/HLS-Proxy

Node.js server to proxy HLS video streams

Primary LanguageJavaScriptGNU General Public License v2.0GPL-2.0

HTTP Live Streaming Proxy

Basic Functionality:

  • proxy .m3u8 files, and the .ts files they internally reference
  • to all proxied files:
    • add permissive CORS response headers
  • to .m3u8:
    • modify contents such that URLs in the playlist will also pass through the proxy

Advanced Features:

  • inject custom HTTP headers in all outbound proxied requests
  • prefetch video segments (.ts files)
  • use a hook function to conditionally redirect URLs in the playlist (before they're modified to pass through the proxy)

Benefits:

  • any video player (on the LAN) can access the proxied video stream
    • including Chromecast
  • prefetch and caching of video segments ahead-of-time makes playback of the video stream very stable
    • solves buffering problems
  • the proxy can easily be configured to bypass many of the security measures used by video servers to restrict access:
    • CORS response headers (to XHR requests)
      • used by web browsers to enforce a security policy that limits which website(s) may access the content
    • HTTP request headers
      • Origin and Referer are often inspected by the server
        • when these headers don't match the site hosting the content, a 403 Forbidden response is returned (in lieu of the requested data)
    • restricted access to encryption keys
      • often times the encrypted video segments (.ts files) are readily available, but the encryption keys are well protected
        • if the keys can be obtained from another source, then a hook function can be used to redirect only those URL requests

Installation and Usage: Globally

How to: Install:

npm install --global "@warren-bank/hls-proxy"

How to: Run the server(s):

hlsd [--help] [--version] [--tls] [--host <ip_address>] [--port <number>] [--req-headers <filepath>] [--origin <header>] [--referer <header>] [--useragent <header>] [--header <name=value>] [--req-options <filepath>] [--req-secure-honor-server-cipher-order] [--req-secure-ciphers <string>] [--req-secure-protocol <string>] [--req-secure-curve <string>] [--hooks <filepath>] [--prefetch] [--max-segments <number>] [--cache-key <number>] [-v <number>]

Examples:

  1. print help
    hlsd --help

  2. print version
    hlsd --version

  3. start HTTP proxy at default host:port
    hlsd

  4. start HTTP proxy at default host and specific port
    hlsd --port "8080"

  5. start HTTP proxy at specific host:port
    hlsd --host "192.168.0.100" --port "8080"

  6. start HTTPS proxy at default host:port
    hlsd --tls

  7. start HTTPS proxy at specific host:port
    hlsd --tls --host "192.168.0.100" --port "8081"

  8. start HTTPS proxy at default host:port and send specific HTTP headers
    hlsd --tls --req-headers "/path/to/request/headers.json"

  9. start HTTPS proxy at default host:port and enable prefetch of 10 video segments
    hlsd --tls --prefetch --max-segments 10

Options:

  • --tls is a flag to start HTTPS proxy, rather than HTTP
  • --host must be an IP address of the server on the LAN (so Chromecast can proxy requests through it)
    • ex: 192.168.0.100
    • used to modify URLs in .m3u8 files
    • when this option is not specified:
      • the list of available network addresses is determined
      • if there are none, 'localhost' is used silently
      • if there is only a single address on the LAN, it is used silently
      • if there are multiple addresses:
        • they are listed
        • a prompt asks the user to choose (the numeric index) of one
  • --port is the port number that the server listens on
    • ex: 8080
    • used to modify URLs in .m3u8 files
    • when this option is not specified:
      • HTTP proxy binds to: 80
      • HTTPS proxy binds to: 443
  • --req-headers is the filepath to a JSON data Object containing key:value pairs
    • each key is the name of an HTTP header to send in in every outbound request
  • --origin is the value of the corresponding HTTP request header
  • --referer is the value of the corresponding HTTP request header
  • --useragent is the value of the corresponding HTTP request header
  • --header is a single name:value pair
    • this option can be used multiple times to include several HTTP request headers
    • the pair can be written:
      • "name: value"
      • "name=value"
      • "name = value"
  • --req-options is the filepath to a JSON data Object
  • --req-secure-honor-server-cipher-order is a flag to set the following key in the request options Object to configure the context for secure https requests:
    • {honorCipherOrder: true}
  • --req-secure-ciphers is the value to assign to the following key in the request options Object to configure the context for secure https requests:
    • {ciphers: value}
  • --req-secure-protocol is the value to assign to the following key in the request options Object to configure the context for secure https requests:
    • {secureProtocol: value}
  • --req-secure-curve is the value to assign to the following key in the request options Object to configure the context for secure https requests:
    • {ecdhCurve: value}
  • --hooks is the filepath to a CommonJS module that exports a single JSON Object
    • each key is the name of a hook function
    • each value is the implementation of the corresponding Function
    • hook function signatures:
      • "redirect": (url) => new_url
        • conditionally redirect the URLs encountered in .m3u8 files before they are modified to pass through the proxy
  • --prefetch is a flag to enable the prefetch and caching of video segments
    • when .m3u8 files are downloaded and modified inflight, all of the URLs in the playlist are known
    • at this time, it is possible to prefetch the .ts files
    • when the .ts files are requested at a later time, the data is already cached (in memory) and can be returned immediately
  • --max-segments is the maximum number of .ts files (ie: video segments) to hold in the cache
    • this option is only meaningful when --prefetch is enabled
    • when the cache grows larger than this size, the oldest data is removed to make room to store new data
    • when this option is not specified:
      • default value: 20
  • --cache-key sets the type of string used for keys in the cache hashtable
    • this option is only meaningful when --prefetch is enabled
    • 0 (default):
      • sequence number of .ts file w/ .ts file extension (ex: "123.ts")
        • pros:
          • shortest type of string
          • makes the log output easiest to read
        • cons:
          • in the wild, I've encountered video servers that assign each .ts file a unique filename that always terminate with the same static sequence number
            • this is a really weird edge case, but this option provides an easy workaround
    • 1:
      • full filename of .ts file
    • 2:
      • full URL of .ts file
  • -v sets logging verbosity level:
    • -1:
      • silent
    • 0 (default):
      • show errors only
    • 1:
      • show an informative amount of information
    • 2:
      • show technical details
    • 3:
      • show an enhanced technical trace (useful while debugging unexpected behavior)

Installation and Usage: Working with a Local git Repo

How to: Install:

git clone "https://github.com/warren-bank/HLS-Proxy.git"
cd "HLS-Proxy"
npm install

How to: Run the server(s):

# ----------------------------------------------------------------------
# If using a port number >= 1024 on Linux, or
# If using Windows:
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------
npm start [-- [--help] [--version] [--tls] [--host <ip_address>] [--port <number>] [--req-headers <filepath>] [--origin <header>] [--referer <header>] [--useragent <header>] [--header <name=value>] [--req-options <filepath>] [--req-secure-honor-server-cipher-order] [--req-secure-ciphers <string>] [--req-secure-protocol <string>] [--req-secure-curve <string>] [--hooks <filepath>] [--prefetch] [--max-segments <number>] [--cache-key <number>] [-v <number>] ]

# ----------------------------------------------------------------------
# https://www.w3.org/Daemon/User/Installation/PrivilegedPorts.html
#
# Linux considers port numbers < 1024 to be privileged.
# Use "sudo":
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------
npm run sudo [-- [--help] [--version] [--tls] [--host <ip_address>] [--port <number>] [--req-headers <filepath>] [--origin <header>] [--referer <header>] [--useragent <header>] [--header <name=value>] [--req-options <filepath>] [--req-secure-honor-server-cipher-order] [--req-secure-ciphers <string>] [--req-secure-protocol <string>] [--req-secure-curve <string>] [--hooks <filepath>] [--prefetch] [--max-segments <number>] [--cache-key <number>] [-v <number>] ]

Examples:

  1. print help
    npm start -- --help

  2. start HTTP proxy at specific host:port
    npm start -- --host "192.168.0.100" --port "8080"

  3. start HTTPS proxy at specific host:port
    npm start -- --host "192.168.0.100" --port "8081" --tls

  4. start HTTP proxy at default host:port with escalated privilege
    npm run sudo -- --port "80"

  5. start HTTPS proxy at default host:port with escalated privilege
    npm run sudo -- --port "443" --tls

  6. start HTTP proxy at specific port and send custom request headers

headers_file="${TMPDIR}/headers.json"
echo '{"Origin" : "http://XXX:80", "Referer": "http://XXX:80/page.html"}' > "$headers_file"
npm start -- --port "8080" --req-headers "$headers_file"

URL='https://httpbin.org/headers'
URL=$(echo "$URL" | base64)
URL="http://127.0.0.1:8080/${URL}.json"
curl --silent "$URL"
  1. start HTTPS proxy at specific port and send custom request headers
headers_file="${TMPDIR}/headers.json"
echo '{"Origin" : "http://XXX:80", "Referer": "http://XXX:80/page.html"}' > "$headers_file"
npm start -- --port "8081" --req-headers "$headers_file" --tls -v 1

URL='https://127.0.0.1:8081/aHR0cHM6Ly9odHRwYmluLm9yZy9oZWFkZXJzCg==.json'
curl --silent --insecure "$URL"
  1. start HTTPS proxy at specific port and send custom request headers
h_origin='http://XXX:80'
h_referer='http://XXX:80/page.html'
h_useragent='Chromium'
h_custom_1='X-Foo: 123'
h_custom_2='X-Bar: baz'
npm start -- --port "8081" --origin "$h_origin" --referer "$h_referer" --useragent "$h_useragent" --header "$h_custom_1" --header "$h_custom_2" --tls -v 1

URL='https://127.0.0.1:8081/aHR0cHM6Ly9odHRwYmluLm9yZy9oZWFkZXJzCg==.json'
curl --silent --insecure "$URL"

Options:

Observations:

  • when playing the proxied HLS video stream in an HTML5 player in a Chromium web browser (ex: THEOplayer)
    • if the page hosting the HTML5 video player is served from HTTPS:
      • when running only the HTTP proxy server:
        • the XHR requests from the player to the HTTP proxy server raise a security warning (insecure content)
        • the XHR requests get elevated to HTTPS, which are unanswered (since the HTTPS proxy server isn't running)
      • when running only the HTTPS proxy server:
        • the XHR requests from the player to the HTTPS proxy server will silently fail
        • this is because the HTTPS proxy server is using a self-signed security certificate
        • this certificate needs to be (temporarily) allowed
        • once it is, the video stream works perfectly
          • to allow the certificate:
            • browse to a URL hosted by the proxy server ( example )
            • you should see the warning: NET::ERR_CERT_AUTHORITY_INVALID Your connection is not private
            • click: Advanced
            • click: Proceed to 127.0.0.1 (unsafe)
            • done
  • when playing the proxied HLS video stream on a Chromecast
    • the HTTP proxy server works perfectly
    • the HTTPS proxy server doesn't begin playback
      • not sure why..
      • probably has something to do with the Chromecast's browser security policies
      • a more respectable security certificate (ie: more expensive) would probably fix it

Summary of (Rarely) Observed OpenSSL Connection Errors:

  • error:
    ssl3_check_cert_and_algorithm:dh key too small

    1. attempted fix:
      --req-secure-ciphers "AES128-SHA"

  • error:
    SSL routines:SSL23_GET_SERVER_HELLO:sslv3 alert handshake failure

    1. attempted fix:
      --req-secure-protocol "SSLv3_method"
      • result:
        Error: SSLv3 methods disabled
      • issue:
    2. attempted fix:
      --req-secure-curve "auto"

Other Projects:

(directly related, but very loosely coupled)

  • Webcast-Reloaded

    • consists of 2 parts:
      1. a Chromium web browser extension (.crx)
        • on each browser tab, it's silently watching the URL of all outbound requests
        • every requested URL matching a regex pattern that identifies it to be a video file is displayed in the modal window that toggles open when the extension's icon is clicked
        • links in this modal window open to URLs of component #2
      2. a static website
        • there is a selection of several HTML5 videos players
          • each is better at some things and worse at others
          • each integrates with a different Chromecast receiver app
        • there is a page to help redirect the intercepted video URL through a local instance of HLS-Proxy

  • Faux Searchbar

    • provides a simple way to keep and organize bookmarks
      • my recipe of favorite video stream servers
        • some require "Webcast-Reloaded" to intercept the .m3u8 URL
        • some require "Webcast-Reloaded" to intercept the .m3u8 URL, and "HLS-Proxy" to enable casting the stream to Chromecast
        • some of the .m3u8 URLs are static, enabling the bookmark to directly load the video on the "Webcast-Reloaded" website

  • FirstOne TV

    • a Chromium browser extension (user script) for a particular website that hosts many excellent video streams
    • removes visual clutter and prevents their site from stealing CPU cycles

  • Streamlive

    • a Chromium browser extension (user script) for a particular website that hosts many excellent video streams
    • uses their XHR search form to dynamically request a lot of channels, and then filters the results to only display the ones that can be watched for free

  • BilaSport MLB Keystore

    • a Chromium browser extension (user script) for a particular website that hosts many excellent video streams of live MLB sporting events
    • moves the embedded iframe containing the video player to the topmost window, and displays information about the video stream in a modal alert box as well as the console log

  • PBS Passport

    • a Chromium browser extension (user script) for a particular website that hosts many excellent video streams
    • removes visual clutter and busts through their paywall (like: Kool-Aid Man)

Other Projects:

(unrelated, but somewhat similar in scope and purpose)
  • Streamlink
    • notes:
      • this project has way more features, and is way more polished
      • though its main purpose is to transcode online video with ffmpeg and pipe the output into another program, it can be configured to not load a video player and instead start a web server
      • it can strongly support individual websites through single-purpose plugins
      • it can also support streams via direct URLs
        • using URLs from the wild will have mixed results, since cookies and headers and authentication aren't being managed by any plugin
    • docs:
    • binaries:
      • Windows portable
        • minimum system requirements:
          • Windows 7 SP1
          • .NET Framework 4.5
    • usage test:
      • streamlink --player-external-http --player-external-http-port 8080 --default-stream best --http-ignore-env --http-no-ssl-verify --url "https://XXX/video.m3u8"
    • usage test result:

Legal: