
Our video team reviews your ingest, player embeds, video library, security, and monetization setup, then confirms plan fit for your concurrency and destinations.
Cut over with support
Switch your embeds and destinations when you are confident, with 24/7 human support on hand during your first live events on Castr.
Build the complete workflow
Connect this capability to the rest of your operation.
Questions before you choose
Evaluate the workflow with confidence.
Feature and plan availability changes by tier. Use the full matrix for comparison, or let our team validate a complex setup.
Is pre-recorded live the same as uploading VOD?
No. A pre-recorded live stream plays out at a scheduled time and viewers watch it together as a live broadcast. VOD sits in a library and each viewer starts it whenever they want.
Can viewers tell the stream is pre-recorded?
Castr adds no 'pre-recorded' label. Viewers see a standard live broadcast and join at the current moment, the same as any live stream. Some destinations apply their own labels: Twitch, for example, expects reruns to be marked under its own rules.
Can scheduled video go to multiple destinations?
Yes. Multistream the scheduled broadcast to YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, custom RTMP destinations, and your embedded player at the same time, up to your plan's destination limit.
Can we use this as event backup content?
You can prepare a pre-recorded broadcast ahead of an event and start it manually if your live plan falls through, but it runs as its own broadcast. Castr does not auto-switch from a failing live feed to a pre-recorded one.
Does live chat work during a pre-recorded broadcast?
Yes. YouTube and Facebook treat the broadcast as a normal live stream, so their live chat runs as usual and your team can answer viewers while the video plays. The Castr embedded player also has a built-in chat box you can switch on in the player settings.
How do I live stream a pre-recorded video on YouTube?
Upload the MP4 to Castr, connect your YouTube channel as a destination, and schedule the broadcast. Castr sends the file to YouTube as a standard live stream at the scheduled time, so it appears live to your audience. No OBS or encoder is needed.
Can I stream a pre-recorded video to Facebook Live?
Yes. Connect your Facebook page as a destination and the scheduled broadcast goes out as a Facebook live stream, on its own or at the same time as YouTube, Twitch, and your website player.
Can I stream a pre-recorded video on TikTok Live?
Yes. Add TikTok as a custom RTMP destination using the server URL and stream key from TikTok Live, and the scheduled or looping broadcast plays out there like any other destination. TikTok decides which accounts get Live access and a stream key, so you need that access on the TikTok side first.
How is this different from YouTube Premiere?
A YouTube Premiere only exists on YouTube. A Castr pre-recorded live stream is a real live broadcast, so one schedule reaches YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, custom RTMP destinations, and the embedded player on your own site at the same time.
Can I loop a video as a 24/7 live stream?
Yes. Loop mode plays your playlist continuously for always-on channels. Infinite loop is available on Premium plans and higher. For a full channel with a program schedule, see 24/7 playout.
What files can I upload, and how long can they be?
Upload MP4 video files directly or import them from Dropbox. Maximum file duration is 60 minutes on Starter, 120 on Standard, and 240 on Premium and higher, with 4 GB to 20 GB of pre-recorded storage depending on plan.
Are pre-recorded live streams allowed on YouTube and Twitch?
YouTube and Facebook accept any standard live feed, including scheduled pre-recorded broadcasts. Twitch allows pre-recorded content but expects reruns to be labeled, so check the platform's rules for your category.
Can I evaluate Castr before subscribing?
Yes. Castr offers a 7-day Starter trial with no credit card required. Advanced workflows and higher limits may require a paid tier or a technical consultation.
Move from evaluation to a working broadcast
Map Castr to the workflow your team runs today.
Discuss protocols, concurrency, destinations, bandwidth, storage, security, monetization, migration, and support with a video expert.