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Streaming SRT to YouTube

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Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) is a streaming protocol designed to deliver live video reliably over networks that may experience packet loss or inconsistent conditions. This article explains how to configure a Videon device to send an SRT stream directly to YouTube, if SRT ingest is available for your YouTube account.

Important: If SRT is not an available streaming protocol in YouTube, this direct SRT workflow cannot be completed for that account. You can instead follow our Generic RTMP Stream to YouTube guide.

Table of Contents

  • What You Need
  • How to Stream to YouTube Using SRT
  • Troubleshooting
  • Need Help?

What You Need

  • A YouTube account with live streaming enabled and access to SRT ingest
  • A Videon device that supports SRT output
  • Access to your device's Local Web UI or LiveEdge Cloud
  • A stable network connection with sufficient upload bandwidth

How to Stream to YouTube Using SRT

Step 1: Create an SRT Stream in YouTube

  1. Sign in to YouTube.

  2. Select + Create in the upper-right corner, then Go Live to open YouTube's Live Control Room.

    Actual YouTube Studio Create menu showing the Go Live option, from Videon's existing RTMP to YouTube guide

    YouTube Studio: Create > Go Live. Actual screenshot from Videon's existing YouTube streaming guide.

  3. On the Stream tab, locate Stream settings, then the Select stream key menu.
  4. Select Create new stream key.
  5. Enter a name for the stream key and select SRT under Streaming protocol, if available.
  6. Select Create.

Note: The option to select SRT may not appear for all YouTube accounts.

Step 2: Copy Your YouTube SRT Connection Details

From YouTube's SRT stream settings, locate and copy the following information:

  • Stream URL: The destination hostname and port for the SRT connection.
  • Stream key: Identifies your stream in YouTube.
  • Passphrase: Used to encrypt the SRT connection.

You will need all three values to configure your Videon device.

Important: Treat the stream key and passphrase as private credentials. Do not share them publicly.

Step 3: Configure Your Videon Device

  1. Open your device's Local Web UI or LiveEdge Cloud.
  2. Navigate to the output configuration:
    • Local Web UI: Encoder Control > Outputs
    • LiveEdge Cloud: Devices > All devices > [Select your device] > Configuration > Outputs
  3. Select an existing SRT output profile, or create an output using Add Profile (Local Web UI) or Create Output (LiveEdge Cloud), then select SRT.
  4. Select the appropriate video and audio sources.
  5. Configure the SRT output using these settings:

Actual Videon Local Web UI SRT output page showing Caller mode, destination address, port, latency, bandwidth, Stream ID, and encryption

Videon Local Web UI: SRT output settings. This image is taken from the Videon Web UI Walkthrough; the LiveEdge Cloud layout may differ.

Setting Value
Call Mode Caller
Destination Address Hostname from your YouTube SRT Stream URL
Port Port from your YouTube SRT Stream URL
Latency 120 ms (starting value)
Bandwidth 25% (starting value)
Stream ID #!::u=YOUR_STREAM_KEY,copy=0
Encryption Enabled
Encryption Key Size 128 or 256 bits
Passphrase Passphrase provided by YouTube

Destination Address and Port Example

If YouTube provides the Stream URL srt://a.srt.youtube.com:2010, enter:

  • Destination Address: a.srt.youtube.com
  • Port: 2010

These are examples only. Always use the URL and port provided by YouTube for your stream.

Stream ID Example

YouTube's stream key must be entered into Videon's Stream ID field using this format:

#!::u=YOUR_STREAM_KEY,copy=0

Replace YOUR_STREAM_KEY with the stream key provided by YouTube. Do not include the literal placeholder text or append the stream key to the Destination Address.

Encryption

Enable encryption, select the supported encryption key size, and paste in the passphrase supplied by YouTube.

After entering these settings, enable the SRT output and select Save.

Step 4: Start and Verify Your Stream

  1. Confirm the Videon SRT output is enabled and that the device is sending the stream.
  2. Return to YouTube Live Control Room.
  3. Check for an incoming video preview and review any Stream health messages.
  4. Depending on your YouTube broadcast settings, select Go Live when you are ready to make the stream available to viewers.
  5. Verify both video and audio playback from the YouTube watch page.

Troubleshooting

Issue Possible Cause Solution
SRT is not listed as a streaming protocol in YouTube SRT ingest is unavailable for the account Use the Generic RTMP Stream to YouTube workflow instead
SRT connection fails Incorrect hostname, port, or blocked UDP traffic Double-check the YouTube Stream URL and confirm outbound UDP traffic is allowed
Authentication or encryption error Incorrect Stream ID or passphrase Recheck the #!::u=YOUR_STREAM_KEY,copy=0 format and YouTube passphrase
Device appears to be streaming, but YouTube has no preview Incorrect stream key, unavailable ingest, or incorrect video/audio source Verify the selected YouTube stream key and the device's video and audio configuration
Stream stutters or disconnects Packet loss or insufficient upload bandwidth Check network stability and available bandwidth; increase SRT latency if needed

Tip: SRT latency controls buffering for packet recovery. It is not the same as the end-to-end delay experienced by YouTube viewers. For more information, see Streaming SRT (Secure Reliable Transport).

Need Help?

If you run into any issues, please submit a Videon Technical Support Request. Include your device serial number, software version, and a description of the issue. We're happy to help!

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