Delivering high-quality content at low latency over unpredictable networks is a challenge that broadcasters continuously face. With this in mind, Haivision pioneered and developed the Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) protocol in 2013 and open-sourced it in 2017. Since then, SRT has been adopted by some of the most renowned broadcasters and technology vendors worldwide.
Keep reading this post to learn more about SRT, how to optimize its use for more efficient workflows, and how leveraging Haivision solutions can help you get the most out of the protocol for your next live broadcast.
What is SRT?
SRT is a video streaming transport protocol and technology stack designed to deliver low-latency video and other media streams across any network, including the public internet. By accounting for packet loss, jitter, and fluctuating bandwidth, SRT maintains the integrity and quality of video over unreliable networks. In 2018, Haivision won a prestigious Emmy ® Award for the development of SRT in the “Pioneering Reliable Transmission Method for Live Contribution and Distribution TV Links” category.
According to the 2025 Broadcast Transformation Report, a comprehensive survey of almost 900 broadcast professionals, SRT remains the most used transport protocol, growing from 68% in 2024 to 77% in 2025, demonstrating year-over-year adoption growth.
Why you should power your broadcasts with SRT
SRT’s reliability enables broadcasters to transport live video over unpredictable IP networks, including the internet, and is commonly used for sending broadcast contribution feeds from remote locations back to production studios and to cloud-based workflows. SRT is optimal for live sports, events, and news gathering. Codec- and content-agnostic, SRT can be used for all types of video content, including HEVC, 4K UHD, and HDR.
With the same 128/256-bit AES encryption trusted by governments and organizations worldwide, SRT protects content end-to-end—from contribution to distribution—and offers easy firewall traversal.
As an open-source protocol, SRT can be implemented for free with no royalties, long-term contracts, or subscription fees. This allows for widespread adoption and encourages innovation through collaborative development, leading to interoperability with some of the world’s biggest vendors.
For cloud-based workflows, SRT connects gear located on-premises and at remote production environments, providing broadcasters with reliable and consistent stream quality without relying on dedicated connectivity.
By combining SRT with video encoders, decoders, and software-based production tools, broadcasters can power their workflows with high-quality, low-latency video—even in the most challenging network conditions. SRT is also cost-effective, as users can power their broadcasts without the need for expensive satellite setups or dedicated fiber networks.
Haivision SRT solutions
As the original developer of SRT, Haivision has numerous live contribution and distribution solutions to power your workflows with SRT.
Haivision Makito X4 video encoders and decoders
The award-winning Makito X4 video encoder streams pristine 4K UHD and HD video at ultra-low latency and its robust set of features includes native support for SRT and provides the quality, security, and reliability needed for the most demanding live video workflows. When paired with the Makito X4 video decoder, users have an end-to-end solution for live video transport with latency as low as 100ms.
Haivision SRT Gateway
Haivision SRT Gateway is a powerful broadcast solution that routes live video streams across different types of IP networks and provides users with a cost-effective way to stream live video to one or multiple destinations for content production and distribution. With multiple deployment options, including on-prem or in the cloud, SRT Gateway provides broadcasters with flexibility for secure and reliable high-quality, low latency streaming with native support for SRT.
Haivision StreamHub receiver
Haivision StreamHub is a powerful mobile and IP stream receiver, decoder, and distribution platform that can be deployed on-prem or in the cloud that takes in live feeds for integration with various kinds of live production workflows. Camera operators and live broadcast producers can share live video contribution feeds leverage StreamHub for video distribution as its versatility allows for support of a number of protocols for both incoming and outgoing streams including SRT.
To learn more about how Haivision solutions can help you optimize the use of SRT, connect with one of our experts by clicking the link below.
