Live Streams

StreamDen IPTV Platform is a professional, enterprise-grade streaming solution designed for broadcasters, content creators, and organizations that need reliable live streaming infrastructure.

Core Capabilities

• Multi-Protocol Input - Accept streams from RTSP cameras, HTTP/HTTPS sources, HLS playlists, SRT streams, and RTMP encoders
• Universal HLS Output - All streams are converted to HLS format for maximum compatibility
• SRT Output - Ultra-low latency output (~120ms) with encryption support
• Live Transcoding - Real-time video transcoding with quality presets (4K, 1080p, 720p, etc.)
• Watermark / Logo Overlay - Burn logos into video with configurable position, size, and opacity
• RTMP Ingest - Receive live streams from OBS Studio, Wirecast, vMix, FFmpeg, and other encoders
• Multi-Platform Restreaming - Simultaneously push to YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and custom RTMP destinations
• Shoutcast Radio - SHOUTcast v2 server with DJ connections and listener tracking
• Icecast Audio - Full Icecast server with multi-port configurations and mountpoints
• Radio Automation - 24/7 automated radio with playlists, scheduling, satellite sources, and crossfade
• Recordings / DVR - Record streams for archiving, playback, and download
• Backup & Restore - Export and import stream configurations

Supported Input Formats

Output Format

All streams are output as HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) with the following specifications:

• Segment Duration: 2 seconds (configurable)
• Playlist Type: Event (live streaming)
• Codec: H.264 video, AAC audio
• Compatible with: All modern browsers, iOS, Android, Smart TVs, VLC, and media players

Quick Start Guide

Follow these steps to get your first stream running in under 5 minutes:

Navigation

The platform is organized into tabs in the left sidebar:

• Dashboard - System overview and statistics
• Live Streams - Manage video streams from various sources
• RTMP Push - Receive streams from OBS/encoders
• Shoutcast Audio - Manage Shoutcast radio stations
• Icecast Audio - Manage Icecast audio streams
• Recordings - Record and archive streams
• Radio Automation - Automated radio playlists and scheduling
• Settings - Platform configuration
• Account - Account management and security
• Manual - This documentation

Stream URL Structure

All your streams are available at predictable URLs:

The Dashboard provides a comprehensive real-time overview of your streaming infrastructure with live-updating statistics and performance metrics.

Statistics Cards

System Performance Gauges

• CPU Usage - Server processor utilization. High values (>80%) may indicate need for optimization or fewer concurrent streams
• Memory Usage - RAM consumption. Each stream uses approximately 100-500MB depending on quality
• Upload Speed - Current outgoing network bandwidth (all streams combined)
• Download Speed - Incoming bandwidth from source streams
• System Uptime - Time since last server restart

Quick Actions

From the dashboard, you can quickly:

• View streams that need attention (errors or stopped unexpectedly)
• Monitor overall system health
• Identify bandwidth bottlenecks

The Live Streams section is where you manage video streams from various input sources. Each stream takes a source URL and converts it to HLS format for universal playback.

View Modes

You can switch between two display modes using the toggle buttons in the top-right corner:

• Grid View - Card layout with full details, statistics, and SRT info per stream
• List View - Compact horizontal rows for quick overview of many streams

Your view preference is saved automatically and persists across sessions.

Creating a Stream

1. Click the "+ New Stream" button
2. Enter a Stream Name (e.g., "News Channel", "Camera 1")
3. Enter the Source URL - supported formats:
   • rtsp://username:password@192.168.1.100:554/stream - RTSP cameras with authentication
   • rtsp://192.168.1.100:554/stream - RTSP without authentication
   • http:// or https:// - HTTP/HTTPS streams
   • https://example.com/stream.m3u8 - HLS playlists
   • srt://source.example.com:9000 - SRT streams
   • rtmp://server.com/live/key - RTMP sources
4. (Optional) Enable transcoding for quality adjustment
5. (Optional) Add RTMP Push URL to restream externally
6. Click "Create Stream"

Stream Controls

Live Stream Statistics

When a stream is running, the card displays real-time statistics:

Stream Status Indicators

• Running - Stream is active and serving content
• Stopped - Stream is configured but not running
• Error - Stream failed (check source URL or logs)
• Starting - Stream is initializing FFmpeg

Bulk Operations

• Start All - Start all stopped streams simultaneously
• Stop All - Stop all running streams
• Refresh - Reload stream list from database

Output URL Format

Where {id} is the stream's numeric ID shown in the interface.

Testing Your Stream

You can test HLS streams with:

• Built-in Player - Click the preview button in the stream row
• VLC Media Player - Media → Open Network Stream → paste URL
• FFplay - ffplay "https://your-domain/streams/stream_1/playlist.m3u8"
• Web Browser - Safari plays natively; Chrome/Firefox with HLS.js

SRT (Secure Reliable Transport) output enables sub-second latency streaming (~120ms), far below HLS latency (10-30s). Ideal for live production, contribution feeds, and real-time monitoring.

Enabling SRT Output

1. Create or edit a stream in Live Streams
2. Check "Enable SRT Output (Ultra-Low Latency)"
3. Configure SRT mode and settings
4. Save and start the stream

SRT Modes

Configuration Options

SRT URL Format (Listener Mode)

Connecting with Players

Port Requirements

Add a logo or watermark overlay to your streams for branding. The watermark is burned into the video using FFmpeg's overlay filter.

Adding a Watermark

1. Find your stream in Live Streams
2. Click the "Logo" button (purple icon)
3. Upload an image (PNG, JPG, GIF, or WebP - max 5MB)
4. Configure position, size, and opacity
5. Check "Enable Watermark"
6. Click "Save Settings"
7. Restart the stream to apply changes

Watermark Settings

Available Positions

Best Practices

• Use PNG with transparent background for the cleanest look
• Keep size at 10-20% to avoid obstructing content
• Use 60-80% opacity for a subtle, professional appearance
• Bottom-right is the most common placement for broadcast logos

Transcoding allows you to convert video from one format/quality to another. By default, streams are copied without transcoding (passthrough) which is faster and uses less CPU.

When to Use Transcoding

• Reduce bandwidth - Lower the bitrate for limited connections
• Change resolution - Scale 4K to 1080p or 720p
• Fix compatibility - Convert non-standard codecs to H.264/AAC
• Normalize frame rate - Convert variable FPS to constant

Enabling Transcoding

1. When creating or editing a stream, check "Enable Transcoding"
2. Choose a Quality Preset or configure custom settings
3. The transcoding options panel will appear

Quality Presets

Custom Settings

When selecting "Custom" preset, you can configure:

• Width/Height - Output resolution in pixels (e.g., 1920x1080)
• Video Bitrate - Target bitrate in kbps (higher = better quality, more bandwidth)
• Frame Rate - Frames per second (15-60 fps)
• Audio Bitrate - Audio quality in kbps (64-320 kbps)

Bandwidth Estimation

RTMP Push allows you to receive live streams from external encoders like OBS Studio, Wirecast, vMix, or any software that supports RTMP output. This is the reverse of typical streaming - instead of pulling a source, the encoder pushes to your server.

How It Works

OBS Studio Setup

1. Open OBS Studio
2. Go to Settings → Stream
3. Set Service to "Custom..."
4. Server: rtmp://your-domain.com:1935/live/
5. Stream Key: Your unique stream key (e.g., mystream)
6. Click OK to save
7. Click "Start Streaming" in OBS main window

Wirecast Setup

1. Open Wirecast → Output → Output Settings
2. Add a new RTMP destination
3. Address: rtmp://your-domain.com:1935/live/streamkey
4. Click "Start/Stop Broadcasting"

FFmpeg Command Line

Output URL Format

Port Requirements

Broadcast your streams to multiple platforms simultaneously. The built-in Restream Manager lets you add multiple destinations per stream, each with its own enable/disable toggle and status tracking.

Opening the Restream Manager

1. Find your stream in Live Streams
2. Click the "Restream" button (orange icon)
3. The Multi-Restream modal opens with your existing destinations

Adding a Destination

1. Click one of the platform quick-add buttons (YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or Custom RTMP)
2. Enter a Destination Name (e.g., "My YouTube Channel")
3. Enter the RTMP Server URL (auto-filled for known platforms)
4. Enter your Stream Key
5. Click "Add Destination"

Supported Platforms

Managing Destinations

• Enable/Disable - Toggle individual destinations on/off without deleting them
• Status tracking - Each destination shows Live, Ready, or Error status
• Error messages - Detailed error info if a destination fails
• Delete - Remove a destination permanently

The Restream button on each stream card shows a badge with the number of active destinations.

Platform-Specific Setup

YouTube Live

1. Go to YouTube Studio → Go Live
2. Copy the Stream URL and Stream Key
3. Paste your destination RTMP URL (from YouTube/Twitch/etc.)
4. Save and start the stream

Platform-Specific Settings

YouTube Live

1. Go to YouTube Studio → Go Live
2. Copy the Stream URL and Stream Key
3. Combine them: rtmp://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2/YOUR-STREAM-KEY
4. Paste into the RTMP Push URL field

Twitch

1. Go to Twitch Dashboard → Settings → Stream
2. Copy your Primary Stream Key
3. Use: rtmp://live.twitch.tv/app/YOUR-STREAM-KEY

Facebook Live

1. Go to Facebook Creator Studio → Live Dashboard
2. Copy the Server URL and Stream Key
3. Combine: rtmps://live-api-s.facebook.com:443/rtmp/YOUR-STREAM-KEY

Custom RTMP Server

Create and manage professional internet radio stations using Shoutcast/Icecast technology. Each station runs independently and can have its own DJ connections and listeners.

Creating a Radio Station

1. Go to the Shoutcast tab
2. Click "+ New Station"
3. Configure station settings:
   • Station Name - Display name for listeners
   • Port - Unique port (8000, 8010, 8020, etc.)
   • DJ Password - Password for broadcasters to connect
   • Admin Password - Password for administration
   • Genre - Music genre (Pop, Rock, Jazz, etc.)
   • Bitrate - Audio quality (64, 128, 192, 256, 320 kbps)
4. Click "Create Station"

Bitrate Recommendations

Connecting with Broadcasting Software

BUTT (Broadcast Using This Tool)

1. Download BUTT from danielnoethen.de/butt
2. Settings → Main → Add Server
3. Type: Icecast
4. Address: your-domain.com
5. Port: Your station port
6. Password: Your DJ password
7. Mount: /stream
8. Click "Play" to start broadcasting

SAM Broadcaster

1. Encoders → Add → Shoutcast
2. Server IP: your-domain.com
3. Port: Your station port
4. Password: Your DJ password
5. Enable encoder to start

Listener URLs

Embedding in Websites

Icecast is an open-source audio streaming server. The platform includes a full Icecast management interface with multi-port configurations, mountpoints, and live statistics.

Server Overview

The Icecast tab shows four status cards:

• Server Status - Running/Stopped indicator
• Total Listeners - Current listeners across all mountpoints
• Active Sources - Number of DJs/sources currently broadcasting
• Server Uptime - Time since last restart

Creating a Configuration

1. Go to the Icecast Audio tab
2. Click "Add Configuration"
3. Fill in the basic settings:
   • Configuration Name - Descriptive name (e.g., "Main Server")
   • Port - Unique port number (8010-8050)
   • Source Password - Password for DJs to connect
   • Admin Password - Password for administration
   • Default Mountpoint - Stream path (e.g., /stream.mp3)
4. Click "Save Configuration"
5. Click "Apply & Restart Icecast" to activate

Advanced Options

Connecting with BUTT

1. Download BUTT from danielnoethen.de/butt
2. Settings → Main → Add Server
3. Type: Icecast
4. Address: your-domain.com
5. Port: Your configuration port
6. Password: Your source password
7. Mount: Your mountpoint (e.g., /stream.mp3)

Listener URLs

Active Streams Table

The Active Icecast Streams section shows all currently broadcasting sources with:

• Mountpoint name
• Stream title (from metadata)
• Current and peak listeners
• Bitrate and codec
• Preview button for quick listening

Radio Automation enables 24/7 unattended broadcasting with playlists, scheduling, and Auto DJ functionality. Perfect for running a radio station without constant manual intervention.

Key Features

• Playlist Management - Create unlimited playlists for different shows/times
• Scheduling - Schedule playlists for specific days and times
• Auto DJ - Automatic track selection and playback
• Crossfade - Smooth transitions between tracks (configurable duration)
• Shuffle - Random track order within playlists
• Intro/Outro - Station jingles between tracks

Creating a Playlist

1. Go to the Radio Automation tab
2. Click "+ Create Playlist"
3. Enter playlist name (e.g., "Morning Show", "Jazz Nights")
4. Click "Add Tracks" to upload or select audio files
5. Drag and drop to reorder tracks
6. Save the playlist

Supported Audio Formats

• MP3 (.mp3) - Most common, recommended
• AAC (.aac, .m4a) - Better quality at same bitrate
• OGG Vorbis (.ogg) - Open format
• FLAC (.flac) - Lossless audio
• WAV (.wav) - Uncompressed audio

Auto DJ Settings

• Crossfade Duration - Overlap time between tracks (0-10 seconds)
• Repeat Mode - Loop playlist when finished
• Shuffle Mode - Randomize track order
• Priority Queue - Insert urgent tracks immediately

Scheduling Shows

1. Go to Schedule section
2. Click on a time slot in the calendar
3. Select a playlist to assign
4. Set repeat options (daily, weekly, one-time)
5. Save the schedule

Satellite / External Sources

The Satellite sub-tab allows you to integrate external live streams as radio sources:

• Add external HTTP, HTTPS, RTSP, RTMP, HLS, Icecast, or Shoutcast streams as satellite sources
• Schedule satellite feeds at specific times (e.g., news bulletins, syndicated shows)
• Mix satellite sources with local playlists for seamless transitions

Sub-Tabs

Radio Automation is organized into sub-tabs:

• Playlists - Manage playlists and tracks
• Schedule - Weekly schedule calendar
• Media Library - Browse and manage all uploaded audio files
• Categories - Organize content by genre or type
• Satellite - External live stream sources

Record live streams for archiving, playback, and download. The Recordings tab provides a full DVR system with storage management.

Starting a Recording

1. Go to the Recordings tab
2. Click "New Recording"
3. Select the stream to record
4. Choose recording format and settings
5. Click "Start Recording"

Storage Dashboard

Three status cards show your recording overview:

Managing Recordings

• Search - Search recordings by name
• Filter - Filter by status: All, Completed, Active, Failed
• Playback - Play recordings directly in the browser
• Download - Download recording files to your computer
• Delete - Remove recordings to free disk space
• Thumbnails - Auto-generated preview thumbnails

Storage Considerations

The built-in video player allows you to preview streams directly in the CMS interface. It uses HLS.js for broad browser compatibility.

Using the Preview Player

1. Find your stream in the Live Streams list
2. Click the Preview button (play icon)
3. The video player modal will open
4. Click play or wait for auto-play

Player Controls

Embedding Streams on External Websites

Use this code to embed your HLS stream on any website:

Testing with External Players

• VLC - Media → Open Network Stream → paste HLS URL
• FFplay - ffplay "https://domain/streams/stream_1/playlist.m3u8"
• mpv - mpv "https://domain/streams/stream_1/playlist.m3u8"

Backup and restore your stream configurations to protect against data loss or migrate to a new server.

Backing Up Streams

1. Go to Live Streams tab
2. Click the "Backup Streams" button in the toolbar
3. A JSON file will download with all stream configurations
4. Store this file safely for future use

What Gets Backed Up

• Stream names and source URLs
• Transcoding settings per stream
• RTMP push URLs
• SRT output settings
• Watermark configurations
• Restream destinations

Restoring Streams

1. Go to Live Streams tab
2. Click the "Restore Streams" button
3. Select your backup JSON file
4. Review the backup info (stream count, version)
5. Confirm the restore

Manual Backup (Database)

For a complete system backup, also back up these files:

Configure your streaming platform settings, manage licenses, and view system information.

Server Configuration

• Hostname - Your server's domain name (e.g., stream.example.com)
• HTTP Port - Web server port (default: 3000)
• RTMP Port - RTMP server port (default: 1935)

SSL/TLS Configuration

HTTPS is required for secure streaming and is mandatory for embedding on HTTPS websites.

• Let's Encrypt - Automatic free SSL certificate generation
• Custom Certificate - Upload your own SSL certificate and key

License Management

System Options

• Debug Mode - Enable detailed logging for troubleshooting
• Auto Restart - Automatically restart failed streams
• Log Retention - Number of days to keep log files
• HLS Segment Duration - Length of each HLS segment (default: 2 seconds)
• HLS Playlist Size - Number of segments in playlist (default: 5)

Backup & Restore

• Export Configuration - Download settings as JSON
• Import Configuration - Restore settings from backup
• Database Backup - Export stream configurations

Manage your account credentials and session security from the Account tab.

Account Information

The top section shows your current logged-in username and email address.

Change Email

1. Go to the Account tab
2. Under "Change Email", enter your new email address
3. Enter your current password to confirm the change
4. Click "Update Email"

Change Password

1. Go to the Account tab
2. Under "Change Password", enter your current password
3. Enter your new password (minimum 6 characters)
4. Confirm the new password
5. Click "Update Password"

Logout

Click the "Logout" button in the Session Management section to end your current session. You will be redirected to the login page.

SSL certificates enable HTTPS for secure streaming. This is required for embedding streams on HTTPS websites and is recommended for all production deployments.

Why SSL is Important

• Security - Encrypts data between viewers and server
• Mixed Content - HTTPS pages cannot load HTTP streams
• Browser Trust - Modern browsers warn about non-HTTPS sites
• SEO - Search engines prefer HTTPS sites

Option 1: Let's Encrypt (Recommended)

1. Go to Settings → SSL
2. Enter your domain name
3. Click "Generate Certificate"
4. Wait for automatic verification and certificate generation
5. Certificate auto-renews every 60 days

Option 2: Custom Certificate

1. Obtain SSL certificate from your CA (DigiCert, Comodo, etc.)
2. Go to Settings → SSL → Custom Certificate
3. Upload your certificate file (.crt or .pem)
4. Upload your private key file (.key)
5. Click "Install Certificate"

Requirements for Let's Encrypt

• Domain must point to this server (DNS A record)
• Port 80 must be accessible from internet
• No firewall blocking HTTP validation

Troubleshooting SSL

The platform provides a RESTful API for programmatic control of streams and configuration.

Base URL

Stream Endpoints

Example: List All Streams

Example: Create Stream

Example: Start Stream

Example: Stop Stream

System Endpoints

Response Format

All responses are JSON with the following structure:

Stream Won't Start

RTMP Connection Failed

High CPU Usage

• Too many transcoding streams - Disable transcoding where not needed
• High resolution output - Lower quality preset (720p instead of 1080p)
• Complex source - Some codecs are more CPU-intensive to decode
• Insufficient hardware - Consider upgrading server or using GPU encoding

CPU guidelines per stream:

• Passthrough (no transcoding): ~1-2% CPU
• 720p transcoding: ~15-25% CPU
• 1080p transcoding: ~30-50% CPU
• 4K transcoding: ~80-100% CPU

Stream Buffering / Playback Issues

• Check source stability - Test source URL directly with VLC
• Network bandwidth - Ensure upload > total stream bitrate
• HLS latency - Normal latency is 10-30 seconds for HLS
• Player issues - Try different player (VLC, FFplay)

Audio/Video Sync Issues

• Enable transcoding and let FFmpeg re-sync A/V
• Check if source has stable frame rate
• Try different quality preset

SSL/HTTPS Problems

• Certificate not generating - Check DNS points to server, port 80 open
• Mixed content - All resources must use HTTPS
• Certificate expired - Regenerate or renew certificate

Useful Diagnostic Commands

Log File Locations

Speed up your workflow with these keyboard shortcuts:

Navigation

Stream Controls

Video Player

General