Epiphan Pearl Mini SRT setup: direct contribution to Callaba Gateway
Written by Iurii Pakholkov
Founder of Callaba. Building cloud video tools for SRT, RTMP, WebRTC, NDI, live routing, monitoring, recording, and production workflows.
Release: Callaba 8.4
Epiphan Pearl Mini SRT setup is usually a caller-to-listener job: build your channel on Pearl Mini, create an SRT listener in Callaba Gateway, then point Pearl Mini’s SRT push URL to the Callaba public address and UDP port. Pearl Mini’s official guide confirms SRT push, caller/listener mode, optional Stream ID, AES/passphrase, latency, and recovery-overhead settings. In the default cloud workflow, Pearl Mini is the on-site H.264 encoder and Callaba is the SRT receiver/gateway for monitoring, recording, routing, restreaming, and playback.
Quick answer
To use Epiphan Pearl Mini with SRT, set Pearl Mini as the SRT Caller and send the stream to a cloud SRT Listener. In this guide, Callaba works as the SRT gateway, receiver, monitor, recorder, and routing layer.
Epiphan Pearl Mini sends one SRT contribution feed into Callaba Gateway. After ingest, Callaba can preview, record, restream, route, and provide playback in parallel. These are downstream options, not mandatory sequential setup steps.
- Epiphan Pearl MiniSRT caller, H.264 program feed
- Callaba GatewaySRT listener / receiver
- Preview
- Record
- Restream
- Route
- Playback
What this setup does
Pearl Mini can act as a compact room or event encoder/switcher. Feed it with SDI, HDMI, USB, RTSP, SRT, or NDI|HX sources, build a channel, then send the encoded H.264 stream to Callaba over SRT. Official Pearl Mini specifications list H.264/AVC and Motion JPEG for video output; I would not plan Pearl Mini as an HEVC/H.265 encoder for this workflow.
If you search for Pearl Mini SRT caller, Pearl Mini SRT gateway, or Pearl Mini SRT to cloud, this is the practical direction: Pearl Mini initiates the outbound SRT connection and Callaba receives it. Pearl Mini can also be configured as an SRT listener or as an SRT destination/receiver for ingesting SRT as an input, but that is a different operating role. If you reverse the roles and make Pearl Mini the listener, the venue side must accept inbound UDP traffic, which may require a public IP address, port forwarding, firewall rules, or a tested NAT traversal plan.
Recommended workflow
For a reliable first pass, keep the architecture simple: one Pearl Mini channel sends one SRT push stream to one Callaba SRT server. After the ingest is stable, use Callaba outputs in parallel for preview, recording, restreaming, routing, multiview, or web playback. Do not treat preview, recording, and routing as a mandatory chain; they are downstream uses of the same received feed.
RTMP or RTMPS can be a fallback when the destination only accepts RTMP-style publishing. RTSP announce is confirmed for Pearl Mini, but I would reserve it for controlled networks or specific server-ingest requirements rather than public-Internet contribution. NDI on this model should be treated as NDI|HX ingest into Pearl Mini, not as a confirmed full-bandwidth NDI program output from Pearl Mini.
Before you start
Confirm the installed firmware, channel layout, audio source, uplink bandwidth, and whether security policy requires SRT encryption. HDMI inputs capture only non-HDCP content, so test laptops and media players before the event. If you mix several network sources such as RTSP, SRT, and NDI|HX, test the exact load with recording and streaming enabled.
For first internet tests, use practical H.264 starting points: 720p around 2.5–4 Mb/s, 1080p30 around 4–6 Mb/s, and 1080p60 around 6–8 Mb/s, then adjust to the real uplink and production requirements. If the channel exposes keyframe settings, a 2-second interval is a good first test for most live workflows.
Create the Callaba ingest
In Callaba, create an SRT server/listener for the Pearl Mini contribution feed. Choose a UDP port, decide whether to require a Stream ID, and set passphrase/AES requirements if encryption is part of the workflow. Open the selected UDP port on the cloud firewall or instance security group before you start the stream from Pearl Mini.
What success looks like: Callaba shows the SRT connection, incoming bitrate, decoded preview, audio meters, and stable receive statistics. If there is no connection, check the cloud firewall first, then check SRT mode pairing and exact port values.
Configure Pearl Mini
In the Pearl Mini Admin panel, open the channel you want to stream, go to its Streaming page, create a new SRT push stream, and open the stream settings. Set the Connection mode field to Caller for the normal cloud workflow. In the URL field, enter the Callaba SRT listener address in the form srt://your-callaba-address:port.
If you use Stream ID, AES key length, or passphrase, type the same values on both sides. Treat Stream ID and passphrase as case-sensitive and whitespace-sensitive: a trailing space, copied newline, or changed capitalization can break the SRT handshake. Pearl Mini documentation lists a default SRT push latency of 125 ms; for public Internet contribution I normally start higher, around 250–500 ms, then lower it only after packet loss, RTT, and retransmits are stable.
Settings table
| Where | What to do / field to fill | First-test value | Why / check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callaba | Create SRT server and choose UDP port | Use an unused UDP port such as 5000 or your standard contribution port | Cloud firewall and Callaba must allow the same UDP port. |
| Callaba | Stream ID requirement, if used | pearl-mini-main | Must match Pearl Mini exactly if enabled. |
| Pearl Mini | Connection mode field in SRT push stream settings | Caller | Pearl Mini initiates the outbound connection to the cloud listener. |
| Pearl Mini | URL field in SRT push stream settings | srt://your-callaba-address:5000 | Use the public DNS name or IP address and the Callaba UDP port. |
| Pearl Mini | Stream ID field, if required | pearl-mini-main | Case and whitespace must match Callaba. |
| Pearl Mini | AES key length setting | Off for a lab test; 128/192/256-bit when required | If enabled, both sides must use compatible encryption settings. |
| Pearl Mini | Passphrase field | Paste from a controlled password record | Case, spaces, and copied newlines matter. |
| Pearl Mini | Latency field in the SRT push stream settings, in milliseconds | 125 ms on a clean LAN; 250–500 ms for first Internet test | Increase when packet loss or RTT prevents recovery. |
Monitoring
Start the stream on Pearl Mini, then watch Callaba for connection uptime, incoming bitrate, preview, audio meters, RTT, packet loss, retransmits, and dropped frames. On Pearl Mini, check the stream status and channel health. If the program preview looks correct but audio is missing, confirm the selected audio source in the Pearl Mini channel and verify that Callaba receives audio packets and meters.
Recording and playback
Once ingest is stable, enable recording in Callaba if you need a cloud-side archive. Web playback, multiview, restreaming, and routing can be enabled as parallel outputs from the received SRT source. Pearl Mini can also record locally, so decide in advance whether your authoritative record is on the device, in Callaba, or both.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Check in Callaba | Check on Pearl Mini | Likely fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| No SRT connection | SRT server is running, correct UDP port, cloud firewall open | Connection mode is Caller; URL points to Callaba address and port | Fix port/firewall mismatch or caller/listener pairing. |
| Handshake starts then fails | Stream ID, passphrase, AES key length, listener logs | Stream ID and passphrase fields for extra spaces or copied newline | Retype credentials and match encryption exactly. |
| Connects but video breaks up | RTT, packet loss, retransmits, incoming bitrate | Latency and recovery bandwidth overhead in SRT push settings | Raise latency, lower bitrate, or improve uplink quality. |
| Video present, no audio | Audio meters and received audio codec | Channel audio source, embedded/analog selection, mute state | Select the correct audio source and test AAC for contribution. |
| Works on LAN, fails from venue | Public listener address, security group, UDP reachability | DNS/IP, gateway, venue firewall policy | Ask IT to allow outbound UDP to the Callaba port. |
| Difficult interoperability failure | Callaba release/build or support information | Pearl Mini firmware release notes or vendor support for SRT library version | Confirm compatible SRT major versions and update firmware if needed. |
Epiphan firmware history for Pearl systems mentions SRT 1.4.3 in Pearl firmware 4.15, but I would still confirm the current installed firmware and SRT library information through Epiphan documentation or support when a handshake problem is hard to diagnose.
Official references
These are useful references for the exact model and protocol behavior used in this setup.
Vendor references
- Epiphan Pearl Mini tech specs
- Epiphan: SRT caller and listener setup
- Epiphan: SRT rendezvous setup
- Epiphan: SRT AES encryption and passphrase
- Epiphan: RTMP and RTMPS push setup
- Epiphan: NDI|HX source ingest
Protocol references
Callaba resources
FAQ
How do I use Epiphan Pearl Mini with SRT?
Create an SRT listener in Callaba, then configure Pearl Mini SRT push as Caller and send it to the Callaba address and UDP port. Match Stream ID, AES key length, passphrase, and latency settings if your workflow uses them.
Can Pearl Mini be an SRT listener?
Yes, Epiphan documents caller, listener, and rendezvous modes for SRT push. I use Pearl Mini as caller for cloud contribution because it avoids inbound internet access at the venue. Listener mode is an advanced fallback when you control venue-side firewall and NAT rules.
Is Pearl Mini an SRT receiver?
It can ingest an SRT stream as an input, so it can operate as an SRT destination/decoder in that context. That is separate from the usual Pearl Mini SRT to cloud workflow, where Callaba is the SRT receiver.
Can I use an Epiphan Pearl Mini SRT server instead of Callaba?
If by SRT server you mean a listener endpoint, Pearl Mini can listen, but the venue side then needs inbound UDP access. For cloud ingest, it is usually cleaner to make Callaba the SRT server/listener and keep Pearl Mini as the outbound caller.
Does Pearl Mini support NDI output to Callaba?
Official Pearl Mini documentation describes NDI support as NDI|HX input/ingest. Do not plan Pearl Mini as a full-bandwidth NDI output device or a confirmed NDI program encoder for this setup.
Should I send H.265/HEVC from Pearl Mini?
No. Official Pearl Mini specs list H.264/AVC and Motion JPEG output, not HEVC/H.265 output. Plan H.264 to Callaba unless Epiphan publishes exact-model firmware documentation that changes this for your installed unit.
Next steps
Build the channel on Pearl Mini, create the Callaba SRT listener, test SRT caller contribution at conservative bitrate and latency, then add recording, restreaming, routing, or playback only after transport statistics are stable. Before the event, confirm firmware, SRT caller/listener direction, UDP port, NAT/firewall rules, Stream ID, AES key length, passphrase, latency, recovery bandwidth overhead, codec, bitrate, and audio format.
Try Callaba Gateway with Epiphan Pearl Mini SRT setup
Create an SRT server in Callaba, send the device feed to the gateway, and check the received stream. After ingest is stable, use Callaba outputs for preview, recording, restreaming, multiview, playback, routing, or API workflows as parallel downstream options.