While BoxCast has their own streaming protocol (BoxCast Flow), we also allow you the option to stream via SRT from the encoder of your choice. We'll provide you with an SRT address and a unique stream ID.
This article will teach you how to set up new SRT sources for your encoder. If you'd like instructions on how to set up a specific encoder, we have a lot of guides.
Now, let's get started. Click on the Sources tab.
Click on Add a Source.
Under SRT Options, search for your encoder. If you do not see it, you can choose SRT Hardware or SRT Software to add an encoder not listed.
Give your source a name that is meaningful to you; for example, for software, you may want to use the name of the computer on which it is installed (e.g. “Media PC”), or for hardware you may want to list the specific device (e.g. “Sanctuary ATEM Mini Pro”).
Click Add Source to create the SRT source.
Now that you’ve added the source, you can configure some of its more advanced properties, including latency and encryption.
From the list of sources, expand your new SRT source and click Edit Settings:
Here you can change the following settings of your SRT source:
Name: This is the name that appears in the dashboard in most places.
Description: A free-form field you can use for notes or a longer description of your encoder.
Latency: The SRT protocol uses a fixed latency; this is the amount of time that the devices will wait to recover or retransmit any data that was lost during the transmission process. A longer latency generally means a more stable stream, but it also means a longer time to get data to your viewers. We recommend starting with the default value of 2000ms, which is 2 seconds. You can configure this value higher or lower as desired. Use the suffix ms for milliseconds, or s for seconds (for example, 500ms or 5s).
Encryption: Toggle this on to enable encryption using a passphrase and rotating key.
Passphrase: When encryption is enabled, this is the common passphrase shared between the encoder and the receiver (the BoxCast servers). It must be between 10 and 79 characters long.
Key length: The number of bytes to use for the encryption key. We recommend using the default of 32 unless your encoder requires a different setting. (Note: some encoders and their documentation express the key length in terms of bits rather than bytes. 16 bytes == 128 bits; 24 bytes == 192 bits; and 32 bytes == 256 bits).
Click Save Changes once you are satisfied with your settings, or Cancel to go back without changing anything.
Now that you’ve created and configured your SRT source, you will be able to get the settings needed to configure your encoder. In the list of sources, click on your SRT source to expand it, then choose your encoder from the list of tabs. A list of settings appropriate for your encoder are shown with links to copy their values.
Common Questions
How many SRT sources can I create?
You can create 3 SRT sources per each simultaneous stream on your account. If you receive this error below and would like more SRT Sources, please reach out to us and we can help you out.
Does my SRT source change?
No. Your SRT source will not change unless you change its settings.
If you need more help, feel free to reach out to our support team at questions@boxcast.com, or through the chat.