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Version: v2

Ingest protocols

The Dolby OptiView Live platform supports low latency live streaming through two ingest protocols: RTMP and SRT.

RTMP — Real-Time Messaging Protocol​

RTMP is a widely adopted protocol originally developed by Adobe for transmitting audio, video, and data over the internet. It remains one of the most commonly supported protocols across hardware and software encoders.

  • Pros
    • Broad encoder support — Nearly all hardware and software encoders support RTMP out of the box.
    • Simple setup — Requires minimal configuration, typically just a server URL and stream key.
    • Low latency — Provides low latency contribution suitable for most live streaming use cases.
  • Cons
    • Container limitation — RTMP uses the FLV container, which only supports H.264 video and AAC audio. Newer codecs such as H.265/HEVC are not supported.
    • Single audio track — RTMP is limited to a single audio track per stream, making it unsuitable for multi-audio use cases.

SRT — Secure Reliable Transport​

SRT is an open-source protocol designed for low latency, secure, and reliable video transport across unpredictable networks. It is increasingly adopted as a modern alternative to RTMP.

  • Pros
    • Resilient on unreliable networks — SRT uses UDP with built-in error correction (ARQ), making it well suited for contribution over the public internet or unstable connections.
    • Multi-audio support — SRT uses the MPEG-TS container, which supports multiple audio tracks within a single stream.
    • Closed captions and metadata — The MPEG-TS container also supports embedded closed captions (CEA-608/708) and SEI metadata pass-through.
    • Codec flexibility — MPEG-TS supports a broader range of codecs compared to FLV.
  • Cons
    • Less universal encoder support — While adoption is growing, not all encoders support SRT, especially older hardware models.
    • More complex configuration — SRT may require tuning parameters such as latency, overhead bandwidth, and encryption settings for optimal performance.