Streaming

Dante AV-HRTMPRTSPSRT

Which Streaming Protocol Should I Use?

The Link 4K supports several streaming protocols, each designed for a different workflow. The right choice depends on where the video is going and what you're doing with it.

• Dante AV-H is the right choice when you're distributing a camera feed over a Dante-enabled local network to Dante Studio or other Dante-compatible production systems. The camera appears automatically as a Dante device, and Dante Controller is used for device discovery and routing of the required audio and video streams. Dante AV-H is designed for managed AV-over-IP workflows, making it well suited for production, monitoring, recording, and routing across an existing Dante network. Unlike SRT, RTMP, or RTSP, it relies on Dante network infrastructure and compatible Dante software or hardware rather than sending a conventional standalone network stream directly to an online platform.
• SRT is an excellent choice when streaming over the public internet because it automatically recovers from packet loss and network fluctuations while maintaining low latency. For many remote production workflows, it provides a more reliable connection than traditional RTMP.
• RTMP (and RTMPS) is the right choice if you're streaming directly to an online platform such as YouTube, Twitch, or Facebook Live. The camera handles the video encoding and transmission; you simply enter the platform's server URL and stream key. RTMPS adds encryption for secure delivery. Because RTMP is a push protocol, the camera initiates the connection to the streaming service, making it ideal for direct platform streaming but less suited for local production workflows.
• RTSP is the right choice if you're bringing a camera feed into local software such as OBS, vMix, VLC, or a recording server. RTSP is a pull protocol, meaning your software connects to the camera and requests the stream. It provides efficient, low-latency video for monitoring and recording and is widely supported by professional video software. RTSP is primarily designed for local network use and typically requires additional infrastructure or conversion before being streamed over the public internet.

In many professional workflows, cameras use multiple streaming protocols simultaneously. For example, you might use Dante AV-H for live production switching, RTSP for local recording or monitoring, and RTMP to stream directly to YouTube, all from the same camera at the same time, provided the camera supports simultaneous streaming.

Set Up Dante AV-H

Dante AV-H provides networked video and audio transport between the Link 4K and Dante-enabled production equipment.

What You Need

• A Dante-enabled network with a DHCP server
• Dante Controller for device discovery and routing
• Dante Studio or other Dante-enabled receiving software

Steps

1. Connect the camera's Dante-enabled LAN port to the Dante network.
2. Power on the camera and allow it to obtain an IP address from the network's DHCP server.
3. Open Dante Controller. The camera should appear automatically as a discovered Dante device.
4. Use Dante Controller to identify the camera and configure the required audio and video routes.
5. Open Dante Studio or the receiving Dante-enabled application to monitor or use the camera feed.

tip

For more information, see the Dante getting started guide.

Download Dante software, including Dante Controller and Dante Studio, from Dante's product page.

Set Up SRT Streaming

SRT (Secure Reliable Transport) is designed to deliver high-quality, low-latency video over unpredictable networks such as the public internet. Unlike RTMP, SRT automatically compensates for packet loss and network jitter while encrypting the video stream with AES encryption.

SRT is commonly used to send video between remote production sites, studios, cloud production platforms, and broadcast facilities.

📋What you need

• A receiving device or software that supports SRT (OBS Studio, vMix, Haivision, FFmpeg, cloud production platforms, etc.)
• The IP address or hostname of the receiving device
• The receiving port number
• (Optional) An SRT passphrase if encryption is enabled

Steps

1. Configure your receiving software or server to accept an incoming SRT stream.
2. Log in to the camera's web interface.
3. Navigate to the Streaming settings.
4. Select SRT as the streaming protocol.
5. Enter the destination IP address or hostname.
6. Enter the destination port number.
7. If required, enable encryption and enter the shared passphrase.
8. Click Apply to begin streaming.

SRT is not automatically discoverable

Unlike NDI HX, SRT requires you to manually specify the destination address and port. Before starting the stream, ensure the receiving device is reachable over the network and is configured to accept incoming SRT connections.

Set Up RTMP(S) Streaming

PTZOptics Link 4K supports Push-Based RTMP (Real-Time Messaging Protocol), where the camera sends its video stream directly to a destination like YouTube, Twitch, Facebook Live, or a custom RTMP server. RTMPS adds TLS encryption for secure delivery.

What You Need

• A streaming platform account (YouTube, Twitch, etc.) or custom RTMP server
• The platform's stream URL and stream key

Steps

1. Log in to the camera's web interface.
2. Navigate to Audio & Video or Streaming settings.
3. Select RTMP (or RTMPS for encrypted streaming).
4. Enter the destination URL provided by your streaming platform (e.g., rtmp://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2/).
5. Enter your stream key from the platform's dashboard.
6. Click Apply to start streaming.

tip

Use RTMPS instead of RTMP whenever your streaming platform supports it. RTMPS encrypts the stream in transit, protecting it from interception on untrusted networks.

note

Link 4K can push to multiple RTMP destinations simultaneously, or combine RTMP with other protocols like RTSP or NDI.

Set Up RTSP Viewing

What You Need

PTZOptics Link 4K supports pull-based RTSP (Real-Time Streaming Protocol). Your software (OBS, vMix, VLC, a recording server, etc.) requests the stream from the camera. It's ideal for local recording, monitoring, and pulling video into production software.

Steps

1. Log in to the camera's web interface and verify that RTSP is enabled in the Streaming settings.
2. In your receiving software, add a new media source using the camera's RTSP URL:

rtsp://<camera-ip>/stream1

For example, if your camera's IP is 192.168.1.100:

rtsp://192.168.1.100/stream1

3. The software will connect to the camera and begin receiving the video stream.

tip

RTSP offers low latency and works well for local recording. If you need to stream over the internet or to a platform like YouTube, use RTMP instead.

Using ONVIF for VMS Integration

If you're integrating with a security system or Video Management System (VMS):

1. Ensure ONVIF is enabled in the camera's network settings.
2. In your ONVIF client, add the camera using its IP address, port 80, and admin credentials.
3. The camera will appear as an ONVIF PTZ device.

Reference

Control Port Numbers

Protocol	Port	Transport	Use Case
VISCA over IP (TCP)	5678	TCP	PTZ joysticks, control systems
VISCA over IP (UDP)	1259	UDP	Low-latency PTZ control
Sony VISCA over IP	52381	TCP/UDP	Sony-compatible control systems
ONVIF	80	TCP	Security systems, VMS platforms
HTTP	80	TCP	Web interface, custom scripts
WebSockets	80/443	TCP	Real-time web applications

Streaming Protocol Comparison

Protocol	Direction	Best For	Latency	Encryption
Dante AV-H	Bidirectional (discoverable)	Managed AV-over-IP production networks	Very Low	Network-dependent
SRT	Push (camera → receiver)	Reliable internet streaming and remote production	Low	Yes (AES)
RTMP	Push (camera → platform)	Direct-to-platform streaming (YouTube, Twitch)	Medium	No
RTMPS	Push (camera → platform)	Secure direct-to-platform streaming	Medium	Yes (TLS)
RTSP	Pull (software ← camera)	Local recording, monitoring, OBS/vMix input	Low	No

Network Specifications

Feature	Specification
Ethernet	10/100/1000 Mbps (Gigabit)
Max Cable Length	Up to 328 ft (100 m) with Cat5e/Cat6
PoE	PoE++ (802.3bt) required (or 802.3at if that's what this specific camera requires)
IP Configuration	DHCP (default) or Static
mDNS	Supported (Default local device address: ptzoptics.local)
Streaming Protocols	Dante AV-H, SRT, RTSP, RTMP/RTMPS
Control Protocols	VISCA over IP, ONVIF, HTTP, WebSockets, Sony VISCA
Max Streaming Resolution	Up to 4K (3840 × 2160), depending on network bandwidth
Multi-Destination Streaming	Yes, stream to multiple protocols simultaneously