threefive 3.0.89

threefive is The #1 SCTE-35 Decoder and Encoder on the Planet.

[ threefive ]

https://github.com/superkabuki/threefive

threefive is the only tool that supports SCTE-35-1 and SCTE-35-2

• Decodes SCTE-35 from MPEGTS✔ Base64✔ Bytes✔ DASH✔ Hex ✔ HLS✔ Integers✔ JSON✔ XML✔ XML+Binary✔
• Encodes SCTE-35 to MPEGTS✔ Base64✔ Bytes✔ Hex✔ Integers✔ JSON✔ XML✔ XML+Binary✔

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[ News ]

• threefive now has support for SCTE-35-2. Event Descriptors and Property types from __the recently published 2026 SCTE-35 Specification can be decoded, modified, and encoded with threefive.

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[ Latest version is v3.0.89 ]

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[ Examples ]

• aac_id3header.py - use the threefive.aac.AacParser class to parse HLS AAC segments for PTS in ID3 header tags. (Updated 01/07/2026)
• id3.aac test file for aac_id3header.py (New! 01/12/2026)
• base64toxmlbin.py - convert base64 encoded SCTE-35 to xml+binary encoded SCTE-35 and back.
• cue2vtt.py - display SCTE-35 in WebVTT subtitles to verify SCTE-35 splice points.
• decodenext.py - parse MPEGTS streams for SCTE-35 using Stream.decode_next(). (Updated 01/12/2026)
• dtmf.py - parse base64 SCTE-35 with a DTMF descriptor and re-encode to SCTE-35 in Hex format.
• edit_break_duration.py - change the SCTE-35 break duration and re-encode SCTE-35.
• event_descriptors.py - The Event Descriptor examples from the 2026 SCTE-35 part 2 specification. (New! 05/10/2026)
• encode_time_signal.py - encode a SCTE-35 Cue with a TimeSignal from scratch.
• parsehlstags.py - use the TagParser class to parse HLS tags from a m3u8 file and group the tags by segment.
• proxy.py - how to use the Stream.proxy() method for parsing SCTE-35 and piping video.
• quickstream.py - how to add SCTE-35 parsing for MPEGTS streams to your application.
• spliceinsert.py - a SCTE-35 Splice Insert example.
• upid_custom_output.py - customizing Upid data output for a variety of Upids. (New! 01/11/2026)
• custom_upid_handling.py - Custom user defined UPID handling example. (New! 01/11/2026)

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[ Documentation ]

Need to inject SCTE-35 into HLS? X9k3.

• web based SCTE-35 tools - threefive and friends over http.
• install
• quick start
• command line tools
  • threefive decode SCTE-35 on the command line
  • scte35bump adjust SCTE-35 PTS in MPEGTS streams
  • scte35fix ffmpeg changes scte-35 streams into bin data, scte35fix changes them back.
  • scte35hls scte35hls parses hls and ABR hls for scte-35. All hls scte-35 tags are supported_
  • scte35inject scte35inject inject scte-35 into mpegts.
  • gums gums is a multicast sender(server) for video
• library
  • Using the threefive.Cue class
  • Using the threefive library decode SCTE-35 with less than ten lines of code
  • • threefive Classes threefive is OO, made to subclass
      • Cue Class this class you'll use often
      • Stream Class this is the class for parsing MPEGTS
• SCTE-35 Sidecar Files threefive supports SCTE-35 sidecar files
• SCTE-35 HLS parse SCTE-35 in HLS_
• SCTE-35 XML and More XML threefive can parse and encode SCTE-35 xml
• Encode SCTE-35 threefive can encode SCTE-35 in every SCTE-35 format
• Make your threefive script an executable with cython threefive is compatible with all python tools

[Install]

• python3 via pip

python3 -mpip install threefive

• pypy3 via pip

pypy3 -mpip install threefive

• To add SRT support

python3 -m pip install srtfu

• To add Automatic AES decryption

python3 -mpip install pyaes

• From the git repo

git clone https://github.com/superkabuki/scte35.git
cd threefive
make install

• I've jazzed up the makefile to make it easier to install for different python versions and pypy3

git clone https://github.com/superkabuki/scte35.git
cd threefive

make install py3=pypy3

# OR

make install py3=python3.14

# works for any python in your path or use a full path if needed.

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---

⇧

[Quick Start]

These examples show how to parse SCTE-35
from various SCTE-35 data formats, with both the cli and with the library.

MPEGTS

• MPEGTS streams can be Files, Http(s), Multicast,SRT, UDP Unicast, or stdin.
• cli

threefive https://example.com/video.ts

• wildcards work too.

threefive /mpegts/*.ts

• lib

from threefive import Stream
stream = Stream('https://example.com/video.ts')
stream.decode()

Base64

• cli

threefive '/DAsAAAAAyiYAP/wCgUAAAABf1+ZmQEBABECD0NVRUkAAAAAf4ABADUAAC2XQZU='

• lib

from threefive import Cue
data = '/DAsAAAAAyiYAP/wCgUAAAABf1+ZmQEBABECD0NVRUkAAAAAf4ABADUAAC2XQZU='
cue=Cue(data)
cue.show()

Bytes

• cli

  • Bytes don't work on the cli

• lib

from threefive import Cue
data =  b'\xfc0\x16\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\xff\xf0\x05\x06\xfe\x00\xc0D\xa0\x00\x00\x00\xb5k\x88'
cue=Cue(data)
cue.show()

Hex

• Can be a hex literal or hex string or bytes.

• cli

threefive  0xfc301600000000000000fff00506fed605225b0000b0b65f3b

• lib

from threefive import Cue
data =  0xfc301600000000000000fff00506fed605225b0000b0b65f3b
cue=Cue(data)
cue.show()

Int

• Can be a literal integer or string or bytes.

• cli

threefive  1583008701074197245727019716796221243043855984942057168199483

• lib

from threefive import Cue
data =  1583008701074197245727019716796221243043855984942057168199483
cue=Cue(data)
cue.show()

JSON

• cli
  • put JSON SCTE-35 in a file and redirect it into threefive
  • cat files to threefive works too.
  • echo JSON or type JSON on the command line.

threefive  < json.json

• lib

 from threefive import Cue
 data = '''{
    "info_section": {
        "table_id": "0xfc",
        "section_syntax_indicator": false,
        "private": false,
        "sap_type": "0x03",
        "sap_details": "No Sap Type",
        "section_length": 22,
        "protocol_version": 0,
        "encrypted_packet": false,
        "encryption_algorithm": 0,
        "pts_adjustment": 0.0,
        "cw_index": "0x00",
        "tier": "0x0fff",
        "splice_command_length": 5,
        "splice_command_type": 6,
        "descriptor_loop_length": 0,
        "crc": "0xb56b88"
    },
    "command": {
        "command_length": 5,
        "command_type": 6,
        "name": "Time Signal",
        "time_specified_flag": true,
        "pts_time": 140.005333
    },
    "descriptors": []
}
'''
cue=Cue(data)
cue.show()

Xml

• cli

  • put xml SCTE-35 in a file and redirect it into threefive
  • cat files to threefive works too.
  • echo xml or type xml on the command line.

   threefive < xml.xml
  

• lib

from threefive import Cue
data =  '''
<scte35:SpliceInfoSection xmlns:scte35="https://scte.org/schemas/35" 
        ptsAdjustment="0" protocolVersion="0" sapType="3" tier="4095">
   <scte35:TimeSignal>
      <scte35:SpliceTime ptsTime="12600480"/>
   </scte35:TimeSignal>
</scte35:SpliceInfoSection>
'''
cue=Cue(data)

cue.show()

Xml+binary

• cli
  • write xml+binary to a file and redirect it to threefive
  • cat files to threefive works too.
  • echo xml+binary or type xml+binary on the command line.

threefive < xmlbin.xml

• lib

from threefive import Cue
data = '''<scte35:Signal xmlns:scte35="https://scte.org/schemas/35">
    <scte35:Binary>/DAWAAAAAAAAAP/wBQb+AMBEoAAAALVriA==</scte35:Binary>
</scte35:Signal>
'''
cue=Cue(data)
cue.show()

---

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[CLI]

The threefive cli tool is able to parse SCTE-35 from MPEGTS Streams,Base64,Hex,Integers,JSON XML,and XMLBinary. The format is auto-detected.

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[ Parse SCTE-35 from MPEGTS ]

SCTE-35 can be parsed from MPEGTS over a variety of protocols.

• SCTE-35 Input: MPEGTS
• Protocols: pipes, files, stdin, http(s), multicast,SRT and UDP.
• SCTE-35 Output: JSON (default) base64, bytes, hex, int, xml, and xmlbin.

SCTE-35 Input	Protocol	SCTE-35 Output	Command
MPEGTS	file	JSON	threefive video.ts
.	https	base64	threefive https://example.com/video.ts base64
.	multicast	bytes	threefive udp://@235.3.5:3535 bytes
.	SRT	hex	threefive srt://1.2.3.4:4201 hex
.	UDP	int	threefive udp://10.10.10.10:1011 int
.	Pipe	xml	cat video.ts | threefive xml
.	stdin	xml+bin	threefive xmlbin < video.ts

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[ Parse SCTE-35 Cues ]

• The default output is JSON
• SCTE-35 Inputs: base64, hex, int, JSON,int,xml,and xmlbin.
• SCTE-35 Outputs: base64, bytes, hex, int,JSON, xml, and xmlbin.
• Any Input can be used with Any Output

Here are several examples.

SCTE-35 Input	SCTE-35 Output	Command
base64	JSON	threefive '/DAWAAAAAAAAAP/wBQb+AKmKxwAACzuu2Q=='
.	bytes	threefive '/DAWAAAAAAAAAP/wBQb+AKmKxwAACzuu2Q==' bytes
.	hex	threefive '/DAWAAAAAAAAAP/wBQb+AKmKxwAACzuu2Q==' hex
.	xml	threefive '/DAWAAAAAAAAAP/wBQb+AKmKxwAACzuu2Q==' xml
hex	JSON	threefive 0xfc301600000000000000fff00506fe00a98ac700000b3baed9
.	base64	threefive 0xfc301600000000000000fff00506fe00a98ac700000b3baed9 base64
.	int	threefive 0xfc301600000000000000fff00506fe00a98ac700000b3baed9 int
.	xmlbin	threefive 0xfc301600000000000000fff00506fe00a98ac700000b3baed9 xmlbin
int	JSON	threefive 1583008701074197245727019716796221242036302348025116111908569
.	hex	threefive 1583008701074197245727019716796221242036302348025116111908569 hex
.	xml	threefive 1583008701074197245727019716796221242036302348025116111908569 xml
JSON	base64	threefive < json.json base64
.	bytes	threefive < json.json bytes
.	xml	threefive < json.json xml
xml	JSON	threefive < xml.xml
xmlbin	int	threefive < xmlbin.xml int

---

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[Additional functionality]

• threefive has several additional features, mostly related to MPEGTS streams.
• threefive has built in help, just type threefive help
• This table shows how to use them.

Description	How To Use
Inject SCTE35 packets	threefive inject -i in.video -s sidecar.txt -o out.ts
Show raw SCTE35 packets	threefive packets udp://@235.35.3.5:3535
Copy MPEGTS stream to stdout at realtime speed	threefive rt input.ts
Create SCTE35 sidecar file	threefive sidecar video.ts
Show streams in mpegts stream	threefive show https://example.com/video.ts
Show iframes in mpegts stream	threefive iframes srt://10.10.1.3:9000
Show PTS values from mpegts stream	threefive pts udp://192.168.1.10:9000
Proxy the mpegts stream to stdout	threefive proxy https://wexample.com/video.ts

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Other tools

threefive also comes with:

scte35bump

• bump adjusts SCTE-35 PTS in an MPEGTS stream

$ scte35bump -h
usage: scte35bump [-h] [-i INFILE] [-o OUTFILE] [-s SECS]

options:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -i INFILE, --infile INFILE
                        Input source, stdin, file, http(s), udp, or multicast
                        mpegts [default: sys.stdin.buffer]
  -o OUTFILE, --outfile OUTFILE
                        Output file [default: sys.stdout.buffer]
  -s SECS, --secs SECS  Adjustment to apply to SCTE-35 Cues. [default: 0.0]

scte35bump is part of threefive.

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gums

• the Grande Udp Multicast Server

$ gums -h
usage: gums [-h] [-i INPUT] [-a ADDR] [-b BIND_ADDR] [-t TTL]

options:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -i INPUT, --input INPUT
                        like "/home/a/vid.ts" or "https://futzu.com/xaa.ts"
                        [default: sys.stdin.buffer]
  -a ADDR, --addr ADDR  Destination IP:Port [default: 235.35.3.5:3535]
  -b BIND_ADDR, --bind_addr BIND_ADDR
                        Local IP to bind [default: 0.0.0.0]
  -t TTL, --ttl TTL     Multicast TTL (1 - 255) [default: 32]

gums is part of threefive.

⇧

scte35hls

• parse HLS for SCTE-35. Supports all HLS SCTE-35 tags.

$ scte35hls -h

[ threefive hls ]

[ Help ]

    To display this help:
	scte35hls help

[ Input ]
    threefive hls takes an m3u8 URI as input.
    M3U8 formats supported:
        * master  ( When a master.m3u8 used,
                   threefive hls parses the first rendition it finds )
        * rendition
    Segment types supported:
    * AAC
    * AC3
    * MPEGTS
    *codecs:
        * video
            * mpeg2, h.264, h.265
        * audio
            * mpeg2, aac, ac3, mp3

⇧

scte35fix

• when ffmpeg changes a SCTE-35 stream to bin data stream, scte35fix changes it back.

$ scte35fix -h

  scte35fix checks MPEGTS for SCTE-35 Streams
  that have been change to bin data (type 0x06)
  and changes them back to SCTE-35 (type 0x86) streams.
  Output files are created in the current directory
  and prefixed with 'sixfix-'.
  Only bin data streams containing SCTE-35 will be converted.
  Multiple files can be specified on the command line.
  Wild cards work too.

  Example Usage:
        scte35fix video.ts
        scte35fix video1.ts video2.ts
        scte35fix video*.ts
        scte35fix https://example.com/video.ts
        scte35fix srt://10.10.10.13:4201
scte35fix is part of threefive.

---

⇧

[Using the library]

• Let me show you how easy threefive is to use.

• reading SCTE-35 xml from a file

a@fu:~/threefive$ pypy3
Python 3.9.16 (7.3.11+dfsg-2+deb12u3, Dec 30 2024, 22:36:23)
[PyPy 7.3.11 with GCC 12.2.0] on linux
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>>> from threefive import reader
>>>> from threefive import Cue
>>>> data =reader('/home/a/xml.xml').read()

• load it into a threefive.Cue instance

>>>> cue = Cue(data)

• Show the data as JSON

>>>> cue.show()
{
    "info_section": {
        "table_id": "0xfc",
        "section_syntax_indicator": false,
        "private": false,
        "sap_type": "0x03",
        "sap_details": "No Sap Type",
        "section_length": 92,
        "protocol_version": 0,
        "encrypted_packet": false,
        "encryption_algorithm": 0,
        "pts_adjustment": 0.0,
        "cw_index": "0x00",
        "tier": "0x0fff",
        "splice_command_length": 15,
        "splice_command_type": 5,
        "descriptor_loop_length": 60,
        "crc": "0x7632935"
    },
    "command": {
        "command_length": 15,
        "command_type": 5,
        "name": "Splice Insert",
        "break_auto_return": false,
        "break_duration": 180.0,
        "splice_event_id": 1073743095,
        "splice_event_cancel_indicator": false,
        "out_of_network_indicator": true,
        "program_splice_flag": false,
        "duration_flag": true,
        "splice_immediate_flag": false,
        "event_id_compliance_flag": true,
        "unique_program_id": 1,
        "avail_num": 12,
        "avails_expected": 5
    },
    "descriptors": [
        {
            "tag": 0,
            "identifier": "CUEI",
            "name": "Avail Descriptor",
            "provider_avail_id": 12,
            "descriptor_length": 8
        },
        {
            "tag": 0,
            "identifier": "CUEI",
            "name": "Avail Descriptor",
            "provider_avail_id": 13,
            "descriptor_length": 8
        },
      

    ]
}

• convert the data back to xml

>>>> print(cue.xml())
<scte35:SpliceInfoSection xmlns:scte35="https://scte.org/schemas/35"  ptsAdjustment="0" protocolVersion="0" sapType="3" tier="4095">
   <scte35:SpliceInsert spliceEventId="1073743095" spliceEventCancelIndicator="false" spliceImmediateFlag="false" eventIdComplianceFlag="true" availNum="12" availsExpected="5" outOfNetworkIndicator="true" uniqueProgramId="1">
      <scte35:BreakDuration autoReturn="false" duration="16200000"/>
   </scte35:SpliceInsert>
   <scte35:AvailDescriptor providerAvailId="12"/>
   <scte35:AvailDescriptor providerAvailId="13"/>
   <scte35:AvailDescriptor providerAvailId="14"/>
   <scte35:AvailDescriptor providerAvailId="15"/>
   <scte35:AvailDescriptor providerAvailId="16"/>
   <scte35:AvailDescriptor providerAvailId="17"/>
</scte35:SpliceInfoSection>

• convert to xml+binary

>>>> print(cue.xmlbin())
<scte35:Signal xmlns:scte35="https://scte.org/schemas/35">
    <scte35:Binary>/DBcAAAAAAAAAP/wDwVAAAT3f69+APcxQAABDAUAPAAIQ1VFSQAAAAwACENVRUkAAAANAAhDVUVJAAAADgAIQ1VFSQAAAA8ACENVRUkAAAAQAAhDVUVJAAAAEQdjKTU=</scte35:Binary>
</scte35:Signal>

• convert to base64

>>>> print(cue.base64())
/DBcAAAAAAAAAP/wDwVAAAT3f69+APcxQAABDAUAPAAIQ1VFSQAAAAwACENVRUkAAAANAAhDVUVJAAAADgAIQ1VFSQAAAA8ACENVRUkAAAAQAAhDVUVJAAAAEQdjKTU=

• convert to hex

>>>> print(cue.hex())
0xfc305c00000000000000fff00f05400004f77faf7e00f7314000010c05003c0008435545490000000c0008435545490000000d0008435545490000000e0008435545490000000f000843554549000000100008435545490000001107632935

• show just the splice command

>>>> cue.command.show()
{
    "command_length": 15,
    "command_type": 5,
    "name": "Splice Insert",
    "break_auto_return": false,
    "break_duration": 180.0,
    "splice_event_id": 1073743095,
    "splice_event_cancel_indicator": false,
    "out_of_network_indicator": true,
    "program_splice_flag": false,
    "duration_flag": true,
    "splice_immediate_flag": false,
    "event_id_compliance_flag": true,
    "unique_program_id": 1,
    "avail_num": 12,
    "avails_expected": 5
}

• edit the break duration

>>>> cue.command.break_duration=30
>>>> cue.command.show()
{
    "command_length": 15,
    "command_type": 5,
    "name": "Splice Insert",
    "break_auto_return": false,
    "break_duration": 30,
    "splice_event_id": 1073743095,
    "splice_event_cancel_indicator": false,
    "out_of_network_indicator": true,
    "program_splice_flag": false,
    "duration_flag": true,
    "splice_immediate_flag": false,
    "event_id_compliance_flag": true,
    "unique_program_id": 1,
    "avail_num": 12,
    "avails_expected": 5
}

• re-encode to base64 with the new duration

>>>> cue.base64()
'/DBcAAAAAAAAAP/wDwVAAAT3f69+ACky4AABDAUAPAAIQ1VFSQAAAAwACENVRUkAAAANAAhDVUVJAAAADgAIQ1VFSQAAAA8ACENVRUkAAAAQAAhDVUVJAAAAEe1FB6g='

• re-encode to xml with the new duration

>>>> print(cue.xml())
<scte35:SpliceInfoSection xmlns:scte35="https://scte.org/schemas/35"  ptsAdjustment="0" protocolVersion="0" sapType="3" tier="4095">
   <scte35:SpliceInsert spliceEventId="1073743095" spliceEventCancelIndicator="false" spliceImmediateFlag="false" eventIdComplianceFlag="true" availNum="12" availsExpected="5" outOfNetworkIndicator="true" uniqueProgramId="1">
      <scte35:BreakDuration autoReturn="false" duration="2700000"/>
   </scte35:SpliceInsert>
   <scte35:AvailDescriptor providerAvailId="12"/>
   <scte35:AvailDescriptor providerAvailId="13"/>
   <scte35:AvailDescriptor providerAvailId="14"/>
   <scte35:AvailDescriptor providerAvailId="15"/>
   <scte35:AvailDescriptor providerAvailId="16"/>
   <scte35:AvailDescriptor providerAvailId="17"/>
</scte35:SpliceInfoSection>

• show just the descriptors

>>>> _ = [d.show() for d in cue.descriptors]
{
    "tag": 0,
    "identifier": "CUEI",
    "name": "Avail Descriptor",
    "provider_avail_id": 12,
    "descriptor_length": 8
}
{
    "tag": 0,
    "identifier": "CUEI",
    "name": "Avail Descriptor",
    "provider_avail_id": 13,
    "descriptor_length": 8
}
{
    "tag": 0,
    "identifier": "CUEI",
    "name": "Avail Descriptor",
    "provider_avail_id": 14,
    "descriptor_length": 8
}
{
    "tag": 0,
    "identifier": "CUEI",
    "name": "Avail Descriptor",
    "provider_avail_id": 15,
    "descriptor_length": 8
}
{
    "tag": 0,
    "identifier": "CUEI",
    "name": "Avail Descriptor",
    "provider_avail_id": 16,
    "descriptor_length": 8
}
{
    "tag": 0,
    "identifier": "CUEI",
    "name": "Avail Descriptor",
    "provider_avail_id": 17,
    "descriptor_length": 8
}

• pop off the last descriptor and re-encode to xml

>>>> cue.descriptors.pop()
{'tag': 0, 'identifier': 'CUEI', 'name': 'Avail Descriptor', 'private_data': None, 'provider_avail_id': 17, 'descriptor_length': 8}
>>>> print(cue.xml())
<scte35:SpliceInfoSection xmlns:scte35="https://scte.org/schemas/35"  ptsAdjustment="0" protocolVersion="0" sapType="3" tier="4095">
   <scte35:SpliceInsert spliceEventId="1073743095" spliceEventCancelIndicator="false" spliceImmediateFlag="false" eventIdComplianceFlag="true" availNum="12" availsExpected="5" outOfNetworkIndicator="true" uniqueProgramId="1">
      <scte35:BreakDuration autoReturn="false" duration="2700000"/>
   </scte35:SpliceInsert>
   <scte35:AvailDescriptor providerAvailId="12"/>
   <scte35:AvailDescriptor providerAvailId="13"/>
   <scte35:AvailDescriptor providerAvailId="14"/>
   <scte35:AvailDescriptor providerAvailId="15"/>
   <scte35:AvailDescriptor providerAvailId="16"/>
</scte35:SpliceInfoSection>

---

⇧

[web]

• threefive SCTE-35 Online Parser hosted on my server iodisco.com
• Parse SCTE-35 in MPEGTS over HTTP, in your browser with Go, Wasm and Super Karate Death Car hosted om my server bigcorp.ltd
• Parse SCTE-35 in MPEGTS over HTTP, in your browser with threefive.js,javascript, and a little sed just to keep things interesting. hosted om my server bigcorp.ltd
• SCTE-35 Online Parser powered by threefive another online parser powered by threefive not hosted on my servers.
• SCTE-35 As a Service if you can make an http request, you can parse SCTE-35, no install needed. hosted on my server iodisco.com

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⇧

[XML]

• XML New! updated 05/01/2025

[HLS]

• Advanced Parsing of SCTE-35 in HLS with threefive All HLS SCTE-35 tags, Sidecar Files, AAC ID3 Header Timestamps, SCTE-35 filters... Who loves you baby?

⇧

[Classes]

• The python built in help is always the most up to date docs for the library.

a@fu:~/build7/threefive$ pypy3

>>>> from threefive import Stream
>>>> help(Stream)

• Class Structure
• Cue Class Cue is the main SCTE-35 class to use.
• Stream Class The Stream class handles MPEGTS SCTE-35 streams local, Http(s), UDP, and Multicast.

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[threefive now supports SRT]

• ( You have to unmute the audio )

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/a323ea90-867f-480f-a55f-e9339263e511

• more SRT and threefive info

• checkout SRTfu

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[more]

• Encode SCTE-35 Some encoding code examples.

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