m3u8 livestream loses audio when source changes

[Click for Log File]

Hey everyone!

I am attempting to record a m3u8 stream as part of an archival project. I have added it as a VLC source with the following settings:
1697236994539.png

Whenever I record the stream (an IPTV link), everything works fine. Whenever the source 'switches,' (i.e. the stream goes to commercial break), the audio goes silent. Sometimes (rarely), the video begins to stutter. I believe this is an attempt to 'catch up' to the audio, but it is very glitchy.

When I switch away and back to the scene (unload and reload the stream), the issue is fixed.

I know there are often issues with recording at strange frame rates (29.97fps). I have tried recording this at 30fps and 60fps with the same issue. I chose to record at 29.97fps because, when the stream link is opened with VLC, that is listed as the framerate of the source.

I have also tried adding this as a "Media Source," but somewhat similar issues occur.

Here is a link to an example of the issue.

Any help that you can offer is greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.
 

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koala

Active Member
If you're allowed to download this stream (copyright/terms of use might prohibit it), you can use yt-dlp (successor of youtube-dl) to directly download such kind of stream. You don't need OBS for it - recording streams like this with OBS is like filming a movie in a movie theater with a camera.
 
Thank you for the suggestion! I'll look into there.

It doesn't look like yt-dlp allows you to view the livestream as it is recorded. Ideally, I would be able to watch this as recorded. Is there any way to manage that? I have tried recording and the stream feature on VLC itself, but it ends the recording as the source changes as well.
 

bcoyle

Member
[Click for Log File]

Hey everyone!

I am attempting to record a m3u8 stream as part of an archival project. I have added it as a VLC source with the following settings:
View attachment 98526
Whenever I record the stream (an IPTV link), everything works fine. Whenever the source 'switches,' (i.e. the stream goes to commercial break), the audio goes silent. Sometimes (rarely), the video begins to stutter. I believe this is an attempt to 'catch up' to the audio, but it is very glitchy.

When I switch away and back to the scene (unload and reload the stream), the issue is fixed.

I know there are often issues with recording at strange frame rates (29.97fps). I have tried recording this at 30fps and 60fps with the same issue. I chose to record at 29.97fps because, when the stream link is opened with VLC, that is listed as the framerate of the source.

I have also tried adding this as a "Media Source," but somewhat similar issues occur.

Here is a link to an example of the issue.

Any help that you can offer is greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.
Hi. I have found that some iptv sources do exactly what you describe. Whatever they are doing, seems to cause vlc problems, whether in obs or straight to vlc. I have used a cloud iptv viewer and they seem to know what to do with this problem. You could have a cloud viewer going and then just let obs capture that window. I don't know what the iptv channels is doing to cause this problem with vlc. Maybe someone knows?
 

bcoyle

Member
Thank you for the suggestion! I'll look into there.

It doesn't look like yt-dlp allows you to view the livestream as it is recorded. Ideally, I would be able to watch this as recorded. Is there any way to manage that? I have tried recording and the stream feature on VLC itself, but it ends the recording as the source changes as well.
I had the same problems with 30A TV. I talked to a person there and he said that they send out a commercial start tag for ad insertion. He said that their station works ok on vlc on the mac platform. VLC docs say that vlc just ignores the extra tags. But vlc on windows don't seem to work.
 
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