Despite advances in internet streaming, live video transport still faces latency challenges due to:
- Packet loss when sending UDP-based low latency MPEG Transport Streams over the public internet
- Bandwidth limitations introduced by network congestion control when using the TCP protocol in RTMP
- Segment-based protocols such as HLS and DASH transmitted over HTTP (TCP)
Generally, overcoming these problems requires the provisioning of high-cost reserved links like MPLS or satellite networks. With the open source implementation of SRT, any developer has access to a streaming protocol that provides a secure and reliable solution for low latency video transport with packet loss recovery, end-to-end security with AES encryption, network health monitoring between endpoints, and simplified firewall traversal. Furthermore, developers can enable SRT functionality over any network, including cost-effective public internet.