Live streaming and broadcast terminology. Explained properly.
Technical reference for live streaming protocols, broadcast standards, encoding, and production terminology. Written by broadcast engineers for event producers, content creators, and enterprise communications teams.
Broadcast + streaming terminology
RTMP vs SRT: which live streaming protocol should you use?
RTMP vs SRT compared: latency, reliability, encryption, and when to use each. Technical reference for live streaming engineers.
Broadcast quality explained.
What broadcast quality means in 2026: resolution, frame rate, colour science, and the standards that define 'broadcast-grade'.
Vision mixing in broadcast production.
What vision mixing is, how it works, and which vision mixers (Blackmagic ATEM, Grass Valley, Ross) professionals use.
SDI (Serial Digital Interface) explained.
SDI explained: what Serial Digital Interface is, SDI vs IP video, and where SDI still dominates in 2026.
CBR vs VBR: constant vs variable bitrate for streaming.
CBR vs VBR encoding explained: when to use constant bitrate vs variable bitrate for live streaming and video on demand.
Live streaming equipment setup: complete guide.
Complete live streaming equipment setup guide: cameras, audio, encoders, lighting, and connectivity for any budget.
Conference video production explained.
Conference video production explained: multi-camera coverage, speaker ops, session recording, and delivery.
5G Bonding
5G bonding combines multiple cellular connections (typically multiple 5G modems or 5G plus 4G) to create a single, more reliable data stream.
Adaptive Bitrate Streaming
Adaptive bitrate streaming (ABR) automatically adjusts video quality based on each viewer network conditions in real time.
Broadcast Systems Design
Broadcast systems design is the foundational engineering discipline that determines whether a live event succeeds or fails.
CDN (Content Delivery Network)
A CDN distributes video streams across geographically distributed servers, ensuring viewers connect to nearby servers for faster delivery and lower latency.
Cloud Production
Cloud production uses cloud-based software running on remote servers to perform tasks that traditionally required hardware in a physical control room.
Comms Systems
Comms systems connect production team members through headsets and microphones so they can coordinate in real time.
Encoding Equipment
Video encoders are the hardware (or software) that convert raw camera signals into compressed video streams suitable for delivery over IP networks.
eSports Production
Esports broadcast production is fundamentally different from sports broadcasting because game graphics and player cameras must be perfectly synchronised.
Event Streaming
Event streaming encompasses live transmission of conferences, product launches, award shows, and large-scale productions to remote audiences.
Fibre Distribution
Fibre optic distribution provides high-bandwidth, long-distance signal transport from event venues to broadcast facilities.
HLS (HTTP Live Streaming)
HLS is an adaptive streaming protocol where video is divided into small segments and a playlist tells players where to find them.
Hybrid Event Streaming
Hybrid events combine in-person attendance with remote participation, requiring simultaneous production for two fundamentally different audiences.
Interactive Features
Interactive features in live streaming (polls, live chat, Q&A, viewer reactions) create engagement that passive video consumption cannot match.
IP-Based Broadcasting
IP-based broadcasting uses standard internet protocols (Ethernet, TCP/IP) to distribute broadcast signals instead of legacy SDI.
Live HD Streaming
HD streaming (1920x1080) is the professional standard for most live broadcasts. High quality at achievable bandwidth.
Low Latency Streaming
Low-latency streaming minimises the delay between live action and viewer experience. Target sub-3 second latency.
MCR (Master Control Room)
An MCR is the central facility where all broadcast production signals converge and output is controlled.
Multi-Platform Distribution
Multi-platform distribution sends your broadcast to multiple simultaneous destinations (YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, your own site).
Multicam Workflows
Multicam workflows coordinate multiple camera feeds through vision mixing, switching, graphics, recording, and delivery in real time.
NDI (Network Device Interface)
NDI is a protocol for real-time video transmission over IP networks, simpler and more flexible than SMPTE 2110 or SDI.
OB Truck (Outside Broadcast)
An OB truck is a mobile production facility containing vision mixers, audio consoles, monitoring, and encoding equipment.
Post Event Analytics
Post-event analytics measure how the broadcast performed: concurrent viewers, geographic reach, engagement depth.
Remote Speaker Integration
Remote speaker integration combines speakers physically located elsewhere with an in-venue event, seamlessly.
Secure & Private Live Streaming
Secure and private live streaming refers to restricting viewer access to a live stream and protecting the video transmission from interception.
Site Survey
A site survey is a detailed technical assessment of the venue before event production: power, connectivity, camera positions.
SMPTE 2110
SMPTE 2110 is the standard for studio broadcasting over IP networks, replacing legacy SDI as the signal distribution method.
SRT (Secure Reliable Transport)
SRT is a modern streaming protocol designed to reliably transmit video over unpredictable networks.
Video Production & Editing
Video production covers capture. Video editing covers post-processing. Both are essential for event coverage.
Webcasts & Webinars
Webinars and webcasts are online presentations delivered to remote participants without expectation of physical attendance.
Bitrate explained.
What bitrate means in video streaming, how it affects quality and bandwidth, and the numbers CBA targets for HD, 4K, and low-latency streams.
Lower thirds explained.
What lower thirds are, why they matter in live broadcast, and how CBA generates branded dynamic lower thirds for multi-speaker events.