Media Networks Integration

Experimental Feature

Available in the experimental branch (sparkison/m3u-editor:experimental). Create pseudo-TV networks that broadcast content from your media server in a continuous loop.

Overview

Transform VOD content and Series into 24/7 live TV channels with automatic EPG generation and HLS streaming.

Key Features:

• Continuous broadcasting with loop support
• Automatic EPG generation
• HLS streaming for broad compatibility
• Mix movies and series episodes
• Optional transcoding support

Prerequisites

• M3U Editor experimental branch
• Media server integration configured (Emby/Jellyfin/Plex)
• M3U Proxy enabled for streaming
• Media content synced into M3U Editor

Recommended: Redis, PostgreSQL, hardware acceleration, adequate storage

Configuration

Add to your .env file:

# Enable broadcasting
NETWORK_BROADCAST_ENABLED=true

# HLS storage
HLS_TEMP_DIR=/var/www/html/storage/app/hls-segments
HLS_GC_ENABLED=true
HLS_GC_INTERVAL=600          # Cleanup every 10 minutes
HLS_GC_AGE_THRESHOLD=7200    # Delete segments older than 2 hours

Optional but recommended:

REDIS_ENABLED=true
ENABLE_POSTGRES=true
M3U_PROXY_ENABLED=false  # Use external proxy

Performance: HLS Segments on RAM Disk

Better Performance

For optimal performance and reduced disk wear, store HLS segments in RAM using tmpfs. This provides faster I/O and eliminates disk writes for temporary segment files.

For better performance and reduced disk wear, store HLS segments in RAM using tmpfs:

Docker Compose:

services:
  m3u-editor:
    # ... other config ...
    volumes:
      - ./data:/var/www/config
      - pgdata:/var/lib/postgresql/data
      - type: tmpfs
        target: /var/www/html/storage/app/hls-segments
        tmpfs:
          size: 512M  # Adjust based on concurrent networks

Benefits:

• Faster read/write for HLS segments
• Reduced SSD/HDD wear
• Automatic cleanup on restart

Considerations:

• RAM usage increases (50-200MB per active network)
• Segments lost on container restart (regenerated automatically)
• Not suitable for systems with limited RAM

Quick Setup

1. Sync Media Server

1. Navigate to Integrations → Media Servers
2. Add your media server if needed
3. Click Sync Now

2. Create Network

1. Go to Networks → Create Network
2. Set Name, Channel Number, and Media Server
3. Enable Loop Content and Enabled
4. Save

3. Add Content

1. Open the network
2. Click Add Content
3. Select series episodes or movies
4. Set Sort Order for playback sequence
5. Save

4. Generate Schedule

1. Click Generate Schedule
2. Review in Programme Schedule section
3. Enable Auto-regenerate to keep schedule updated

5. Start Broadcasting

1. Open Broadcast Settings
2. Enable Broadcast Enabled
3. Configure HLS and transcoding options (see below)
4. Click Start Broadcast

HLS Settings

• Segment Duration: Length of each HLS segment in seconds (default: 6)
  • Lower = less latency, more CPU usage
  • Higher = better buffering, less CPU usage
• HLS List Size: Number of segments to keep in playlist (default: 5)

Transcoding Settings

• Transcode Mode: Choose transcoding behavior
  • copy: No transcoding (fastest, least compatible) - direct stream
  • h264: Transcode to H.264 (best compatibility, recommended)
  • hevc: Transcode to H.265/HEVC (better compression, newer devices)
• Video Bitrate: Target video bitrate in kbps
  • Standard: 2500-3500 kbps
  • Low bandwidth: 1500 kbps
  • High quality: 6000+ kbps
• Audio Bitrate: Target audio bitrate in kbps (typically 96-192 kbps)

Resource Usage

Transcoding is CPU-intensive. Use hardware acceleration with external m3u-proxy container and GPU passthrough (/dev/dri:/dev/dri) for optimal performance.

Access Your Network

HLS Stream:

http://your-server:36400/network/{network-uuid}/hls/playlist.m3u8

EPG:

http://your-server:36400/network/{network-uuid}/epg

Add to media clients using the playlist M3U URL and EPG URL.

Troubleshooting

Network Not Broadcasting

• Verify NETWORK_BROADCAST_ENABLED=true in .env
• Ensure content added and schedule generated
• Check M3U Proxy is running: docker ps | grep m3u-proxy
• Review logs: docker logs m3u-editor

Stream Not Playing

• Verify broadcast is running
• Check HLS directory exists and is writable
• Verify disk space: df -h
• Check proxy logs: docker logs m3u-proxy

EPG Not Showing

• Click Generate Schedule
• Refresh client's EPG data
• Verify EPG URL in client

High CPU Usage

• Enable hardware acceleration with m3u-proxy
• Reduce bitrate or use copy mode
• Limit concurrent broadcasts

Disk Space Issues

• Verify HLS_GC_ENABLED=true
• Lower HLS_GC_AGE_THRESHOLD value
• Increase cleanup frequency with HLS_GC_INTERVAL

Transcoding Profiles

Low Bandwidth:

Mode: h264 | Video: 1500 kbps | Audio: 96 kbps | Segment: 4s

Standard Quality:

Mode: h264 | Video: 3500 kbps | Audio: 128 kbps | Segment: 6s

High Quality:

Mode: hevc | Video: 6000 kbps | Audio: 192 kbps | Segment: 10s

Direct Streaming:

Mode: copy | Segment: 6s (best performance, limited compatibility)

Docker Compose Example

With tmpfs (RAM disk) for HLS segments:

services:
  m3u-editor:
    image: sparkison/m3u-editor:experimental
    container_name: m3u-editor
    environment:
      - TZ=America/New_York
      - APP_URL=http://localhost
      - APP_PORT=36400
      - NETWORK_BROADCAST_ENABLED=true
      - HLS_TEMP_DIR=/var/www/html/storage/app/hls-segments
      - HLS_GC_ENABLED=true
      - M3U_PROXY_ENABLED=false
      - M3U_PROXY_HOST=m3u-proxy
      - M3U_PROXY_TOKEN=${M3U_PROXY_TOKEN}
      - REDIS_ENABLED=false
      - REDIS_HOST=redis
      - ENABLE_POSTGRES=true
    volumes:
      - ./data:/var/www/config
      - pgdata:/var/lib/postgresql/data
      - type: tmpfs
        target: /var/www/html/storage/app/hls-segments
        tmpfs:
          size: 512M
    ports:
      - "36400:36400"
    networks:
      - m3u-network
    depends_on:
      - m3u-proxy
      - redis

  m3u-proxy:
    image: sparkison/m3u-proxy:experimental
    container_name: m3u-proxy
    environment:
      - API_TOKEN=${M3U_PROXY_TOKEN}
      - REDIS_ENABLED=true
      - REDIS_HOST=redis
    devices:
      - /dev/dri:/dev/dri  # Hardware acceleration
    networks:
      - m3u-network

  redis:
    image: redis:alpine3.22
    container_name: m3u-redis
    command: redis-server --requirepass ${REDIS_PASSWORD}
    networks:
      - m3u-network

networks:
  m3u-network:

volumes:
  pgdata:
  redis-data:

FAQ

Q: Can I use multiple media servers in one network? A: No, each network uses one media server. Create multiple networks for different servers.

Q: How much disk space needed? A: 50-200 MB per network for HLS segments. Varies by bitrate and duration.

Q: Can viewers seek/rewind? A: Limited seeking within buffered segments. For full control, use VOD/series directly.

Q: Can I schedule specific content at specific times? A: Not currently. Schedule is auto-generated based on content duration and order.

Q: Multiple networks simultaneously? A: Yes, but monitor system resources (CPU, disk, bandwidth).

Related Documentation

• Emby Integration
• Plex Integration
• Docker Compose Deployments
• Environment Variables

Support

• GitHub Issues
• Discord Community