For a clearly labelled example, a 1-OCPU, 6-GB Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Ampere A1 virtual machine running for 30 days uses 720 OCPU-hours and 4,320 GB-hours. Those amounts sit below Oracle’s published monthly A1 allowances, but that does not guarantee a zero-cost deployment for every account: eligibility, other tenancy usage, region, storage and other services can change the bill.
For a nonstop prerecorded stream, outbound data is a separate calculation from compute, and boot-volume storage is separate again. You can work out whether the example fits the published allowances; you cannot derive a firm paid total without the particular tenancy and configuration.
Short answer: the example can fit the listed A1 allowances
Oracle’s public price list states monthly allowances of 3,000 OCPU-hours and 18,000 GB-hours for Ampere A1, and lists the first 10 TB per month of outbound transfer as free in its listed regions. The 30-day example uses less than each of those stated quantities. Check the current Oracle Cloud price list and the terms that apply to your account before treating any line item as free.
The distinction is between allowance arithmetic and a bill prediction. The arithmetic says that this VM’s specified compute use is within those published A1 quantities, if they apply to the tenancy. It does not establish that your account qualifies, that no other A1 instances are drawing on the same allowance, or that storage and associated services cost nothing.
The example assumes the VM has one OCPU and 6 GB of memory for the full 30 days. It says nothing about whether that configuration will encode your particular video reliably. A prerecorded stream can still require encoding, packaging, monitoring and a stable connection; capacity and workload suitability are not established by an allowance table. Test the actual file and settings, and check Oracle’s compute shape documentation for current shape details and availability.
Calculate 30-day OCPU-hours and GB-hours
For a continuously running VM, multiply the configured resources by the runtime. Using a 30-day month for this example gives 30 × 24 = 720 hours. One OCPU held for all those hours consumes 1 × 720 = 720 OCPU-hours. Six GB of memory held for that period consumes 6 × 720 = 4,320 GB-hours.
| Resource in the example | Calculation | 30-day usage |
|---|---|---|
| OCPU | 1 OCPU × 720 hours | 720 OCPU-hours |
| Memory | 6 GB × 720 hours | 4,320 GB-hours |
These are usage quantities, not prices. If the VM is stopped for part of the period, or configured with different OCPU or memory values, the relevant quantities change. OCI A1 Flex lets you choose OCPUs and memory; consult the shape documentation for how the selected configuration is metered. Do not assume that an OCPU has the same thread meaning across architectures: Oracle notes that A1 has one vCPU per OCPU, while x86 shapes have two vCPUs per OCPU.
For a real estimate, use the intended region and selected shape in Oracle’s cost estimator or regional price list. For resource-priced A1, work out OCPU-hours and memory GB-hours separately, apply only allowances that genuinely qualify for the tenancy, then price any remainder at the applicable regional rates. The resulting compute figure still needs storage and any other chargeable services added to it.
Compare usage with the stated A1 monthly allowances
Against Oracle’s published monthly A1 allowances, this example leaves room in both resource categories before considering anything else in the tenancy:
| Resource | Example use for 30 days | Published A1 monthly allowance | What the comparison says |
|---|---|---|---|
| OCPU-hours | 720 | 3,000 | Example use is below the stated quantity |
| GB-hours of memory | 4,320 | 18,000 | Example use is below the stated quantity |
Oracle’s figures are monthly allowance quantities, not a promise that any new or existing account receives them on identical terms. The price list may change, and account eligibility or other A1 consumption in the tenancy can matter. Confirm the current official listing and the account’s actual terms; do not infer your charge from the example alone.
There is also a practical capacity distinction. A published allowance does not mean an A1 instance is available in the region and at the size you want at the moment you try to create it. Oracle notes that A1 capacity can be limited. If the shape is unavailable, changing region or configuration may alter regional rates, network characteristics and the resource calculation. A move to an x86 shape also changes the architecture, so matching OCPU counts is not a like-for-like comparison.
Check account eligibility and other tenancy usage
Before relying on the allowance, check which account and tenancy will own the VM and whether the published offer applies to them. Then review existing A1 consumption. A second instance or another A1 workload may draw on the same monthly allowance, so the relevant question is not only “How much will this stream use?” but also “What else is already using the eligible allowance?”
A simple worksheet helps keep the questions distinct:
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Account and offer terms | The published allowance may not apply to every account on the same basis. |
| Other A1 resources in the tenancy | Existing usage may consume some or all of the monthly quantities. |
| Region and shape availability | A1 capacity and regional rates can differ; a requested shape might not be available. |
| Other paid services | Storage and services outside the compute allowance may be billed separately. |
| Actual billing view | The account’s usage and billing pages are more relevant than a generic illustration. |
Keep a record of the selected resources and the account terms you checked, then review usage after starting the VM rather than assuming the estimate is final. This is particularly useful if you are experimenting with several settings or creating and deleting instances. A cost estimate is a planning tool, not a substitute for checking the account’s live usage.
For a small channel, the trade-off is control versus administration. A VM gives you a configurable environment, but you must choose and maintain the setup, monitor its stream, manage the source files and watch the billing categories. If you only need an uploaded file to keep broadcasting while your own computer is off, StreamNeo removes the need to keep administering a cloud VM for that specific job.
Separate outbound transfer from compute charges
The video leaves the VM continuously, so estimate outbound traffic from the encoded stream bitrate and the time it runs. At a constant 1 Mbps for 30 days, the calculation is 1,000,000 bits per second × 2,592,000 seconds ÷ 8 bits per byte, or about 0.324 TB using decimal units. At 3 Mbps, the corresponding estimate is about 0.972 TB. These are calculations, not measurements of a specific stream; protocol overhead and bitrate variation can change actual traffic.
Oracle’s price list states that the first 10 TB per month of outbound transfer is free in its listed regions. A single stream at the example bitrates would be below that quantity in this simple calculation, but use your actual sustained bitrate and confirm the applicable regional terms. Multiple outputs, other applications in the tenancy or traffic that is not part of the stream can change the total. Do not combine transfer with the OCPU and memory calculation: they are different billing dimensions.
The bitrate depends on the video settings and the source, not just on the fact that the stream is prerecorded. Use YouTube’s current live encoder settings guidance to choose settings for your resolution and frame rate, then estimate traffic from the configured bitrate. If you are deciding between a lower and higher output resolution, this guide to streaming a 24/7 channel in different resolutions explains the viewing and workload trade-offs.
For a more detailed bitrate calculation, start with the bitrate choices for a 24/7 loop. A lower bitrate reduces outbound volume, but it can also reduce picture quality. Avoid choosing a number solely to remain under an allowance: viewers still need an acceptable stream, and the actual encoder output should be checked rather than assumed.
Include boot volume and additional storage
The VM needs a boot volume, and a prerecorded stream may need storage for the source video and any working files. Oracle states that boot volumes and additional block storage use standard Block Volume pricing separately from compute. Therefore, being within the A1 OCPU-hour and memory-hour quantities does not imply that the machine’s total bill is zero, nor does it mean storage is included.
The storage amount depends on what you keep in OCI. A short loop file and a library of long videos are different storage requirements; so are a boot volume and an additional data volume. Choose a region, boot volume configuration and any extra block volume you need, then price them using Oracle’s current regional rates. The article’s example does not prescribe a size, because no file library, operating system choice or retention plan was specified.
Before creating volumes, decide where the original video will live, whether you need a copy on the VM, and how you will replace or update it. If you use a playlist rather than one continuous file, the OBS playlist setup guide may help you understand the content workflow; it does not remove the need to account for the storage and compute choices of your own deployment. Also include any other services you enable in the estimate rather than treating the VM as the only possible line item.
Inputs needed for a precise paid estimate
A defensible estimate starts with inputs, not a universal monthly figure. For the compute side, record the region, A1 shape, OCPU count, memory allocation and expected runtime. Then determine whether the relevant monthly A1 allowance applies to the tenancy and how much of it is already used. Price any remainder against the regional OCPU and memory rates in Oracle’s estimator or price list.
For the rest, specify boot-volume size and configuration, extra block storage, the amount of video retained in the cloud, bitrate and whether the VM will serve any other purpose. Estimate outbound transfer from actual bitrate × runtime ÷ 8, and compare that result with the outbound allowance that applies in the selected region. Add other services you intentionally enable. Without these details, a precise paid total would be invented rather than estimated.
A useful comparison is not simply “free VM versus paid VM”. Compare the work you need to do as well: availability of the desired A1 capacity, operating system and encoder setup, updates, restart behaviour, stream-key handling, monitoring and billing review. A VM may suit you if you want that control and are comfortable maintaining it. If you prefer to upload a file and avoid leaving your own PC running, consider the workflow in ways to keep a prerecorded YouTube channel live before choosing how to operate it.
For a self-managed VM, test the stream privately or with a controlled audience before treating it as finished. Confirm that the video loops as intended, the encoder reconnects after an interruption, and YouTube receives the expected resolution and bitrate. Those tests answer operational questions; they do not change the account-specific cost terms or guarantee that a particular VM configuration will be available.
Before committing, compare the operating options on the pricing page. When the file and channel are ready, start free — 24-hour trial, no card.
FAQ
Is the 1-OCPU, 6-GB example guaranteed to cost nothing?
No. Its 720 OCPU-hours and 4,320 GB-hours for 30 days are below the published A1 monthly quantities, if those allowances apply to your tenancy. Eligibility, other usage, storage and other services can still affect the bill, so check the current official terms and your account’s usage.
Does the example include a boot volume or video storage?
No. Oracle lists boot volumes and additional block storage separately from compute. Choose the region and storage configuration you need, then add their current charges to an estimate; the figures in the example do not establish a storage price.
How much outbound data does a nonstop stream use?
It depends on sustained bitrate and runtime. At a constant 1 Mbps, the 30-day arithmetic is about 0.324 TB, and at 3 Mbps it is about 0.972 TB, before variation and overhead. Check YouTube’s current encoder guidance and calculate from the bitrate you actually use.
Can I compare A1 OCPU counts directly with x86 OCPU counts?
Not as though they represented the same number of vCPUs. Oracle’s shape documentation says A1 has one vCPU per OCPU and x86 shapes have two. Compare the actual architecture, selected resources, workload fit, regional price and availability rather than relying on OCPU count alone.