Live streams (HLS / IPTV)

impressPlayer can play live streams — continuous feeds such as an HLS (.m3u8) stream or an IPTV channel — as a content item, so a screen can show live TV, a camera feed, or an event broadcast.

How to add a live stream

  1. Get the stream's URL (typically an HLS .m3u8 link).

  2. In your content library click CREATE NEW CONTENT, then choose Video stream (under External resources).

  3. Paste the URL, optionally add a Title and a Show from / Show until window, then click ADD CONTENT.

    The Video stream form: paste the stream URL, an optional title and date window

    The Video stream form: paste the stream URL, an optional title and date window


  4. Add the item to a playlist.

How it behaves

  • The stream plays live while it's on screen — it isn't downloaded.

  • A stream timeout (default 30s) protects the screen: if the stream stalls, the player moves on instead of hanging on a frozen feed (see Self-healing: auto-reboots & watchdogs).

  • The screen needs a stable internet connection with enough bandwidth for the stream.

Good to know

  • Live content depends entirely on the source: if the stream goes down, that item can't play.

  • For 24/7 reliability, pair a live stream with normal downloaded content in the playlist so the screen always has something to show.

  • HLS (.m3u8) is the best-supported live format.

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