aethex.live/QUICKSTART.md

Quick Start: Making aethex.live Your Streaming Platform

🚀 5-Minute Setup

Step 1: Choose Your Streaming Provider

Easiest Option - Cloudflare Stream:

1. Go to https://dash.cloudflare.com/
2. Select "Stream" from the sidebar
3. Create a new live input
4. Copy your HLS playback URL

Alternative Options:

• Mux - https://mux.com (great developer experience)
• AWS IVS - https://aws.amazon.com/ivs/ (scalable)
• Self-hosted - See STREAMING_SETUP.md

Step 2: Configure Your Stream

# Create your environment file
cp .env.example .env.local

# Edit .env.local and add your stream URL:
NEXT_PUBLIC_STREAM_URL=your-hls-stream-url-here.m3u8

Step 3: Test Locally

npm run dev

Visit http://localhost:3000 - your stream should appear!

Step 4: Set Up OBS Studio

1. Download OBS: https://obsproject.com/
2. In OBS: Settings → Stream
3. Add your RTMP URL and Stream Key (from your provider)
4. Click "Start Streaming"

Step 5: Deploy to Production

Deploy to Vercel (Recommended):

# Install Vercel CLI
npm i -g vercel

# Deploy
vercel

# Add your environment variables in Vercel dashboard
# Settings → Environment Variables → Add NEXT_PUBLIC_STREAM_URL

Or use the Vercel button:

• Push to GitHub
• Click "Deploy with Vercel" button in README
• Add environment variables

✅ You're Live!

Your platform is now running at: https://your-project.vercel.app

🎯 Next Steps

Make It Yours

1. Update Branding

   • Edit app/page.tsx - Change "AeThex LABS" to your brand
   • Replace favicon in app/favicon.ico
   • Update colors in the components

2. Add Real Chat (Currently mock)

   • Firebase: See docs/FIREBASE_CHAT.md
   • WebSocket: See docs/WEBSOCKET_CHAT.md
   • Use API routes in app/api/chat/

3. Connect Custom Domain

   • In Vercel: Settings → Domains
   • Add aethex.live
   • Update DNS records

4. Add Features

   • User authentication
   • VOD archives
   • Multiple channels
   • Subscriptions/donations
   • Analytics dashboard

📊 Monitor Your Stream

• Viewer Count: Update components/ViewerCount.tsx with real data
• Stream Status: Use /api/stream/status endpoint
• Chat History: Use /api/chat/messages endpoint

🛟 Common Issues

Stream won't load:

• Check your HLS URL is correct
• Verify CORS is enabled on your stream
• Check browser console for errors

Chat not working:

• Currently uses mock data
• Implement real backend (see API routes)
• Add WebSocket or Firebase

Deployment fails:

• Verify environment variables are set
• Check build logs in Vercel
• Ensure all dependencies are installed

📚 Additional Resources

• Streaming Setup: STREAMING_SETUP.md
• Config Reference: config/streaming.ts
• API Routes: app/api/

💬 Need Help?

• Check GitHub Issues
• Join our Discord (if configured)
• Review Next.js docs: https://nextjs.org/docs

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You're all set! Start streaming and building your community on aethex.live! 🎉