Haivision Makito X4 Decoder SRT setup: return feed and SDI output with Callaba

May 19, 2026

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

Haivision Makito X4 Decoder is a professional hardware decoder for receiving SRT, UDP or RTP streams and turning them into broadcast outputs such as SDI or ST 2110. In a Callaba workflow, it is useful when the cloud route needs to become a physical output again: program return, venue confidence monitor, MCR input, SDI playout, or remote production return feed.

The key difference from the Makito X4 Encoder article is direction. With the encoder, Makito X4 sends the stream into Callaba. In this decoder workflow, Callaba is the SRT source or route, and Makito X4 Decoder receives the stream and outputs hardware video.

This guide is written for the search intent behind Haivision Makito X4 Decoder SRT, Makito X4 decoder return feed, Makito X4 playback, Makito X4 multiview, Makito X4 recorder, Haivision decoder SRT Gateway and Callaba SRT Gateway.

Quick answer: how do I use Makito X4 Decoder with Callaba Gateway?

Choose the SRT direction first. The simplest public-cloud pattern is often Makito X4 Decoder as Caller and Callaba Gateway as Listener, because the decoder can pull from a stable Callaba public endpoint. If the decoder has a reachable public IP or forwarded UDP port, you can also run the decoder as Listener and make Callaba push SRT to it.

Callaba controls the cloud stream and SRT route. Makito X4 Decoder receives it and turns it back into a hardware output such as SDI or ST 2110.

What this setup does

This workflow takes a live feed managed by Callaba and sends it over SRT to a Haivision Makito X4 Decoder. The decoder receives the stream and outputs it to the physical video environment.

Callaba Gateway: receives, monitors, records or routes the source stream in the cloud.
SRT route: carries the selected stream from Callaba to the decoder.
Makito X4 Decoder: decodes the SRT stream and outputs hardware video, commonly for program return, confidence monitoring, master control, or venue playback.

Makito X4 Decoder role

Makito X4 Decoder is not an ingest encoder in this workflow. It is the hardware output point. Callaba can be the cloud control layer before the physical signal is generated.

Keep cloud monitoring and recording in Callaba, then send the selected feed to Makito X4 Decoder for hardware output.

Recommended SRT mode: choose by network direction

There is no single correct mode for every decoder workflow. Choose the mode by the network path.

The easiest cloud pattern is usually decoder as Caller and Callaba as Listener. Decoder as Listener can work when the decoder endpoint is reachable.

Option A: decoder pulls from Callaba

Use this when the decoder is behind NAT but can make outbound UDP connections to Callaba.

srt://YOUR_CALLABA_IP:10400?mode=caller&latency=200&streamid=makito-x4-decoder-return

Option B: Callaba pushes to decoder

Use this when the decoder has a public IP address, VPN address, or correctly forwarded UDP port.

srt://DECODER_PUBLIC_IP:10401?mode=caller&latency=200&streamid=makito-x4-decoder-return

Mode reading rule: in the first example, Makito X4 Decoder is Caller and Callaba is Listener. In the second example, Callaba is Caller and Makito X4 Decoder is Listener. The mode=caller value always belongs to the side that initiates the SRT connection.

Before you start

Prepare the stream, network and output side before changing the decoder profile.

Source in Callaba Confirm which cloud stream or route should be sent to the decoder.

SRT direction Decide whether the decoder pulls from Callaba or Callaba pushes to the decoder.

UDP port Open the listener-side UDP port on the side that waits for connection.

Latency Start with 125–500 ms and adjust after testing real packet loss and jitter.

Codec Confirm H.264 or HEVC/H.265 support in the stream and decoder profile before the event.

Output mapping Confirm SDI or ST 2110 output format, resolution, frame rate and audio mapping on the decoder side.

Firmware wording note: field names can change slightly between Makito X4 Decoder firmware versions. Look for Protocol, TS over SRT, Mode, Address, Port, Destination Port, Latency, Stream ID, SRT Access Control, AES and Authentication.

Step 1: prepare the Callaba side

Start with Callaba because it is the source of the feed that will be decoded.

Open the Callaba environment that contains the stream or route you want to output.
Confirm the stream is alive in Callaba preview or multiview.
Record a short test if you need proof that the cloud-side feed is correct before decoding.
Choose SRT direction: Callaba as Listener for decoder-pull, or Callaba as Caller for decoder-listener.
If the decoder will pull from Callaba, open SRT Servers in Callaba and create a new SRT server/listener for the decoder route.
If Callaba must push to the decoder, configure a Restream or output route with SRT Output as the destination type, then enter the decoder listener address and port.
Set port, latency, stream ID and encryption settings.
Open the selected UDP port on the listener side.

Browser playback note: if you also need a browser page or embed link for the same source, create it in Web Players. Callaba web players are used to create viewer-facing endpoints from existing live inputs and publish browser-ready HLS or DASH output.

Step 2: configure Makito X4 Decoder

In the Makito X4 Decoder web interface, add a stream that receives the Callaba SRT output.

Open the decoder web interface.
Go to the Streams section and add a new stream.
Select TS over SRT or the SRT stream protocol available in your firmware.
Choose the connection mode: Caller, Listener or Rendezvous.
For Caller mode, enter the Callaba public IP or DNS name and destination port.
For Listener mode, set the local UDP port and make sure Callaba can reach it.
Set latency, stream ID and encryption/passphrase to match the Callaba route.
Map the decoded stream to the correct output: SDI, ST 2110 or the output mode used in your production chain.
Start the stream and verify output on the connected monitor, router or switcher.

Testing rule: for the first test, use one stream, one output, one UDP port and H.264 if possible. After the first clean decode, add encryption, HEVC, multi-stream output, redundant paths or final production routing.

Settings table

This table is the fastest way to avoid SRT and output mismatches.

Match the SRT route first, then confirm codec, audio and output mapping.

Setting	Callaba Gateway	Makito X4 Decoder	Why it matters
SRT mode	Listener or Caller	Caller or Listener	One side must wait, the other must connect.
Port	Open UDP port on listener side	Same destination or local port	Wrong port means no SRT session.
Latency	Route policy	Start 125–500 ms	Too low can break recovery on noisy paths.
Stream ID	`makito-x4-decoder-return`	Same value if used	Useful for route identity or access control.
Passphrase	Same passphrase if encrypted	Same passphrase if encrypted	Encryption fails if values do not match.
Output mapping	SRT source route	SDI or ST 2110 output	Connection alone is not enough; output must be mapped.

Codec test rule: start with H.264 for the first decode test when possible. Makito X4 Decoder can receive HEVC/H.265, but your Callaba route, preview path, recorder, player or downstream route must also handle that codec correctly.

Monitor before hardware decode

One advantage of using Callaba before the decoder is that you can check the stream before it becomes a hardware output. You can watch the feed, confirm bitrate and codec, hear audio and validate the route before it reaches the decoder.

Interactive check: open the Callaba multiview demo to see how received sources can be monitored before hardware decode.

Recorder workflow: cloud proof before SDI output

Callaba recording protects the cloud side of the workflow. If the decoder output fails later because of SDI routing, monitor selection or output mapping, the cloud recording can still prove whether the correct stream reached the Callaba route.

Layer	What it verifies	Use case
Callaba recording	The stream exists and is correct before decoder output.	Use for cloud-side proof and post-event review.
Makito X4 Decoder output	The hardware output path works: SDI, ST 2110, router, monitor or switcher.	Use for venue return, control room output or broadcast playout.

Playback and SDI output workflow

There are two playback paths in this setup:

Browser playback in Callaba: useful for operators, producers and remote viewers.
Hardware playback through Makito X4 Decoder: useful for SDI or ST 2110 output into monitors, routers, switchers, projectors or control room systems.

Browser playback example after Callaba ingest:
https://YOUR_CALLABA_DOMAIN/embed/makito-x4-return

SRT return feed example for decoder pull:
srt://YOUR_CALLABA_IP:10400?mode=caller&latency=200&streamid=makito-x4-decoder-return

Where the links come from: browser links are generated after you create a Web Player or HLS path in Callaba. SRT links depend on the route and mode you configure for the decoder workflow.

Troubleshooting

Most decoder problems are caused by mode direction, unreachable UDP ports, access-control mismatch, codec mismatch or output mapping.

Prove SRT first, then media, then hardware output mapping.

1. Decoder does not connect

Confirm which side is Caller and which side is Listener.
Check IP address, DNS name and UDP port.
Open the UDP port on the listener side.
If decoder is Listener, confirm Callaba can reach the decoder public IP or forwarded port.

2. SRT connects, but there is no picture

Check codec: H.264 first, HEVC after compatibility is confirmed.
Check resolution and frame rate supported by the decoder output mode.
Confirm the Callaba source is live and viewable before sending to decoder.
Check SDI or ST 2110 output mapping on the Makito side.

3. Encryption or stream ID fails

Use the exact same passphrase and authentication settings on both sides.
Check whether SRT Access Control is enabled on the decoder.
Make sure the stream ID or Stream Publishing ID matches what the listener expects.
Test once without encryption, then add encryption after the base route works.

4. Picture works, but audio is missing

Before debugging the decoder, check whether audio exists in the Callaba source through preview or multiview. If audio is missing in Callaba, the problem is upstream: source, encoder, ingest or route.
Check audio channel mapping on the Makito decoder side.
Confirm that the downstream SDI or ST 2110 chain expects the same audio format and channel layout.

Official references used for this guide

Use these if you need exact Haivision firmware wording, SRT mode behavior, access-control behavior or Makito X4 Decoder capabilities.

FAQ

Can Haivision Makito X4 Decoder receive SRT from Callaba Gateway?

Yes. Makito X4 Decoder supports SRT streams. Callaba can provide the SRT source or route, and the decoder can receive it as a hardware decode or return-feed output.

Should Makito X4 Decoder be Caller or Listener?

Use Caller when the decoder pulls from a Callaba public listener. Use Listener when Callaba pushes to a decoder endpoint with a reachable UDP port.

Which settings must match?

The SRT mode pair, address, UDP port, latency policy, stream ID if used, encryption/passphrase if used, codec and media format must be aligned.

Can I monitor the feed before it reaches Makito X4 Decoder?

Yes. Callaba can monitor, preview and record the cloud-side feed before or while it is sent to the decoder.

Can Makito X4 Decoder output SDI from a Callaba SRT stream?

Yes, when the stream codec and output format are supported by the decoder and the output mapping is configured correctly.

Final practical rule

Do not debug the decoder as the first source of truth. First confirm that the stream is correct in Callaba. Then confirm SRT mode, port, stream ID and encryption. Only after that, debug codec, SDI/ST 2110 output mapping and downstream hardware.

Last updated: May 19, 2026

Try Callaba Gateway with your Haivision Makito X4 Decoder

Create a Callaba SRT route, send the selected feed to Makito X4 Decoder, and monitor or record the stream before it becomes SDI, ST 2110, playback or return feed output.

See SRT server setup Open multiview demo Web Player docs Makito decoder SRT docs