xupnpd User Manual

eXtensible UPnP Agent Copyright (C) 2011-2025 Anton Burdinuk clark15b@gmail.com

Overview

xupnpd is a simple and portable UPnP media server designed for IPTV broadcasting within a home network. It allows DLNA-compatible devices to stream IPTV content even if they lack native support for multicast or Internet-sourced playlists.

Key Use Cases

• Router-based IPTV: Install xupnpd on your home WiFi router to watch Internet TV on various devices (Smart TVs, game consoles, tablets) without a dedicated computer or ISP set-top box (provided the streams are not encrypted).
• Satellite TV Distribution: Share a single satellite receiver's signal to multiple TVs across your home network.
• Media Server: Share local video files from your router/PC to DLNA players.
• Online Video Aggregation: Stream content from online platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, Vkontakte, and others directly to your TV.

Although not DLNA-certified, xupnpd effectively announces unicast or multicast TV channel lists using UPnP/DLNA mechanisms, compatible with a wide range of devices.

Features

• Built-in DLNA/UPnP media server for announcing channel lists or media files.
• Support for HTTP sources (URL lists of Internet streams).
• Built-in multicast proxy for ISP IPTV or external udpxy support.
• Traditional media server for sharing video files on the network.
• Support for YouTube, Vimeo, Vkontakte, IVI, and other online platforms.
• High Definition (HD) video playback.
• Internet radio.
• Lua scripting extension mechanism for adding new video sources.
• No transcoding (only delivery method conversion).
• M3U playlist support.
• Scheduled automatic feed/channel list updates.
• Content grouping and tree-view display.
• Access control lists (ACL) and parental controls.
• Web interface and external management API.
• Open source.

Requirements

• Hardware:
  • A router with an Atheros or Broadcom chipset (ar71xx, mipsel, etc.), such as:
    • D-Link DIR-320
    • ASUS WL-500gP, N-16, RT-N56U
    • Zyxel Keenetic
    • TP-LINK WR841ND
  • Alternatively: A PC or any other device running a Linux or BSD-based OS.
• Software:
  • A custom firmware like OpenWrt or DD-Wrt (for routers).
  • (Optional) udpxy for external multicast-to-HTTP conversion.

Installation & Quick Start

1. Download the xupnpd archive to your router (using scp, sftp, or ftp).
2. Extract the archive (e.g., tar zxf xupnpd.tar.gz).
3. Run the appropriate binary for your architecture:
   • xupnpd/xupnpd-mipsel
   • xupnpd/xupnpd-ar71xx
4. Open the web interface in your browser: http://192.168.1.1:4044 (replace 192.168.1.1 with your router's IP address).
5. Upload your IPTV playlist in M3U format via the web interface.
6. Enjoy IPTV on your DLNA-compatible player. Your server should appear as "UPnP-IPTV".

Playlist Format (M3U8)

xupnpd uses playlists in M3U8 format to describe the structure of media content.

EXTM3U Directives (Playlist Headers)

Lines starting with #EXTM3U can contain the following attributes:

• name - Playlist name.
• type - Default video type.
• dlna_extras - Default DLNA profile.
• plugin - Default handler (extension) for the entire playlist (e.g., for YouTube, Vimeo).

EXTINF Directives (Channel Entries)

Lines starting with #EXTINF describe individual channels and can contain:

• logo - URL of the channel logo (JPEG image).
• group-title - Group name (items with the same value are grouped in one folder).
• type - Video type.
• dlna_extras - DLNA profile.
• plugin - Handler (extension) name for this specific stream.

Allowed Values

• type: avi, asf, wmv, mp4, mpeg, mpeg1, mpeg2, ts, mp2t, mp2p, mov, mkv, 3gp, flv, aac, ac3, mp3, ogg, wma
• dlna_extras: none, mpeg_ps_pal, mpeg_ps_pal_ac3, mpeg_ps_ntsc, mpeg_ps_ntsc_ac3, mpeg1, mpeg_ts_sd, mpeg_ts_hd, avchd, wmv_med_base, wmv_med_full, wmv_med_pro, wmv_high_full, wmv_high_pro, asf_mpeg4_sp, asf_mpeg4_asp_l4, asf_mpeg4_asp_l5, asf_vc1_l1, mp4_avc_sd_mp3, mp4_avc_sd_ac3, mp4_avc_hd_ac3, mp4_avc_sd_aac, mpeg_ts_hd_mp3, mpeg_ts_hd_ac3, mpeg_ts_mpeg4_asp_mp3, mpeg_ts_mpeg4_asp_ac3, avi, divx5, mp3, ac3, wma_base, wma_full, wma_pro

Configuration (xupnpd.lua)

The main configuration file is xupnpd.lua. Here is an example with common parameters:

-- Network interface for SSDP announcements (e.g., 'eth0', 'br0', 'br-lan')
cfg.ssdp_interface='br0'

-- Allow host to receive its own multicast announcements (0 or 1)
cfg.ssdp_loop=0

-- HTTP port for incoming connections (web interface)
cfg.http_port=4044

-- Log facility ('syslog', 'local0' - 'local7')
cfg.log_facility='local0'

-- Run as a daemon
cfg.daemon=true

-- Embedded mode (no logs, no pid file)
cfg.embedded=true

-- SSDP trace level (0-off, 1-basic, 2-full; requires cfg.daemon=false)
cfg.debug=1

-- URL for external udpxy proxy (comment out to use built-in proxy!)
--cfg.udpxy_url='http://192.168.1.1:4022'

-- Network interface (usually WAN) for receiving multicast streams for the built-in proxy
cfg.mcast_interface='eth1'

-- HTTP unicast proxy mode: 0-disable, 1-proxy only radio, 2-proxy everything
cfg.proxy=2

-- Network timeout
cfg.http_timeout=15

-- Enable DLNA extras transmission
cfg.dlna_extras=true

-- XBox 360 compatibility mode
cfg.xbox360=false

-- Enable UPnP/DLNA change notifications
cfg.dlna_notify=true

-- Group content by 'group-title'
cfg.group=true

-- Display name for the device
cfg.name='UPnP-IPTV'

-- Device UUID (if nil, generates a new one on each start)
cfg.uuid='60bd2fb3-dabe-cb14-c766-0e319b54c29a'

-- Default IPTV stream type
cfg.default_mime_type='mpeg'

-- Feed update interval in seconds (0 - disable)
cfg.feeds_update_interval=0

-- Playlists and local media folders
-- Format: { 'path', 'Display Name', 'optional;acl;list' }
playlist=
{
    { './playlists/mozhay.m3u', 'Mozhay.tv' },
    { './localmedia', 'Local Media Files', '127.0.0.1;192.168.1.1' } -- ACL restricted
}

-- Feeds from extensions
-- Format: { 'plugin_name', 'feed_identifier', 'Display Name' }
feeds=
{
    { 'vimeo',   'channel/hd',          'Vimeo HD Channel' },
    { 'vimeo',   'channel/hdxs',        'HD Xtreme sports' },
    { 'youtube', 'channel/top_rated',   'YouTube Top Rated' },
}

Example Playlist (M3U8)

#EXTM3U name="My IPTV"
#EXTINF:0 logo=http://example.com/chan1.jpg type=mpeg dlna_extras=mpeg_ps_pal,Channel 1
udp://@234.5.2.8:20000
#EXTINF:0,Channel 2
http://192.168.1.1:4022/udp/234.5.2.2:20000
#EXTINF:0 group-title="Main",Channel 3
http://020.example.tv
#EXTINF:0 logo=http://b.vimeocdn.com/ts/204/056/204056508_200.jpg type=mp4 plugin=vimeo,The Curious Fate of Humankind
http://vimeo.com/30381893
#EXTINF:0 logo=http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kffacxfA7G4/1.jpg type=mp4 plugin=youtube,Justin Bieber - Baby ft. Ludacris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kffacxfA7G4

Tested Compatibility

• Routers/Devices: PC (Ubuntu 10.04), D-Link DIR-320, Asus WL-500gP, Asus N-16, Asus RT-N56U, Zyxel Keenetic, TP-LINK WR841ND, Samsung B/C/D Series TVs, DreamBox DM500HD.
• Players: Sony PlayStation 3, Iconbit HDS4L, WDTV Live, HTC Desire (Android + apps), various Samsung, LG, Sony, Philips Smart TVs, Windows Media Player 11, VideoLAN.