How to Receive an SRT Stream in OBS Studio

Oct 10, 2022

This tutorial shows how to receive an SRT stream in OBS Studio using a Callaba SRT server. You will create a Media Source in OBS, copy the correct receiver URL from Callaba, and verify that the stream is actually playing.

What you need before you start

OBS Studio installed on the receiving machine.
A Callaba account with access to SRT Servers.
An SRT sender that will publish into the same server.
The correct SRT Receiver URL from the server details.

If you are new to the platform, start with how to launch and start using Callaba. If you also need the sending side, see how to start streaming in OBS Studio over SRT.

Why this workflow matters

In OBS, receiving SRT usually means you want to monitor an incoming contribution feed, reuse it inside a scene, or validate that an SRT sender is reaching the server correctly. The most common mistake is to use the wrong URL or the wrong source type. This tutorial keeps the setup simple and explicit.

Before you move into the receive steps, use the live widget as a quick mental model. On a real SRT path, incoming bitrate tells you whether media is still flowing, while network RTT helps explain whether the connection is losing enough timing headroom to become fragile. That context makes troubleshooting much easier when the feed does not behave the way a simple URL check suggests.

Receive an SRT stream in OBS Studio

1. Add a Media Source in OBS

Open OBS Studio. In the bottom control panel, find the Sources box, click the + button, and choose Media Source.

2. Name the new source

Give the source a clear name so it is obvious that this is the incoming SRT feed. This matters later if you switch between local sources and live contribution feeds while streaming.

3. Create or open the SRT server in Callaba

Open Callaba, go to SRT Servers, and create a new SRT server if you do not have one already. A simple name is enough for this tutorial. Then return to the server list and open the server details.

In the details window, copy the Receiver URL. This is the SRT address OBS should use as the incoming network source.

4. Paste the Receiver URL into OBS

Return to OBS. In the Media Source settings, clear Local File and paste the copied Receiver URL into the Input field. Save the source.

If the sender is already live and the URL is correct, OBS is now ready to receive the stream.

5. Make the incoming SRT feed live in OBS

Click the Transition button in the center of the OBS interface to bring the source into the active output or preview path you are using.

If everything is configured correctly, you should now see the incoming SRT stream playing in OBS Studio.

What to check if the stream does not appear

Receiver URL: make sure you copied the receiver-side SRT URL from Callaba, not a sender or publisher URL meant for a different role.
Media Source settings: Local File must be disabled.
Active sender: OBS cannot show the stream if nothing is currently publishing into the SRT server.
Network path: confirm that the sender can actually reach the SRT port used by the server.
Latency mismatch: if the feed is unstable, revisit your SRT sender and receiver settings before assuming OBS is the problem.

Common problems and fixes

The source stays black: verify that the sender is live and that the Receiver URL was pasted exactly as provided.
OBS accepts the source but nothing plays: check that you used Media Source and not a local-file workflow.
The stream starts and then breaks up: review the SRT path, firewall rules, and sender-side latency.
You are not sure whether the problem is OBS or the sender: test the same SRT server from the sending side first, then come back to OBS.

When to use this instead of RTMP

This pattern is useful when you want a more resilient contribution workflow than RTMP, especially over less predictable networks. If you are comparing transport choices, review SRT vs RTMP before you decide which ingest path should become your default.

Next steps

If you still need to publish the stream into Callaba, follow the SRT sending tutorial for OBS.
If you want to tune reliability, continue with how to find the right latency for your SRT setup.
If you need to understand the transport tradeoff, compare SRT vs RTMP.