This release delivers experimental support for the value for value monetization model with streaming Bitcoints/Satoshis.
In this monetization model, listeners can stream money to podcasters as they listen to episodes, using KeySend payments over the Lightning Network. This model was proposed by Adam Curry and Dave Jones from https://podcastindex.org.
In v1.33.0 we delivered a similar feature, but integrating with an LND node.
In this version we implement support for LNPay.co (https://lnpay.co/home/about), a service for custodial lightning wallets.
This service is used to hold your lightning funds and handle the payments to podcasters (or any node configured in the podcast's value block).
In order to use this feature, you will need to:
- sign-up to LNPay.co (https://lnpay.co/home/signup),
- create a wallet,
- configure your Public API Key and Wallet Access Key in the options in podStation,
- fund your wallet with some SATs balance.
If you are located in the USA, you should be able to fund it using Strike (https://strike.me/strike).
After signing up and logging in you will find your Public API Key at https://lnpay.co/developers/dashboard, and after creating a wallet you will find its access key in the wallet's detail.
- Go to podStation's options page, in the Lightning payments section, select the integration type lnpay.co,
- Set the API Key field with your Public API Key from LNPay.co (
pak_...), - Set the Wallet Access Key with the Wallet Admin access key (
waka_...), - Save your changes and use the button Test LNPay connection to check if the integration is working.
Currently there is no UI where the user can inspect what is happening, the only way to get any feedback (aside from inspecting the transfers and logs of your LND node), is to inspect the logs of podStation's background page.
To do so, go to chrome://extensions/ and click on the details of podStation, look for Inspect views and click on the background.html view, then check the console. There, when playing value enabled podcasts, you should see either success or error messages for the payment.
As as explained in the release notes for v1.33.0, the funds to be transferred are cummulated in only in memory, so if they are not successfully transferred, they will be lost when podStation's background page is unloaded.
This solution is very experimental. Only put in your wallet funds you are willing to lose (although that should not happen).
Consider enabling the test mode first and inspecting the logs for the payments that would have been sent, and check if the values are ok, before you use it for real. If possible, connect it with a node that only has funds you can spare.
Special thanks go to Dave Jones (https://podcastindex.social/@dave) for providing me some Sats for testing, and Tim (https://twitter.com/BootstrapBandit) for answering my questions about LNPay.