GitHub user pcruz1905 released a lightweight HLS restream proxy specifically designed for self-hosted media servers like Jellyfin, Emby, and Plex. The core problem it solves is that many free IPTV and HLS sources require specific HTTP headers (User-Agent, Referer) that these media servers don't automatically send. The proxy sits between the media server and the upstream stream, injecting the necessary headers and rewriting m3u8 playlists so all segment requests flow through it.

This eliminates the need for manual header configuration and prevents token expiration issues by transparently handling refresh. The project includes a channel configuration file, tools for auto-detecting required headers, and support for Docker and systemd setups.