ffplayout/README.md

**ffplayout-engine**
================
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[![License: GPL v3](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-GPLv3-blue.svg)](https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0)

This is a streaming solution based on python and ffmpeg.

The goal is to play for every day an *json* playlist, while the current playlist is still editable.

#### Check [ffplayout-gui](https://github.com/ffplayout/ffplayout-gui): web-based GUI for ffplayout.

Features
-----

- have all values in a separate config file
- dynamic playlist
- replace missing playlist or clip with a dummy clip
- send emails with error message
- overlay a logo
- trim and fade the last clip, to get full 24 hours, if the duration is less then 6 seconds add a dummy clip
- set custom day start, so you can have playlist for example: from 6am to 6am, instate of 0am to 12pm
- copy mode, for more info's take a look in the [Wiki](https://github.com/ffplayout/ffplayout-engine/wiki/Copy-Mode)
- normal system requirements and no special tools
    - we only need **ffmpeg**, **ffprobe** (**ffplay** if you want to play on desktop) and a buffer tool like **mbuffer**, **pv** or [pipebuffer](https://github.com/ffplayout/pipebuffer/releases)
    - no GPU power is needed
    - RAM and CPU depends on video resolution, minimum 4 threads and 3GB RAM for 720p are recommend
- python version 3.5 and up

JSON Playlist Example
-----

```json
{
    "channel": "Test 1",
    "date": "2019-03-05",
    "begin": "06:00:00.000",
    "length": "24:00:00.000",
    "program": [{
            "in": 0,
            "out": 647.68,
            "duration": 647.68,
            "source": "/Media/clip1.mp4",
        }, {
            "in": 0,
            "out": 149,
            "duration": 149,
            "source": "/Media/clip2.mp4",
        }, {
            "in": 0,
            "out": 114.72,
            "duration": 114.72,
            "source": "/Media/clip3.mp4",
            "category": "advertisement"
        }, {
            "in": 0,
            "out": 2531.36,
            "duration": 2531.36,
            "source": "/Media/clip4.mp4",
            "category": ""
        }
    ]
}
```

`"begin"` and `"length"` are optional, when you leave **begin** blank, length check will be ignored and the playlist starts from the begin, without time awareness. If you leave **length** blank, the validation will not check if the real length of the playlist will match the length value.

#### Warning:
(Endless) streaming over multiple days will only work when the playlist have **both** keys and the **length** of the playlist is **24 hours**. If you need only some hours for every day, use a *cron* job, or something similar.

Source from URL / Live Stream
-----
You can use sources from url or live stream in that way:

```json
...
        {
            "in": 0,
            "out": 149,
            "duration": 149,
            "source": "https://example.org/big_buck_bunny.webm"
        },
...
        {
            "in": 0,
            "out": 2531.36,
            "duration": 0,
            "source": "rtmp://example.org/live/stream"
        }
...
```
But be careful with it, better test it multiple times!

More informations in [Wiki](https://github.com/ffplayout/ffplayout-engine/wiki/URL---Live-Source)

Installation
-----
- install ffmpeg, ffprobe and a buffer tool
- copy, or symlink, ffplayout.py to **/usr/local/bin/**
- copy, or symlink, ffplayout.conf to **/etc/ffplayout/**
- create folder with correct permissions for logging (check config)
- copy ffplayout.service to **/etc/systemd/system/**
- change user in service file
- create playlists folder, in that format: **/playlists/year/month**
- set variables in config file to your needs
- use **get_playlist_from_subfolders.sh /path/to/*.mp4s** as a starting point for your playlists (path in script needs to change)
- activate service and start it: **sudo systemctl enable ffplayout && sudo systemctl start ffplayout**

Start with arguments
-----
ffplayout also allows the passing of parameters:
- `-l, --log` for user-defined log file
- `-f, --file` for playlist file

The entire command could look like this:

```
python3 ffplayout.py -l ~/ffplayout.log -f ~/playlist.json
```

For playing on desktop set `preview = True` in config under `[OUT]`.