Remote bidders are seeing the lot too late
Use WebRTC when viewing close to real time matters. Low-latency HLS and standard HLS provide additional delivery options where a longer delay is acceptable.
Live Auctions
Low-latency live video for online and hybrid auctions
When remote bidders see a lot several seconds after the auction room, following the sale and timing a bid become harder. CreekX Media Server delivers live video from your own server using WebRTC for viewing close to real time, with HLS and low-latency HLS available for different playback needs.
CreekX Media Server
When the video falls behind the auction
A live-auction stream has to show the lot while the bidding is happening. CreekX is intended for auction teams evaluating a self-hosted alternative to video delivery charged by viewing time or controlled by an outside platform.
The auction needs protected viewing
Create signed watch links and one-time viewer tokens, apply viewer IP rules and keep connection logs showing who watched, from which device and IP address, and when.
You want the video on your infrastructure
Install CreekX on your own Ubuntu server. The software, video and viewer records remain under your control unless you choose to enable an outbound integration.
From the auction feed to the bidder’s screen
Evaluate CreekX for the video-delivery part of your auction workflow; discuss the integration with your existing systems before deployment.
Bring in the live feed
Send video from a browser, encoder or supported camera feed. CreekX accepts WebRTC, SRT, RTSP and RTMP input.
Deliver video for the viewing situation
Use WebRTC for the shortest measured delay, low-latency HLS for a few seconds of delay, or standard HLS where latency is less important.
Connect viewer approval to your system
An optional approval check lets your application decide whether a viewer may play a stream. CreekX also includes a documented REST API and webhooks for technical teams.
Operate it from your server
Manage streams, access and server health through the admin console. Public documentation covers installation, going live, sharing, viewer security and troubleshooting.
Auction formats this setup can support
The same live-video path can be evaluated for online or hybrid car, livestock, art, equipment and property auctions. Your server, stream quality, expected concurrent viewers and acceptable delay determine the appropriate setup.
- A single auction feed sent from a browser or encoder
- A camera feed supplied over SRT, RTSP or RTMP
- Protected viewing for registered or approved bidders
- Playback in current browsers and on phones
- Customer-controlled deployment for teams that do not want the core stream hosted by CreekX
What the measured delay shows
In a first-party product test on 13 October 2026, CreekX 2026.10.13 delivered WebRTC playback with a median delay of 0.49 seconds and a worst result of 0.68 seconds. Low-latency HLS measured 1.23-1.28 seconds at the median and 1.40 seconds at worst. Standard HLS measured 3.4-3.8 seconds at the median and 4.4 seconds at worst.
Test conditions
CreekX was installed with its standard one-line installer on an Ubuntu 24.04 cloud server with 4 vCPU, 8 GB memory, 100 GB NVMe storage and about 890 Mbit/s upload bandwidth. The source was a real 1080p, 25 fps H.264 clip at 5 Mbit/s. OBS sent the stream, playback was measured on a laptop over the local network, and each step ran for 60 seconds.
How to interpret the result
This was a controlled CreekX product test, not a customer auction or a public-internet outcome. Actual delay and audience capacity depend on the server, network, source settings, playback method and viewer connection.
Choose the right evaluation path
Start with the Media Server trial
Developers, IT teams and technical buyers can start a 14-day trial without a call or credit card. It includes all Pro features, with trial limits of up to five 24/7 channels, five restream destinations per stream and 500 library videos. Installation requires internet access, and the workspace becomes read-only when the trial ends without deleting its content.
Test your auction feed
Install CreekX on an Ubuntu server, or evaluate it on a laptop using WSL 2, Multipass or Ubuntu. Send a representative feed and compare WebRTC, low-latency HLS and HLS under the network conditions your bidders will use.
Speak to CreekX before larger or offline deployments
Contact CreekX first if you need several servers, more than 50 concurrent live streams, thousands of viewers, a fully offline or air-gapped installation, tender documents, installation, training or Enterprise support.
Important fit and security boundaries
Server capacity must be sized for your video quality, number of streams, concurrent viewers and network connection. CreekX currently runs on one server per installation and is not positioned for very large public audiences that require clustering across multiple servers.
- A fully offline installer and offline licence file are supplied through an assisted sales process; they are not included in the self-serve trial.
- CreekX does not currently provide round-the-clock phone support. Paid email support runs Sunday to Thursday, 09:00-18:00 Gulf Standard Time, with a reply within one business day.
- CreekX has no current formal security certification, independent penetration test or external audit. Its security functions are product features verified through CreekX automated tests, not formal approval.
- Recorded video and library files are not encrypted by CreekX on the customer’s disks. Deployments requiring encryption at rest need customer-provided disk encryption.
- Optional outbound integrations, including off-site storage or backups, change the data-flow boundary when enabled.
Test CreekX with a representative auction feed
Start the Media Server trial if your technical team can evaluate it on Ubuntu. If you need help sizing the server, planning protected viewer access or preparing an offline, large or procurement-led deployment, describe your auction format, expected viewers and acceptable delay to CreekX.