Using SRT for Live Video Contribution

Jessica of D2D Technologies explains how to use SRT to transport your ASI signal, and she makes it simple! In this short video, she covers common applications (news, sports, and more), how things have changed over the years, how to leverage your old gear (or even someone else’s!) to support a new SRT signal flow, and why this new approach to contribution is such a game-changer for broadcasters.

How SRT Is Transforming Live Video Contribution

Can you believe that today you need just one Ethernet cable to send an ASI signal across the country for live contribution? Not that long ago, you needed a truckload of gear to make it happen. SRT (Secure Reliable Transport) has changed all that. And in doing so, it has opened up endless possibilities for flexible, cost-effective live contribution.

Developed by HaiVision, SRT uses a packet transmission method known as ARQ, or automatic repeat request, for error control and packet recovery. Thanks to this highly reliable technology, you can send your entire ASI signal across any internet connection, even through firewalls. If you have the available bandwidth, which typically is about 25% overhead or less, you’re good to go! That’s why we like to refer to SRT as a long extension cable for your ASI.

And when sending your ASI signals is as simple as this, you can enhance your broadcasts with more live content — and often more interesting content too! You can go live with a great-looking on-location news report without expensive gear, satellite dishes, power amplifiers trucks, microwaves, and miles of coax. It’s so much simpler, and so much more affordable. The flexibility is unreal!

This isn’t to say that your existing equipment inventory is no longer useful. Much of the satellite gear you used in your trucks or facility can be repurposed to support delivery of an ASI signal over the internet using SRT. And when gear is already installed in your facility, you can set up an SDI output tied into your switcher for a seamless production workflow.

Check out our new video, “Using SRT for Live Video Contribution,” to learn more about how SRT works and why it’s a great solution for bringing fresh content into your stories.