Why SRT Is Powering the Next Generation of Streaming Workflows
Delivering high-quality live video is more demanding than ever. Broadcasters, streaming platforms, and content owners are expected to meet growing audience expectations for seamless, low latency viewing across platforms and geographies, often while managing tighter budgets, leaner teams, and increasingly complex workflows.
Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) is helping meet these challenges. Designed to transmit encrypted, low-latency video over the public internet, SRT enables broadcasters to replace legacy distribution models with more cost-effective and flexible IP workflows. Whether deployed in contribution, remote production or distribution, SRT is increasingly at the heart of how live media is delivered.
Modernizing Primary Distribution
Satellite and dedicated fiber links have long been the backbone of primary video transport. While reliable, they are expensive, slow to deploy, outages (although rare) can take weeks to fix, and they are difficult to scale, especially in the face of dynamic production requirements.
SRT offers a viable, scalable alternative. Its ability to transmit secure, broadcast-quality video over unmanaged networks - with built-in error correction and encryption - gives operators the freedom to reduce infrastructure dependency while maintaining the levels of reliability and signal integrity that live content demands.
As highlighted in the 2025 NAB Show Delivery Project of the Year Award, NBCUniversal recently re-architected its entire satellite downlink system using IP-based transport and a shared infrastructure model. By consolidating rooftop antennas and moving to high-density demodulation and remote decoding, the network eliminated two full racks of RF routing hardware and achieved a 200% improvement in edge-site density. This move to IP supported seamless integration with cloud platforms for live ingest and playout, enabling the broadcaster to reduce rack space, power consumption, and time-to-deployment, while also preparing for long-term IP transition.
SRT in Action: Enabling Remote Production and Primary Contribution
One of SRT’s primary strengths is its ability to support low-latency, high-quality transport, even under unpredictable network conditions. This makes it ideal for live sports, remote events, and other real-time applications where timing and quality are non-negotiable.
Crucially, SRT has enabled production teams to deploy in environments that lack traditional fixed connectivity, supporting live transmission from temporary setups, pop-up venues, or rural locations. As a result, broadcasters are less reliant on satellite trucks or dedicated fiber circuits, and can now deploy leaner, more agile operations with lower logistical overheads.
A growing number of broadcasters are also exploring SRT for primary contribution of live content between key sites over the public internet. By using SRT in this way, operators can bypass conventional leased circuits, achieving faster provisioning, greater flexibility, and significant cost reductions - and do all of this while maintaining broadcast-grade signal integrity.
These workflows are already being adopted in event production, esports tournaments, and mobile contribution, where SRT serves as the backbone for video transport.
Operational Gains Through Centralization
In Brazil, one of the country’s largest media groups undertook a major transformation by consolidating its Master Control Room (MCR) and playout operations from 12 separate regions into a single, centralized super-playout center. Previously, 11 sub-affiliate sites independently handled their own operations, but are now interconnected via the public internet using a secure, IP-based transport network built on SRT. This strategic shift allowed the broadcaster to unify its primary distribution infrastructure, streamlining workflows across its broadcast footprint.
The move to an SRT-based transport system provided a robust solution for managing a multitude of feeds from dispersed geographic locations. By leveraging IP connectivity, the broadcaster was able to eliminate reliance on traditional satellite and leased fibre connections, which were costly and rigid. The new setup enabled seamless integration of diverse input sources and ensured high-quality signal delivery despite the variable conditions of the public internet, supported by built-in features like error correction, jitter management, and dynamic adaptation to network performance. This modernization also positioned the broadcaster for future evolution, with infrastructure ready to support cloud-based and virtualized workflows.
The operational benefits have been substantial. By reducing physical infrastructure and the number of potential failure points, the broadcaster simplified network management and improved troubleshooting efficiency. It now has greater flexibility to expand or modify services as needed, without the constraints imposed by dedicated circuits or hardware-heavy setups. The transformation not only enhanced reliability and scalability but also lowered the total cost of ownership, making centralization a sustainable, forward-looking strategy for primary distribution and broadcast operations.
The 5G and LEO Advantage
SRT’s utility is further enhanced by emerging transport technologies such as 5G and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. When used in combination, these technologies expand the reach and reliability of IP workflows.
5G private networks are providing dedicated bandwidth at event venues and production hubs, ensuring reliable transport without interference from public mobile traffic. LEO satellite systems, meanwhile, are enabling broadcast-quality backhaul from remote or mobile locations, without the need for large satellite dishes or permanent infrastructure.
These advances complement SRT’s built-in adaptability and network resilience, allowing broadcasters to maintain quality and continuity in environments where traditional networks may not be available.
Laying the Foundation for Cloud-Ready Video Distribution
Beyond live contribution, SRT is shaping the future of cloud-based distribution. As IP and virtualized workflows become standard, SRT is enabling broadcasters to bridge the gap between on-prem operations and cloud-based orchestration tools and processing environments.
Whether used to link centralized playout with affiliate stations, feed remote editing and graphics teams, or ingest directly into cloud platforms for OTT delivery, SRT supports scalable, software-defined workflows that match evolving operational needs.
As the industry continues to decentralize, the ability to move video securely and reliably over public networks, complemented by wireless and satellite innovations, will only grow in importance. Importantly, SRT isn’t just a transport protocol, it’s an enabler of workflow modernization. By reducing reliance on legacy systems and aligning with open industry standards, it allows broadcasters to transition on their own terms, while building infrastructure that is more adaptive, interoperable, and cost-effective.
[Editor's note: This is a contributed article from Appear. Streaming Media accepts vendor bylines based solely on their value to our readers.]
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