RTMP or Real Time Messaging Protocol is a proprietary system that is utilized for streaming live video feeds to devices running Flash. RTMP is generally regarded as the original Flash streaming protocol, which was developed by Macromedia and is currently owned by Adobe.
This TCP-based system is a connection-geared protocol designed to complete the exchange of information between devices. This means that the protocol streams multiple media types between a Flash media server and Flash player that is found on both smartphones and desktops.
Media types exchanged via RTMP include:
An example of how media is exchanged via RTMP is a two-way connection between a media server and Flash player. In this connection:
1. A user connects to an existing Flash media server where a RTMP connection is established between them.
2. As the user requests a specific video stream. This can be a prerecorded stream that has been already stored on the Flash media server itself or a live video stream broadcasted from another Flash media encoder.
3. Once the Flash media server receives the request from the stream, it is then sent directly to the user requesting the media stream.
Media types exchanged via RTMP include: