What is nodecast-tv?

nodecast-tv is a modern, web-based IPTV player featuring Live TV, EPG, Movies (VOD), and Series support. Built with performance and user experience in mind.

Features

• 📺 Live TV: Fast channel zapping, category grouping, and search.
• 📅 TV Guide (EPG): Interactive grid guide with 24h timeline, search, and dynamic resizing.
• 🎬 VOD Support: Dedicated sections for Movies and TV Series with rich metadata, posters, and seasonal episode lists.
• ❤️ Favorites System: Unified favorites for channels, movies, and series with instant synchronization.
• 🔐 Authentication: User login system with admin and viewer roles (details).
• 🆔 OIDC SSO: Support for Single Sign-On via OIDC providers (Authentik, Keycloak, etc.).
• ⚡ High Performance: Optimized for large playlists (7000+ channels) using virtual scrolling and batch rendering.
• ⚙️ Management:
  • Support for Xtream Codes and M3U playlists.
  • Manage hidden content categories.
  • Playback preferences (volume memory, auto-play).
• 🎛️ Hardware Transcoding: GPU-accelerated transcoding with NVIDIA NVENC, AMD AMF, Intel QuickSync, and VAAPI support.
• 🔊 Smart Audio: Configurable 5.1→Stereo downmix presets (ITU, Night Mode, Cinematic) with automatic passthrough for compatible sources.
• 📦 Stream Processing: Auto-detection of stream codecs with smart remux/transcode decisions.
• 🐳 Docker Ready: Easy deployment containerization.

Screenshots

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v14 or higher)
• npm

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/technomancer702/nodecast-tv.git
   cd nodecast-tv
   

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install
   

3. Start the development server:

   npm run dev
   

4. Open your browser at http://localhost:3000.

Docker Deployment

The provided docker-compose.yml is standalone: copy that file to an empty deployment directory and run Compose there. You do not need to clone the repository or keep any Dockerfile for a normal deployment. Application data is stored in the ./data directory next to the Compose file.

Standard deployment

Start nodecast-tv without the optional Laya runtime:

docker compose up -d

Compose pulls ${NODECAST_IMAGE} when set, or gitea.anthonybouteiller.ovh/blomios/nodecast-tv:latest by default. The application will be available at http://localhost:3000. Live channel analysis continues to work in Standard mode when Laya is not running.

Optional Laya runtime

Laya provides optional local-AI assistance for channel grouping and language detection. It is behind the Compose profile named laya, so a plain docker compose up -d does not start it.

Start nodecast-tv and Laya together:

docker compose --profile laya up -d

Pull newer images and recreate both services after an update:

docker compose --profile laya pull
docker compose --profile laya up -d --force-recreate

Recreate only Laya:

docker compose --profile laya pull laya
docker compose --profile laya up -d --force-recreate laya

The optional service uses ${LAYA_IMAGE} when set, or the project image gitea.anthonybouteiller.ovh/blomios/nodecast-tv-laya:latest by default. That image must be published and accessible in your environment. If it is hosted under another registry or tag, create a .env file next to docker-compose.yml:

NODECAST_IMAGE=gitea.anthonybouteiller.ovh/blomios/nodecast-tv:latest
LAYA_IMAGE=registry.example.com/team/nodecast-tv-laya:latest

No third-party Laya image is selected implicitly. If no suitable Laya image is available, omit the laya profile and continue using Standard mode. The Laya model cache is persisted under ./data/models/laya; its first analysis can take longer while the runtime downloads or loads the model.

Inside Compose, nodecast-tv reaches Laya at http://laya:8000. When running nodecast-tv directly on the host with a separately exposed Laya runtime, use:

LAYA_BASE_URL=http://localhost:8000 npm start

http://laya:8000 is a Compose-internal hostname and does not resolve from a host process.

Repository maintainers can build and publish both the nodecast-tv and Laya images with ./scripts/docker-build-push.sh; this script is not needed by Compose users. REGISTRY, OWNER, IMAGE_NAME, LAYA_IMAGE_NAME, and TAG can override the publication targets. Use --no-push to build both images locally without publishing them.

Hardware Acceleration Setup

To enable hardware transcoding (NVENC, QSV, VAAPI), you must expose your host's GPU to the container.

1. Intel (QSV) & AMD (VAAPI) Update your docker-compose.yml to map the DRI devices and add necessary groups (often required for permission):

    devices:
      - /dev/dri:/dev/dri # Required for VAAPI/QuickSync/AMF (Linux)
    # group_add:       # Optional: Needed mainly if you run as non-root
    #   - "video"      # Run on host: getent group video
    #   - "render"     # Run on host: getent group render

2. NVIDIA (NVENC) Ensure you have the NVIDIA Container Toolkit installed on your host, then update your docker-compose.yml:

    deploy:
      resources:
        reservations:
          devices:
            - driver: nvidia
              count: 1
              capabilities: [gpu, utility, video, compute]

Verify: After restarting the container, go to Settings -> Transcoding. The Hardware Detection status should list your GPU (e.g., "NVIDIA GPU Detected" or "VAAPI Available").

SSO / OIDC Setup

Enable Single Sign-On (SSO) with your preferred OIDC provider (Authentik, Keycloak, etc.) by configuring these variables in your .env file or Docker environment:

OIDC_ISSUER_URL=https://your-idp.com/application/o/nodecast/
OIDC_CLIENT_ID=your_client_id
OIDC_CLIENT_SECRET=your_client_secret
OIDC_CALLBACK_URL=http://localhost:3000/api/auth/oidc/callback # Adjust for your domain

Note: New users signing in via SSO are automatically assigned the Viewer role. You must manually promote them to Admin if desired.

Usage

1. Go to Settings -> Content Sources.
2. Add your IPTV provider details (Xtream Codes or M3U URL).
3. Click "Refresh Sources".
4. Navigate to Live TV, Movies, or Series to browse your content.

Browser Codec Support & Transcoding

nodecast-tv is a web-based application. By default, video decoding is handled by your browser. However, the built-in smart transcoding system automatically converts incompatible media (e.g., HEVC video, Dolby audio) into browser-friendly formats using FFmpeg.

Codec Compatibility Table:

Codec	Chrome	Firefox	Safari	Edge
H.264 (AVC)	✅	✅	✅	✅
H.265 (HEVC)	Auto-Transcode	Auto-Transcode	✅	⚠️
AV1	✅	✅	Auto-Transcode	✅
AAC Audio	✅	✅	✅	✅
AC3/EAC3 (Dolby)	Auto-Transcode	Auto-Transcode	✅	Auto-Transcode

⚠️ Note: Edge requires the HEVC Video Extensions from the Microsoft Store to play H.265 (HEVC) natively. ℹ️ Note: Safari plays AV1 natively on supported hardware (iPhone 15 Pro, M3 Macs). On older devices, Auto-Transcode handles it.

Supported Stream Types

nodecast-tv is optimized for HLS (HTTP Live Streaming).

• ✅ HLS (.m3u8): Fully supported and recommended. Best for adaptive bitrate and network resilience.
• ✅ MPEG-TS (.ts): Supported via Force Remux in settings.
• ⚠️ High Latency/P2P: For sources like Acestream, prefer HLS output (.m3u8) over raw TS streams to avoid timeouts during buffering.
• ❌ RTMP/RTSP: Not supported natively by browsers.

Transcoding Settings

All transcoding and stream processing settings are found in Settings → Transcoding.

Hardware Encoder

Setting	Options	Description
Hardware Encoder	Auto, NVENC, AMF, QSV, VAAPI, Software	GPU-accelerated encoding. Auto detects best available.
Max Resolution	4K, 1080p, 720p, 480p	Limit output resolution (lower = faster).
Quality Preset	High, Medium, Low	Encoding quality/speed tradeoff.
Audio Mix Preset	Auto, ITU, Night Mode, Cinematic, Passthrough	5.1→Stereo downmix mode (see below).

Audio Mix Presets

Preset	Description
Auto (Smart)	Copies stereo AAC as-is, uses ITU downmix for 5.1+
ITU-R BS.775	Industry-standard balanced downmix
Night Mode	Boosted dialogue, reduced bass for quiet viewing
Cinematic	Wide soundstage, immersive surround feel
Passthrough	No processing (may cause errors on 5.1/Dolby sources)

Stream Processing

Setting	What It Does	When to Enable
Auto Transcode (Smart)	Probes streams and only transcodes/remuxes when needed	Recommended for most users (default ON)
Force Audio Transcode	Transcodes audio to AAC (video passes through)	When you have video but no audio (Dolby/AC3/EAC3)
Force Video Transcode	Full transcode of both audio and video	For HEVC/VP9 sources on unsupported browsers
Force Remux	Remuxes MPEG-TS to MP4 (no re-encoding)	For raw .ts streams from middleware
Stream Output Format	HLS or TS for Xtream API requests	Try TS if HLS causes buffering

Network

Setting	What It Does	When to Enable
Force Backend Proxy	Routes streams through the server for CORS headers	When streams fail with CORS errors, or using middleware

Troubleshooting

Docker Compose and optional Laya

Check that you are in the repository directory and that Compose sees both services:

docker compose config --services
docker compose --profile laya config --services
docker compose config --profiles

The standard configuration should list nodecast-tv; with the laya profile enabled it should list both nodecast-tv and laya. The available profiles should include laya.

If docker compose ... laya reports no such service: laya, you are usually using an old or different Compose file, or running the command from the wrong directory. Replace it with the current standalone docker-compose.yml, change to the directory containing that file, and run docker compose config --services again.

If Compose cannot pull the Laya image, verify that LAYA_IMAGE names a published image and authenticate to its registry if necessary. This does not prevent the standard nodecast-tv service from running without the laya profile.

If Settings reports “The optional Laya runtime is unavailable”, nodecast-tv remains usable and falls back to Standard analysis. To diagnose Laya, run:

docker compose --profile laya ps
docker compose --profile laya logs nodecast-tv
docker compose --profile laya logs laya
docker compose --profile laya config

After configuration or image changes, pull and perform a clean recreation:

docker compose --profile laya pull
docker compose --profile laya up -d --force-recreate

To recreate only the optional runtime:

docker compose --profile laya pull laya
docker compose --profile laya up -d --force-recreate laya

Video Won't Play (Black Screen or Loading Forever)

Symptom	Likely Cause	Solution
Black screen, Access-Control-Allow-Origin error	CORS blocked	Enable "Force Backend Proxy" in Settings → Transcoding
Black screen with MEDIA_ERR_DECODE	Unsupported codec (HEVC/VP9)	Ensure "Auto Transcode" is enabled
Loading forever (no error)	Browser decoder stuck	Enable "Force Video Transcode" (overrides Auto detection)

No Audio (Video Plays Fine)

Symptom	Likely Cause	Solution
No audio at all	Dolby/AC3/EAC3 audio	Enable "Force Audio Transcode" (overrides Auto detection)
Audio out of sync	Stream encoding issue	Try changing stream format to TS in Settings

Buffering Issues

Symptom	Likely Cause	Solution
Constant buffering	Slow network or weak GPU	1. Lower Max Resolution (e.g. to 720p) 2. Try TS format instead of HLS

HTTPS / Reverse Proxy Issues

If you're running nodecast-tv behind a reverse proxy (Nginx, Caddy, Traefik) with HTTPS:

Symptom	Likely Cause	Solution
Streams fail with fragLoadError	Mixed content (HTTPS page loading HTTP streams)	Enable "Force Backend Proxy" in Settings → Transcoding
Streams work on HTTP but not HTTPS	Reverse proxy not passing headers correctly	Ensure X-Forwarded-Proto header is set (see examples below)

Caddy example:

tv.domain.com {
    reverse_proxy nodecast:3000 {
        flush_interval -1
        header_up X-Forwarded-Proto {scheme}
    }
}

Nginx example:

location / {
    proxy_pass http://nodecast:3000;
    proxy_http_version 1.1;           # Required for chunked transfers and keep-alive
    proxy_buffering off;              # Don't buffer responses (required for streaming)
    proxy_request_buffering off;      # Don't buffer requests
    proxy_read_timeout 300s;          # VOD: 5 min timeout for large files
    proxy_connect_timeout 60s;        # VOD: Connection timeout
    client_max_body_size 0;           # No upload size limit
    proxy_set_header Host $host;
    proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;  # Required for HTTPS detection
    proxy_set_header Connection "";   # VOD: Enable keep-alive for Range requests
}

IPTV Middleware (m3u-editor, dispatcharr, Threadfin, xTeVe)

If you manage your streams with middleware tools, you may encounter CORS issues or raw MPEG-TS streams that browsers can't play directly.

Recommended Setup:

1. Force Backend Proxy: Enable this in Settings → Transcoding → Network. This routes middleware streams through NodeCast TV, bypassing CORS restrictions.
2. Auto Transcode: Keep this enabled (default). It will automatically detect if the middleware stream (e.g., MPEG-TS) needs to be remuxed or transcoded for the browser.

There is rarely a need to configure specific "Force Remux" settings manually anymore; the system detects stream types automatically.

TVHeadend

If you're using TVHeadend as your source, you may need to configure a few settings for streams to play correctly in nodecast-tv:

Option 1: Enable Force Backend Proxy (Easiest)

• In nodecast-tv, go to Settings → Transcoding → Network
• Enable "Force Backend Proxy"
• This routes streams through the server, bypassing browser CORS restrictions

Option 2: Configure TVHeadend CORS

• In TVHeadend, go to Configuration → General → Base → HTTP Server Settings
• Add your nodecast-tv URL to "CORS origin" (e.g., http://192.168.1.100:3000)
• Note: You must include the protocol (http:// or https://)

Additional Tips:

• Enable "digest+plain" authentication in TVHeadend if using username/password in the M3U URL
• Try different stream profiles (?profile=pass or ?profile=matroska) if playback issues persist

Acestream / P2P Streaming

If you are using acestream-docker-home or similar tools, it is recommended to use the HLS output format to reduce server load, though NodeCast TV can remux raw streams if needed.

• Recommended: http://proxy:6878/ace/manifest.m3u8?id=... (HLS Playlist - Direct Play)
• Supported: http://proxy:6878/ace/getstream?id=... (MPEG-TS - Requires Server Remuxing)

Technology Stack

• Backend: Node.js, Express
• Frontend: Vanilla JavaScript (ES6+), CSS3
• Database: SQLite (via better-sqlite3) for high-performance data storage
• Streaming: HLS.js for stream playback
• Transcoding: FFmpeg (integrated for hardware/software transcoding)

Project Structure

nodecast-tv/
├── public/              # Frontend assets
│   ├── css/             # Stylesheets
│   ├── js/              # Client-side logic
│   │   ├── components/  # UI Components (ChannelList, EpgGuide, etc.)
│   │   ├── pages/       # Page Controllers (Movies, Series, etc.)
│   │   └── api.js       # API Client
│   └── index.html       # Main entry point
├── server/              # Backend server
│   ├── routes/          # API Endpoints (proxy, transcode)
│   ├── services/        # Playlist parsers, SyncService, etc.
│   ├── db/              # Database Logic
│   │   ├── index.js     # Legacy DB Wrapper
│   │   └── sqlite.js    # SQLite Connection & Schema
│   └── index.js         # Server Entry Point
└── data/                # Persistent storage (content.db, playlists)

License

This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPL-3.0).

You are free to:

• Run the program for any purpose
• Study how the program works and change it
• Redistribute copies
• Distribute copies of your modified versions

Under the condition that:

• You typically must distinguish your modifications from the original work
• You provide the source code to recipients
• You license any derivative works under the same GPL-3.0 license

See the LICENSE file for details.