Scripts to stream online streams via streamlink or YouTube playlists using youtube-dl to VLC (very low CPU usage)

open_stream_in_bg_streamlink.ps1

#!/usr/bin/env pwsh

Param (
	[string]$MediaPlayer = "C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe",
	[string[]]$MediaPlayerOptions = @(
		# Don't render video to save resources
		"--no-video"
		# Start in background with no foreground window
		"--qt-start-minimized"
	),
	[string]$Streamlink = "streamlink",
	[string]$StreamlinkQualityPreset = "480p",
	[string]$StreamURL = "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfKfPfyJRdk"
)

# Stop script on error
$ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"

# Run this command if you can't execute any scripts
# > set-executionpolicy remotesigned

# Get streamlink: (winget install Python.Python.3.11, pip install streamlink)
# > https://pypi.org/project/streamlink/
# Get VLC media player: (winget install VideoLAN.VLC)
# > https://www.videolan.org/vlc/index.de.html

[string[]]$StreamlinkArguments = @('--player="' + "$MediaPlayer $MediaPlayerOptions" + '"', $StreamURL, $StreamlinkQualityPreset)
Start-Process -FilePath $Streamlink -ArgumentList $StreamlinkArguments

open_youtube_playlist_random_in_bg_ytdl.ps1

#!/usr/bin/env pwsh

Param (
	[string]$YouTubeDL = "yt-dlp.exe", 
	[string]$MediaPlayer = "C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe",
	[string[]]$MediaPlayerOptions = @(
		# Don't render video to save resources
		"--no-video"
		# Start in background with no foreground window
		"--qt-start-minimized"
		# Shuffle playlist content
		"--random"
	),
	[string]$YouTubePlaylistURL = "https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv9TnWhb81QxzAMNKVLLdipkc4N3Hvh8R",
	[string]$TempPlaylistPath = (Join-Path -Path $env:TEMP -ChildPath "temp_playlist_music.m3u"),
	[bool]$ClearTempPlaylist = $false
)

# Stop script on error
$ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"

# Run this command if you can't execute any scripts
# > set-executionpolicy remotesigned

# Get YouTubeDL: (winget install Python.Python.3.11, pip install yt-dlp)
# > https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases
# Get VLC media player: (winget install VideoLAN.VLC)
# > https://www.videolan.org/vlc/index.de.html

if ($ClearTempPlaylist -and (Test-Path -Path $TempPlaylistPath -PathType Leaf)) {
	Remove-Item -Path $TempPlaylistPath
}

# Parse and store the videos of the YouTube playlist in a file that can be imported if not already existing
if (-not (Test-Path -Path $TempPlaylistPath -PathType Leaf)) {
	[string[]]$YouTubeDLArguments = @("-O", "#EXTINF:%(duration)s,%(upload_date>%d/%m/%Y)s %(title)s", "-O", "webpage_url", $YouTubePlaylistURL)
	Start-Process -FilePath $YouTubeDL -ArgumentList $YouTubeDLArguments -NoNewWindow -PassThru -Wait -RedirectStandardOutput $TempPlaylistPath
}
# Load created playlist file with media player
[string[]]$MediaPlayerArguments = $MediaPlayerOptions + @($TempPlaylistPath)
Start-Process -FilePath $MediaPlayer -ArgumentList $MediaPlayerArguments -NoNewWindow -PassThru

open_youtube_video_in_bg.ps1

#!/usr/bin/env pwsh

Param (
	[string]$MediaPlayer = "C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe",
	[string[]]$MediaPlayerOptions = @(
		# Don't render video to save resources
		"--no-video"
		# Start in background with no foreground window
		"--qt-start-minimized"
	),
	[string]$YouTubeVideoURL = "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VExiRl2azl8"
)

# Stop script on error
$ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"

# Run this command if you can't execute any scripts
# > set-executionpolicy remotesigned

# Get VLC media player: (winget install VideoLAN.VLC)
# > https://www.videolan.org/vlc/index.de.html

# Open video URL with media player
[string[]]$MediaPlayerArguments = $MediaPlayerOptions + @($YouTubeVideoURL)
Start-Process -FilePath $MediaPlayer -ArgumentList $MediaPlayerArguments -NoNewWindow -PassThru