HoboStreamer

Live streaming for

Free & open source — community-first, no investors, and built to become a sustainable not-for-profit project over time.

Why this exists Terms DMCA

Hobo Tools Play Game GitHub Discord

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Go live however you want

Start instantly in your browser, or plug in OBS and ffmpeg for a full scene-based workflow. Then restream to Twitch, YouTube, Kick, and any RTMP server — all at once, all from one dashboard.

Claim your channel One sign-in through Hobo Network

Start broadcasting Browser, OBS, or ffmpeg

Restream everywhere Twitch, YouTube, Kick & more

Multi-platform restreaming Broadcast to Twitch, YouTube, Kick, RobotStreamer, and any custom RTMP server simultaneously

Live chat & emotes Real-time chat with custom emotes, viewer reactions, and chat commands

Clips & VODs Clip moments on the fly and auto-record VODs for every broadcast

Built-in game Viewers play HoboQuest together live on-stream with leaderboards and canvas

Global chat A sitewide chatroom that connects everyone — talk across streams or just hang out

Voice chat Drop into voice channels with other viewers and streamers — no extra app needed

Pastes & file sharing Share code snippets, text, and files with syntax highlighting — like Pastebin, built in

100% open source Every line of code is public on GitHub — no black boxes, no hidden trackers

Stream analytics Track viewers, watch time, peak concurrents, and chat activity across every broadcast

Chat moderation Message deletion, IP approval mode, relay user moderation, ban tools, and full audit logging

200+ free tools Image editing, audio conversion, PDF documents, video downloads, network diagnostics, developer tools, text generators, logo makers, and more at hobo.tools

Explore Hobo Tools

The Hobo Network

One account, 14 services — streaming, games, maps, food, image tools, audio tools, text generators, logo makers, PDF & document tools, network diagnostics, developer tools, video downloads, and more.

HoboStreamer Live streaming, VODs, clips & chat

HoboQuest Browser RPG & community games

Canvas Collaborative pixel art

HoboMaps Camps, resources & shelters

HoboFood Food banks & meal planner

HoboImg Convert, compress & resize images

HoboAudio Convert, trim, pitch-shift & process audio

HoboText Fancy text, Zalgo, ASCII art & more

HoboLogo Title cards, badges & thumbnails

HoboYT Download YouTube videos & audio

HoboDocs PDF merge, split, compress & convert

HoboNet Ping, DNS, GeoIP, SSL & network diagnostics

HoboDev JSON, regex, JWT, diff & developer tools

HoboTools Network hub & account management

My Account Profile, settings & themes

Recently Online

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Recent Clips

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Recent Pastes

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HoboQuest Leaderboards

Play Game

Community Canvas

Open Canvas

Recent Changes

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Origin story

Built from a shed, burnout,
and pure stubbornness.

No investors. No polished startup mythology. Just one builder trying to make the internet feel human again.

01

The Shed Era

Yes, it literally started in a shed.

Not a studio. Not a founder retreat. A shed with Wi‑Fi, a webcam, and enough stubbornness to stay live even when the setup looked ridiculous. People roasted it. The stream stayed on anyway. That ended up being the whole blueprint: imperfect gear, real people, zero waiting for permission.

02

The Corporate Detour

Tried the normal route. Hated it.

There was a detour through Verizon and then Amazon corporate as a data analyst. Safe on paper. Spiritually awful. The bills got paid, but every spare hour still went back into streaming, building, and trying to imagine a better version of the internet.

The Music Arc

So the burnout turned into songs.

A truly normal amount of career angst ended up on YouTube as a pile of weird, honest songs about corporate life, depression, and trying not to become a spreadsheet with a pulse.

@FCMenus on YouTube The soundtrack to the corporate-burnout era.

03

The Build

So I quit and built the thing I wanted to exist.

HoboStreamer grew out of that decision. Then came hobo.tools. Then hobo.quest. The point of all of it is simple: useful, creative, community-first internet software that does not feel disposable, extractive, or shaped by investor pressure.

If you’re here early, you’re helping prove the internet still has room for something honest.

I’m not trying to build the next ad machine. I’m trying to build something useful, weird, and genuinely good for people.

The not-for-profit plan

The goal is not maximum revenue; it’s long-term sustainability. Right now, servers, storage, bandwidth, and development all cost money. So the plan is to keep the network transparent, fund operations responsibly, and formalize it as a real not-for-profit/public-benefit project once it can stand on its own.

Phase 1 — Make it sustainable Use optional support, memberships, cosmetics, or tasteful monetization to cover hosting, bandwidth, storage, and development.

Phase 2 — Protect the mission No investors, no surprise corporate pivot, and no turning the community into a product. Any money goes to operations first.

Phase 3 — Formalize it Once the network is stable enough, file the not-for-profit paperwork and build this into the real community project it was always meant to be.

Terms DMCA Follow the build

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STREAM CHAT

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GLOBAL CHAT

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Streamer Dashboard

Broadcast

Create and manage streams, configure your broadcast setup, and go live from the dedicated Broadcast page.

Go to Broadcast Page

Connection

Stream Key

Interactive Controls

Control Settings

Control Mode

Rate Limit (ms) Minimum time between commands per user

Allow anonymous users to use controls

Cozmo Robot

Download Cozmo Script

Download a pre-configured Python script to connect your Cozmo robot. Requires pycozmo and websocket-client.

Camera Controls (ONVIF PTZ)

Add ONVIF-compatible cameras (Hikvision, Axis, Dahua, etc.) for pan/tilt/zoom viewer control.

Donation Goals

My Videos

Videos are public by default. You can set individual videos to private.

My Emotes

Upload custom emotes for your channel. Supported: PNG, GIF (animated), WebP, AVIF. Max 256 KB each.

Defaults Custom FFZ BTTV 7TV

My Clips

Clips you've taken from other streams. New clips are unlisted until the streamer makes them public.

Clips of My Stream

Clips viewers have taken from your streams. You can publish or delete them.

Hobo Bucks

0 ($0.00)

Hobo Coins

0 Free loyalty currency

Viewers earn coins by watching your stream and chatting. They can spend coins on rewards you create below.

Coin Rewards

Create rewards your viewers can redeem with Hobo Coins. Think TTS, sound effects, chat highlights, streamer challenges, etc.

Redemption Queue

Viewers who redeemed rewards. Fulfill or reject them.

Admin Panel

Go Live

Set up your stream in 3 easy steps — pick a method, configure your devices, and hit Go Live.

Active Streams

Create New Stream

Use your saved defaults from Broadcast Settings

1

Stream Info Give your stream a title so viewers know what you're doing

Stream Title * This appears on your channel page and in the stream directory

Description

Your Streams

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Past Streams

Browse and watch your recorded VODs. Click a VOD to view it with chat replay.

Loading VODs...

Broadcast Settings

Configure your default broadcast preferences. These settings will auto-populate when you create a new stream.

Default Streaming Method

Preferred Method

WebRTC Browser or OBS (WHIP)

RTMP OBS / IRL Pro

JSMPEG FFmpeg / Pi

Default Media Devices

Preferred Camera

Preferred Microphone

Audio Settings

Microphone Gain 100%

Echo Cancellation

Noise Suppression

Video Quality Defaults

Resolution

Frame Rate

Target Bitrate (kbps) Lower for slow connections, higher for better quality

Text-to-Speech Defaults

TTS Mode

TTS Voice

VOD Defaults

Make new VODs public by default VODs can be toggled after streaming

Auto-clip last 30 seconds (future feature)

Breaking News in Chat

Show breaking news headlines in chat while live Headlines from configured sources are injected into your chat at most once every 3 minutes. You can turn this off at any time.

Restream Destinations

Configure where your stream is relayed. Destinations with Auto-Start will begin restreaming automatically when you go live.

Platform

Name

Server URL

Stream Key

Auto-Start

Start restream automatically when you go live

Channel URL

Viewable channel link (shown on live page)

Relay Chat

Mirror chat from this platform into your HoboStreamer chat

Quality

Advanced Encoding Overrides

Video Bitrate

kbps

Audio Bitrate

kbps

FPS

(blank = preset)

Encoder Speed

Restream to YouTube, Twitch, Kick, or any custom RTMP server. RTMP uses codec copy (zero CPU); JSMPEG and WebRTC are re-encoded to H.264/AAC.

RobotStreamer

Restream your broadcast to RobotStreamer via WebRTC. Requires browser-based streaming.

Enable RS Restream

Mirror RS Chat

RS Token

Robot ID / URL

Detected Robots

Configure your token and robot, then validate the connection.

RTMP Stream Setup

Your stream is created! Paste the info below into your streaming software and hit "Start Streaming".

Server URL

rtmp://localhost:1935/live

Stream Key

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Waiting for OBS... Start streaming in OBS to connect

OBS Studio Setup

Open OBS → Settings → Stream
Set Service to Custom
Paste the Server URL above
Paste the Stream Key
Click "Start Streaming" in OBS

IRL Pro / Mobile Apps Mobile

Stream from your phone using IRL Pro, Larix, Prism Live, or any RTMP-capable mobile app.

Option A — Separate URL + Key fields

Use this if your app has separate "Server URL" and "Stream Key" fields (like OBS):

In the RTMP URL / Server field, paste:
In the Stream Key field, paste:

Option B — Single combined URL

Some apps only have one URL field. Paste the full URL with the key included:

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Username & Password: Leave blank!

HoboStreamer uses your stream key for authentication — no username or password. If your app asks for credentials, leave both fields empty. The stream key in the URL is all you need.

IRL Pro Step-by-Step

Open IRL Pro → ⚙️ Settings → Streaming
Select Platform → Custom RTMP
Paste the Server URL and Stream Key from Option A above
Leave Username and Password empty
Set Resolution to 720p, Bitrate to 2500–4000 kbps
Go back and tap Go Live

Tips:

Enable SRTLA Bonding in IRL Pro for better mobile reliability — combines WiFi + cellular
Set the codec to H.264 for best compatibility
If you see buffering, lower your bitrate to 1500–2000 kbps
IRL Pro's chat overlay can be pointed at https://hobostreamer.com/embed/chat/your-stream-id for live chat on screen

Text To Speech

TTS Mode

TTS Volume

Restreams

Manage restream destinations in the Broadcast Settings tab.

FFmpeg CLI (No OBS) Advanced

Stream directly from a terminal — great for headless servers, Raspberry Pi, 3D printer cams, and automated pipelines.

Webcam + Audio → RTMP

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Screen Capture → RTMP

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3D Printer / IP Camera (low bitrate, 24/7)

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24/7 Tips:

Wrap in while true; do ffmpeg ...; sleep 5; done for auto-restart on disconnect
Use a systemd service or tmux/screen session for unattended streams
For IP cameras via RTSP, replace -f v4l2 -i /dev/video0 with -rtsp_transport tcp -i rtsp://camera-ip:554/stream
-tune zerolatency minimizes delay; remove it for 24/7 streams where latency doesn't matter

JSMPEG Stream Setup

Your stream is created! Copy one of the FFmpeg commands below and run it in your terminal. Ideal for Raspberry Pi, embedded devices, Linux desktops, and headless servers.

Video + Audio (recommended)

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Video Only (no microphone)

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Screen Capture + Audio

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OBS Virtual Camera → JSMPEG

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Audio Only (no video)

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HD 720p (higher quality)

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Quick Start

Install FFmpeg: sudo apt install ffmpeg (Debian/Ubuntu) or brew install ffmpeg (macOS)
Copy a command above and paste it in your terminal
Adjust the device paths if needed (see device discovery below)
Press Enter — your stream will appear on your channel page

Finding Your Devices

Camera / Video

List cameras (Linux)

v4l2-ctl --list-devices

List camera formats & resolutions

v4l2-ctl -d /dev/video0 --list-formats-ext

List cameras (macOS)

ffmpeg -f avfoundation -list_devices true -i ""

Test camera snapshot

ffmpeg -f v4l2 -i /dev/video0 -frames 1 test.jpg && xdg-open test.jpg

Audio / Microphone

List audio devices (ALSA)

arecord -l

List audio devices (PulseAudio / PipeWire)

pactl list short sources

Test microphone (record 5 seconds)

arecord -d 5 -f cd test.wav && aplay test.wav

Use PulseAudio instead of ALSA

Replace: -f alsa -i default → -f pulse -i default

Special Inputs

OBS Virtual Camera

Start OBS → Tools → Start Virtual Camera → use /dev/video2 (or check v4l2-ctl --list-devices)

Raspberry Pi Camera (libcamera)

libcamera-vid -t 0 --inline --codec mjpeg -o - | ffmpeg -i pipe:0 -f mpegts -codec:v mpeg1video -s 640x480 -b:v 350k -bf 0 http://SERVER:PORT/KEY/640/480/

FFmpeg Tuning Reference

Flag	What it does	Example
`-s`	Resolution	`-s 1280x720`
`-b:v`	Video bitrate	`-b:v 800k`
`-r`	Frame rate	`-r 30`
`-b:a`	Audio bitrate	`-b:a 128k`
`-ar`	Audio sample rate	`-ar 44100`
`-ac`	Audio channels (1=mono, 2=stereo)	`-ac 1`
`-bf 0`	Disable B-frames (required for JSMPEG)	`-bf 0`
`-q:v`	Quality (2=best, 31=worst)	`-q:v 5`
`-muxdelay`	Lower = less latency	`-muxdelay 0.001`

JSMPEG requires mpeg1video codec and mp2 audio. H.264/AAC will not work. -bf 0 is mandatory.

Recommended Presets

Use Case	Resolution	Video Bitrate	Audio
Raspberry Pi Zero	320x240	200k	64k mono
Raspberry Pi 3/4	640x480	350–500k	128k mono
Desktop / Laptop	1280x720	800k–1.5M	128k stereo
High Quality	1920x1080	2–4M	192k stereo

Troubleshooting

No video device: Check ls /dev/video* — if empty, your camera isn't connected or the driver isn't loaded. Try sudo modprobe uvcvideo.
No audio device: Run arecord -l — if empty, plug in a USB mic or check pulseaudio --check. Use -f pulse -i default if using PipeWire or PulseAudio.
Device busy: Another app is using the camera. Close OBS, Cheese, or any other camera app and retry.
Connection refused: Make sure the server is running and the port is reachable. Check firewalls: sudo ufw allow PORT.
High latency: Lower the resolution, reduce bitrate, and ensure -muxdelay 0.001 is set.
Choppy video: Your upload bandwidth may be too low for the bitrate. Reduce -b:v or resolution.
Permission denied on camera: Add yourself to the video group: sudo usermod -aG video $USER then log out and back in.
macOS: Use -f avfoundation -i "0:0" instead of -f v4l2 -i /dev/video0. Device indices from ffmpeg -f avfoundation -list_devices true -i "".

3D Printer & 24/7 Streams

For unattended, always-on streams (3D printers, security cameras, aquariums, etc.) — optimize for stability over latency.

USB webcam — low bitrate, 10fps, no audio

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IP camera (RTSP) → JSMPEG

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Auto-Restart with systemd

Create a service file so your stream starts on boot and auto-restarts on failure:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/hobo-stream.service

[Unit]
Description=HoboStreamer JSMPEG Feed
After=network-online.target
Wants=network-online.target

[Service]
ExecStart=/usr/bin/ffmpeg -f v4l2 -framerate 10 -video_size 640x480 -i /dev/video0 -f mpegts -codec:v mpeg1video -s 640x480 -b:v 250k -bf 0 -muxdelay 0.001 http://YOUR_SERVER:PORT/KEY/640/480/
Restart=always
RestartSec=10

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Enable and start

sudo systemctl daemon-reload && sudo systemctl enable --now hobo-stream

Tips:

10fps is plenty for 3D printers — saves bandwidth and CPU
Use -b:v 150k to -b:v 300k depending on resolution and motion
For Raspberry Pi, prefer 320x240 or 640x480 to reduce CPU load
Shell loop alternative: while true; do ffmpeg ...; sleep 5; done

Text To Speech

TTS Mode

TTS Volume

Restreams

Manage restream destinations in the Broadcast Settings tab.

WebRTC via OBS (WHIP)

Your stream is created! Paste the info below into OBS Studio 30+ to start streaming with ultra-low latency via WebRTC. This is newer and faster than RTMP.

WHIP Endpoint

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Bearer Token

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OBS 30+ Setup

Open OBS → Settings → Stream
Set Service to WHIP
Paste the WHIP Endpoint URL above
Paste the Bearer Token as the auth key
Click "Start Streaming" in OBS

Requires OBS Studio 30.0 or newer. Older versions do not support WHIP.

Text To Speech

TTS Mode

TTS Volume

Restreams

Manage restream destinations in the Broadcast Settings tab.

Camera preview will appear here

Text To Speech

TTS Mode

TTS Volume

TTS Pitch

TTS Rate

TTS Voice

Duration Limit (sec)

Read Names

Queue Size

Audio

Microphone

Auto Gain

Echo Cancellation

Noise Suppression

Manual Gain

Force 48kHz Sample Rate

Notification Volume

Restreams

Manage restream destinations in the Broadcast Settings tab. Destinations with Auto-Start will begin automatically when you go live.

Video

Camera

Screen Share

Capture Source

System Audio

This Tab in Picker

Surface Switching

Prefer Current Tab

Resolution

FPS

Codec Preference

Max Bitrate (kbps)

Min Bitrate (kbps)

On Disconnect

Server Reconnect

Auto-reconnect stream after server restart

Allow Sounds

Sound Volume

Account Info

Username

Cannot be changed

Display Name

Email

Bio

Profile Color

Password & Security

Your account is managed by the Hobo Network.

Manage Account on hobo.tools

Theme

Choose a built-in theme or create your own.

Loading themes...

Custom Theme Editor

Tweak individual colors. Changes preview live.

Share Your Theme

Submit your current colors to the community Theme Directory.

Theme Name

Description

Stream Key

Key

Keep secret! Anyone with this key can stream on your channel.

Default Broadcast Settings

Default Resolution

Default FPS

Codec Preference

Max Bitrate (kbps)

Min Bitrate (kbps)

On Disconnect

Default Audio

Auto Gain

Echo Cancellation

Noise Suppression

VOD & Clip Defaults

Set the default visibility for new VODs and clips on your channel.

VOD Visibility

New recordings will default to this visibility

Clip Visibility

Clips from your streams will default to this visibility

Channel Weather

Show local weather on your channel page. Your zip/postal code is never shared with viewers.

Zip / Postal Code

Used to look up weather — never shown to viewers. Hidden to protect your privacy while streaming.

Show Location

Show city/region name to viewers

Off by default — enable to display your area name on the weather widget

Detail Level

Controls how much weather info viewers see on your channel

Loading streams...

Setup Audio

Microphone

Camera Start with camera off

Input Mode

Voice Connected Public

Global Chat

Live messages from all streams and the lobby

Loading themes...

HoboStreamer

Live Now

Go live however you want

The Hobo Network

Recently Online

Recent Clips

Recent Pastes

HoboQuest Leaderboards

Community Canvas

Recent Changes

Built from a shed, burnout,and pure stubbornness.

Yes, it literally started in a shed.

Tried the normal route. Hated it.

So the burnout turned into songs.

So I quit and built the thing I wanted to exist.

The not-for-profit plan

Videos

Clips

Channel

Controls

Channel

Videos

Clips

Stream Analytics

Viewers — Latest Stream

Recent Streams

Chat Replay

Video

Create Clip

Clips from this stream

Comments

Chat Replay

Clip Title

Comments

Streamer Dashboard

Broadcast

Connection

Interactive Controls

Camera Controls (ONVIF PTZ)

Donation Goals

My Videos

My Emotes

My Clips

Clips of My Stream

Hobo Bucks

Hobo Coins

Coin Rewards

Redemption Queue

Admin Panel

Go Live

Active Streams

Create New Stream

Your Streams

Past Streams

Stream Title

Chat Replay

Broadcast Settings

Default Streaming Method

Default Media Devices

Audio Settings

Video Quality Defaults

Text-to-Speech Defaults

VOD Defaults

Breaking News in Chat

Restream Destinations

RobotStreamer

RTMP Stream Setup

Option A — Separate URL + Key fields

Option B — Single combined URL

IRL Pro Step-by-Step

JSMPEG Stream Setup

Quick Start

Finding Your Devices

Camera / Video

Audio / Microphone

Special Inputs

FFmpeg Tuning Reference

Recommended Presets

Troubleshooting

3D Printer & 24/7 Streams

Built from a shed, burnout,
and pure stubbornness.