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Streaming

Quick Protocol Picker​

Use the table below to choose the right streaming protocol for your production workflow. For a detailed conceptual comparison of push vs. pull architectures and simultaneous streaming workflows, see Streaming Protocols Explained.

ProtocolDirectionBest ForLatencyEncryption
NDI HXBidirectional (discoverable)Live production on local networksVery LowNo (local network)
SRTPush (camera → receiver)Reliable internet streaming and remote productionLowYes (AES)
RTMPPush (camera → platform)Direct-to-platform streaming (YouTube, Twitch)MediumNo
RTMPSPush (camera → platform)Secure direct-to-platform streamingMediumYes (TLS)
RTSPPull (software ← camera)Local recording, monitoring, OBS/vMix inputLowNo
ProtocolDirectionBest ForLatencyEncryption
Dante AV-HBidirectional (Dante Controller)Dante networked AV productionVery LowNo (local network)
SRTPush (camera → receiver)Reliable internet streaming and remote productionLowYes (AES)
RTMPPush (camera → platform)Direct-to-platform streaming (YouTube, Twitch)MediumNo
RTMPSPush (camera → platform)Secure direct-to-platform streamingMediumYes (TLS)
RTSPPull (software ← camera)Local recording, monitoring, OBS/vMix inputLowNo
ProtocolDirectionBest ForLatencyEncryption
NDI HXBidirectional (discoverable)Live production on local networksVery LowNo (local network)
RTMPPush (camera → platform)Direct-to-platform streaming (YouTube, Twitch)MediumNo
RTMPSPush (camera → platform)Secure direct-to-platform streamingMediumYes (TLS)
RTSPPull (software ← camera)Local recording, monitoring, OBS/vMix inputLowNo

Set Up NDI HX Streaming​

NDI HX is designed for live production workflows where you need low-latency, high-quality video that's automatically discoverable by NDI-compatible software (vMix, OBS with NDI plugin, NewTek TriCaster, etc.).

NDI: What You Need​

  • NDI Tools or NDI-compatible software installed on the receiving device(s)
  • Camera and receiving device on the same network

NDI: Steps​

  1. Download and install NDI Tools on the computer that will receive the stream. NDI Tools is available for free from ndi.video/tools.
  2. Configure NDI settings on the camera:
    • Log in to the camera's web interface.
    • Navigate to the NDI settings tab.
    • Set the NDI name (this is how the camera will appear in NDI software).
    • Optionally set an NDI group for organizing multiple sources.
    • Configure encoding settings as needed.
    • Click Apply.
  3. Select the camera within your NDI-compatible software. The camera should appear as an available NDI source automatically.
note

NDI HX is optimized for low-latency production use. The actual resolution and quality depend on your network bandwidth and NDI encoding settings.

tip

The Rise 4K can stream to multiple destinations simultaneously. You can use NDI for live production while also pushing an RTMP stream to a streaming platform.

info

Vizrt NDI®, NDI 4, 5, 6. NDI HX, NDI HX2, and NDI HX3 are all registered trademarks by Vizrt. Please note that your NDI License key is non-transferable.

Set Up Dante AV-H​

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

Dante AV-H: 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

Dante AV-H: 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

SRT: 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 cameras support 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.

RTMP(S): What You Need​

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

RTMP(S): 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

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

Set Up RTSP Viewing​

RTSP: What You Need​

The PTZOptics Rise 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.

RTSP: 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>:554/1

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

    rtsp://192.168.1.100:554/1
  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​

ProtocolPortTransportUse Case
VISCA over IP (TCP)5678TCPPTZ joysticks, control systems
VISCA over IP (UDP)1259UDPLow-latency PTZ control
Sony VISCA over IP52381TCP/UDPSony-compatible control systems
ONVIF80TCPSecurity systems, VMS platforms
HTTP80TCPWeb interface, custom scripts
WebSockets80/443TCPReal-time web applications

Network Specifications​

FeatureSpecification
Ethernet10/100/1000 Mbps (Gigabit)
Max Cable LengthUp to 328 ft (100 m) with Cat5e/Cat6
PoEPoE++ (802.3bt)
IP ConfigurationDHCP (default) or Static
mDNSSupported (Default local device address: ptzoptics.local)
Control ProtocolsVISCA over IP, ONVIF, HTTP, WebSockets, Sony VISCA
Multi-Destination StreamingYes, stream to multiple protocols simultaneously

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