Static Buffet - Trash Team × Nulltone.TV

All-you-can-eat video chaos, straight from the public domain.

A VJ-focused web application for instantly searching, previewing, and queuing free-to-use footage from Archive.org, with audio-reactive features and dual brand themes.

🎯 Features

Core Functionality

• Archive.org Search: Search public domain and Creative Commons videos with advanced filters
• Smart Licensing: Only displays Public Domain, CC0, and CC-BY content (excludes NC/ND by default)
• Queue Management: Drag-and-drop reordering with trim points, loops, and crossfades
• Video Preview: Integrated video player with metadata and attribution display
• Export Options: Generate JSON playlists and M3U files with full attribution

Advanced Features

• Emergency Mix: Auto-generate 2-3 minute cuts from search results with beat-length segments
• Audio-Reactive Mode: Beat-detected jump cuts using Web Audio API
• Dual Brand Themes:
  • Diner Mode: Off-white, ketchup red accents, menu-card aesthetic
  • EBN Hijack Mode: Dark charcoal, lime LEDs, scanlines, live broadcast aesthetic

Technical Features

• Real-time Search: Debounced search with infinite scroll
• Responsive Design: Optimized for desktop VJ setups
• Offline Export: Generate playlists without server dependencies
• Rate Limited: Respects Archive.org API limits (10 req/s)

🚀 Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+
• npm or yarn

Installation

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/trashteam/static-buffet.git
   cd static-buffet

2. Install dependencies

   npm install

3. Start the development server

   npm run dev

4. Open your browser

   http://localhost:5001
   

🎥 What's New in v1.0.0

✅ Fully Operational Video Playback

• Fixed all video streaming issues with Archive.org integration
• Enhanced video player with proper preload and CORS settings
• Robust error handling with user feedback via toast notifications
• Pop-out player window with full theme support and synchronization

🎨 Complete Theme System

10 professionally designed themes with consistent styling across all components, each offering a unique aesthetic for different VJ styles and preferences.

🔍 Advanced Search & Queue

• Real-time Archive.org search with licensing filters
• Drag-and-drop queue management with reordering
• Professional timeline with crossfades and trim points
• Export capabilities for playlist sharing and backup

📋 Version 1.0 Status

This is the first stable release of Static Buffet. All previous versions (0.1.0-alpha through 0.7.2) were pre-release development versions with inconsistent numbering. Version 1.0.0 represents a fully functional, production-ready VJ application.

Production Build (self-hosted)

Runs the full Express server, including the disk-backed video cache and transcoding:

npm run build
npm start

\ud83d\ude80 Deploying to Vercel

The app deploys to Vercel as a static frontend plus a serverless function:

• Frontend: npm run build:vercel (vite build) outputs to dist/, served by Vercel's CDN.
• API: the Express app is mounted as a single serverless function at api/index.ts; vercel.json rewrites /api/* to it.

Configure environment variables (e.g. DATABASE_URL) in the Vercel dashboard rather than .env. Import the repo into Vercel and it builds with no extra settings.

Serverless limitations \u2014 because Vercel functions are stateless and short-lived:

• Search and video proxying work. Video plays through /api/video/..., which streams directly from Archive.org without touching disk. Very long videos may hit the function's max duration; short-to-medium clips are fine.
• The disk video cache, transcoding, and HLS routes do not work (no persistent filesystem). They are opt-in extras, not on the default playback path. For those features, self-host the server instead (npm run build && npm start).

\ud83c\udfb5 Audio-Reactive Features

Static Buffet includes Web Audio API integration for beat-detected mixing:

• Auto-detect beats and musical phrases
• Jump cuts synchronized to audio rhythm
• Real-time audio analysis for responsive VJ performances

\ud83c\udfa8 Theme Showcase

Choose from 10 professionally designed themes, each with unique visual identity:

• Consistent styling across all interface elements
• Theme-specific soundboards and effects
• Customizable for different performance environments
• Easy switching during live performances

\ud83d\udce6 Export & Sharing

• JSON Playlists: Full metadata with attribution and licensing
• M3U Files: Standard playlist format for external players
• EDL Recording: Professional edit decision lists for documentation
• Attribution Compliance: Automatic licensing and creator attribution

\ud83d\udd27 Technical Stack

• Frontend: React 18, TypeScript, Vite, TailwindCSS
• UI Components: Shadcn/ui with Radix UI primitives
• State Management: Zustand for global state
• Data Fetching: TanStack Query with caching
• Backend: Express.js with video streaming proxy
• API Integration: Archive.org search and metadata
• Development: Hot Module Replacement, TypeScript checking

\ud83c\udfaf Contributing

Static Buffet is a collaborative project between Trash Team and Nulltone.TV. For bug reports, feature requests, or contributions, please contact the development team.

\ud83d\udcdc License

MIT License - See LICENSE file for details.

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Static Buffet v1.0.0 - Professional VJ software for the digital age.
Trash Team \u00d7 Nulltone.TV - Bringing chaos to order, one video at a time.