{"id":22673,"date":"2022-05-18T02:43:57","date_gmt":"2022-05-18T07:43:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vplayed.com\/blog\/?p=22673"},"modified":"2025-05-20T04:37:56","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T09:37:56","slug":"video-streaming-protocols","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vplayed.com\/blog\/video-streaming-protocols\/","title":{"rendered":"What are Video Streaming Protocols & How Do They Work?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Millennials are breaking records with their online video consumption. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fact that the 3rd quarter of 2021 recorded a soaring 92% of total Internet traffic due to online video viewership is astounding and reminds us how simplified it is to make a piece of content bag millions of views at the mere click of a button. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to streaming protocols that stand as a pillar in determining how the whole online video platform<\/a> infrastructure functions, ensuring the smooth delivery of content from a source to the end-user player. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>What is a Video Streaming Protocol?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Protocols, in general, are a set of rules for performing a particular task and in this case, video streaming protocols are a set of standardized instructions that help the video content be transported over the Internet to reach the viewer device. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be it VOD or live streams, the video is broken into chunks of data suitable for easy transportation and is delivered to the audiences where they are reassembled in sequence for playback. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several protocols have evolved over time, some replaced by others due to latency, or compatibility; however, this writeup fully summarizes the significance and the varied typed of streaming protocols available for the content owners and publishers of today in guiding them establish a seamless video delivery to their target market. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Also Read: What Is Video Streaming & How Does It Work?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Differentiating Codecs from Streaming Protocols<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In a streaming infrastructure, a codec compresses the video files before they are transported by a streaming protocol. This is done in order to minimize the video storage prior to them being transmitted.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, codec is a compression technology that works by eliminating redundant data from each video frame, thus saving space. The compression can either be lossy or lossless depending on the quality and storage needs. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

H.264 & H.265 are two of the most widely used video codecs, however, it is H.265 that is more opted for the quality of the final rendition even in reduced bandwidths. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>The Streaming Protocol Timeline<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s summing up how the era of streaming technology unfolded over the years. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1990s<\/b> – Launch of some of the most popular protocols like Flash, RTMP (Real Time Messaging Protocol) and RTSP (<\/span>Real Time Streaming Protocol<\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2001-2010<\/b> – Adobe Flash remained highly popular for most Internet browsers. But, in 2009, with the inception of the iPhone, came the legendary HLS by Apple. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2011-2019<\/b> – Live streaming came into the picture & was quickly adopted across industries. MPEG-DASH, the first adaptive bitrate HTTP-based protocol, became the International Standard in 2012. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2020 – Present Day<\/b>– WebRTC and Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) are widely used for interactive video content due to a sudden surge in pandemic-induced remote scenarios. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Understanding the Different Types of Video Streaming Protocols<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To make things clearer for broadcasters and publishers out there, here\u2019s detailing what each streaming protocol means and how it can fit into your video delivery infrastructure. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Types<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>RTMP<\/b><\/span><\/h3>
<\/strong>
Built over TCP, RTMP was designed to work in conjunction with Adobe Flash Player. Technically, it was launched with the key intention to deliver video chunks to the end-user device at a reduced latency (<5 seconds). But, the fact that RTMP not being compatible with HTML5 players that majority of today\u2019s streaming services use, made it being replaced by RTMP Ingest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, RTMP Ingest is used for a rather different purpose, last-mile video delivery, in alliance with HLS for seamless buffer-free playback. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recommended Read<\/b>: <\/span>How Significant is RTMP Ingest in a Live Streaming Landscape?<\/span><\/a>

<\/span>RTSP<\/b><\/span><\/h3> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once a popular choice for real-time live streaming, RTSP is now used in drone\/ surveillance streaming and with IP cameras. It is an application layer protocol that works around RTP (Real-Time Transport Protocol) and RTCP (Real-Time Control Protocol) to ensure an ultra-low latency<\/a> video delivery (<2 sec). Though mainly used as a network remote control to pause, play, and rewind video streams from a media server, it became less in usage because of the need for a dedicated server during the last-mile delivery of video streams.\u00a0<\/span>

<\/span>HLS<\/b><\/span><\/h3> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Released in 2009, HLS was first developed as a streaming protocol for iPhone by Apple. Its compatibility with devices and HTML5 player soon placed it in the top spot as a modern, high-quality counterpart to the traditional protocols that existed. It is now in wide usage by several of today\u2019s streaming services for professional broadcasting. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the highlights of HLS include<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n