If you are stuck to one destination for gaining viewership but wanting to reach multiple online spaces, at the same time wondering how to achieve it, then RTMP is your solution. RTMP helps you stream at different locations.
Multistreaming is the main picture behind RTMP, but RTMP is the processor which carries out the action and functioning of the streaming activity.
Table of Contents
What Is RTMP?
RTMP (Real-Time Messaging Protocol) is a transmission protocol which transmits videos and audio encoded content through the internet media servers to ensure stable and smooth streaming experiences for low latency media connections.
Requirements:
To conduct RTMP you must need a media server and a content delivery network
What Are The Pros & Cons Of RTMP ?
| Pros of Using RTMP | Cons of Using RTMP |
|---|---|
| Low latency- RTMP keeps the low latency video connections stable with minimum buffering. | Compatibility- RTMP streaming is suitable only on selected browsers and players, this hinders the streaming. |
| Easy to integrate– RTMP is one of the simplest ways to integrate many different media, it just needs a stream key and URL to integrate in seconds. | Audio loss- RTMP uses TCP to transfer files and audio quality loss may happen, if the bandwidth is low |
| Low bandwidth- RTMP maintains the streaming activity live even on low bandwidth as it stores the data on the server. | Limited codec– RTMP supports very less codec, thereby affecting the high resolution video files like 4k and 8k with updated codecs. |
How Does RTMP Streaming Work?
A RTMP stream is a simple process that works on segregation of the big files into little packets.Once the files are deconstructed they are sent to the encoder.
On a detailed note, when the video is captured through the video camera it is sent to the encoder. The encoder breaks down the huge files into data packets and sends them to the server
Servers from the streaming destination receive them and send them to viewers’ devices.
How to Set Up an RTMP Stream?
RTMP is a simple process and one should follow these steps to set up RTMP streaming easily.
1. Connect the video and audio sources to the laptop
2. Connect the sources to the OVP( Online Video Platform), in this case let’s take OnTheFly,
- Log into your OnTheFly account.
- Click Destinations and then Add Destination from the OnTheFly dashboard.
- Select Custom RTMP.
- Enter the stream key and RTMP server URL from the streaming service you want to be connected with.
- Select “Add channel“.
3. Now the OVP will handle the encoding process
4. Once encoding is completed, the file is sent to the server and then to the viewers device in the mentioned destination.
Does RTMP Still Matter?
Yes it is still relevant and eases the process of streaming and increases the possibilities to stream at multiple locations.
In over the internet streaming, RTMP is a standard process offering low latency streaming and quick response from servers to viewing devices.
Conclusion
Although protocols like HLS,SRT have taken over the current streaming process, the flexibility and reliability of RTMP cannot be questioned. More than the streaming process, it is the platform where you are streaming matters the most.
Our recommendations to live streaming platforms are Restream, OnTheFly and StreamYard, look into their features before making a choice, for more information regarding RTMP and online live streaming platforms reach out to us in the comment section.
FAQ
What is RTMP and how does it work?
RTMP is real-time messaging protocol, which helps in streaming in multiple destinations from a server without data loss or buffering during the streaming process and RTMP works by using an encoder in the streaming platform.
How do I stream through RTMP?
By using a streaming platform like OnTheFly you can access RTMP and start streaming your media files.
What is RTMP for YouTube?
The current RTMP format for Youtube is rtmps://host:port/application/streamName/streamkey, or to find the stream key go to “Stream settings,” in the “Stream URL” field, check the lock icon to find the RTMP URL.
What is the difference between HTTP and RTMP?
RTMP and HTTP are both good for live streaming, but the difference lies in the latency, RTMP with multistreaming has an latency time period of 10-30 seconds where as HTTP has a latency of 2-3 seconds
Is RTMP faster than RTSP?
Yes with better latency speed, flexibility reports, RTMP is faster than RTSP for live streaming videos in a web based browser. RTSP needs additional software to live stream with low latency.