CrunchBang Linux

busprof

#! Member

Registered: 2011-03-13

Posts: 66

Script: Open VLC-ncurses With Playlist Preloaded

If you like VLC and if you like lightweight, tiling WMs or you have gone X-less, you might want to try this little (and I mean little) script.  This opens VLC in ncurses mode and allows you to include a playlist of internet radio streams that will appear in VLC's "playlist" ncurses window.  It's a quick and painless way to start an internet radio stream without resorting to the full GUI version of VLC.

First, here's the script:

#!/bin/bash
#A script to start vlc-ncurses with a pre-loaded playlist of radio streams

vlc -I ncurses http://69.12.217.101:8000/listen.pls http://twangcity.com:8090/twang.m3u http://yp.shoutcast.com/sbin/tunein-station.pls?id=29469 http://dir.xiph.org/listen/842754/listen.m3u http://dir.xiph.org/listen/856926/listen.m3u

Copy this into an editor, save it to an appropriate directory, and make it executable

chmod +x vlc_nox.sh

I have a couple of stream URLs in the script - you will doubtless want to put your own in the list.

Here's how I'm using it with dwm - but this would work in a TTY environment using, for example, screen or byobu.

1. Open a terminal
2. Run the script with ./vlc_nox.sh
3. That's it

A couple of hints - The URL you have listed first will automatically start, so make sure you've got something in the first position that you can tolerate for at least a few seconds

I open alsamixer, but you can control the volume in VLC-ncurses with "a" (increase) and "z" (decrease)

To change stations in your playlist, use the up and down arrow keys, then hit "enter" when you have highlighted the station you want

The spacebar pauses play - the "enter" key re-starts play

Here's a shot of my netbook desktop using VLC-ncurses:

VastOne

#! Ranger

From: #! Fringe Division

Registered: 2011-04-26

Posts: 9,728

Website

Re: Script: Open VLC-ncurses With Playlist Preloaded

^ Very nice How To and script busprof, well done!

I have added it to Quick References...

Thank you!

---

VSIDO
If you build it, they will come...
Words That Build Or Destroy