aethex.live/README.md

AeThex Live

A modern live streaming platform built with Next.js, featuring HLS video playback, real-time chat, and a sleek sci-fi aesthetic.

Features

• 🎥 HLS Video Player - Looping video player with hls.js support
• 🎨 Sci-Fi Dark Theme - Immersive dark theme with cyan/blue accents
• 👥 Live Viewer Count - Real-time viewer count with animated indicator
• 💬 Chat Sidebar - Interactive chat interface for viewer engagement
• 🎵 Now Playing - Metadata display for current track/content
• 📱 Responsive Design - Works seamlessly on desktop and mobile

Tech Stack

• Framework: Next.js 16.1.6 with TypeScript
• Styling: Tailwind CSS 4
• Video Player: hls.js for HLS streaming
• UI: React 19.2.3 with modern hooks

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js 20.x or higher
• npm, yarn, pnpm, or bun

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/AeThex-LABS/aethex.live.git
cd aethex.live

2. Install dependencies:

npm install

3. Run the development server:

npm run dev

4. Open http://localhost:3000 in your browser.

Configuration

To use your own HLS stream:

1. Copy the environment template:

cp .env.example .env.local

2. Add your stream URL:

NEXT_PUBLIC_STREAM_URL=your-hls-stream-url.m3u8

3. (Optional) Customize settings in config/streaming.ts

📖 See QUICKSTART.md for a complete setup guide!

Build

Create an optimized production build:

npm run build
npm start

🚀 Making It Your Platform

This is ready to become your live streaming hub! Check out these guides:

• QUICKSTART.md - Get streaming in 5 minutes
• STREAMING_SETUP.md - Full platform setup guide
• config/streaming.ts - Configuration reference

Ready-to-Use Features

✅ HLS video player with auto-recovery
✅ Responsive design (mobile & desktop)
✅ Chat sidebar UI (connect your backend)
✅ Viewer count display
✅ Now playing metadata
✅ API routes for stream status & chat

Next Steps

1. Get a streaming provider (Cloudflare/Mux/AWS)
2. Set up OBS Studio
3. Add your stream URL to .env.local
4. Choose your platform and deploy
5. Point your domain to your hosting provider

🚀 Deployment Options

Vercel (Recommended for Beginners)

Automatic deployments, zero config:

npm i -g vercel
vercel

Railway (Full Control & Backend)

Great for custom backends and databases:

npm i -g @railway/cli
railway login
railway up

See RAILWAY_DEPLOYMENT.md for detailed setup.

Other Platforms

Next.js can deploy to AWS, Netlify, Cloudflare Pages, and more. Check Next.js deployment docs.

Scripts

• npm run dev - Start development server
• npm run build - Create production build
• npm start - Start production server
• npm run lint - Run ESLint

Project Structure

aethex.live/
├── app/
│   ├── page.tsx          # Main page component
│   ├── layout.tsx        # Root layout
│   └── globals.css       # Global styles
├── components/
│   ├── HLSPlayer.tsx     # Video player component
│   ├── ViewerCount.tsx   # Viewer counter
│   ├── NowPlaying.tsx    # Metadata display
│   └── ChatSidebar.tsx   # Chat interface
└── public/               # Static assets

License

© 2026 AeThex LABS - All rights reserved

Deploy on Vercel

The easiest way to deploy is using the Vercel Platform.

Check out the Next.js deployment documentation for more details.