MediaFlow Proxy

MediaFlow Proxy is a powerful and flexible solution for proxifying various types of media streams. It supports HTTP(S) links, HLS (M3U8) streams, and MPEG-DASH streams, including DRM-protected content. This proxy can convert MPEG-DASH DRM-protected streams to decrypted HLS live streams in real-time, making it one of the fastest live decrypter servers available.

Features

Stream Processing

Convert MPEG-DASH streams (DRM-protected and non-protected) to HLS
ClearKey DRM decryption with support for all CENC encryption modes (see DASH/MPD Support Status)
Support for multi-key DRM streams (different keys for video/audio tracks)
Support for non-DRM protected DASH live and VOD streams
Proxy and modify HLS (M3U8) streams in real-time
Smart pre-buffering for both HLS and DASH streams (enabled by default)
Proxy HTTP/HTTPS links with custom headers

Proxy & Routing

Advanced proxy routing system with support for:
- Domain-based routing rules
- Protocol-specific routing (HTTP/HTTPS)
- Subdomain and wildcard patterns
- Port-specific routing
Support for HTTP/HTTPS/SOCKS5 proxy forwarding
Flexible SSL verification control per route
Support for expired or self-signed SSL certificates
Public IP address retrieval for Debrid services integration

Xtream Codes (XC) API Proxy

Stateless XC API proxy for IPTV players
Support for live streams, VOD, series, and catch-up/timeshift
Compatible with any XC-compatible IPTV player (TiviMate, IPTV Smarters, etc.)
Automatic URL rewriting for seamless proxying

Security

API password protection against unauthorized access & Network bandwidth abuse prevention
Parameter encryption to hide sensitive information
Optional IP-based access control for encrypted URLs
URL expiration support for encrypted URLs

Additional Features

Built-in speed test for RealDebrid and AllDebrid services
Custom header injection and modification
Response header removal - Remove problematic headers from upstream responses (e.g., incorrect Content-Length)
Resolution selection - Select specific resolution (e.g., 720p, 1080p) for HLS and DASH streams
Real-time HLS manifest manipulation
HLS Key URL modifications for bypassing stream restrictions
Base64 URL Support - Automatic detection and processing of base64 encoded URLs
Segment Skipping - Skip specific time ranges in HLS and DASH streams (intro/outro skipping, ad removal)
Stream Transformers - Handle host-specific stream obfuscation (e.g., PNG-wrapped MPEG-TS segments)

DASH/MPD Support Status

MPD Segment Addressing Types

Type	Status	Notes
SegmentTemplate (fixed duration)	✅ Supported	Most common for VOD content
SegmentTemplate (SegmentTimeline)	✅ Supported	Variable duration segments
SegmentBase	✅ Supported	Single file with byte ranges
SegmentList	✅ Supported	Explicit segment URLs in MPD

MPD Presentation Types

Type	Status	Notes
Static (VOD)	✅ Supported	Fixed duration content
Dynamic (Live)	✅ Supported	Live streaming with availabilityStartTime

DRM/Encryption Support

Supported (ClearKey):

Mode	Scheme	Status	Notes
AES-CTR (cenc)	Full sample CTR	✅ Supported	Standard CENC encryption
AES-CTR Pattern (cens)	Subsample CTR	✅ Supported	Pattern encryption with CTR
AES-CBC (cbc1)	Full sample CBC	✅ Supported	Full sample CBC mode
AES-CBC Pattern (cbcs)	Subsample CBC	✅ Supported	Used by Apple FairPlay

Not Supported (Commercial DRM):

DRM System	Status	Notes
Widevine	❌ Not Supported	Requires license server communication
PlayReady	❌ Not Supported	Microsoft's DRM system
FairPlay	❌ Not Supported	Apple's DRM system (keys not extractable)
PrimeTime	❌ Not Supported	Adobe's DRM system

Note: MediaFlow Proxy only supports ClearKey DRM where the decryption keys are provided directly. Commercial DRM systems (Widevine, PlayReady, FairPlay) require license server communication and hardware-backed security that cannot be bypassed by this proxy.

IV Size Support

Size	Status	Notes
8-byte IV	✅ Supported	GPAC default
16-byte IV	✅ Supported	Bento4 default
Constant IV	✅ Supported	Used by CBCS streams

Multi-Key Support

Feature	Status	Notes
Single Key (all tracks)	✅ Supported	Same key for video and audio
Multi-Key (per track)	✅ Supported	Different keys for video/audio tracks
Key rotation	❌ Not Supported	Keys changing mid-stream

Pre-buffering (HLS & DASH)

MediaFlow Proxy includes intelligent pre-buffering for both HLS and DASH streams, enabled by default to improve playback smoothness and reduce buffering.

How Pre-buffering Works

Feature	HLS	DASH
Enabled by default	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Smart variant selection	✅ Only buffers the variant being played	✅ Only buffers requested profiles
Live stream support	✅ Buffers from end of playlist	✅ Buffers from end of playlist
VOD support	✅ Buffers from start	✅ Buffers from start
Inactivity cleanup	✅ Stops after 60s idle	✅ Stops after 60s idle
Memory management	✅ Configurable limits	✅ Configurable limits

Key Behaviors

Smart Variant Selection (HLS): When a master playlist is requested, pre-buffering does NOT automatically buffer all quality variants. It only starts buffering when the player actually requests segments from a specific variant, saving bandwidth and memory.
Inactivity Cleanup: Both HLS and DASH pre-buffers automatically stop refreshing playlists and clean up resources after 60 seconds of inactivity (no segment requests). This prevents memory leaks when streams are stopped.
Live Stream Optimization: For live streams, segments are buffered from the END of the playlist (most recent) rather than the beginning, ensuring the player has the freshest content available.
Memory Protection: Pre-buffering respects configurable memory limits and will stop buffering if system memory usage exceeds thresholds.

Configuration

Set the following environment variables:

API_PASSWORD: Optional. Protects against unauthorized access and API network abuses.
ENABLE_STREAMING_PROGRESS: Optional. Enable streaming progress logging. Default is false.
DISABLE_SSL_VERIFICATION_GLOBALLY: Optional. Disable SSL verification for all requests globally. Default is false.
DISABLE_HOME_PAGE: Optional. Disables the home page UI. Returns 403 for the root path and direct access to index.html. Default is false.
DISABLE_DOCS: Optional. Disables the API documentation (Swagger UI). Returns 403 for the /docs path. Default is false.
DISABLE_SPEEDTEST: Optional. Disables the speedtest UI. Returns 403 for the /speedtest path and direct access to speedtest.html. Default is false.
CLEAR_CACHE_ON_STARTUP: Optional. Clears all caches (extractor cache, etc.) when the server starts. Useful for development and testing. Default is false.
STREMIO_PROXY_URL: Optional. Stremio server URL for alternative content proxying. Example: http://127.0.0.1:11470.
M3U8_CONTENT_ROUTING: Optional. Routing strategy for M3U8 content URLs: mediaflow (default), stremio, or direct.
ENABLE_HLS_PREBUFFER: Optional. Enables HLS pre-buffering for improved streaming performance. Default: true. Pre-buffering downloads upcoming segments ahead of playback to reduce buffering. Set to false to disable for low-memory environments.
HLS_PREBUFFER_SEGMENTS: Optional. Number of HLS segments to pre-buffer ahead. Default: 5. Only effective when ENABLE_HLS_PREBUFFER is true.
HLS_PREBUFFER_CACHE_SIZE: Optional. Maximum number of HLS segments to keep in memory cache. Default: 50. Only effective when ENABLE_HLS_PREBUFFER is true.
HLS_PREBUFFER_MAX_MEMORY_PERCENT: Optional. Maximum percentage of system memory to use for HLS pre-buffer cache. Default: 80. Only effective when ENABLE_HLS_PREBUFFER is true.
HLS_PREBUFFER_EMERGENCY_THRESHOLD: Optional. Emergency threshold (%) to trigger aggressive HLS cache cleanup. Default: 90. Only effective when ENABLE_HLS_PREBUFFER is true.
HLS_PREBUFFER_INACTIVITY_TIMEOUT: Optional. Seconds of inactivity before stopping HLS playlist refresh. Default: 60. Helps clean up resources when streams are stopped.
ENABLE_DASH_PREBUFFER: Optional. Enables DASH pre-buffering for improved streaming performance. Default: true. Pre-buffering downloads upcoming segments ahead of playback to reduce buffering. Set to false to disable for low-memory environments.
DASH_PREBUFFER_SEGMENTS: Optional. Number of DASH segments to pre-buffer ahead. Default: 5. Only effective when ENABLE_DASH_PREBUFFER is true.
DASH_PREBUFFER_CACHE_SIZE: Optional. Maximum number of DASH segments to keep in memory cache. Default: 50. Only effective when ENABLE_DASH_PREBUFFER is true.
DASH_PREBUFFER_MAX_MEMORY_PERCENT: Optional. Maximum percentage of system memory to use for DASH pre-buffer cache. Default: 80. Only effective when ENABLE_DASH_PREBUFFER is true.
DASH_PREBUFFER_EMERGENCY_THRESHOLD: Optional. Emergency threshold (%) to trigger aggressive DASH cache cleanup. Default: 90. Only effective when ENABLE_DASH_PREBUFFER is true.
DASH_PREBUFFER_INACTIVITY_TIMEOUT: Optional. Seconds of inactivity before cleaning up DASH stream state. Default: 60. Helps clean up resources when streams are stopped.
DASH_SEGMENT_CACHE_TTL: Optional. TTL in seconds for cached DASH segments. Default: 60. Longer values help with slow network playback.
FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS: Optional. Controls which IP addresses are trusted to provide forwarded headers (X-Forwarded-For, X-Forwarded-Proto, etc.) when MediaFlow Proxy is deployed behind reverse proxies or load balancers. Default: 127.0.0.1. See Forwarded Headers Configuration for detailed usage.

Transport Configuration

MediaFlow Proxy now supports advanced transport configuration using HTTPX's routing system. You can configure proxy and SSL verification settings for different domains and protocols.

Basic Configuration

Enable proxy for all routes:

PROXY_URL=http://proxy:8080
ALL_PROXY=true

Advanced Routing Configuration

Configure different proxy settings for specific patterns:

PROXY_URL=http://proxy:8080
TRANSPORT_ROUTES='{
    "https://internal.company.com": {
        "proxy": false
    },
    "all://streaming.service.com": {
        "proxy_url": "socks5://streaming-proxy:1080",
        "verify_ssl": false
    }
}'

The routing system supports various patterns:

Domain routing: "all://example.com"
Subdomain routing: "all://*.example.com"
Protocol-specific routing: "https://example.com"
Port-specific routing: "all://*:1234"
Wildcard routing: "all://"

Route Configuration Options

Each route can have the following settings:

proxy: Boolean to enable/disable proxy for this route (default: true)
proxy_url: Optional specific proxy URL for this route (overrides primary proxy_url)
verify_ssl: Boolean to control SSL verification (default: true)

Configuration Examples

Simple proxy setup with SSL bypass for internal domain:

PROXY_URL=http://main-proxy:8080
TRANSPORT_ROUTES='{
    "https://internal.domain.com": {
        "proxy": false,
        "verify_ssl": false
    }
}'

Different proxies for different services:

PROXY_URL=http://default-proxy:8080
TRANSPORT_ROUTES='{
    "all://*.streaming.com": {
        "proxy": true,
        "proxy_url": "socks5://streaming-proxy:1080"
    },
    "all://*.internal.com": {
        "proxy": false
    },
    "https://api.service.com": {
        "proxy": true,
        "verify_ssl": false
    }
}'

Global proxy with exceptions:

PROXY_URL=http://main-proxy:8080
ALL_PROXY=true
TRANSPORT_ROUTES='{
    "all://local.network": {
        "proxy": false
    },
    "all://*.trusted-service.com": {
        "proxy": false
    }
}'

Forwarded Headers Configuration

When MediaFlow Proxy is deployed behind reverse proxies, load balancers, or CDNs (such as Nginx, Apache, Cloudflare, AWS ALB, etc.), it needs to properly handle forwarded headers to determine the real client IP address and original request protocol. The FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS environment variable and --forwarded-allow-ips uvicorn parameter control which IP addresses are trusted to provide these headers.

What are Forwarded Headers?

Forwarded headers are HTTP headers that preserve information about the original client request when it passes through intermediary servers:

X-Forwarded-For: Contains the original client IP address
X-Forwarded-Proto: Contains the original request protocol (http/https)
X-Real-IP: Alternative header for client IP address
X-Forwarded-Host: Contains the original host header

Security Importance

Only trusted proxy servers should be allowed to set these headers, as malicious clients could potentially spoof them to bypass IP-based restrictions or logging. MediaFlow Proxy uses these headers for:

Client IP Detection: For IP-based access control in encrypted URLs
Protocol Detection: For generating correct URLs with proper schemes
Security Logging: For accurate request tracking and abuse prevention

Configuration Options

Environment Variable (Docker/Production):

# Trust only localhost (default - most secure)
FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS=127.0.0.1

# Trust specific proxy IPs
FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS=10.0.0.1,192.168.1.100

# Trust all IPs (use with caution)
FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS=*

⚠️ Security warning
Setting FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS=* disables IP-spoofing protection and must only be used in trusted LAN or dev environments.
In production, always list the concrete IPs of your reverse-proxy servers.

Uvicorn Command Line Parameter:

# Trust only localhost (recommended for local development)
uvicorn mediaflow_proxy.main:app --forwarded-allow-ips "127.0.0.1"

# Trust specific proxy servers
uvicorn mediaflow_proxy.main:app --forwarded-allow-ips "10.0.0.1,192.168.1.100"

# Trust all IPs (development only - not recommended for production)
uvicorn mediaflow_proxy.main:app --forwarded-allow-ips "*"

Common Deployment Scenarios

1. Direct Internet Access (No Proxy)

# Remove --forwarded-allow-ips parameter entirely or use localhost only
uvicorn mediaflow_proxy.main:app --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8888

2. Behind Nginx Reverse Proxy

# Trust the Nginx server IP
FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS=127.0.0.1

3. Behind Cloudflare

# Trust Cloudflare IP ranges (example - check current Cloudflare IPs)
FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS=173.245.48.0,103.21.244.0,103.22.200.0

4. Behind AWS Application Load Balancer

# Trust the VPC subnet where ALB is deployed
FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS=10.0.0.0

5. Docker with Host Network

# Trust the Docker host
FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS=172.17.0.1

6. Docker Compose with Nginx in Same Network

# Trust the Docker network range (when nginx and mediaflow-proxy are in same docker network)
FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS=172.20.0.0
# Or trust all Docker IPs (less secure but simpler for development)
FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS=*

7. Kubernetes with Ingress

# Trust the ingress controller pod network
FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS=10.244.0.0

Best Practices

Principle of Least Privilege: Only trust the specific IP addresses of your proxy servers
Regular Updates: Keep your trusted IP list updated when infrastructure changes
Monitor Logs: Watch for unexpected forwarded headers from untrusted sources
Test Configuration: Verify that client IPs are correctly detected after configuration changes

Troubleshooting

Problem: Client IP always shows as proxy IP

Solution: Add your proxy server's IP to FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS

Problem: Security warnings about untrusted forwarded headers

Solution: Restrict FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS to only include your actual proxy servers

Problem: IP-based restrictions not working correctly

Solution: Verify that forwarded headers are being processed by checking the trusted IP configuration

Problem: Links return 302 redirects when nginx is in the same Docker network

Solution: Set FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS=* or specify the Docker network (e.g., FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS=172.20.0.0)
Note: When nginx and MediaFlow Proxy run in the same Docker network, you must configure FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS to trust the Docker network IP range, otherwise proxy links will not work correctly

Example Nginx Configuration

When using Nginx as a reverse proxy, ensure it's properly setting forwarded headers:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name your-domain.com;
    
    location / {
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8888;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
    }
}

Then configure MediaFlow Proxy to trust Nginx:

FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS=127.0.0.1

Reverse Proxy Configuration

MediaFlow Proxy is commonly deployed behind reverse proxies for SSL termination, load balancing, and additional security. Here are detailed configurations for popular reverse proxy solutions.

Nginx Configuration

Basic Nginx Configuration:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name mediaflow.yourdomain.com;
    
    # Redirect HTTP to HTTPS
    return 301 https://$server_name$request_uri;
}

server {
    listen 443 ssl http2;
    server_name mediaflow.yourdomain.com;
    
    # SSL Configuration
    ssl_certificate /path/to/your/certificate.crt;
    ssl_certificate_key /path/to/your/private.key;
    ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;
    ssl_ciphers ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA512:DHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA512:ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384:DHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384;
    ssl_prefer_server_ciphers off;
    
    # Security Headers
    add_header X-Frame-Options DENY;
    add_header X-Content-Type-Options nosniff;
    add_header X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block";
    add_header Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains" always;
    
    # Client settings for streaming
    client_max_body_size 0;
    client_body_timeout 60s;
    client_header_timeout 60s;
    
    location / {
        # Proxy settings
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8888;
        proxy_http_version 1.1;
        proxy_cache_bypass $http_upgrade;
        
        # Headers for forwarded information
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Port $server_port;
        
        # Headers for streaming support
        proxy_set_header Range $http_range;
        proxy_set_header If-Range $http_if_range;
        proxy_set_header Connection "";
        
        # Timeout settings for streaming
        proxy_connect_timeout 60s;
        proxy_send_timeout 300s;
        proxy_read_timeout 300s;
        
        # Disable buffering for streaming
        proxy_buffering off;
        proxy_request_buffering off;
        proxy_max_temp_file_size 0;
        
        # Handle redirects
        proxy_redirect off;
    }
    
    # Optional: Specific location for streaming endpoints with extended timeouts
    location ~* ^/proxy/(stream|hls|mpd)/ {
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8888;
        proxy_http_version 1.1;
        
        # Extended timeouts for large streams
        proxy_connect_timeout 60s;
        proxy_send_timeout 600s;
        proxy_read_timeout 600s;
        
        # Streaming optimizations
        proxy_buffering off;
        proxy_request_buffering off;
        proxy_max_temp_file_size 0;
        
        # Forward all necessary headers
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
        proxy_set_header Range $http_range;
        proxy_set_header If-Range $http_if_range;
        proxy_set_header Connection "";
    }
    
    # Access and error logs
    access_log /var/log/nginx/mediaflow_access.log;
    error_log /var/log/nginx/mediaflow_error.log;
}

MediaFlow Proxy Configuration for Nginx:

# Trust Nginx server
FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS=127.0.0.1

# Other recommended settings
API_PASSWORD=your_secure_password

Nginx Proxy Manager Configuration

Nginx Proxy Manager provides a web-based interface for managing Nginx reverse proxy configurations.

Step 1: Create Proxy Host

In the Nginx Proxy Manager web interface:

Details Tab:

Domain Names: mediaflow.yourdomain.com
Scheme: http
Forward Hostname/IP: 127.0.0.1 (or MediaFlow Proxy container IP)
Forward Port: 8888
Cache Assets: ❌ (disabled)
Block Common Exploits: ❌ (disabled)
Websockets Support: ❌ (not required)
Access List: None (unless you need IP restrictions)

Step 2: SSL Configuration

SSL Tab:

SSL Certificate: Select your certificate (Let's Encrypt recommended)
Force SSL: ✅ (redirect HTTP to HTTPS)
HTTP/2 Support: ✅ (recommended for performance)
HSTS Enabled: ✅ (recommended for security)
HSTS Subdomains: ✅ (if applicable)

Step 3: Advanced Configuration

Advanced Tab - Custom Nginx Configuration:

# Headers for forwarded information
proxy_set_header Host $host;
proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Host $host;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Port $server_port;

# Headers for streaming support
proxy_set_header Range $http_range;
proxy_set_header If-Range $http_if_range;
proxy_set_header Connection "";

# Timeout settings for streaming
proxy_connect_timeout 60s;
proxy_send_timeout 300s;
proxy_read_timeout 300s;

# Disable buffering for streaming
proxy_buffering off;
proxy_request_buffering off;
proxy_max_temp_file_size 0;

# Client settings
client_max_body_size 0;
client_body_timeout 60s;
client_header_timeout 60s;

# Handle redirects
proxy_redirect off;

# HTTP version
proxy_http_version 1.1;

# Security headers
add_header X-Frame-Options DENY always;
add_header X-Content-Type-Options nosniff always;
add_header X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block" always;
add_header Referrer-Policy "strict-origin-when-cross-origin" always;

# Hide server information
proxy_hide_header X-Powered-By;
server_tokens off;

Step 4: MediaFlow Proxy Configuration

Configure MediaFlow Proxy to trust Nginx Proxy Manager:

If running on the same server:

FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS=127.0.0.1

If running in Docker with custom network:

# Use the Docker network range
FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS=172.18.0.0/16

If Nginx Proxy Manager is on a different server:

# Replace with actual Nginx Proxy Manager IP
FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS=10.0.0.5

Step 5: Docker Compose Example

Complete Docker Compose setup with Nginx Proxy Manager:

version: '3.8'

services:
  nginx-proxy-manager:
    image: 'jc21/nginx-proxy-manager:latest'
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - '80:80'
      - '443:443'
      - '81:81'  # Admin interface
    volumes:
      - ./npm-data:/data
      - ./npm-letsencrypt:/etc/letsencrypt
    networks:
      - proxy-network

  mediaflow-proxy:
    image: 'mhdzumair/mediaflow-proxy:latest'
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - '8888:8888'
    environment:
      - API_PASSWORD=your_secure_password
      - FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS=172.18.0.0/16
    networks:
      - proxy-network

networks:
  proxy-network:
    driver: bridge
    ipam:
      config:
        - subnet: 172.18.0.0/16

Important Notes for Nginx Proxy Manager

Block Common Exploits Setting:

The "Block Common Exploits" feature in Nginx Proxy Manager provides automatic protection against common web attacks but may occasionally block legitimate streaming URLs that contain special characters.

What it blocks:

Path traversal attempts (../, ..%2F)
SQL injection patterns
XSS attempts
Suspicious file extensions
Very long URLs (>2000 characters)
Base64-like patterns

Recommendation:

Enable it initially for security
Monitor logs for false positives
Disable only if necessary for specific streaming services

If you experience issues with legitimate URLs being blocked:

Check the logs in Nginx Proxy Manager for 403 errors
Test problematic URLs directly
Consider disabling "Block Common Exploits" if it interferes with streaming
Implement alternative security measures (Cloudflare WAF, fail2ban, etc.)

Troubleshooting Reverse Proxy Issues

Problem: MediaFlow Proxy shows proxy IP instead of client IP

Solution: Verify FORWARDED_ALLOW_IPS includes your proxy server IP
Check: Ensure proxy is sending X-Forwarded-For headers

Problem: Streaming timeouts or interruptions

Solution: Increase timeout values in proxy configuration
Check: Disable proxy buffering with proxy_buffering off

Problem: Large file uploads fail

Solution: Set client_max_body_size 0 in Nginx configuration
Check: Verify proxy_request_buffering off is set

Problem: SSL/HTTPS issues

Solution: Ensure X-Forwarded-Proto header is properly set
Check: Verify SSL certificates are valid and properly configured

Problem: 502/504 Gateway errors

Solution: Check MediaFlow Proxy is running and accessible
Check: Verify network connectivity between proxy and MediaFlow Proxy
Check: Review timeout settings in proxy configuration

Speed Test Feature

MediaFlow Proxy now includes a built-in speed test feature for testing RealDebrid and AllDebrid network speeds. To access the speed test:

Open your browser and navigate to http://your-server:8888/speedtest.html
The speed test page allows you to:
- Test download speeds from RealDebrid servers
- Test download speeds from AllDebrid servers

Installation

Option 1: Self-Hosted Deployment

Using Docker from Docker Hub

Pull & Run the Docker image:

docker run -p 8888:8888 -e API_PASSWORD=your_password mhdzumair/mediaflow-proxy

Using Docker Compose

Set the API_PASSWORD and other environment variables in .env:
```
echo "API_PASSWORD=your_password" > .env
```
Bring up the Docker Container:
```
docker compose up --detach
```

Using pip

Important

Ensure that you have Python 3.10 or higher installed.

Install the package:
```
pip install mediaflow-proxy
```
Set the API_PASSWORD and other environment variables in .env:
```
echo "API_PASSWORD=your_password" > .env
```
Run the MediaFlow Proxy server:
```
mediaflow-proxy
```
You can access the server at http://localhost:8888.
To run the server with uvicorn options: (Optional)
```
uvicorn mediaflow_proxy.main:app --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8888 --workers 4 --forwarded-allow-ips "*"
```
Note

Omit --forwarded-allow-ips "*" when running locally.

Using git & uv

Important

Ensure that you have Python 3.10 or higher and uv installed.

Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/mhdzumair/mediaflow-proxy.git
cd mediaflow-proxy

Install dependencies using uv:
```
uv sync
```
Set the API_PASSWORD environment variable in .env:
```
echo "API_PASSWORD=your_password" > .env
```

Run the FastAPI server:

uv run uvicorn mediaflow_proxy.main:app --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8888 --workers 4 --forwarded-allow-ips "*"

Note

Omit --forwarded-allow-ips "*" when running locally.

Build and Run Docker Image Locally

Build the Docker image:
```
docker build -t mediaflow-proxy .
```

Run the Docker container:

docker run -d -p 8888:8888 -e API_PASSWORD=your_password --restart unless-stopped --name mediaflow-proxy mediaflow-proxy

Option 2: Premium Hosted Service (ElfHosted)

For a hassle-free, high-performance deployment of MediaFlow Proxy, consider the premium hosted service through ElfHosted.

To purchase:

Visit https://store.elfhosted.com/product/mediaflow-proxy
Follow ElfHosted's setup instructions

Benefits:

Instant setup and automatic updates
High performance and 24/7 availability
No server maintenance required

Ideal for users who want a reliable, plug-and-play solution without the technical overhead of self-hosting.

Option 3: Hugging Face Space Deployment (Guide from a MediaFlow Contributor)

Go to this repo and create a fork: https://github.com/UrloMythus/UnHided
Sign up or log in to Hugging Face: https://huggingface.co/
Create a new space with a random name: https://huggingface.co/new-space. Choose Docker as SDK and blank template and public visibility.
Go to the "Settings" tab and create a new secret with the name API_PASSWORD and set the value to your desired password.
Go to the "Files" tab and create a new file with the name Dockerfile and paste the following content. After that, replace YourUsername/YourRepoName in the Dockerfile with your username and the name of your fork. Finally, click on "Commit" to save the changes. Remember, your space might get banned if instead of using your fork, you use the main repo.
```
FROM python:3.11-slim-bullseye

WORKDIR /app

RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y git

RUN git clone https://github.com/YourUsername/YourRepoName.git .

RUN pip install --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt

EXPOSE 7860
CMD ["uvicorn", "run:main_app", "--host", "0.0.0.0", "--port", "7860", "--workers", "4"]
```
Wait until the space gets built and deployed. Don't panic if you see "Your app is running" instead of the usual mediaflowproxy page. You can still use it as usual.
If the space is deployed successfully, you can click on the three dots in the top right corner and click on "Embed this space" and copy the "Direct URL".
To update your proxy to the newest release, go to your GitHub fork and click on Sync. After that, hop on your Hugging Face Space -> Settings and click on Factory Rebuild.
Use the above URL and API password on support addons like MediaFusion, MammaMia, Jackettio, etc.

Usage

Endpoints

/proxy/hls/manifest.m3u8: Proxify HLS streams
/proxy/stream: Proxy generic http video streams
/proxy/mpd/manifest.m3u8: Process MPD manifests
/proxy/mpd/playlist.m3u8: Generate HLS playlists from MPD
/proxy/mpd/segment.mp4: Process and decrypt media segments
/proxy/ip: Get the public IP address of the MediaFlow Proxy server
/extractor/video?host=: Extract direct video stream URLs from supported hosts (see supported hosts in API docs)
/playlist/builder: Build and customize playlists from multiple sources

Once the server is running, for more details on the available endpoints and their parameters, visit the Swagger UI at http://localhost:8888/docs.

Xtream Codes (XC) API Proxy

MediaFlow Proxy can act as a stateless pass-through proxy for Xtream Codes API, allowing you to proxy streams from XC-compatible IPTV providers through MediaFlow. This is particularly useful for:

Proxying streams from providers with Catch Up/Timeshift support
Using MediaFlow's features (headers, DRM, etc.) with XC streams
Routing XC streams through a specific network path

Configuration

Configure your IPTV player with the following settings:

Setting	Value
Server URL	`http://your-mediaflow-server:8888`
Username	`{base64_upstream}:{actual_username}:{api_password}`
Password	Your XC provider password

Where:

base64_upstream: Base64-encoded URL of your XC provider (e.g., http://provider.com:8080 → aHR0cDovL3Byb3ZpZGVyLmNvbTo4MDgw)
actual_username: Your actual XC username from the provider
api_password: Your MediaFlow API password (omit if not configured)

Username Format Examples

With MediaFlow API password:

aHR0cDovL3Byb3ZpZGVyLmNvbTo4MDgw:myusername:my_mediaflow_password

Without MediaFlow API password:

aHR0cDovL3Byb3ZpZGVyLmNvbTo4MDgw:myusername:

Generating Base64 Upstream URL

You can encode your XC provider URL using the URL Generator tool at http://your-mediaflow-server:8888/url-generator or manually:

Using command line:

echo -n "http://provider.com:8080" | base64
# Output: aHR0cDovL3Byb3ZpZGVyLmNvbTo4MDgw

Using Python:

import base64
url = "http://provider.com:8080"
encoded = base64.urlsafe_b64encode(url.encode()).decode().rstrip('=')
print(encoded)

Supported XC API Endpoints

MediaFlow proxies all standard XC API endpoints:

Endpoint	Description
`/player_api.php`	Main API for categories, streams, VOD, series
`/xmltv.php`	EPG/TV Guide data
`/get.php`	M3U playlist generation
`/panel_api.php`	Panel API (if supported by provider)
`/live/{user}/{pass}/{id}.{ext}`	Live stream playback
`/movie/{user}/{pass}/{id}.{ext}`	VOD/Movie playback
`/series/{user}/{pass}/{id}.{ext}`	Series episode playback
`/timeshift/{user}/{pass}/{duration}/{start}/{id}.{ext}`	Catch-up/Timeshift playback

Player Configuration Examples

TiviMate:

Add Playlist → Xtream Codes Login
Server: http://your-mediaflow-server:8888
Username: {base64_upstream}:{actual_username}:{api_password}
Password: Your XC password

IPTV Smarters:

Add User → Xtream Codes API
Any Name: Your choice
Username: {base64_upstream}:{actual_username}:{api_password}
Password: Your XC password
URL: http://your-mediaflow-server:8888

OTT Navigator:

Add Provider → Xtream
Portal URL: http://your-mediaflow-server:8888
Login: {base64_upstream}:{actual_username}:{api_password}
Password: Your XC password

URL Parameters

&max_res=true
Forces playback at the highest available quality (maximum resolution) supported by the stream.

Usage: Add &max_res=true to the proxy URL
Effect: Only the highest quality rendition will be selected and served.
Note: This parameter is effective with HLS and MPD streams.

&resolution=720p
Select a specific resolution stream instead of the highest or default.

Usage: Add &resolution=720p (or 1080p, 480p, 360p, etc.) to the proxy URL
Effect: Selects the stream matching the specified resolution. Falls back to the closest lower resolution if exact match is not found.
Supported Endpoints: /proxy/hls/manifest.m3u8, /proxy/mpd/manifest.m3u8

&no_proxy=true
Disables the proxy for the current destination, performing a direct request.

Usage: Add &no_proxy=true to the proxy URL
Effect: Bypasses all proxy functions for the destination, useful for debugging or testing stream access directly.

&skip=0-112,280-300
Skip specific time ranges in HLS and DASH/MPD streams. Useful for skipping intros, outros, credits, or any unwanted content.

Usage: Add &skip=start-end,start-end,... to the proxy URL (times in seconds)
Effect: Removes segments that overlap with the specified time ranges and inserts #EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY markers for seamless playback.
Supported Endpoints: /proxy/hls/manifest.m3u8, /proxy/mpd/manifest.m3u8, /proxy/mpd/playlist.m3u8
Precision: Segment-level precision (segments overlapping with skip ranges are removed entirely)
Decimal Support: Supports decimal values for precise timing (e.g., skip=0-112.5,120.25-150.75)
Example: &skip=0-90 skips the first 90 seconds (intro), &skip=0-90,1750-1800 skips intro and outro

&x_headers=content-length,transfer-encoding
Remove specific headers from the proxied response.

Usage: Add &x_headers=header1,header2 to the proxy URL (comma-separated list)
Effect: Removes the specified headers from the upstream response before forwarding to the client.
Use Case: Useful when upstream servers send incorrect headers (e.g., wrong Content-Length) that cause playback issues.
Example: &x_headers=content-length removes the Content-Length header, allowing chunked transfer encoding.

&transformer=ts_stream
Apply stream content transformations for specific hosting providers.

Usage: Add &transformer=transformer_id to the proxy URL
Effect: Processes stream chunks through a transformer that handles host-specific obfuscation or encoding.
Available Transformers:
- ts_stream - Handles MPEG-TS streams wrapped in fake PNG containers with 0xFF padding (used by TurboVidPlay, StreamWish, FileMoon, etc.)
How it works: Some video hosts disguise their TS segments as PNG images to evade detection. The ts_stream transformer:
1. Detects and strips the fake PNG header (89 50 4E 47...)
2. Finds and removes the PNG IEND marker
3. Skips any 0xFF padding bytes
4. Locates the actual MPEG-TS sync byte (0x47) with packet alignment verification
5. Outputs clean, playable MPEG-TS data
Example: &transformer=ts_stream&x_headers=content-length,content-range for streams with PNG wrappers.
Note: This parameter is automatically set when using extractors for supported hosts.

&rp_content-type=video/mp2t
Set response headers that propagate to HLS/DASH segments.

Usage: Add &rp_header-name=value to the proxy URL (rp_ prefix)
Effect: These headers are applied to segment responses AND propagated to segment URLs in the manifest.
Use Case: Override content-type for segments disguised as other file types (e.g., PNG files containing video data).
Difference from r_ prefix: r_ headers only apply to the manifest response, while rp_ headers propagate to all segment requests.
Example: &rp_content-type=video/mp2t sets the content-type to video/mp2t for all segments.

Examples

Proxy HTTPS Stream

mpv "http://localhost:8888/proxy/stream?d=https://jsoncompare.org/LearningContainer/SampleFiles/Video/MP4/sample-mp4-file.mp4&api_password=your_password"

Proxy HTTPS self-signed certificate Stream

To bypass SSL verification for a self-signed certificate stream, export the proxy route configuration:

PROXY_ROUTES='{"https://self-signed.badssl.com": {"proxy_url": null, "verify_ssl": false}}'

mpv "http://localhost:8888/proxy/stream?d=https://self-signed.badssl.com/&api_password=your_password"

Proxy HLS Stream with Headers

mpv "http://localhost:8888/proxy/hls/manifest.m3u8?d=https://devstreaming-cdn.apple.com/videos/streaming/examples/img_bipbop_adv_example_fmp4/master.m3u8&h_referer=https://apple.com/&h_origin=https://apple.com&h_user-agent=Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/118.0.0.0 Safari/537.36&api_password=your_password"

Proxy M3U/M3U_Plus IPTV Streams with Forced Playlist Proxying

For IPTV m3u/m3u_plus streams where playlist URLs don't have clear keyword indicators, use the force_playlist_proxy parameter. This is commonly used with IPTV clients and applications:

# Example IPTV stream URL for use in IPTV clients like TiviMate, IPTV Smarters, etc.
http://localhost:8888/proxy/hls/manifest.m3u8?d=https://iptv.example.com/playlist.m3u&force_playlist_proxy=true&api_password=your_password

# With custom headers for IPTV providers that require authentication
http://localhost:8888/proxy/hls/manifest.m3u8?d=https://iptv.provider.com/stream&force_playlist_proxy=true&h_user-agent=IPTV-Client&h_referer=https://iptv.provider.com&api_password=your_password

IPTV Use Cases:

M3U Playlists: When IPTV providers use m3u format without clear file extensions
M3U_Plus Playlists: Extended m3u format with additional metadata
Provider-Specific Streams: IPTV services with custom playlist formats
Authentication Required: Streams that need specific headers or authentication

HLS Stream with Resolution Selection

# Select specific resolution (720p)
mpv "http://localhost:8888/proxy/hls/manifest.m3u8?d=https://devstreaming-cdn.apple.com/videos/streaming/examples/img_bipbop_adv_example_fmp4/master.m3u8&resolution=720p&api_password=your_password"

# Select highest resolution
mpv "http://localhost:8888/proxy/hls/manifest.m3u8?d=https://devstreaming-cdn.apple.com/videos/streaming/examples/img_bipbop_adv_example_fmp4/master.m3u8&max_res=true&api_password=your_password"

HLS/DASH Stream with Segment Skipping (Intro/Outro Skip)

# Skip intro (first 90 seconds) in HLS stream
mpv "http://localhost:8888/proxy/hls/manifest.m3u8?d=https://example.com/playlist.m3u8&skip=0-90&api_password=your_password"

# Skip intro and outro in HLS stream
mpv "http://localhost:8888/proxy/hls/manifest.m3u8?d=https://example.com/playlist.m3u8&skip=0-112,1750-1800&api_password=your_password"

# Skip intro in DASH/MPD stream
mpv "http://localhost:8888/proxy/mpd/manifest.m3u8?d=https://example.com/manifest.mpd&skip=0-90&api_password=your_password"

# Skip multiple segments with decimal precision
mpv "http://localhost:8888/proxy/hls/manifest.m3u8?d=https://example.com/playlist.m3u8&skip=0-112.5,1750.25-1800.75&api_password=your_password"

Stream with Header Removal (Fix Content-Length Issues)

# Remove content-length header for streams with incorrect content-length
mpv "http://localhost:8888/proxy/stream?d=https://example.com/video.mp4&x_headers=content-length&api_password=your_password"

Stream with PNG-Wrapped TS Segments (Stream Transformer)

# Handle streams where TS segments are disguised as PNG files (TurboVidPlay, StreamWish, FileMoon, etc.)
mpv "http://localhost:8888/proxy/hls/manifest.m3u8?d=https://example.com/playlist.m3u8&transformer=ts_stream&x_headers=content-length,content-range&api_password=your_password"

# The transformer strips fake PNG headers and 0xFF padding to extract the actual MPEG-TS data
# Note: When using extractors, the transformer is automatically applied for supported hosts

Live DASH Stream (Non-DRM Protected)

mpv -v "http://localhost:8888/proxy/mpd/manifest.m3u8?d=https://livesim.dashif.org/livesim/chunkdur_1/ato_7/testpic4_8s/Manifest.mpd&api_password=your_password"

VOD DASH Stream (DRM Protected - Single Key)

mpv -v "http://localhost:8888/proxy/mpd/manifest.m3u8?d=https://media.axprod.net/TestVectors/v7-MultiDRM-SingleKey/Manifest_1080p_ClearKey.mpd&key_id=nrQFDeRLSAKTLifXUIPiZg&key=FmY0xnWCPCNaSpRG-tUuTQ&api_password=your_password"

VOD DASH Stream (DRM Protected - Multi-Key)

For streams with different keys for video and audio tracks, provide multiple key_id:key pairs separated by commas:

mpv -v "http://localhost:8888/proxy/mpd/manifest.m3u8?d=https://example.com/multikey.mpd&key_id=video_key_id,audio_key_id&key=video_key,audio_key&api_password=your_password"

Note: The key and key_id parameters are automatically processed if they're not in the correct format. Multi-key support allows decryption of streams where video and audio tracks use different encryption keys.

URL Encoding

For players like VLC that require properly encoded URLs, use the encode_mediaflow_proxy_url function:

from mediaflow_proxy.utils.http_utils import encode_mediaflow_proxy_url

encoded_url = encode_mediaflow_proxy_url(
    mediaflow_proxy_url="http://127.0.0.1:8888",
    endpoint="/proxy/mpd/manifest.m3u8",
    destination_url="https://media.axprod.net/TestVectors/v7-MultiDRM-SingleKey/Manifest_1080p_ClearKey.mpd",
    query_params={
        "key_id": "nrQFDeRLSAKTLifXUIPiZg",
        "key": "FmY0xnWCPCNaSpRG-tUuTQ",
        "api_password": "your_password"
    },
    request_headers={
        "referer": "https://media.axprod.net/",
        "origin": "https://media.axprod.net",
    }
)

print(encoded_url)

# http://127.0.0.1:8888/proxy/mpd/manifest.m3u8?key_id=nrQFDeRLSAKTLifXUIPiZg&key=FmY0xnWCPCNaSpRG-tUuTQ&api_password=your_password&d=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.axprod.net%2FTestVectors%2Fv7-MultiDRM-SingleKey%2FManifest_1080p_ClearKey.mpd&h_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.axprod.net%2F&h_origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.axprod.net

This will output a properly encoded URL that can be used with players like VLC.

vlc "http://127.0.0.1:8888/proxy/mpd/manifest.m3u8?key_id=nrQFDeRLSAKTLifXUIPiZg&key=FmY0xnWCPCNaSpRG-tUuTQ&api_password=dedsec&d=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.axprod.net%2FTestVectors%2Fv7-MultiDRM-SingleKey%2FManifest_1080p_ClearKey.mpd"

Generating URLs

MediaFlow Proxy provides endpoints to generate properly encoded or encrypted URLs for use with media players.

/generate_url: Generate a single encoded or encrypted URL
/generate_urls: Generate multiple URLs with shared common parameters

Single URL Generation

To generate a single encoded or encrypted URL:

import requests

url = "http://localhost:8888/generate_url"
data = {
    "mediaflow_proxy_url": "http://localhost:8888",
    "endpoint": "/proxy/stream",
    "destination_url": "https://example.com/video.mp4",
    "query_params": {
        "some_param": "value"
        # Add "api_password" here for encoded (non-encrypted) URLs
        # "api_password": "your_password"
    },
    "request_headers": {
        "referer": "https://example.com/",
        "origin": "https://example.com",
    },
    "response_headers": {
        "cache-control": "no-cache",  # Optional: Add custom response headers (r_ prefix, manifest only)
    },
    "propagate_response_headers": {
        "content-type": "video/mp2t",  # Optional: Headers that propagate to segments (rp_ prefix)
    },
    "remove_response_headers": ["content-length", "content-range"],  # Optional: Remove specific response headers
    "expiration": 3600,  # URL will expire in 1 hour (only for encrypted URLs)
    "ip": "123.123.123.123",  # Optional: Restrict access to this IP (only for encrypted URLs)
    "api_password": "your_password",  # Add here for encrypted URLs
    "filename": "movie.mp4"  # Optional: Preserve filename for media players (only for /proxy/stream endpoint)
}

response = requests.post(url, json=data)
encoded_url = response.json()["url"]
print(encoded_url)

Important Notes:

If you add api_password at the root level of the request, the URL will be encrypted.

If you add api_password inside the query_params object, the URL will only be encoded (not encrypted).

The filename parameter is optional and should only be used with the /proxy/stream endpoint, not with MPD or HLS proxy endpoints.

The remove_response_headers parameter is useful when upstream servers send incorrect headers (e.g., wrong Content-Length) that cause playback issues.

The response_headers parameter adds headers to the manifest response only (r_ prefix in URL).

The propagate_response_headers parameter adds headers that propagate to segment URLs (rp_ prefix in URL). Useful for overriding content-type on segments disguised as other file types.

The legacy endpoint /generate_encrypted_or_encoded_url is still available but deprecated. It's recommended to use /generate_url instead.

Multiple URLs Generation

To generate multiple URLs with shared common parameters:

import requests

url = "http://localhost:8888/generate_urls"
data = {
    "mediaflow_proxy_url": "http://localhost:8888",
    "api_password": "your_password",
    "expiration": 3600,  # URLs will expire in 1 hour (only for encrypted URLs)
    "ip": "123.123.123.123",  # Optional: Restrict access to this IP (only for encrypted URLs)
    "urls": [
        {
            "destination_url": "https://example.com/video1.mp4",
            "request_headers": {"referer": "https://example.com"},
            "filename": "movie1.mp4",
            "endpoint": "/proxy/stream"
        },
        {
            "destination_url": "https://example.com/video2.mp4",
            "request_headers": {"referer": "https://example.com"},
            "filename": "movie2.mp4",
            "endpoint": "/proxy/stream"
        }
    ]
}

response = requests.post(url, json=data)
encoded_urls = response.json()["urls"]
for url in encoded_urls:
    print(url)

Filename Preservation for Media Players

MediaFlow Proxy now supports preserving filenames in URLs, which is particularly useful for media players like Infuse that use the filename to fetch metadata. When you include a filename parameter in your request, the proxy will ensure this information is preserved and properly passed to the media player.

This feature helps media players display the correct title and fetch appropriate metadata instead of showing generic names like "Stream".

Using MediaFlow Proxy with Debrid Services and Stremio Addons

MediaFlow Proxy can be particularly useful when working with Debrid services (like Real-Debrid, AllDebrid) and Stremio addons. The /proxy/ip endpoint allows you to retrieve the public IP address of the MediaFlow Proxy server, which is crucial for routing Debrid streams correctly.

When a Stremio addon needs to create a video URL for a Debrid service, it typically needs to provide the user's public IP address. However, when routing the Debrid stream through MediaFlow Proxy, you should use the IP address of the MediaFlow Proxy server instead.

Here's how to utilize MediaFlow Proxy in this scenario:

If MediaFlow Proxy is accessible over the internet:
- Use the /proxy/ip endpoint to get the MediaFlow Proxy server's public IP.
- Use this IP when creating Debrid service URLs in your Stremio addon.
If MediaFlow Proxy is set up locally:
- Stremio addons can directly use the client's IP address.

Using Stremio Server for M3U8 Content Proxy

MediaFlow Proxy supports routing video segments through Stremio server for better performance while keeping playlists through MediaFlow for access control.

Configuration

# Set Stremio server URL
STREMIO_PROXY_URL=http://127.0.0.1:11470

# Choose routing strategy
M3U8_CONTENT_ROUTING=stremio  # or "mediaflow" (default) or "direct"

Routing Options:

mediaflow (default): All content through MediaFlow
stremio: Video segments through Stremio, playlists through MediaFlow
direct: Video segments served directly, playlists through MediaFlow

Force Playlist Proxy Parameter:

For IPTV streams where the playlist format (m3u/m3u_plus) cannot be reliably detected from the URL, you can use the force_playlist_proxy parameter to ensure all playlist URLs are proxied through MediaFlow:

# Force all playlist URLs to be proxied through MediaFlow (for IPTV clients)
http://localhost:8888/proxy/hls/manifest.m3u8?d=https://iptv.provider.com/playlist&force_playlist_proxy=true&api_password=your_password

This parameter bypasses URL-based detection and routing strategy, ensuring consistent behavior for IPTV streams that don't have clear format indicators in their URLs.

Base64 URL Support

MediaFlow Proxy now supports base64 encoded URLs, providing additional flexibility for handling URLs that may be encoded in base64 format.

Features

Automatic Base64 Detection and Decoding

The proxy automatically detects and decodes base64 encoded URLs in all endpoints:

Proxy endpoints (/proxy/stream, /proxy/hls/manifest.m3u8, etc.)
Extractor endpoints (/extractor/video)
MPD/DASH endpoints (/proxy/mpd/manifest.m3u8, /proxy/mpd/playlist.m3u8)

Base64 Utility Endpoints

New endpoints for base64 operations:

1. Encode URL to Base64

POST /base64/encode
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "url": "https://example.com/video.mp4"
}

Response:

{
  "encoded_url": "aHR0cHM6Ly9leGFtcGxlLmNvbS92aWRlby5tcDQ",
  "original_url": "https://example.com/video.mp4"
}

2. Decode Base64 URL

POST /base64/decode
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "encoded_url": "aHR0cHM6Ly9leGFtcGxlLmNvbS92aWRlby5tcDQ"
}

Response:

{
  "decoded_url": "https://example.com/video.mp4",
  "encoded_url": "aHR0cHM6Ly9leGFtcGxlLmNvbS92aWRlby5tcDQ"
}

3. Check if String is Base64 URL

GET /base64/check?url=aHR0cHM6Ly9leGFtcGxlLmNvbS92aWRlby5tcDQ

Response:

{
  "url": "aHR0cHM6Ly9leGFtcGxlLmNvbS92aWRlby5tcDQ",
  "is_base64": true,
  "decoded_url": "https://example.com/video.mp4"
}

URL Generation with Base64 Encoding

The /generate_url endpoint now supports a base64_encode_destination parameter:

import requests

url = "http://localhost:8888/generate_url"
data = {
    "mediaflow_proxy_url": "http://localhost:8888",
    "endpoint": "/proxy/stream",
    "destination_url": "https://example.com/video.mp4",
    "base64_encode_destination": True,  # Encode destination URL in base64
    "api_password": "your_password"
}

response = requests.post(url, json=data)
encoded_url = response.json()["url"]
print(encoded_url)

Usage Examples

1. Using Base64 Encoded URLs Directly

You can now pass base64 encoded URLs directly to any proxy endpoint:

# Original URL: https://example.com/video.mp4
# Base64 encoded: aHR0cHM6Ly9leGFtcGxlLmNvbS92aWRlby5tcDQ

mpv "http://localhost:8888/proxy/stream?d=aHR0cHM6Ly9leGFtcGxlLmNvbS92aWRlby5tcDQ&api_password=your_password"

2. HLS Manifest with Base64 URL

# Base64 encoded HLS URL
mpv "http://localhost:8888/proxy/hls/manifest.m3u8?d=aHR0cDovL2V4YW1wbGUuY29tL3BsYXlsaXN0Lm0zdTg&api_password=your_password"

3. Extractor with Base64 URL

# Base64 encoded extractor URL
curl "http://localhost:8888/extractor/video?host=Doodstream&d=aHR0cHM6Ly9kb29kc3RyZWFtLmNvbS9lL3NvbWVfaWQ&api_password=your_password"

4. DASH Stream with Base64 URL

# Base64 encoded DASH manifest URL
mpv "http://localhost:8888/proxy/mpd/manifest.m3u8?d=aHR0cHM6Ly9leGFtcGxlLmNvbS9tYW5pZmVzdC5tcGQ&api_password=your_password"

Implementation Details

Base64 Detection Algorithm

The system uses several heuristics to detect base64 encoded URLs:

Character Set Check: Verifies the string contains only valid base64 characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9, +, /, =)
Protocol Check: Ensures the string doesn't start with common URL protocols (http://, https://, etc.)
Length Check: Validates minimum length for meaningful base64 encoded URLs
Decoding Validation: Attempts to decode and validates the result is a valid URL

URL-Safe Base64 Encoding

The system supports both standard and URL-safe base64 encoding:

Standard Base64: Uses + and / characters
URL-Safe Base64: Uses - and _ characters instead of + and /
Padding: Automatically handles missing padding (= characters)

Error Handling

Invalid base64 strings are treated as regular URLs
Decoding failures are logged but don't break the request flow
Malformed URLs after decoding are handled gracefully

Security Considerations

Base64 encoding is not encryption - it's just encoding
URLs are still logged in their decoded form for debugging
All existing security measures (API keys, IP restrictions, etc.) still apply
Base64 encoded URLs are subject to the same validation as regular URLs

Backward Compatibility

This feature is fully backward compatible:

Existing URLs continue to work without changes
Regular (non-base64) URLs are processed normally
No configuration changes required
All existing API endpoints remain unchanged

Limitations

Commercial DRM not supported: Widevine, PlayReady, and FairPlay DRM systems require license server communication and hardware security modules. These cannot be decrypted by MediaFlow Proxy as they are designed to prevent unauthorized access.
Key rotation not supported: Streams where encryption keys change mid-playback are not supported.
Only ClearKey DRM: The proxy can only decrypt content where you already have the decryption keys (ClearKey/AES-128).

Acknowledgements and Inspirations

MediaFlow Proxy was developed with inspiration from various projects and resources:

Stremio Server for HLS Proxify implementation, which inspired our HLS M3u8 Manifest parsing and redirection proxify support.
Comet Debrid proxy for the idea of proxifying HTTPS video streams.
Bento4 mp4decrypt, GPAC mp4box, Shaka Packager, and devine for insights on parsing MPD and decrypting CENC/ClearKey DRM protected content across all encryption modes (cenc, cens, cbc1, cbcs).
Test URLs were sourced from:
HLS Protocol RFC for understanding the HLS protocol specifications.
Claude 3.5 Sonnet for code assistance and brainstorming.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

License

MIT License

Disclaimer

This project is for educational purposes only. The developers of MediaFlow Proxy are not responsible for any misuse of this software. Please ensure that you have the necessary permissions to access and use the media streams you are proxying.

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
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.github		.github
mediaflow_proxy		mediaflow_proxy
.dockerignore		.dockerignore
.gitignore		.gitignore
Dockerfile		Dockerfile
LICENSE		LICENSE
Makefile		Makefile
Procfile		Procfile
README.md		README.md
docker-compose.portainer		docker-compose.portainer
docker-compose.yml		docker-compose.yml
pyproject.toml		pyproject.toml
uv.lock		uv.lock

License

benjaminach/mediaflow-proxy

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MediaFlow Proxy

Features

Stream Processing

Proxy & Routing

Xtream Codes (XC) API Proxy

Security

Additional Features

DASH/MPD Support Status

MPD Segment Addressing Types

MPD Presentation Types

DRM/Encryption Support

IV Size Support

Multi-Key Support

Pre-buffering (HLS & DASH)

How Pre-buffering Works

Key Behaviors

Configuration

Transport Configuration

Basic Configuration

Advanced Routing Configuration

Route Configuration Options

Configuration Examples

Forwarded Headers Configuration

What are Forwarded Headers?

Security Importance

Configuration Options

Common Deployment Scenarios

Best Practices

Troubleshooting

Example Nginx Configuration

Reverse Proxy Configuration

Nginx Configuration

Nginx Proxy Manager Configuration

Important Notes for Nginx Proxy Manager

Troubleshooting Reverse Proxy Issues

Speed Test Feature

Installation

Option 1: Self-Hosted Deployment

Using Docker from Docker Hub

Using Docker Compose

Using pip

Using git & uv

Build and Run Docker Image Locally

Option 2: Premium Hosted Service (ElfHosted)

Option 3: Hugging Face Space Deployment (Guide from a MediaFlow Contributor)

Usage

Endpoints

Xtream Codes (XC) API Proxy

Configuration

Username Format Examples

Generating Base64 Upstream URL

Supported XC API Endpoints

Player Configuration Examples

URL Parameters

Examples

Proxy HTTPS Stream

Proxy HTTPS self-signed certificate Stream

Proxy HLS Stream with Headers

Proxy M3U/M3U_Plus IPTV Streams with Forced Playlist Proxying

HLS Stream with Resolution Selection

HLS/DASH Stream with Segment Skipping (Intro/Outro Skip)

Stream with Header Removal (Fix Content-Length Issues)

Stream with PNG-Wrapped TS Segments (Stream Transformer)

Live DASH Stream (Non-DRM Protected)

VOD DASH Stream (DRM Protected - Single Key)

VOD DASH Stream (DRM Protected - Multi-Key)

URL Encoding

Generating URLs

Single URL Generation

Multiple URLs Generation

Filename Preservation for Media Players

Using MediaFlow Proxy with Debrid Services and Stremio Addons

Using Stremio Server for M3U8 Content Proxy

Configuration

Packages