XC_VM/tools/test-stream-generator

Test stream generator

Turns a single .mp4 file into looping, HTTP-served streams you can paste into the panel as a live stream source — for end-to-end testing of the panel's streaming pipeline, including LLOD (the Low-Latency On-Demand processor in src/Cli/Commands/LlodCommand.php).

The MP4 is looped forever and paced in real time, so the panel sees a never-ending "live" channel.

Requirements

• Python 3.7+ (standard library only — no pip install)
• ffmpeg available in PATH (or pass --ffmpeg /path/to/ffmpeg)

Usage

cd tools/test-stream-generator
./stream_server.py -i sample.mp4

On start it prints the URLs to paste into the panel, e.g.:

  TS (LLOD): http://192.168.1.50:8088/stream.ts
  HLS      : http://192.168.1.50:8088/stream.m3u8
  M3U list : http://192.168.1.50:8088/playlist.m3u
  Index    : http://192.168.1.50:8088/

Stop with Ctrl+C.

Options

Flag	Default	Description
-i, --input	(required)	Source .mp4 file.
--host	0.0.0.0	Bind address.
--port	8088	Bind port.
--advertise-host	autodetect	Host/IP printed in the URLs (set this if the panel is on another host).
--encode	copy	copy = remux (fast, needs an H.264/AAC mp4). h264 = re-encode any codec.
--ffmpeg	ffmpeg	ffmpeg binary to use.

If playback is broken with the default copy mode (e.g. the mp4 is HEVC/AC3), re-run with --encode h264.

Endpoints

URL	Content-Type	Use
/stream.ts	video/mp2t	Continuous MPEG-TS — the endpoint for testing LLOD.
/stream.m3u8	application/vnd.apple.mpegurl	Live HLS (sliding-window playlist + .ts segments).
/playlist.m3u	audio/x-mpegurl	M3U channel list with both URLs, for bulk import.
/	text/html	Index page listing every URL.

Adding a stream in the panel

1. Admin → Streams → Add/Edit stream.
2. Paste a URL into the stream source field (stream_source[] in src/Public/Views/admin/stream.php). You can add several sources.
3. Save and start the stream.

Testing LLOD specifically

1. Use the /stream.ts URL as the stream source (LLOD requires an upstream that responds with Content-Type: video/mp2t, which this endpoint does).
2. Enable the LLOD flag on the stream (streams.llod = 1).
3. Start the stream and confirm the panel writes rolling 4-second segments to /home/xc_vm/content/streams/{id}_{segment}.ts and the client can play it.

Bulk import

Add http://HOST:8088/playlist.m3u as a playlist source to register both the TS and HLS test channels at once.

Notes

• Each /stream.ts client gets its own ffmpeg process; the HLS output is shared by a single background ffmpeg that auto-restarts if it dies.
• HLS segments live in a temp directory that is removed on exit.
• This is a development/testing tool. Do not expose it to the public internet.