RetroTV Simulator v1.5.0

Experience the nostalgia of 90s television with this realistic CRT simulator.

✨ Features

• Built-in TV Guide (Ch 0): Tune to Channel 0 to access a nostalgic, split-screen Cable Guide. It features a live video preview window, a scrolling channel list, and app information.
• Hybrid Media Support:
  • Live TV: Tune into live network streams (HLS/m3u8) via the powerful VLC backend.
  • Local Files: Play your own video library using XSPF or M3U/M3U8 playlists. Mix live TV channels with your personal movie collection.
• Commercial Breaks: Automatically insert commercial breaks between local playlist tracks. Load commercials via a playlist file OR simply drop video files into a commercials/ folder.
• Channel Editor: No need to edit JSON files manually! Use the built-in Editor (✎ EDIT button) to add, remove, or reorder channels graphically.
• Network Watermarks: Assign a transparent PNG "network bug" to any channel in your config. The image overlays the video just like a real TV broadcast.
• Favorites: Star your favorite channels to keep them at the top of your list. Press F to toggle.
• Smart Resume: Automatically saves your playback position for local files. Close the app and come back exactly where you left off.
• Playlist Modes: Toggle Shuffle mode for your local playlists or play them in order.
• Authentic CRT Aesthetic: Immersive amber phosphor color palette, animated CRT scanlines, and "static" transition effects between channels.
• Interactive Controls:
  • Rotary Knob: Click and drag the on-screen knob to "dial" through channels.
  • Transport Controls: Seek through local files with the playhead slider. Skip tracks using Prev/Next buttons.
  • Keyboard & Media Keys: Full support for Arrow keys and Windows Media Keys (Play/Pause, Next/Prev, Volume).
• Fullscreen Mode: Press F11 or double-click to enter immersive fullscreen. The app suppresses the screensaver while watching.

⚙️ System Requirements

Windows Users (Standalone Executable):

1. Windows 10 or 11
2. VLC Media Player (64-bit)
   • Required for decoding video streams.
   • Download VLC

Mac / Linux Users (Python Source):

1. Python 3.8+
2. VLC Media Player installed on your system.
3. python-vlc module:

   pip install python-vlc

4. Pillow (Optional): Recommended for transparent PNG watermarks.

   pip install Pillow

🚀 Installation & Usage

Option A: Windows Executable

1. Download RetroTV.exe (see top of page).
2. Ensure VLC is installed on your system.
3. Run RetroTV.exe.

Option B: Python Source (Mac/Linux/Windows)

1. Ensure Python 3.8+ and VLC are installed.
2. Install the VLC binding: pip install python-vlc.
3. Run the app: python retro_tv.py.

🎮 Controls

Action	Control
Change Channel / Track	Left / Right Arrow Keys or Scroll Wheel on Knob
Adjust Volume	Up / Down Arrow Keys or Sidebar Slider
Toggle Favorite	F Key
Seek (Local Files)	Drag the Position Slider in the control bar
Mute/Unmute	Click the 🔊 icon or Media Key Mute
Fullscreen	F11 or Double-Click the video area
Exit Fullscreen	Escape
Show Shortcuts	? Key
Play/Pause	Media Key Space or Play/Pause button

🛠️ Custom Channels & Playlists

You can create your own channels easily using the built-in Channel Editor (click the ✎ EDIT button in the control bar).

Alternatively, you can create a user_config.json file manually next to the executable or script.

Example user_config.json:

[
  {
    "name": "My Movies",
    "playlist": "my_movies.m3u",
    "random": "1",
    "watermark": "my_logo.png"
  },
  {
    "name": "My Live Cam",
    "url": "http://192.168.1.100:8080/stream.m3u8"
  }
]

The app will automatically load these channels alongside the default live TV lineup. The watermark field is optional and points to a transparent PNG file.

📺 Commercial Breaks

To enable automatic commercial breaks between your local video files, you have two options:

1. Playlist File: Create a playlist named commercials.xspf, commercials.m3u, or commercials.m3u8 and place it in the same folder as the app.
2. Auto-Scan Folder: Create a folder named commercials next to the app. RetroTV will automatically find and play any video files inside it (supports .mp4, .mkv, .avi, .mov, etc.).

The app will automatically play 2-4 random commercials between every track in your local playlists.

⚠️ Troubleshooting

"NO SIGNAL" or Black Screen:

• Ensure VLC Media Player is installed correctly (64-bit version for 64-bit Windows).
• For local files, ensure the video format is supported by your VLC installation.

Watermark has black background:

• Install the Pillow library (pip install Pillow) for proper transparent PNG support. Without it, transparency is not rendered correctly.

Resume not working:

• Resume data is saved automatically when you close the app or switch channels. Ensure the app has write permissions to the folder it is in.

💖 Support & Donations

RetroTV is a passion project. If you enjoy the nostalgia trip and want to support development:

♥ Donate via PayPal

📜 License

This project is distributed as-is. Please respect the terms of service of any streams you access through this player. VLC is released under the LGPL license.