Video Streaming Technology
Video streaming technology powers how video content is delivered, viewed, and interacted with in real time or on demand. It combines multiple components that ensure smooth playback, quality delivery, and reliable performance across different devices and networks. From ultra-low latency delivery to adaptive bitrate encoding, it supports a wide range of live streaming use cases. This section provides an overview of commonly used streaming protocol s, video and audio codecs, and container formats.
Want to use these video streaming technologies in your app?
You can use Red5 live streaming products ranging from open-source solutions to advanced platforms like Red5 Pro, Red5 Cloud, and Red5 SDKs. Red5 is committed to providing reliable software and tools that help bring our vision to life through innovation and patented technology. Read our case studies to see what customers and partners say about working with Red5. Visit the blog and download whitepapers to explore industry trends and news, educational content, and release announcements about our products.
20
Years
of providing live streaming solutions since 2005
10
Regions
for Global infrastructure coverage and performance
10
BILLIONS+
connection minutes every month
Use Cases /
Empowering live streaming in any industry.
Live Events
Let organizations and individual streamers broadcast sports events, large-scale concerts, or conferences while in-sync engaging with fans and viewers.
Remote Production
Allow production teams to collaborate in real time from different locations, managing video feeds, editing, inserting ads and monitoring as if they were on-site.
Online Auctions & Bidding
Give auctioneers and bidders the ability to connect in real time, creating a more engaging and competitive atmosphere for buyers and sellers.
Government & Surveillence
Support traffic monitoring agencies, smart cities, public safety teams, and defense agencies with real-time video feeds that enable rapid situational awareness and faster decision-making.
Gaming & eSports
Let gamers and organizers stream live matches with sub-second latency, ensuring fair play, real-time interaction, and an immersive fan experience.
Casinos & Betting
Enable live dealers and bettors to interact instantly, replicating the energy of in-person casinos and keeping online games secure and engaging.
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Red5 Cloud
A fully managed PaaS that delivers globally scalable, ultra-low-latency streaming with dedicated infrastructure for each customer, ensuring performance, security, and flexibility at ant scale.
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Red5 Pro
Server software designed for ultra-low latency streaming at scale for thouse who need to deploy on-premises and have more flexibility and customization.
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Red5 SDKs
Integrate flexible, scalable, and interactive live streaming into your iOS, Android, HTML5, Unreal Engine, Windows, macOS, Linux, and Unity applications using Red5 live video streaming SDKs.
Red5 Open-Source
Free tools for developers, including the Red5 media server, TrueTime Solutions™, Load Testing Tools, and more.
Access, customize, and contribute to our open-source projects.
Not sure what solution would solve your streaming challenges best?
Watch our Youtube video explaining the difference between Red5 Pro and Red5 Cloud, check out the product comparison page, or reach out to us to discuss your case.
FAQs
What is video streaming technology?
Video streaming technology is a method that delivers video content over public (internet) or private (intranet) connection. This technology powers everything from live broadcasts and video calls to on-demand platforms like YouTube or Netflix.
What technology is used for streaming?
Video streaming relies on a combination of key technologies including media servers, streaming protocols (such as WebRTC, RTMP, HLS, and SRT), and codecs like h.264, h.265, VP8, VP9, AV1, or Opus for compression. These technologies work together to send video and audio data efficiently across networks, ensuring smooth playback, low latency, and consistent quality for users on any device or connection speed.
How does video streaming work?
Video streaming works by breaking video files into small pieces and sending them over the internet or intranet using streaming protocols. As these packets reach the viewer’s device, a media player decodes and displays them almost instantly. The process continues in a loop, so playback feels continuous. Factors like bandwidth, latency, and codec efficiency affect how smoothly the stream plays.
What streaming technology lets you stream and watch video without an internet connection?
Air-gapped streaming allows video to be streamed and watched without any internet connection. It uses a closed, isolated network where data is transferred locally between devices for maximum security. This method is often used by government, defense, or enterprise organizations to ensure real-time video transmission while completely preventing external network access or data leaks.
What protocol is best for reliable streaming?
There’s no universal protocol that fits every streaming use case. Each protocol has strengths depending on your use case, requirements, and goals. For instance, WebRTC is ideal for real-time, ultra-low latency communication. HLS works best for scalability and adaptive playback. SRT ensures reliable delivery over unstable networks.
What codec is best for reliable streaming?
There’s no single “best” codec for reliable streaming. It depends on your use case, requirements, and goals. For example, if you need 4K video quality, you should use the AV1 codec. But if your setup requires compatibility with SRT streaming, you’ll need to choose the H.264 or AVC codec.
What protocol and codec Red5 supports?
Red5, as a protocol-agnostic company, supports multiple streaming protocols like WebRTC, RTMP, RTSP, SRT, ERTMP, Zixi, HLS, WHIP and WHEP, and codecs including h.264, h.265, VP8, VP9, AV1, and Opus. You can also use multiple protocols in a single workflow. For example, combine WebRTC and HLS. This flexibility allows you to optimize for quality, efficiency, or compatibility based on your specific real-time streaming requirements.