Switched to Python. Not tested yet...

assets/tvchannelnotes.txt

@@ -6,13 +6,15 @@ apt update & upgrade
 
 edit /boot/config.txt
 comment out all hdmi lines
-uncomment default overscan lines ???
-add "sdtv_mode=1" and "sdtv_aspect=1"
+uncomment default overscan lines ??? (no)
+add "sdtv_mode=0" and "sdtv_aspect=1"
 
 raspi-config
 Advanced -> Compositor -> No
 Display Options->Composite->Yes->Reboot Now
 
+Python3-> sudo pip install moviepy && sudo pip install yt-dlp
+
 
 ancient abandoned esoteric animations or AAEA for short
 FansubTV
@@ -35,7 +37,7 @@ use NTP to determine when hour is up. station ID fills remaining time.
 timeToTopOfHour = $((60 - $(date +%M)))
 
 
-DISPLAY=:0 cvlc --fullscreen --play-and-exit --video-filter "logo{file='/media/aaeachannelbug.png',logo-position=10,opacity=128}" --no-osd '/media/anime/<path to video to play>'
-
+DISPLAY=:0 cvlc --fullscreen --play-and-exit --sub-source logo --logo-position 10 --logo-opacity=128 --logo-file /media/aaeachannelbug.png --no-osd /media/anime/<path to video to play>'
 
+yt-dlp -o - "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMef9cY4EAA" | DISPLAY=:0 cvlc --fullscreen --play-and-exit --sub-source logo --logo-position 10 --logo-opacity=128 --logo-file /media/aaeachannelbug.png --no-osd -
 

fakeTV.sh

@@ -1,31 +1,19 @@
 #!/bin/bash
  
-#HELP: Usage-> fakeTV.sh logo[path to transparent background png] stationIdVideo[path to video file] commericals[path to m3u file] episodes[path to m3u file]
- 
-#ancient abandoned esoteric animations or AAEA for short
-#FansubTV
-
-#Hour by Hour loop script:
-
-#schedule:
-#-Station ID video plays
-#-episode (~25 minutes)
-#-random commercial block (2.5 minutes)
-#-Station ID video plays
-#-random commercial block (2.5 minutes)
-#-episode (~25 minutes)
-#-random commercial block (2.5 minutes)
-#-Station ID video plays
-#-random commercial block (2.5 minutes)
+#vars
 
+#The channel bug that displays while the channel is playing episodes
+buglocation="/media/zella/anime/aaeachannelbug.png"
+#The playlist location
+playlist="/media/zella/anime/playlist.m3u"
+#the python script location
+pyscript="/media/zella/anime/fakeTV.py"
  
 while(true); do
 
-#station Id video call
-
-
-
-
+python $pyscript
 
+DISPLAY=:0 cvlc --fullscreen --play-and-exit --sub-source logo --logo-position 10 --logo-opacity=128 --logo-file $buglocation --no-osd $playlist
 
 done
+

faketv.py

@@ -0,0 +1,157 @@
+import datetime
+import math
+import os 
+import random
+import subprocess
+from moviepy.editor import VideoFileClip
+
+#The channel bug that displays while the channel is playing episodes
+buglocation = "/media/zella/anime/aaeachannelbug.png"
+#the shows you would like this channel to play in individual folders under this folder
+shows = "/media/zella/anime/shows"
+#the "commercials" to fill up extra time in the hour. no folders, just videos in this folder.
+commercials = "/media/zella/anime/commercials"
+#the "station id" video that calls out what the channel is. have fun with it.
+stationID = "/media/zella/anime/stationid/AAEAStationID.mp4"
+
+secondsInHour = 3600
+episodeBlockTime = 1560
+minimumTime = 30
+
+def get_next_show_episode(showNumber):
+	if lineupStack[showNumber].empty():
+		return None
+	else:
+		return lineupStack[showNumber].pop()
+	
+def get_next_commercial():
+	if commercialStack.empty():
+		for file in os.listdir(commercials):
+			commercialStack.append(os.path.join(commercials,file))
+		random.shuffle(commercialStack)
+		print("\nCommercial Stack reshuffled.\n" + "\nCommercial returned from stack at size: " + str(len(commercialStack)) + "\n")
+		return commercialStack.pop()
+	else:
+		print("\nCommercial returned from stack at size: " + str(len(commercialStack)) + "\n")
+		return commercialStack.pop()
+
+#requires moviepy module. rounded up to nearest whole second, for simplicity.
+def get_video_length_in_seconds(videoFile):
+	clip = VideoFileClip(videoFile)
+	return math.ceil(clip.duration)
+
+def get_remaining_seconds_in_hour():
+	now = datetime.datetime.now()
+	seconds_left_in_hour = 3600 - now.minute * 60 - now.second
+	return seconds_left_in_hour
+
+#Main Thread starts here
+
+if os.path.exists("playlist.m3u"):
+	os.remove("playlist.m3u")
+else:
+	print("\n playlist file does not exist.\n")
+
+#open file in append mode
+playlist = open('playlist.m3u',"a")
+
+#a list of stacks of episode paths
+lineupStack = []
+
+#A list of commercials
+commercialStack = []
+
+#A list of showNumbers, for use later in shuffling episodes in a round robin manner randomly
+showNumberList = []
+
+#initialize show lists
+showNumber = 0
+for direc in os.listdir(shows):
+	folder = os.path.join(shows,direc)
+	if os.path.isdir(folder):
+		print("\nOpening show " + str(showNumber) + " folder: " + folder + "\n")
+		showEpisodes = []
+		for file in os.listdir(folder):
+			showEpisodes.append(os.path.abspath(file))
+		lineupStack.append(showEpisodes)
+		print("\n Added " + str(len(lineupStack[showNumber])) + " episodes from " + folder + "\n")
+		showNumberList.append(showNumber)
+		showNumber += 1
+
+
+
+#build season lineup station playlist using schedule:
+#schedule:
+#for boot hour
+#get remaining seconds in hour
+#if more than 30, stationid, play episode and fill rest with commercials and stationid
+#if less, stationid and fill with commercials
+#if more than 55, skip and build normal hour
+
+#3600 seconds in an hour
+#timeLeft = 3600
+
+#In each hour:
+#-Station ID video plays
+#-episode (~25 minutes)
+#-random commercial block (2 minutes)
+#-Station ID video plays
+#-random commercial block (2 minutes)
+#-episode (~25 minutes)
+#-random commercial block (2 minutes)
+#-Station ID video plays
+#-random commercial block (2 minutes)
+#repeat until out of episodes
+
+
+#time = get_video_length_in_seconds(stationID)
+
+#print("\n The station ID video length in seconds is: " + str(time) + "\n")
+
+
+print("%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%")
+print("              Building Playlist               ")
+print("%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%")
+
+
+episodesEmptyFlag = False
+firstLoop = True
+while not episodesEmptyFlag:
+	if firstLoop:
+		timeLeft = get_remaining_seconds_in_hour()
+	else:
+		timeLeft = secondsInHour
+	random.shuffle(showNumberList)
+	showNumberListCount = 0
+	while timeLeft > miniumTime:
+		if timeLeft >= episodeBlockTime:
+			print("Enough time for an episode block")
+			#add station id
+			timeLeft -= get_video_length_in_seconds(stationID)
+			playlist.write(stationID)
+			
+			#add commercial. Maybe add a while loop here to add multiple commercials if one is too short
+			nextAd = get_next_commercial()
+			timeLeft -= get_video_length_in_seconds(nextAd)
+			playlist.write(nextAd)
+		
+			#add tv episode	
+			nextEpisode = ""
+			while showNumberListCount < len(showNumberList):
+				nextEpisode = get_next_show_episode(showNumberList[showNumberListCount])
+				if nextEpisode is None:
+					showNumberListCount += 1
+					continue
+				else:
+					showNumberListCount += 1
+					timeLeft -= get_video_length_in_seconds(nextEpisode)
+					playlist.write(nextEpisode)
+					
+					break
+			if nextEpisode is None:
+				episodesEmptyFlag = True
+				break
+			#add commercial
+		else:
+		
+