M3U to RTMP Streamer

Python script to stream M3U playlist files to RTMP servers using ffmpeg without re-encoding.

Features

• Direct stream passthrough (no re-encoding)
• Supports M3U playlist files
• Streams to RTMP servers
• Real-time output monitoring
• Playlist looping support
• Graceful shutdown on Ctrl+C

Requirements

• Python 3.7+
• FFmpeg installed and in PATH (or provide path with --ffmpeg)

Installation

1. Install FFmpeg:

   • Windows: Download from https://ffmpeg.org/download.html
   • macOS: brew install ffmpeg
   • Linux: sudo apt install ffmpeg or sudo yum install ffmpeg

2. No Python dependencies required (uses standard library)

Usage

Basic Usage

# Stream M3U playlist
python stream_m3u_to_rtmp.py <m3u_file> <rtmp_url>

# Stream single video file
python stream_m3u_to_rtmp.py <video_file> <rtmp_url> --single-file

Examples

# Stream M3U playlist to RTMP server
python stream_m3u_to_rtmp.py \
  "playlist.m3u" \
  "rtmp://live.twitch.tv/app/your_stream_key"

# Stream single local video file
python stream_m3u_to_rtmp.py \
  "video.mp4" \
  "rtmp://server.com/live/stream_key" \
  --single-file

# Stream single video file (auto-detected by extension)
python stream_m3u_to_rtmp.py \
  "video.mp4" \
  "rtmp://server.com/live/stream_key"

# Stream single video URL
python stream_m3u_to_rtmp.py \
  "https://example.com/video.mp4" \
  "rtmp://server.com/live/stream_key"

# Stream with absolute path
python stream_m3u_to_rtmp.py \
  "C:/path/to/playlist.m3u" \
  "rtmp://server.com/live/stream_key"

# Loop through playlist when finished
python stream_m3u_to_rtmp.py \
  "playlist.m3u" \
  "rtmp://server.com/live/key" \
  --loop-playlist

# Loop each individual video
python stream_m3u_to_rtmp.py \
  "playlist.m3u" \
  "rtmp://server.com/live/key" \
  --loop-video

# Specify custom ffmpeg path
python stream_m3u_to_rtmp.py \
  "playlist.m3u" \
  "rtmp://server.com/live/key" \
  --ffmpeg "C:/ffmpeg/bin/ffmpeg.exe"

M3U Playlist Format

The script supports standard M3U playlist format:

#EXTM3U
#EXTINF:-1,Video Name 1
/path/to/video1.mp4
#EXTINF:-1,Video Name 2
/path/to/video2.mp4

• #EXTM3U - Playlist header (optional)
• #EXTINF:-1,Name - Video metadata (optional, -1 means unknown duration)
• File paths can be absolute or relative to the M3U file location

RTMP URL Format

RTMP URLs typically follow this format:

rtmp://server.com:port/app/stream_key

Examples:

• Twitch: rtmp://live.twitch.tv/app/YOUR_STREAM_KEY
• YouTube: rtmp://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2/YOUR_STREAM_KEY
• Custom server: rtmp://your-server.com:1935/live/stream_key

Options

• --loop-playlist: Loop through the entire playlist when finished (M3U only)
• --loop-video: Loop each individual video file indefinitely
• --single-file: Treat input as a single video file instead of M3U playlist
• --ffmpeg: Specify custom path to ffmpeg executable

Input Types

The script supports two input types:

1. M3U Playlist Files: Automatically detected by file extension (.m3u, .m3u8)
2. Single Video Files: Automatically detected by video extensions (.mp4, .mkv, .avi, etc.) or use --single-file flag
3. Video URLs: HTTP/HTTPS URLs are automatically treated as single video files

How It Works

The script:

1. Parses the M3U playlist file to extract video file paths
2. Streams each video sequentially to the RTMP server
3. Uses ffmpeg with -c copy to passthrough without re-encoding
4. Outputs in FLV format (required for RTMP)

Notes

• The script streams videos in the order they appear in the playlist
• Relative paths in M3U files are resolved relative to the M3U file location
• No re-encoding means very low CPU usage
• Requires the source video codecs to be compatible with RTMP/FLV
• If codec compatibility issues occur, you may need to re-encode (remove -c copy)

Troubleshooting

• FFmpeg not found: Install FFmpeg or use --ffmpeg to specify path
• Connection errors: Check RTMP URL and network connectivity
• Codec errors: Source codecs may not be RTMP-compatible, may need re-encoding
• File not found: Check video file paths in the M3U playlist are correct
• Playlist empty: Ensure M3U file contains valid video file paths