Sub-second live streaming: it’s a workflow, not a toggle
SMPTE published an event page for a webcast on how encoding efficiency and ultra-low-latency techniques combine across the end-to-end live streaming workflow, with emphasis on interactive use cases such as sports and betting. The session, presented by Victoria Tuzova (Elecard), covers codec and GOP choices, encoder behavior, ABR logic, delivery architectures, and monitoring/feedback loops aimed at achieving sub-second streaming at scale.
Key Takeaways
- ULL isn’t just “reduce the player buffer”; latency is accumulated across the entire live pipeline.
- Codec selection and GOP structure are core latency/quality levers, not implementation details.
- ABR logic and encoder behavior can either stabilize low-latency streams—or amplify stalls and quality swings.
- Delivery architecture choices (from contribution through CDN to playback) determine whether sub-second is achievable at scale.
- Monitoring plus feedback loops are positioned as operational requirements for keeping ULL stable under real event pressure.
Why It Matters
Low-latency is quickly becoming a revenue feature, not an engineering flex: it enables tighter sports engagement, real-time interactivity, and regulated betting experiences where “ahead of broadcast” is a liability. The key industry shift is that ULL is a system property—every team “spends” from the same latency budget (encoding, packaging, CDN, player). That makes ULL pilots as much org design as tech choice: align KPIs across video, platform, and operations, or you’ll optimize one stage and lose the end-to-end outcome. Expect more vendor-neutral playbooks like this as sub-second becomes table stakes.
Read full article at smpte.org
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