How to set up a VLC stream in command line

In this article, I describe how to set up a VLC stream in command line

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Scenario

I have a mp3 file that I want to stream across a network using http

Requirements:

  1. Stream the mp3 file
  2. Has to be done via command line
  3. mp3 file should play as a loop

Procedure

Below, I detail the procedure to stream a loop of a single MP3 file, both using the GUI, and the CLI

GUI

Now, if we had access to a GUI, it is very simple to set up a stream without loop:

  1. Open the VLC media player
  2. Add the mp3 file to the playlist
  3. go to media-> Stream…
  4. Add the files using the add button.
  5. Click on Stream
  6. In next window verify the path, and click next
  7. Destination setup: select http and click add
  8. Change IP and path if you wish, click next (I chose port: 8080 path: /stream)
  9. Transcoding options: I chose transcode, Audio-MP3
  10. Miscellaneous Options (It showed the following in the generated stream output string): 
    :sout=#transcode{vcodec=none,acodec=mp3,ab=128,channels=2,samplerate=44100}:http{mux=mp3,dst=:8080/stream} :sout-keep
  11. Click stream, and you are done

To loop, just click on the loop button in the GUI.

CLI

  1. Run the command:
cvlc <path to mp3 file> --sout="#transcode{vcodec=none,acodec=mp3,ab=128,channels=2,samplerate=44100}:http{mux=mp3,dst=:8080/stream}" --sout-keep --loop

Accessing the stream

In a VLC instance, or a web radio player, type out the address as:

http://ipaddress:8080/stream