How to Set Up 4K Streaming At 60fps from Osprey Talon Encoder and Red5?

4K streaming is becoming increasingly popular in 2025 as more businesses prepare for higher-quality video demands. We’re happy to teach you how to set up 4K streaming with Red5 Pro or Red5 Cloud and the Osprey Talon encoder using our step-by-step tutorial.

Real-Time Interactive Streaming in 4K

If 4K is the standard in broadcast, you might be wondering why it’s so challenging to stream.  Just as the broadcast industry had to go through major upgrades to support 4K, the streaming industry does as well.  Red5 also has the need for interactive real-time latencies, adding further computational complications.

In order to get that amazing 4K picture, you need to deliver four times as many bits to the screen as with 1080p. And then you have to double that rate once more to stream at 60 frames per second. There are newer codecs to help with this, but, until more devices support AV1 hardware acceleration or the industry fully supports H.265 for WebRTC, we are stuck streaming with older protocols like H.264. To learn how the AV1 codec compares to H.264, read our next blog.

The first problem when heading into this realm is how to generate a 4K stream to send to your ingest. Enter the Osprey Talon encoder. It features the AMD Xilinx Ultrascale+ Architecture at its core, giving the unit the ability to stream 4K at 60fps.

About the Osprey Talon Encoder

Osprey Video is a global manufacturer of hardware encoders that perform a critical yet understated task of ingesting RAW video, converting that into a compressed digital format and serving as the on-ramp to video delivery and archiving platforms. They are one of our hardware partners. You can read more about this company in this study.

The Osprey Talon encoder comes in two form factors, one including 12G-SDI in/out and HDMI and another with a single 12G-SDI in. Both feature the same chipset. Via this chip, Osprey Video was able to attain its goal of achieving the lowest latency while not sacrificing quality. This allows the Talon to encode up to 4K 60fps in 10-bit HDR (4:2:2) video.

Output transports include RTMP(S), MPEG-TS uni and multicast over UDP, RTP, Zixi, SRT, and WHIP. For recording purposes, the Talon can also save to an MP4 while delivering a stream. The Osprey unit supports AAC and OPUS audio in both 44.1 and 48KHz sample rates. Embedded 708 captions are supported, as well as the ability to send KLV metadata. The units themselves are essentially heat sinks, allowing the Talon to operate without a fan and the accompanying noise.

Osprey Video’s Talon 4K Streaming Encoder.

In addition to supporting H.264, the Osprey units also support H.265. Unfortunately, H.265 is not going to be a viable codec for use with WebRTC, so we will continue to focus on H.264 until more client device hardware supports AV1.

A web interface is provided to configure the Talon encoder. It provides quick access to the configuration of the encoder as well as the configuration of its output.

How Does 4K Video Streaming with the Osprey Talon Encoder and Red5 Work?

To test the Talon, we needed a high-quality 4K 60fps stream. To add to the fun, we decided to create a streamed game experience using Forza Horizon 5 from an Xbox Series X as our source. The Talon encoder sent the Xbox’s 4K 60fps stream to a geographically close datacenter running a Red5 Pro cluster. Because there is no channel for controlling the game via the stream at this juncture, the controller was not streamed and was connected locally to the Xbox.

Diagram illustrating how Osprey Talon encoder sends 4k 60fps video stream from Xbox to Red5 Pro.

With the equipment configured as shown in the diagram, the stream quality was optimized to allow for driving. The Xbox was connected via HDMI to the Talon encoder. This encoded the 4K stream into H.264 and sent it to the Red5 Pro cluster using SRT. The stream passed from Origin node to Edge node in the cluster and then made its way back to the PC where the game stream was displayed to the player.

A Forza Horizon 5 4K video stream is sent from an Xbox to the Osprey encoder and then delivered to Red5 Pro.

For those familiar with Forza Horizon 5, we drove a hot pink Koenigsegg Jesko (yes, the rims are fluorescent green) from the Volcano to the Cathedral in Guanajuato. The test experience allowed the car to be driven at ludicrous speed down the winding roads of the volcano, through the desert, and onto the narrow streets of the city.  

How to Set Up 4K Video Streaming with Osprey Talon Encoder and Red5?

 1. Prepare Your Environment

• Hardware: Ensure you have an Osprey Talon encoder that supports 4K input, a capture source (camera, console, or other HDMI/SDI device), and a stable high-bandwidth internet connection.
• Software: Have your Red5 Pro server (or Red5 Cloud account) set up and accessible over the network.
• Resolution/Bandwidth Check: 4K streaming (3840×2160) at 30/60 fps typically requires 15–25 Mbps or higher of consistent upload bandwidth.

2. Connect the Osprey Talon Encoder

• Plug your video source (camera, Xbox, broadcast feed, etc.) into the Talon’s HDMI/SDI input.
• Connect the Talon to your local network via Ethernet.
• Power on the encoder.

3. Access Osprey Talon (Web Interface)

• Open a browser on a computer in the same network.
• Enter the Talon’s IP address to access Osprey Core, the web-based configuration interface.
• Log in with your credentials (default credentials may be provided in your device documentation).

4. Configure the Output Stream

Red5 Pro and Cloud empowers you to stream via WHIP, SRT, or RTMP/S via Talon; firstly, we will focus on WHIP.

Using WHIP

• Under Channels, select Channel 1.
• Select “Universal WHIP (Realtime WebRTC)” for Protocol.
• Use Link Headers must be set to True.
• End-point will be set to your WHIP end-point location; as an example: https://myserver.red5pro.net/live/whip/endpoint/stream1 (stream1 is the stream key in this example).
• Auth-token is not required.
• Your ICE server should be provided as needed, but as an example: stun.l.google.com:19302 may be used; this is for the STUN server property.
• Select your Source either SDI or HDMI.
• Codec will be H264/AVC as it is the only available option.
• Set Resolution = 3840×2160 (4K).
• Set the Frame rate (30 fps or 60 fps depending on your workflow).
• Configure the target and maximum Bitrate (start with 15–20 Mbps for stable 4K, adjust for your network conditions).
• Encoding profile must be Baseline for maximum capability with WebRTC.
• All additional settings below are suggested for use.

Settings panel for WHIP protocol configuration.

Using RTMP

Watch how to set up an RTMP streaming with Red5 Cloud and Osprey Talon encoder on Youtube.

Here we cover RTMP/S via Talon

• Additional settings are all the same as with WHIP above, except for audio where it will be AAC instead of Opus.
• Under Channels, select Channel 1.
• Select “RTMP/RTMPS” for Protocol.
• Destination will be set to your RTMP end-point location; as an example: rtmp://myserver.red5pro.net/live.
• Stream key is set as stream1.

Settings panel for RTMP protocol configuration.

Using SRT

The SRT option allows either h.264 or h.265 for video encoding. Starting with h.264 here are the configurations:

• Under Channels, select Channel 1.
• Select “TS over SRT” for Protocol.
• SRT Mode is to be “Caller”.
• SRT Dest Address will be set to your “Listener” end-point location; as an example: myserver.red5pro.net
• SRT Port is 8000 in this example, it may need to be changed for your deployment.
• Select your Source either SDI or HDMI.
• Set Output Resolution = 3840×2160 (4K).
• Set the Framerate (30 fps or 60 fps depending on your workflow).
• Codec is H264/AVC.
• Target Bitrate 12000.
• Maximum Bitrate 25000.
• Encoding Profile should be “Baseline”.

Settings panel for SRT protocol configuration for h.265.

5. Verify Red5 Settings

• Log into your Red5 Pro server (or Red5 Cloud dashboard).
• Make sure the live application is enabled and properly configured to ingest RTMP, WHIP, or SRT.
• Check firewall rules to ensure port 1935 (RTMP) or relevant 443 (HTTPS) port is open. In addition to any SRT ports configured, such as 8000.

6. Start the 4K Stream

• On Osprey Core, click Start Stream.
• Monitor encoder health stats (bitrate, frame drops, etc.).
• On Red5 Pro, confirm the stream is being ingested (you can use the Red5 Pro web player, or connect via a player configured for your stream URL).
  

7. Test Playback

• Open a WebRTC or HLS player pointing to your Red5 Pro or Red5 Cloud stream.
• Confirm video is delivered in 4K resolution and sync.
  

8. Optimize for Quality and Latency

• Adjust encoder bitrate if you see buffering or quality drops.
• Use H.265/HEVC for more efficient bandwidth usage if supported by your Red5 Pro setup. HEVC is only available on the Talon if SRT is used for output.
• Enable adaptive bitrate (ABR) streaming in Red5 Pro if you expect varied end-user connections.

Red5 and Osprey Video About The Solution

Our Talon 4K Encoder platform ingests 12G video and delivers reliable, high-quality, secure, low latency streams to Red5. Needs for ingesting video on the edge in true 4K with 10-bit color in multiple protocols are increasing daily. The Talon 4K’s small form factor, fanless operation, and intuitive UI make it simple for customers to address these needs and provide delivery for multiple applications.”

– Scott Whitcomb, Chief Revenue Officer at Osprey Video

The Osprey Talon encoder, when used with Red5 Pro, expertly streams 4K 60fps at incredible low latency. The encoder is full-featured and easy to configure, while also exposing advanced settings with detailed control when needed. We’re excited to support it and the future products in that line.”

– Mark Pace, Advisor, former CTO at Red5

Conclusion

Red5, paired with the Osprey Video’s encoder, enables high-quality 4K 60fps live streaming with ultra-low latency. Supporting protocols like WHIP, RTMP, and SRT, it offers flexible configuration through a web interface and integrates easily with Red5 Pro or Red5 Cloud for real-time delivery.

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