Stream any URL to VLC on Android TV over ADB

vlc-adb.sh

#!/bin/bash

DEVICE_IP="${ADB_DEVICE:-}"
VLC_ACTIVITY="org.videolan.vlc/org.videolan.vlc.StartActivity"

usage() {
  echo "Usage: $(basename "$0") [OPTIONS] <url>"
  echo ""
  echo "Options:"
  echo "  -d, --device <ip:port>   Target device (or set ADB_DEVICE env)"
  echo "  -h, --help               Show this help"
  echo ""
  echo "Examples:"
  echo "  $(basename "$0") https://example.com/video.mp4"
  echo "  $(basename "$0") -d 192.168.1.100:5555 https://example.com/video.mp4"
  echo ""
  echo "Env:"
  echo "  ADB_DEVICE   Set default device IP:port"
}

connect_device() {
  echo "Connecting to $DEVICE_IP..."
  local out
  out=$(adb connect "$DEVICE_IP" 2>&1)
  if echo "$out" | grep -qE "connected|already connected"; then
    echo "$out"
  else
    echo "Failed to connect: $out"
    exit 1
  fi
}

play_url() {
  local url="$1"
  echo "Opening in VLC: $url"
  adb -s "$DEVICE_IP" shell am start \
    -a android.intent.action.VIEW \
    -d "$url" \
    -n "$VLC_ACTIVITY" \
    > /dev/null 2>&1 && echo "Done" || { echo "Failed to launch VLC"; exit 1; }
}

while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
  case "$1" in
    -d|--device) DEVICE_IP="$2"; shift 2 ;;
    -h|--help)   usage; exit 0 ;;
    http*|rtsp*|rtmp*|ftp*) URL="$1"; shift ;;
    *) echo "Unknown argument: $1"; usage; exit 1 ;;
  esac
done

if [[ -z "$DEVICE_IP" ]]; then
  echo "Device IP not set. Use -d <ip:port> or export ADB_DEVICE=<ip:port>"
  exit 1
fi

if [[ -z "$URL" ]]; then
  usage
  exit 1
fi

connect_device
play_url "$URL"