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Why TOU rates do not settle the comparison
A TOU tariff charges different marginal energy prices at different times, sometimes also varying by season. Because a continuous stream runs through both cheaper and more expensive periods, you must price its electricity across the full schedule rather than assume it can avoid peak hours. The actual periods depend on your utility and tariff; NIST describes time-varying rate schedules that may differ by time of day and season (NIST).
The relevant home-power figure is the computer’s measured average draw at the wall while it runs the real encoder and stream—not the power supply’s rated capacity or a generic desktop estimate. A cost-comparison guide likewise recommends using measured power and your own rate (U.S. Department of Energy).
Calculate the home PC’s electricity cost
For one period with a constant average load:
Energy (kWh) = average wall watts ÷ 1,000 × hours in the period
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For TOU billing, calculate each applicable period separately and add them:
Monthly variable energy cost = Σ (average kW × hours in rate period × marginal energy price per kWh for that period)
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Use the marginal energy charge on your current tariff. Check the bill for fixed charges, minimum bills, demand charges or tier effects that might change your total; do not substitute a generic national rate.
Measure the workload that will actually run
A plug-in electricity usage monitor can measure whole-system input at the wall. Run the computer with the intended encoder settings and stream workload for representative periods; a short peak reading or the PC’s nameplate rating is not an average. If the computer would otherwise remain on for other work, count only the additional draw attributable to streaming. If it would otherwise be off, count its full measured draw.
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Apply your tariff period by period
Record the current TOU periods and marginal prices from your utility tariff, including seasonal schedules where applicable. Multiply the average kW by the hours in each period and that period’s price per kWh, then sum the results for the billing period. A continuously running stream still incurs power use in higher-priced periods.
Check whether the VPS is suitable—and what it will cost
Compare the electricity estimate with a VPS plan that can run your actual encoder workload and includes enough outbound transfer. A live video feed sends data from the server to YouTube, so the transfer allowance and overage rules matter alongside the monthly compute price.
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Estimate outbound data from the stream settings
YouTube’s current encoder guidance recommends H.264 bitrates of 14 Mbps for 4K/30fps, 17 Mbps for 1080p/60fps and 8 Mbps for 720p/60fps. Those are recommendations, not mandatory settings. A continuously sent 5 Mbps feed would use roughly 1.62 TB over 30 days before protocol overhead, calculated as 5 megabits per second × 86,400 seconds per day × 30 days ÷ 8 bits per byte using decimal units. Your actual stream bitrate and schedule determine the transfer demand. See YouTube’s encoder settings and bitrates.
Treat the entry-plan price as an example, not a performance guarantee
At the time its pricing page was accessed in 2026, Amazon Web Services listed a Linux/Unix public IPv4 Lightsail plan at $5 USD/month with 2 vCPUs, 0.5 GB memory, 20 GB SSD and 1 TB transfer (AWS Lightsail pricing). This is a price example, not proof that the entry plan can reliably encode a particular stream. AWS says allowances can vary by region and outbound transfer above the allowance can incur extra charges; confirm current regional terms and test the workload before choosing a plan (AWS Lightsail instance bundles).
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Compare the full cost on equal terms
Use the same billing period for both options. Include variable electricity cost for the home PC and the VPS plan’s compute price, transfer allowance and likely overage exposure. Add home costs only when they are relevant to the decision: extra cooling if material, equipment purchases or replacement, and a broadband upgrade. Separate sunk costs from new costs; an already-owned PC is not a new purchase, but its electricity is still a running cost.
| Factor | Home PC | VPS |
|---|---|---|
| Power or compute | Measured average wall draw, priced at each TOU period’s marginal rate | Monthly price for a plan capable of the actual encoder workload |
| Data transfer | Home broadband capacity and any upgrade needed for reliable upstream streaming | Included outbound transfer for the region, plus applicable overage charges |
| Other costs | Material extra cooling and new equipment or replacement costs | Any charges beyond the listed plan price, including transfer overages |
| Operations | Configuration, monitoring, home power and connectivity exposure, and recovery | Configuration, monitoring and recovery remain your responsibility on a self-managed VPS |
Neither setup automatically wins on cost. The comparison changes if the PC is already running, if home broadband needs upgrading, if the VPS cannot handle the workload, or if transfer overages apply. If totals are close, include the value of the time you or someone else will spend configuring, monitoring and recovering the stream.
Decision method
- Measure the whole computer at the wall while it runs the intended encoder and stream. Use representative periods rather than relying on a peak or nameplate figure.
- Get the current local TOU schedule and marginal energy prices from your utility tariff. Separate periods and seasons where the tariff does.
- Calculate the PC’s variable electricity cost for each period. Count incremental watts if the PC would already be on; otherwise count its full measured draw.
- Add material home costs, such as extra cooling, equipment purchases or replacement, and any broadband upgrade. Treat sunk costs separately.
- Choose a VPS plan based on the actual encoder workload, then estimate its outbound data using the selected bitrate and schedule. Check region-specific transfer allowances and overage rules.
- Compare totals over the same billing period. If they are close, account for setup, monitoring and recovery effort as well as cost.
Or let it run in the cloud
StreamNeo is a managed option for keeping an uploaded video live on YouTube without leaving a home computer running: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. It plays uploaded videos rather than broadcasting a camera. Nothing has to stay on at home; your upload streams as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot; and the service automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. The vendor describes its service and trial; those claims are not independent performance validation. Start the free day on StreamNeo.
Quick Recap
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