Timestamps

Version 0.1

Generate timestamps for YouTube live streams while you are streaming. Once you finish your live stream, just copy & paste the timestamps to description of your YouTube video.

You can use Elgato Stream Deck, Bitfocus Companion and H2R Graphics to automate your workflow. For example, create lower third with H2R Graphics which name is "Men's semifinal, heat 1". Then you create a button in Companion which triggers the lower third and creation of the new timestamp. This way you automagically create timestampsfor your stream.

User interface is mainly to copy the timestamps - timestamps are created through API calls from Companion. API call is simply http://127.0.0.1:8080/api/<your optional text>. To reset the timer use http://127.0.0.1:8080/api/start or press START button in user interface.

Pros

• Very lightweight application
• Network based architecture so no need run to Companion and Timestamps in the same computer. timestamps.js has IP address 127.0.0.1 by default so you can run the app only on local computer. Change the IP address to your computer's IP address if you want to use it over the network.
• Supports multiple platforms - any platform supported by node.js.

Installation and running the application

Windows

• Download Node.js from https://nodejs.org/ and install it.
• Download timestamps-main.zip from Github (you find it under the 'Code'-button) and extract files to your Documents directory. Just for simplicity, rename timestamps-main directory to timestamps.
• Open command prompt, input cd timestamps and start the application with command node timestamps.js

To update fom older version to new, just delete old timestamps installation (no need to delete node.js) and install again.

Linux (e.g. Raspberry Pi)

• Install Node.js. Get suitable version from https://github.com/nodesource/distributions (select LTS version)
• Get timestamps app with

  git clone https://github.com/proalvo/timestamps.git
  cd timestamps
  node timestamps.js
  

To update fom older version to new, just delete old timestamps installation with cd && rm -r timestamps and clone the software again.

Continue setting up the timestamps app

• Open https://127.0.0.1:8080/.
• In Bitfocus Companion, add a new connection. Use "Generic http" to create the connection.
  • Label: timestamps
  • Base URL: http://127.0.0.1:8080/api/

• Add buttons for different sections of your show. Input your own text to URI field.

You can combine triggering of lower thirds from H2R Graphics and timestamps to the same button.

This is how it can look in Stream Deck.

This is how looks in H2R Graphics.