SRT protocol
What is the SRT protocol?
The Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) protocol is a network protocol designed to deliver high-quality, low-latency video across the public internet. It uses a combination of error recovery and end-to-end security to make video streaming possible, even with network congestion, packet loss, and other internet issues.
Traditional protocols struggle with latency and quality issues when streaming video content over the public internet. The SRT protocol is designed to overcome these challenges by providing a robust and reliable solution that delivers high-definition live video anywhere in the world.
How does the SRT protocol work?
The SRT protocol dynamically adapts to real-time network conditions between the sender and the receiver of video content. It uses a combination of packet recovery and jitter control to ensure the reliable delivery of video content, even in the face of network congestion, packet loss, and other common internet issues.
When a video stream is sent using the SRT protocol, it is first broken down into packets. These packets are then sent over the internet from the sender to the receiver. Along the way, the SRT protocol monitors the network conditions and adjusts the streaming parameters accordingly to maintain the integrity of the video content.
Packet recovery
One of the key features of the SRT protocol is its packet recovery mechanism. If a packet is lost during transmission, the SRT protocol can recover it without resending the entire stream of data. A small amount of additional data is sent over with each packet, which is used to reconstruct any lost packets if necessary. This feature is particularly useful for streaming over the public internet, where packet loss is a common issue.
Jitter control
Another important feature of the SRT protocol is its jitter control mechanism. The variance in how long received data packets are delayed for is known as jitter, and it can cause serious issues for video streaming. The SRT protocol uses a combination of buffering and timestamping to counteract this issue. The result is a smoother video stream or live broadcast, delivered with quality that isn’t compromised.
Benefits of the SRT protocol
The SRT protocol offers multiple benefits for video streaming, including improved quality, lower latency, and increased security. By actively responding to changes in network conditions, the SRT protocol can deliver seamless video with low latency, even with unreliable or limited bandwidth. This makes it an ideal network solution for live streaming, as latency and quality are critical in real-time broadcasting.
In addition, the SRT protocol includes built-in security features, such as AES encryption, to protect your video content from unauthorized access. This makes it a good choice for streaming sensitive or proprietary content.