What Is Nimble Streamer? Software Media Server by Softvelum – Softvelum: efficient tools to build your streaming networks

Last updated: August 2026

Nimble Streamer is Softvelum’s software media server for live and VOD streaming. It receives streams via protocols such as SRT, RTMP, RTSP, MPEG-TS, WebRTC WHIP, NDI, SDI, RIST, Zixi, Icecast and OMT, then delivers HLS, Low Latency HLS, MPEG-DASH, WebRTC WHEP, SRT, RTMP, SLDP, Icecast and other outputs.

Nimble Streamer is built for technical teams that need flexible, self-managed streaming infrastructure. It is used for live streaming, video-on-demand, low-latency playback, CDN origin workflows, remote production, protocol conversion, transcoding, DVR, DRM, server-side ad insertion, captions and monitoring.

Nimble Streamer at a Glance

Field	Details
Product name	Nimble Streamer
Product type	Software media server
Main use	Live and VOD streaming infrastructure
Deployment model	Self-managed server infrastructure
Control layer	WMSPanel, web APIs, native APIs and configuration files
Typical users	Streaming engineers, broadcasters, OTT/IPTV teams, CDN and hosting providers, remote production teams, event streaming teams and system integrators
Common workflows	Live ingest, transmuxing, transcoding, packaging, protocol conversion, CDN origin, low-latency delivery, DVR, DRM, SSAI and captions
Related products	WMSPanel, Nimble Live Transcoder, Larix Broadcaster, Larix Player and Nimio

Who Uses Nimble Streamer?

Nimble Streamer is designed for teams that build and operate streaming workflows themselves. It is most useful when a team needs control over protocols, server infrastructure, packaging, low-latency delivery, media processing and integrations.

Typical users include:

broadcast engineers who need to connect SDI, NDI, SRT and IP streaming workflows;
streaming engineers who manage live and VOD delivery pipelines;
OTT and IPTV teams that need HLS, MPEG-DASH, DVR, DRM and monetization workflows;
CDN and hosting providers that need origin, edge or protocol-bridging infrastructure;
event streaming teams that need reliable contribution and low-latency playback;
system integrators building custom video streaming platforms;
developers and platform teams that need API-driven streaming infrastructure.

What Problems Does Nimble Streamer Solve?

Problem	How Nimble Streamer helps
Multiple ingest protocols	Receives live streams via SRT, RTMP, RTSP, MPEG-TS, WebRTC WHIP, NDI, SDI, RIST, Zixi, Icecast and other sources depending on configuration
Multiple playback formats	Delivers HLS, Low Latency HLS, MPEG-DASH, WebRTC WHEP, SLDP, SRT, RTMP, Icecast and other outputs
Protocol conversion	Bridges contribution, broadcast, production and playback protocols in one streaming workflow
Low-latency streaming	Supports SRT, WebRTC WHEP, Low Latency HLS and SLDP workflows
CDN origin delivery	Packages live and VOD content into HLS, Low Latency HLS and MPEG-DASH for CDN and multi-CDN delivery
Transcoding and ABR	Works with Nimble Live Transcoder for codec conversion, bitrate ladders, scaling, filtering and hardware acceleration
Broadcast hardware integration	Supports SDI and NDI workflows through Live Transcoder
Captions and subtitles	Supports live and VOD subtitle workflows, including WebVTT, CEA-608, CEA-708, DVB subtitles, DVB teletext and ASR-based captions
Monetization and protection	Supports DRM, paywall-related workflows and server-side ad insertion
Centralized control	Uses WMSPanel, APIs and configuration tools for control, reporting and automation

How Nimble Streamer Fits into a Streaming Workflow

Nimble Streamer usually sits between contribution sources and playback or distribution destinations. It receives live sources, processes or repackages them when needed, and outputs streams in the formats required by players, CDNs, broadcast chains or downstream servers.

Example workflow:

Camera / encoder / SDI / NDI / SRT / RTMP / WebRTC WHIP
-> Nimble Streamer
-> transmuxing, transcoding, packaging, DVR, DRM, SSAI or captions
-> HLS / LL-HLS / DASH / WebRTC WHEP / SRT / RTMP / SLDP / SDI / NDI
-> viewers, CDN, player, broadcast output or another server

Main Nimble Streamer Workflows

Live Streaming

Nimble Streamer can receive live streams from encoders, mobile contribution apps, broadcast hardware, production systems or other servers. It can then repackage, transcode, record, protect or deliver those streams through the required output protocols.

Use Nimble Streamer for live streaming when you need:

SRT contribution and distribution;
RTMP or RTSP ingest and output;
WebRTC WHIP ingest and WHEP playback;
SDI or NDI input/output workflows;
HLS, Low Latency HLS or MPEG-DASH delivery;
DVR recording and playback;
captions, subtitles, DRM;
Server-Side Ads Insertion.

Video-on-Demand Streaming

Nimble Streamer can serve VOD workflows where stored media files need to be packaged for streaming delivery. VOD workflows may include HLS, MPEG-DASH, DRM, thumbnails, DVR-style access, protected playback or integration with players.

Related page: Nimble Streamer VOD features

Playout

Nimble Streamer Playout, also called Server Playlist, can generate continuous live stream outputs from prepared VOD files and live sources. A playlist describes outgoing streams and content blocks in JSON, and Nimble Streamer follows that playlist to create scheduled or looping live output.

Playout is useful when a streaming team needs to create a live-like channel from existing media files, combine live and VOD blocks, generate fallback streams, run scheduled programming or prepare a continuous output for HLS, MPEG-DASH, SRT, RTMP, Icecast, MPEG-TS, WebRTC WHEP, NDI or SDI workflows.

Common playout workflows include:

VOD files -> Nimble Streamer Playout -> HLS or MPEG-DASH channel;
VOD files and live source blocks -> Nimble Streamer -> continuous live stream;
local files -> Nimble Streamer Playout -> SDI output;
audio files -> Nimble Streamer Playout -> online radio stream;
scheduled content blocks -> Nimble Streamer -> CDN or player delivery.

Playout capability	Notes
Input sources	Prepared VOD files and live streams
Playlist format	JSON server playlist
Scheduling	Content blocks can be played according to configured start times
Updates	Playlist configuration can be updated and synchronized by Nimble Streamer
Output alignment	Live Transcoder is recommended or required when output needs consistent codec, resolution, frame rate or audio format
Common use cases	24/7 channels, fallback streams, online radio, scheduled event channels and SDI/NDI output workflows

For best results, prepare input files and live sources with compatible codec, resolution, frame rate, audio format and other media properties. If the output must be delivered to general-purpose players, CDN workflows or multiple protocols, use Nimble Live Transcoder to align the output stream.

Related page: Nimble Streamer Playout

Low-Latency Streaming

Nimble Streamer supports several low-latency options, each suited to a different technical need.

Need	Common option
Browser playback with very low latency	WebRTC WHEP
Apple and CDN-friendly low latency	Low Latency HLS
Softvelum ultra-low-latency playback workflows	SLDP
Broadcast or production input/output	SDI or NDI

CDN Origin and Multi-CDN Delivery

Nimble Streamer can be used as a self-managed origin layer for live and VOD delivery. It can package streams into HLS, Low Latency HLS and MPEG-DASH, then serve them to CDN edges, multi-CDN setups, OTT platforms or private delivery infrastructure.

Use this workflow when you need:

control over ingest and packaging before CDN delivery;
HLS, DASH or LL-HLS origin workflows;
multi-CDN routing and fallback;
DVR, DRM, SSAI or subtitles before distribution;
a self-managed origin for a streaming platform.

Nimble Streamer as a CDN Origin

Transcoding and Media Processing

Nimble Streamer performs transmuxing when a stream only needs to be repackaged from one container or protocol to another. Nimble Live Transcoder is used when the media itself needs to change, such as codec, bitrate, resolution, frame rate, layout or audio format.

Situation	Transcoder needed?
Repackage compatible media into another protocol	Mostly no
Create ABR bitrate ladder	Yes
Change video codec	Yes
Change audio codec	Yes
Resize video	Yes
Add overlays, filters or picture-in-picture	Yes
Prepare SDI or NDI workflows	Yes

Related page: Nimble Live Transcoder

WebRTC WHIP and WHEP

Nimble Streamer supports WebRTC workflows with WHIP ingest and WHEP playback. WHIP is used when a publisher sends a WebRTC stream into Nimble Streamer. WHEP is used when viewers receive low-latency WebRTC playback.

Common WebRTC workflows include:

WHIP publisher -> Nimble Streamer -> WHEP playback;
WHIP publisher -> Nimble Streamer -> SLDP low latency playback;
SRT source -> Nimble Streamer -> WHEP playback;
RTMP or RTSP source -> Nimble Streamer -> WHEP playback;
NDI source -> Nimble Streamer -> WHEP playback;
Icecast audio -> Nimble Streamer -> WHEP playback.

Related page: WebRTC support in Nimble Streamer.

SRT Streaming

Nimble Streamer can work as an SRT streaming server for contribution, output and server-to-server workflows. It can receive SRT streams, deliver SRT output and convert SRT sources into HLS, Low Latency HLS, MPEG-DASH, WebRTC WHEP, RTMP, MPEG-TS and other outputs.

Related guide: SRT support in Nimble Streamer

SDI and NDI Production Workflows

Nimble Streamer supports SDI and NDI workflows through Live Transcoder. This allows teams to connect broadcast and production systems with IP streaming workflows.

Common examples:

SDI input -> NDI output;
NDI input -> SDI output;
SDI input -> Nimble Streamer -> WebRTC WHEP;
SDI input -> Nimble Streamer -> HLS or DASH;
SDI input -> Nimble Streamer -> SRT;
NDI input -> Nimble Streamer -> WHEP playback;
live IP stream -> Nimble Streamer -> SDI or NDI output.

Captions, Subtitles and Speech Recognition

Nimble Streamer supports subtitle and caption workflows for live and VOD streaming. Depending on the source and output workflow, this may include CEA-608, CEA-708, DVB subtitles, DVB teletext, WebVTT, DVR subtitles and ASR-generated captions.

Softvelum also provides speech recognition workflows with providers and engines such as Speechmatics, KWIKmotion and Whisper.

Monetization: DRM, Paywall and Server-Side Ad Insertion

Nimble Streamer can be used in protected and monetized streaming workflows. Nimble DRM supports major DRM systems for HLS and MPEG-DASH workflows. Nimble Advertizer provides server-side ad insertion for live and VOD workflows.

Supported Protocols Overview

This is a high-level overview. For the full protocol matrix, use the dedicated supported protocols page.

Protocol / format	Typical Nimble Streamer role
SRT	Live contribution, transport and output
RTMP / RTMPS	Encoder ingest, playback and re-publishing workflows
RTSP	IP camera ingest, pull/announce and playback workflows
MPEG-TS	Broadcast transport over HTTP, UDP, TCP, RTP or related workflows like SRT, RIST, OMT and Zixi.
WebRTC WHIP	WebRTC ingest
WebRTC WHEP	WebRTC playback
HLS	Live and VOD HTTP playback
Low Latency HLS	Low-latency HTTP playback, especially for Apple/CDN-friendly workflows
MPEG-DASH	OTT live and VOD playback
NDI	IP production input/output workflows
SDI	Broadcast hardware input/output workflows
SLDP	Softvelum low-latency playback
Icecast / SHOUTcast	Audio streaming workflows
RIST	Live contribution, transport and output
OMT	Production transport workflows
Zixi	Reliable contribution and transport workflows

What is WMSPanel used for with Nimble Streamer?

WMSPanel is Softvelum’s web service for configuring, controlling and reporting Nimble Streamer instances. Streaming teams use WMSPanel to manage multiple Nimble servers, apply settings, inspect statistics and coordinate live streaming infrastructure from a central interface.

Nimble Streamer can also be controlled through APIs and configuration files depending on the workflow.

Control option	Best for
WMSPanel UI	Visual server configuration and reporting
WMSPanel web API	Automation and external integrations
Nimble native API	Local server management
Configuration files	Advanced server-level settings

Pricing and Ownership Model

Nimble Streamer is a cost-efficient software media server. Current Nimble Streamer pricing is $50/month per server instance, with a free WMSPanel trial included.

Some workflows may require additional components or licenses, such as Nimble Live Transcoder, DRM, Addenda features, server-side ad insertion, speech recognition integrations or third-party services. They require additional charges.

When Nimble Streamer is a Good Fit

Nimble Streamer is a good fit when your team needs:

self-managed streaming infrastructure;
support for multiple ingest and output protocols;
live and VOD workflows on the same platform;
REMI – remote production;
SRT, WebRTC, HLS, DASH, SDI, NDI or low-latency workflows;
CDN origin or multi-CDN architecture;
protocol bridging between broadcast, contribution and playback systems;
API-driven control and reporting;
transcoding, ABR, DRM, SSAI, DVR, captions or playout;
predictable per-server infrastructure cost.

Nimble Streamer is best understood as a software media server and infrastructure component. It can be part of a larger streaming platform, CDN workflow, broadcast chain or OTT system.

FAQ

What is Nimble Streamer?

Nimble Streamer is Softvelum’s software media server for live and VOD streaming infrastructure. It receives live and on-demand sources, processes or repackages them where needed, and delivers streams through protocols such as HLS, Low Latency HLS, MPEG-DASH, WebRTC WHEP, SRT, RTMP, SLDP and others.

Who uses Nimble Streamer?

Nimble Streamer is used by streaming engineers, broadcasters, OTT/IPTV teams, CDN and hosting providers, event streaming teams, remote production teams, system integrators and developers building custom streaming platforms.

Does Nimble Streamer support SRT?

Yes. Nimble Streamer supports SRT for live contribution, output and server-to-server workflows. It can also convert SRT sources into playback or delivery formats such as HLS, Low Latency HLS, MPEG-DASH, WebRTC WHEP, RTMP, MPEG-TS, SLDP, NDI and SDI.

Does Nimble Streamer support WebRTC?

Yes. Nimble Streamer supports WebRTC WHIP ingest and WebRTC WHEP playback. It can receive WebRTC streams, deliver low-latency browser playback and bridge other live sources into WHEP workflows depending on codec and workflow requirements.

Does Nimble Streamer support Low Latency HLS?

Yes. Nimble Streamer supports Low Latency HLS workflows for low-latency HTTP playback, including CDN-friendly delivery scenarios.

Does Nimble Streamer support SDI and NDI?

Yes. Nimble Streamer supports SDI and NDI workflows through Live Transcoder. This allows teams to connect broadcast and production systems with IP streaming outputs such as SRT, WebRTC WHEP, HLS, MPEG-DASH and other protocols.

Does Nimble Streamer support DRM?

Yes. Nimble Streamer supports DRM workflows through Nimble DRM, including common HLS and MPEG-DASH protection scenarios with major DRM systems.

Does Nimble Streamer support server-side ad insertion?

Yes. Nimble Advertizer provides server-side ad insertion workflows for live and VOD streaming. It can be used for monetization scenarios such as pre-roll, mid-roll and SCTE-35 driven workflows depending on the output protocol and setup.

What is Nimble Streamer Playout?

Nimble Streamer Playout, or Server Playlist, generates continuous live stream outputs from prepared VOD files and live sources. It is used for 24/7 channels, scheduled programming, fallback streams, online radio and live-like outputs that can then be delivered through supported Nimble Streamer protocols.

What is WMSPanel?

WMSPanel is Softvelum’s web service for configuring, controlling and reporting Nimble Streamer instances. It helps teams manage servers, apply settings, inspect statistics and operate streaming infrastructure.

Is Nimble Streamer a CDN?

Nimble Streamer is not a CDN by itself. It is a software media server that can be used as an origin or protocol-processing layer before a CDN, multi-CDN setup, private delivery network or downstream streaming infrastructure. Read more: Nimble Streamer as a CDN Origin.

Is Nimble Streamer a video player?

No. Nimble Streamer is a software media server. Softvelum also provides player-related products such as Larix Player and Nimio for playback workflows.

Start Using Nimble Streamer

Install or upgrade Nimble Streamer, connect it to WMSPanel, then choose the setup guide for your required workflow. If your workflow requires codec conversion, ABR, SDI/NDI processing, overlays, filters or advanced media processing, review Nimble Live Transcoder as well.

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