103 lines
3.2 KiB
Markdown
103 lines
3.2 KiB
Markdown
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# portable-net-tv
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Follows VLC playback, tracks every show you watch, and prefetches the next
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few episodes of whatever's on into a local buffer.
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One profile-less service handles all shows: it reads the currently-playing
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file from VLC's HTTP interface, and that file's own directory *is* the show's
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source — no per-show configuration.
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## The `watch` service
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```sh
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portable-net-tv watch
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```
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Runs a daemon that, every 30 s:
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1. Reads the currently-playing file from VLC's HTTP playlist.
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2. Appends episode changes to the cross-show watch log.
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3. Prefetches the next *N* episodes sitting in the playing file's directory
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into the buffer dir (single rsync at a time; honors a disk floor).
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4. Garbage-collects the buffer down to exactly that prefetch window.
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Files with a sibling `<episode>.broken` marker are skipped at every step.
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## `next`
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```sh
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portable-net-tv next
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```
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Reads the watch log and prints, per show, the episode watched through and the
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next one. Only genuine `play`/`resume` events count toward progress — queued
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-but-unwatched episodes do not.
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## Watch log
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Append-only JSONL at `~/.local/state/plum-control-mcp/watched.jsonl` (shared
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with `plum-control-mcp`). One event per line: `ts, event, show, season,
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episode, label, path`. The show name is parsed from the filename (everything
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before the `SxxEyy` marker).
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## Config
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`~/.config/portable-net-tv/config.json`:
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```json
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{
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"vlcHttp": { "host": "127.0.0.1", "port": 8080, "password": "<password>" },
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"buffer": { "dir": "/Users/natalie/Movies/net-tv-buffer", "ahead": 3, "minFreeGB": 2 }
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}
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```
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`buffer` is optional — it defaults to `~/Movies/net-tv-buffer`, `ahead` 3,
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`minFreeGB` 2.
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## VLC HTTP interface
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The service reads VLC over HTTP (`requests/playlist.json`), not AppleScript —
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so it works as a launchd background agent, where Apple Events to VLC are
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blocked by macOS Automation (TCC). Enable it once:
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```sh
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defaults write org.videolan.vlc extraintf -string http
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defaults write org.videolan.vlc http-host -string 127.0.0.1
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defaults write org.videolan.vlc http-port -int 8080
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defaults write org.videolan.vlc http-password -string <password>
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```
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If the interface or config is missing, the service treats VLC as unreachable
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and idles rather than failing.
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## Run at login
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`launchd` keeps the service alive across reboots —
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`~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.quinn.portable-net-tv.watch.plist`, `RunAtLoad` +
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`KeepAlive`. Put Homebrew's `bin` first on the plist's `PATH`: the service
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needs a modern `rsync` (`--append-verify`), not the ancient `/usr/bin/rsync`.
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## Broken media
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A corrupt source file is flagged by touching a sibling marker next to it:
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```sh
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touch "/path/to/Show.S01E07.broken"
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```
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The `watch` service excludes any episode with a `.broken` marker — it won't
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prefetch it, and `episodesInDir` skips it. Mark a file whenever it refuses to
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play (e.g. VLC opens it but the time stays frozen at 0:00).
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## Constraints
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- macOS only — reads VLC's macOS HTTP interface; paths assume the local media
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mount.
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- VLC is the only supported player, and must be running with HTTP enabled.
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## Legacy
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`keep`, `play`, `check`, and the per-show profiles under
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`~/.config/portable-net-tv/profiles/` predate the unified `watch` service and
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are being retired. New use should rely on `watch` + `next` only.
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