What is a CDN
A CDN (Content Delivery Network) is a system that stores copies of your content on servers strategically located around the world.
When a viewer requests a video, the CDN delivers it from the server closest to them, reducing latency.
CDNs use caching, load balancing, and intelligent routing to optimize delivery, resulting in faster and more reliable video streaming.
How Our CDN Works
Our CDN caching layer stores portions of your Uscreen site in high-performance storage across different servers globally. This reduces pressure on central servers, resulting in better loading times and faster delivery to remote locations.
When a viewer requests content from our CDN:
If the content is already cached in the server closest to their geographic area, it's delivered immediately
If not, the CDN retrieves it from the host server
Subsequent requests for the same content in that geographic area are served quickly from the local cache
📝 NOTE: This dynamic caching system is how most of the internet operates, including major streaming platforms like YouTube and Netflix.
Cache Updates and Refresh Times
When you update your website, we automatically drop the cache. However, the CDN layer still needs some time (from seconds to a few minutes) to purge the cached content everywhere.
Although it might take a bit longer to update, the changes will eventually load, and people will navigate through your site much faster than before.
The CDN cache may delay updates, usually on Common Pages and other native elements:
Catalog page
Categories
Collection Playlists
Resources
Custom User Fields
Category Filters
🔗 Learn more about Common Pages
💡 TIP: If you want to force the cache to drop, making small edits to the title or description of videos or collections, and reverting it, can help refresh the content in most cases.
Common Scenarios with CDN Caching
First-Time Viewers in New Locations
If you have a low number of viewers in specific geolocations, they may experience slight playback issues the first time they view a video, as the CDN has to find the video on the original host server.
When the second viewer in that geolocation views that video, the CDN will now have the video readily available, resulting in a smoother playback experience.
Design and Theme Changes
When you make changes to your site design or theme, these changes may not appear immediately due to CDN caching. This is normal and helps maintain fast performance across your site.
Video Thumbnail Updates
When you update a video thumbnail, it can take a few minutes for the change to fully appear due to caching. This is normal and helps with platform performance.
CDN Performance Optimization
The Catalog page has additional loading optimization features:
Images are rendered in WebP format based on screen resolution, with 2x and 3x options for retina displays
The CDN stores a copy of the optimized images in the nearest point-of-presence for your end-users
Lazy loading for catalogs with more than four categories
ℹ️ INFO: Once cached, the Catalog page will load even faster, potentially under the two-second mark.
FAQs
Why are my recent website changes not showing up?
Why are my recent website changes not showing up?
When you update your website, the CDN cache needs time to refresh (from seconds to a few minutes). Try clearing your browser cache or waiting a few minutes for the changes to propagate across all CDN servers.
Can the CDN be disabled for development purposes?
Can the CDN be disabled for development purposes?
No, the CDN cannot be manually disabled as it's an integral part of how Uscreen delivers content efficiently. For development work, you can use techniques like changing resource names to force cache refreshes.
Why might users in certain countries experience slower loading?
Why might users in certain countries experience slower loading?
Users in remote locations might experience slightly slower initial loading if they're the first to access content in that region. Once the content is cached in their local CDN server, subsequent loads will be much faster.
Is there a way to preload content to the CDN?
Is there a way to preload content to the CDN?
The CDN automatically caches content as it's accessed. There's no manual preloading option, but you can visit pages yourself to initiate caching for important content.
Where are Uscreen's CDN servers located?
Where are Uscreen's CDN servers located?
Uscreen uses a global blend of CDNs with servers strategically located worldwide, including in Asia, Australia, South America, and other regions to ensure fast content delivery.