FieldStation42
FieldStation42 is an open-source broadcast and cable TV simulator. It turns a video collection into scheduled channels that keep playing whether anyone is watching. Instead of browsing a library and choosing a file, a viewer changes channels and joins whatever is already on.1
The schedule is the important part. A channel can have daily lineups, prime-time blocks, marathons, and seasonal programming. Commercials and station bumps fill breaks between shows, recreating the pacing as well as the content of linear television. Supported channel types include conventional TV and movie stations, radio, IPTV streams, program guides, web channels, and continuously looping displays.1
FieldStation42 uses MPV for playback and runs on Linux, including Raspberry Pi OS and Windows through WSL. Its browser console configures stations, while a web remote, REST API, or an infrared remote connected through a Flirc receiver can control playback and change channels. An on-screen display supplies channel and now-playing information.2
The result is closer to operating a tiny cable headend than building another media-center menu: the collection becomes a set of programmed streams, and channel surfing replaces searching for something to watch.
References
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FieldStation42, official website. ↩ ↩2
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Shane Mason, FieldStation42 repository. ↩