RTP Protocol - Definition, History and Explanation

The Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) is a standardized protocol designed to deliver audio and video over IP networks. It is used extensively in communication and entertainment systems that involve streaming media, such as telephony, video teleconference applications, and web-based streaming media. RTP addresses the challenges faced before its adoption, including lack of unified standards for multimedia streaming, inconsistent packet ordering, and lack of synchronization between audio and video streams. It is integral to the transmission of multimedia data over IP-based networks, playing a pivotal role in applications such as video conferencing and streaming media. RTP does not inherently guarantee delivery or offer correction mechanisms; these features are supported by underlying or complementary protocols.