JVC GY-HC500 SRT setup: send SRT 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
Use this JVC GY-HC500 SRT setup when the GY-HC500 is at the venue and Callaba is the cloud SRT receiver for monitoring, recording, routing, multiview, or restreaming. The practical path is simple: create an SRT listener in Callaba, then configure the camera’s live streaming server as SRT Caller with the Callaba host, UDP port, Stream ID, latency, encryption, and passphrase matched.
Quick answer
To use JVC GY-HC500 with SRT, set GY-HC500 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.
The JVC GY-HC500 sends one SRT contribution feed into Callaba. After ingest, Callaba can preview, record, route, restream, and feed multiview in parallel. These downstream uses are not mandatory sequential setup steps.
- GY-HC500SRT caller at venue
- Callaba GatewaySRT listener in cloud
- Preview
- Record
- Route
- Restream
- Multiview
What this setup does
This workflow uses the GY-HC500 as the field camera and SRT sender. Callaba is the GY-HC500 SRT gateway and receiver in the cloud. Once the SRT session is stable, the same incoming source can be monitored, recorded, routed to another destination, added to multiview, or restreamed.
The GY-HC500 documentation lists live streaming protocols including SRT, RTMP, RTMPS, RTSP/RTP, MPEG2-TS/UDP, MPEG2-TS/TCP, and MPEG2-TS/RTP. For public internet contribution, I would normally start with SRT because it gives you caller/listener roles, Stream ID, latency, encryption, passphrase, bandwidth overhead, and FEC controls in the camera menu.
What this model can and cannot do in this workflow
Confirmed for GY-HC500/GY-HC500U: direct SRT live streaming, SRT Caller/Listener/Rendezvous modes, Stream ID up to 63 characters, SRT latency from 20 ms to 8000 ms with a documented 500 ms default, AES-256/AES-192/AES-128/off encryption, and passphrase entry from 10 to 79 characters when encryption is used. The camera also supports RTMP, RTMPS, and RTSP/RTP as alternate live streaming paths.
Production I/O: the camera has an RJ45 1000Base-T LAN port, USB-A host for supported Wi-Fi/LTE/network adapters, two XLR mic/line audio inputs with +48 V, 3G-SDI output up to 1080/60p or 50p 10-bit 4:2:2, HDMI output up to UHD, and headphone monitoring. Live streaming is HD-oriented; do not treat the SRT path as a 4K/UHD contribution path without separate confirmation on the exact firmware and adapter workflow.
Do not plan a stock GY-HC500U as a native NDI source. JVC documents NDI|HX for the GY-HC500UN and for JVC-modified units. JVC also notes that NDI|HX mode is a live source mode and the camera does not record in that mode. H.265/HEVC live streaming requires the optional KA-EN200 slot-in adapter; it is not body-only HEVC streaming, and the KA-EN200 page lists 1920x1080 and 1280x720 modes. I would also not plan this model as ST 2110 or as a bonded cellular transmitter. Supported LTE USB adapters are network access, not bonded cellular aggregation.
Recommended workflow
Use the camera as GY-HC500 SRT Caller and Callaba as the SRT Listener. This is the cleanest GY-HC500 SRT to cloud pattern because the venue side initiates the outbound session to a known cloud address and UDP port.
Listener mode on the camera is available in the JVC menu, but I treat it as an advanced fallback. If the camera waits as a listener on the public internet, the venue side may need a public IP address, UDP port forwarding, firewall changes, and a tested NAT plan. That is rarely the first setup I want on a live job.
When not to use this setup
If the camera and switcher are in the same room, SDI or HDMI may be simpler than cloud SRT. If your only destination is a public platform and you do not need cloud monitoring, recording, routing, or multiview, RTMPS from the camera may be enough. If you need a local NDI source, use a GY-HC500UN or a JVC-modified unit, not a stock GY-HC500U. For remote contribution over unmanaged internet, the SRT receiver workflow is the better fit.
Before you start
- Confirm the exact suffix: GY-HC500U, GY-HC500E, GY-HC500SPCU, GY-HC500MC, and GY-HC500UN are not identical.
- Update and test firmware before the event. Confirm that SRT appears under the camera’s Live Streaming Type menu.
- Use Ethernet for the first test. If you use USB Wi-Fi or LTE, use JVC-supported adapters only.
- For difficult handshake problems, compare camera firmware/vendor SRT information with the Callaba server build or support information. Public JVC pages do not clearly publish the camera’s SRT library version.
- For very long transmissions, plan around JVC’s warning that streaming may be temporarily interrupted after 24 hours from the process start.
Create the Callaba SRT ingest
In Callaba, create an SRT server for this camera and set it to listen on a reachable UDP port. Copy the Callaba host, port, Stream ID if you use one, encryption mode, and passphrase. Success on the Callaba side looks like an active SRT session with non-zero incoming bitrate, stable connection uptime, and a previewable video/audio source.
Configure the GY-HC500
On the camera, open the Network or Live Streaming menu, choose one of the Server1-Server4 presets, and configure the Streaming Server fields. Set Type to SRT, Connection Mode to Caller, Destination Address to the Callaba hostname or public IP, and Port to the Callaba UDP port. Then match Stream ID, latency, encryption, and passphrase.
For a first internet test, keep H.264 and start conservatively: 720p around 2.5-4 Mb/s, 1080p30 around 4-6 Mb/s, or 1080p60 around 6-8 Mb/s, adjusted to the real uplink. The JVC specification lists HD live streaming bitrate ranges up to 20 Mb/s, but the practical number should be based on uplink headroom, packet loss, and return path stability.
Settings table
| Where | What to do / field to fill | First-test value | Why / check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callaba Gateway | Create an SRT server in listener mode | Use an allowed UDP port | Callaba waits for the camera to connect. |
| GY-HC500 Streaming Server | Type | SRT | Exposes SRT-specific fields in the camera menu. |
| GY-HC500 Streaming Server | Connection Mode | Caller | The camera initiates the session to the cloud listener. |
| GY-HC500 Streaming Server | Destination Address | Callaba host or public IP | Use the hostname or IP only; do not paste an RTMP URL here. |
| GY-HC500 Streaming Server | Port | Callaba UDP port | The JVC SRT default is 6504, but it must match your Callaba listener. |
| GY-HC500 Streaming Server | Stream ID | Match Callaba exactly | Stream ID is case-sensitive and whitespace-sensitive; remove copied newlines. |
| GY-HC500 Streaming Server | Latency | 500 ms | JVC documents 500 ms as the SRT default; raise it if loss or RTT is high. |
| GY-HC500 Streaming Server | Encryption | AES-128 or AES-256, or Off for an isolated test | If encryption is enabled, the passphrase must match exactly; JVC accepts 10-79 characters. |
Stream ID and passphrase failures often come from a trailing space, changed capitalization, or a copied newline. Type them manually once during rehearsal if the SRT handshake fails without an obvious network cause.
Monitoring
In Callaba, check incoming bitrate, preview, audio meters, connection uptime, RTT, packet loss, and retransmits. On the camera, confirm network connection, live streaming state, selected server preset, and audio source. If Callaba connects but the preview is unstable, lower the camera bitrate before changing architecture.
Recording and playback
Callaba recording, web playback, multiview, restreaming, and routing are parallel uses of the received source. You do not need to record before you can route, and you do not need to route before you can preview. The GY-HC500 product page also lists live streaming and simultaneous recording, so you can test local camera recording and cloud recording as separate safety layers when the recording format supports it.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Check in Callaba | Check on device | Likely fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| No connection | No SRT session, zero bitrate | Type SRT, Caller mode, Destination Address, Port | Open the UDP port, correct host/port, confirm venue firewall allows outbound UDP. |
| Handshake fails | Rejected or short-lived session | Stream ID, encryption, passphrase | Match Stream ID and passphrase exactly; remove whitespace and copied line breaks. |
| Connects but breaks up | Packet loss, RTT, retransmits, uptime resets | Network adapter, bitrate, latency | Use Ethernet, reduce bitrate, raise latency to 800-1200 ms for a poor uplink. |
| Video but no audio | Preview and audio meters | XLR mic/line setting, +48 V, channel routing | Confirm camera audio source and levels before restarting SRT. |
| Expected NDI source | No NDI source appears | Model suffix and modification status | Use SRT on stock GY-HC500U, or use GY-HC500UN/JVC-modified hardware for NDI|HX. |
| HEVC does not play downstream | Decoder/player compatibility | KA-EN200 installed and enabled | Use H.264 for baseline compatibility; test HEVC only with confirmed adapter and decoder support. |
Official references
These are the most useful reader references for this exact workflow.
Vendor references
- JVC GY-HC500U product page
- JVC Mobile User Guide: Live Streaming item
- JVC Mobile User Guide: Performing Live Streaming
- JVC GY-HC500UN page for NDI|HX variant distinction
- JVC KA-EN200 H.265/HEVC adapter page
Protocol references
Callaba resources
FAQ
How do I use JVC GY-HC500 with SRT?
Create a cloud SRT listener in Callaba, then set the GY-HC500 live streaming Type to SRT and Connection Mode to Caller. Match the Callaba host, UDP port, Stream ID, latency, encryption, and passphrase.
Can the GY-HC500 be an SRT listener?
The JVC menu lists Caller, Listener, and Rendezvous for SRT. For public internet contribution, I normally use the camera as Caller. Camera Listener mode requires the venue side to accept inbound UDP, which may mean port forwarding and firewall work.
What should I use for GY-HC500 SRT Stream ID and passphrase?
Use a Stream ID that exactly matches the Callaba input policy. JVC documents up to 63 characters for Stream ID. If encryption is enabled, enter a matching 10-79 character passphrase. Both values are case-sensitive and whitespace-sensitive.
Does the stock GY-HC500U support NDI?
No. Do not plan a stock GY-HC500U as a native NDI source. JVC documents NDI|HX for the GY-HC500UN and for JVC-modified units.
Can I send H.265/HEVC SRT from this camera?
Only with the optional KA-EN200 adapter, and the documented KA-EN200 modes are HD, not 4K/UHD. For a first Callaba test, use H.264 unless HEVC is required and your downstream decoders support it.
Can I use RTMP, RTMPS, or RTSP/RTP instead?
Yes, JVC lists RTMP, RTMPS, and RTSP/RTP for live streaming. Use RTMPS for platform-style publishing when that is all you need. Use RTSP/RTP mainly on controlled networks. For cloud contribution with monitoring and routing, SRT is the better starting point.
Next steps
Rehearse with the same network path you will use on the job. Confirm the exact camera suffix, firmware, selected server preset, SRT caller/listener direction, Stream ID, passphrase, encryption level, latency, bitrate, and audio before the event. Save a known-good camera preset and a matching Callaba SRT server configuration.
Try Callaba Gateway with JVC GY-HC500 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.