Fix browser streaming by implementing intelligent buffer management and connectivity fixes

BROWSER_PLAYBACK_GUIDE.md

@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+# Browser Playback Feature - Testing Guide
+
+## Overview
+The browser playback feature allows Tardsplaya to serve Twitch streams directly to web browsers instead of external media players like MPV or VLC. This uses the native HTML5 MediaSource API to play MPEG-TS streams.
+
+## How It Works
+
+### 1. User Enables Browser Mode
+- Go to Tools → Settings
+- Check "Use browser playback (mpegts.js)"
+- Click OK to save settings
+
+### 2. Stream Playback Process
+1. User loads a channel and selects quality (same as before)
+2. User clicks "Watch" - instead of launching MPV/VLC:
+   - HTTP server starts on port 8080+ (unique per tab)
+   - Browser opens automatically to http://127.0.0.1:8080/player.html
+   - Stream segments are downloaded and served via HTTP
+   - Browser uses MediaSource API to play the stream
+
+### 3. Technical Flow
+```
+Twitch HLS Stream → Tardsplaya Downloads Segments → HTTP Server → Browser Player
+```
+
+## Key Components
+
+### HttpStreamServer Class (`http_server.h/cpp`)
+- Lightweight HTTP server for serving stream data
+- Handles multiple concurrent browser connections
+- Serves HTML player page with MediaSource API integration
+- Queues and serves MPEG-TS segments to browsers
+
+### BufferAndServeStreamToBrowser Function (`stream_pipe.cpp`)
+- Downloads HLS segments from Twitch
+- Serves segments to HttpStreamServer for browser consumption
+- Handles segment buffering and error recovery
+- Similar to BufferAndPipeStreamToPlayer but serves HTTP instead of piping to stdin
+
+### Browser Player (HTML/JavaScript)
+- Uses native MediaSource API for MPEG-TS playback
+- Automatic segment fetching and buffering
+- Handles stream initialization and error recovery
+- Standard video controls (play/pause/fullscreen)
+
+## Benefits Over Media Players
+
+1. **No External Dependencies**: No need to install MPV, VLC, etc.
+2. **Cross-Platform**: Works on any OS with a modern browser
+3. **Web-Native**: Familiar browser video controls and behavior
+4. **Multiple Streams**: Easy to have multiple browser tabs/windows
+5. **Integration**: Better integration with web-based workflows
+
+## Testing
+
+To test this feature:
+
+1. Build Tardsplaya with the new code
+2. Enable browser playback in settings
+3. Load a channel and click Watch
+4. Browser should open automatically with the stream
+5. Verify stream plays correctly in browser
+6. Test multiple concurrent streams in different tabs
+
+## Compatibility
+
+- **Browsers**: Chrome/Edge 23+, Firefox 42+, Safari 8+
+- **Codecs**: H.264/AVC video, AAC audio (standard Twitch streams)
+- **Format**: MPEG-TS container format
+- **API**: HTML5 MediaSource Extensions
+
+## Configuration Files
+
+The browser mode setting is saved in `Tardsplaya.ini`:
+```ini
+[Settings]
+UseBrowserPlayback=1
+```
+
+## Status Messages
+
+When browser mode is active:
+- Status bar shows "Browser Playback Ready" instead of "TX-Queue IPC Ready"
+- Log messages are prefixed with "[BROWSER]"
+- HTTP server port is logged for debugging
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+If browser playback doesn't work:
+1. Check that port 8080+ isn't blocked by firewall
+2. Verify browser supports MediaSource API
+3. Check browser developer console for JavaScript errors
+4. Try disabling browser extensions that might interfere
+5. Fall back to traditional media player mode if needed

Tardsplaya-BrowserMode.ini

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+[Settings]
+PlayerPath=mpv.exe
+PlayerArgs=-
+MinimizeToTray=0
+VerboseDebug=1
+LogToFile=1
+UseBrowserPlayback=1

Tardsplaya.cpp

@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ bool g_verboseDebug = false; // Enable verbose debug output for troubleshooting
 bool g_logAutoScroll = true;
 bool g_minimizeToTray = false;
 bool g_logToFile = false; // Enable logging to debug.log file
+bool g_useBrowserPlayback = false; // Enable browser-based playback using mpegts.js
 
 
 
@@ -198,6 +199,9 @@ void LoadSettings() {
 
     // Load verbose debug setting
     g_verboseDebug = GetPrivateProfileIntW(L"Settings", L"VerboseDebug", 0, iniPath.c_str()) != 0;
+
+    // Load browser playback setting
+    g_useBrowserPlayback = GetPrivateProfileIntW(L"Settings", L"UseBrowserPlayback", 0, iniPath.c_str()) != 0;
 }
 
 void SaveSettings() {
@@ -225,6 +229,9 @@ void SaveSettings() {
 
     // Save verbose debug setting
     WritePrivateProfileStringW(L"Settings", L"VerboseDebug", g_verboseDebug ? L"1" : L"0", iniPath.c_str());
+
+    // Save browser playback setting
+    WritePrivateProfileStringW(L"Settings", L"UseBrowserPlayback", g_useBrowserPlayback ? L"1" : L"0", iniPath.c_str());
 }
 
 void AddLog(const std::wstring& msg) {
@@ -843,7 +850,8 @@ void StopStream(StreamTab& tab, bool userInitiated = false) {
         }
 
         if (!hasActiveStream) {
-            UpdateStatusBar(L"Buffer: 0 packets");
+            UpdateStatusBar(std::wstring(L"Buffer: 0 packets | ") + 
+                           (g_useBrowserPlayback ? L"Browser Playback Ready" : L"TX-Queue IPC Ready"));
         }
 
         AddLog(L"Stream stopped.");
@@ -919,13 +927,22 @@ void WatchStream(StreamTab& tab, size_t tabIndex) {
     tab.cancelToken = false;
     tab.userRequestedStop = false;
 
+    // Determine streaming mode based on settings
+    StreamingMode mode = StreamingMode::TX_QUEUE_IPC; // Default
+
+    if (g_useBrowserPlayback) {
+        mode = StreamingMode::BROWSER_PLAYBACK;
+    }
+
     AddDebugLog(L"WatchStream: Creating stream thread for tab " + std::to_wstring(tabIndex) + 
+               L", Mode=" + (mode == StreamingMode::BROWSER_PLAYBACK ? L"BROWSER" : L"TX_QUEUE") +
                L", PlayerPath=" + g_playerPath + L", URL=" + url);
 
     // TX-Queue IPC Mode is now the default streaming mode
-    StreamingMode mode = StreamingMode::TX_QUEUE_IPC;
+    // StreamingMode mode = StreamingMode::TX_QUEUE_IPC;
 
-    AddLog(L"[TX-QUEUE] Starting TX-Queue IPC streaming for " + tab.channel + L" (" + standardQuality + L")");
+    // AddLog(L"[TX-QUEUE] Starting TX-Queue IPC streaming for " + tab.channel + L" (" + standardQuality + L")");
+    // ^^ These lines are now moved above
 
     // Start the buffering thread
     tab.streamThread = StartStreamThread(
@@ -958,7 +975,8 @@ void WatchStream(StreamTab& tab, size_t tabIndex) {
     EnableWindow(tab.hQualities, FALSE);
     EnableWindow(GetDlgItem(tab.hChild, IDC_LOAD), FALSE);
     SetWindowTextW(tab.hWatchBtn, L"Starting...");
-    UpdateStatusBar(L"Buffer: Buffering... | TX-Queue IPC Active");
+    UpdateStatusBar(std::wstring(L"Buffer: Buffering... | ") + 
+                   (mode == StreamingMode::BROWSER_PLAYBACK ? L"Browser Playback Active" : L"TX-Queue IPC Active"));
 
     AddDebugLog(L"WatchStream: UI updated, stream starting for tab " + std::to_wstring(tabIndex));
 
@@ -969,6 +987,14 @@ void WatchStream(StreamTab& tab, size_t tabIndex) {
     SetTimer(g_hMainWnd, TIMER_CHUNK_UPDATE, 2000, nullptr);
 
     // Don't detach the thread - keep it joinable for proper synchronization
+
+    // Add appropriate log message based on mode
+    if (mode == StreamingMode::BROWSER_PLAYBACK) {
+        AddLog(L"[BROWSER] Starting Browser Playback streaming for " + tab.channel + L" (" + standardQuality + L")");
+    } else {
+        // TX-Queue IPC Mode is the default streaming mode for media players
+        AddLog(L"[TX-QUEUE] Starting TX-Queue IPC streaming for " + tab.channel + L" (" + standardQuality + L")");
+    }
 }
 
 LRESULT CALLBACK StreamChildProc(HWND hwnd, UINT msg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam) {
@@ -1278,6 +1304,7 @@ INT_PTR CALLBACK SettingsDlgProc(HWND hDlg, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM
         CheckDlgButton(hDlg, IDC_MINIMIZETOTRAY, g_minimizeToTray ? BST_CHECKED : BST_UNCHECKED);
         CheckDlgButton(hDlg, IDC_VERBOSE_DEBUG, g_verboseDebug ? BST_CHECKED : BST_UNCHECKED);
         CheckDlgButton(hDlg, IDC_LOG_TO_FILE, g_logToFile ? BST_CHECKED : BST_UNCHECKED);
+        CheckDlgButton(hDlg, IDC_BROWSER_PLAYBACK, g_useBrowserPlayback ? BST_CHECKED : BST_UNCHECKED);
         return TRUE;
 
     case WM_COMMAND:
@@ -1316,6 +1343,7 @@ INT_PTR CALLBACK SettingsDlgProc(HWND hDlg, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM
             g_minimizeToTray = IsDlgButtonChecked(hDlg, IDC_MINIMIZETOTRAY) == BST_CHECKED;
             g_verboseDebug = IsDlgButtonChecked(hDlg, IDC_VERBOSE_DEBUG) == BST_CHECKED;
             g_logToFile = IsDlgButtonChecked(hDlg, IDC_LOG_TO_FILE) == BST_CHECKED;
+            g_useBrowserPlayback = IsDlgButtonChecked(hDlg, IDC_BROWSER_PLAYBACK) == BST_CHECKED;
 
             // Save settings to INI file
             SaveSettings();
@@ -1550,7 +1578,8 @@ LRESULT CALLBACK MainWndProc(HWND hwnd, UINT msg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
             } else {
                 // No active streams, stop the timer
                 KillTimer(hwnd, TIMER_CHUNK_UPDATE);
-                UpdateStatusBar(L"Buffer: 0 packets | TX-Queue IPC Ready");
+                UpdateStatusBar(std::wstring(L"Buffer: 0 packets | ") + 
+                               (g_useBrowserPlayback ? L"Browser Playback Ready" : L"TX-Queue IPC Ready"));
             }
         }
         break;

Tardsplaya.vcxproj

@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@
   </ItemDefinitionGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <ClCompile Include="favorites.cpp" />
+    <ClCompile Include="http_server.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="playlist_parser.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="stream_memory_map.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="stream_pipe.cpp" />
@@ -122,6 +123,7 @@
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <ClInclude Include="favorites.h" />
+    <ClInclude Include="http_server.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="json_minimal.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="tlsclient\lock.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="playlist_parser.h" />