An SRT platform is video streaming software that uses Secure Reliable Transport (SRT), an open-source protocol, to deliver low-latency, high-quality live video over unpredictable IP networks. SRT-enabled platforms like Wowza Streaming Engine handle packet loss recovery, jitter compensation, and AES-encrypted transport in a single workflow, providing a lower-cost alternative to commercial applications, satellite, or dedicated MPLS connections. Common deployments include broadcast contribution, remote production, and point-to-point live streaming.

Yes. SRT is an open-source protocol that the SRT Alliance maintains under the Mozilla Public License 2.0. The protocol itself carries no licensing fee, though most production deployments pair SRT with a commercial media server such as Wowza Streaming Engine to handle ingest, transcoding, and multi-protocol delivery at scale.

SRT runs over UDP and adds Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) retransmission to recover lost packets without the head-of-line blocking penalty of TCP. The protocol monitors network conditions in real time, retransmits dropped packets within a configurable latency budget, and applies AES-128 or AES-256 encryption to the media payload. This combination delivers TCP-like reliability with UDP-class latency, even across the public internet.

SRT latency is configurable, with most production deployments running between 120 ms and 500 ms or higher depending on round-trip time (RTT) and the chosen buffer size. Operators tune the SRT latency parameter to balance packet loss recovery against the application’s timing budget, allowing the protocol to retransmit dropped packets within an acceptable delay window. Wowza Streaming Engine supports configurable SRT latency values for both Listener and Caller connection modes, and Wowza’s low-latency streaming resources cover tuning guidance in greater depth.

SRT streaming requires three components:

1. An SRT-enabled encoder (such as OBS, FFmpeg, or a hardware contribution unit)
2. A media server that receives the stream
3. A defined connection mode (Listener, Caller, or Rendezvous)

In Wowza Streaming Engine, SRT Listener mode provides the recommended configuration for ingesting and publishing SRT streams. Administrators perform a one-time setup of Server.xml, VHost.xml, and Application.xml to enable a single SRT listener that accepts multiple incoming streams without creating a separate .stream file for each source. They can complete the configuration manually or programmatically through the Wowza Streaming Engine REST API. Step-by-step instructions are available in Wowza’s documentation: Ingest and publish an SRT stream with Wowza Streaming Engine.

Yes. SRT includes AES-128 and AES-256 encryption as native features of the protocol, with no need for additional layers like SRTP or TLS. The SRT handshake negotiates encryption keys using a shared passphrase, protecting the media payload end-to-end across the public internet. This makes SRT a strong fit for broadcast contribution and surveillance workflows that require compliance-grade transport security.

Yes, depending on the stage of the streaming pipeline, SRT is often a reliable choice. SRT delivers a strong combination of low latency, packet loss recovery, and built-in encryption in a single open-source protocol, making it a leading choice for live streaming contribution and first-mile transport. Broadcasters, sports producers, and surveillance operators use SRT to replace expensive satellite links and proprietary transport platforms with reliable internet-based delivery. For last-mile delivery to viewers, a media server like Wowza Streaming Engine typically transmuxes SRT streams into HLS, DASH, or WebRTC for browser playback.