You’ve Been Given an SRT Stream - Here's How to Watch It!

You've received an SRT stream address — great! That means you're getting access to a high-quality, secure video stream. Here’s everything you need to get started.

QUICK SELECT

How to Play Your SRT Stream

Select Player

VLC Player
Haivision Play Pro
OBS Studio

Castr or Other

FAQ + Troubleshooting

What You Received

You’ve likely received something like this:

• SRT IP: 28.103.152.93
• Port: 50052
• Mode: Listener
• Encryption: None (unless otherwise noted)

📱 HOW TO PLAY YOUR SRT STREAM

Choose the player that works best for your device

VLC Media Player (Windows, Mac, Linux)

1. Launch VLC Media Player: Ensure you have VLC version 3.0 or later installed.
2. Go to Media > Open Network Stream
   Go to the "Media" menu and select "Open Network Stream"
3. Enter SRT URL
   In the "Network URL" field, type the SRT stream's address.
   This typically looks like srt://<IP_Address>:<Port>
   • Example: You've been provided the following details
   • <IP_Address> 28.103.152.93
   •  <Port> 50052
   • The SRT you would enter would be: srt://28.103.152.93:50052 
4. Handle Encrypted Streams (if applicable)
   If the SRT stream is encrypted, you'll need to set the passphrase:
   
   • Go to "Tools" > "Preferences".
   • Select "Show All" in the bottom-left corner.
   • Navigate to "Input Codecs" > "Access modules" > "SRT".
   • Paste your passphrase into the "Password for stream encryption" field.
   • Click "Save".
5. Play the Stream
   Click the "Play" button in the "Open Network Stream" window. 
6. Important Notes:
   • VLC's SRT module does not parse URI query options, so any parameters like ?mode=caller or ?passphrase=... directly in the URL might be ignored; these should be configured in VLC's preferences if needed for encrypted streams.
   • If you're having trouble, ensure the SRT stream source is configured correctly (e.g., in listener mode if VLC is acting as a caller) and that the IP address and port are accurate. 

Haivision Play Pro (iOS & Android)

Download Haivision Play Pro from your app store (Google Play, Apple) 

1. Open Haivision Play Pro:Launch the app on your iOS or Android device.
2. Access QuickPlay: From the Home screen, tap "Play an SRT Stream".
3. Choose SRT Mode: Select the appropriate SRT Mode:
   • Caller: The device initiates the connection to a listener or rendezvous point.
   • Listener: The device waits to receive an incoming SRT connection from a caller.
   • Rendezvous: Both devices connect to a rendezvous point, establishing a connection between them.
4. Enter Stream Details:
   • URL/IP Address and Port: Input the stream's address. This typically looks like srt://<IP_Address>:<Port>
   • Local Port (Caller/Rendezvous): Specify the local port if required by your setup.
5. Configure Encryption (Optional): If the stream is encrypted, toggle encryption on and enter the provided passphrase.
6. Set Latency: Adjust the SRT Latency in milliseconds according to your network conditions and desired low-latency playback.
7. Play the Stream: Tap "Play" to begin watching the SRT stream in the media player within the app.

OBS Studio (Advanced users)

1. Open OBS Studio Settings: Launch OBS Studio and go to Settings > Stream.
2. Select Custom Service: In the Service dropdown menu, choose Custom.
3. Enter SRT URL: In the Server field, enter the SRT URL of your stream. 
   This typically looks like srt://<IP_Address>:<Port>
   • Example: You've been provided the following details
   • <IP_Address> 28.103.152.93
   •  <Port> 50052
   • The SRT you would enter would be: srt://28.103.152.93:50052 
4. Configure Options (if needed): You can add options to the SRT URL for more control. Common options include:
   • latency: Set the latency in microseconds (e.g., latency=2000000 for 2 seconds).
   • mode: For OBS to receive a stream, set it to listener (e.g., srt://127.0.0.1:port?mode=listener). This makes OBS Studio act as a server for VLC or other viewers, if you are testing a local connection. However, if you are receiving a stream from a server, OBS is typically in caller mode by default.
   • connect_timeout: Specifies the connection timeout in milliseconds (e.g., connect_timeout=3000).
   • listen_timeout: Specifies the listen timeout in milliseconds (e.g., listen_timeout=5000000).
   • smoother: Set to live for live streams (e.g., smoother=live).
   • transtype: Set to live for live streams (e.g., transtype=live).
5. Save Settings: Click OK to save your stream settings.
6. Play the Stream: In the OBS Studio main window, you can now start the stream. Depending on the setup, you might click Start Streaming or, if you're setting up a local test, you might need to start a source that uses the SRT input.

Troubleshooting: If you experience issues, double-check the SRT URL, port, and ensure any firewalls or network configurations are allowing the connection. For receiving an SRT stream from a remote server, ensure the server is correctly configured to send the stream and that your network settings allow incoming connections on the specified port. 

Castr or Other Cloud Players

1. Choose SRT Ingest
2. Enter the SRT URL of your stream. 
   This typically looks like srt://<IP_Address>:<Port>
   • Example: You've been provided the following details
   • <IP_Address> 28.103.152.93
   •  <Port> 50052
   • The SRT you would enter would be: srt://28.103.152.93:50052 
3. No password or latency tuning required unless specified.

SRT Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Nothing is playing — what do I do?

• Double-check if the stream is currently live
• Ensure your firewall allows UDP on the provided port
• Try VLC or Play Pro for best results

Q: Should I use Caller or Listener?

• You’ve been given a Listener stream. Just connect using the IP and port — no handshake required.

Q: Is encryption used?

• Unless you’ve been given a passphrase or told otherwise — assume no encryption.