Automating Butt Plugin Configuration and Management with Ansible

Discover how to set up and manage the Butt plugin for seamless audio streaming. Automate configurations and updates with Ansible for efficiency.

The Butt plugin (Broadcast Using This Tool) is a versatile and widely-used plugin for audio streaming and recording. Whether you're setting up a live broadcast or managing multiple recording systems, automating the configuration of the Butt plugin with Ansible can save time and ensure consistency across systems.

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What is the Butt Plugin?

The Butt plugin is an open-source tool designed for streaming audio to online servers and recording locally. It is commonly used for:

Live Broadcasting: Stream audio to platforms like Icecast or Shoutcast.

Audio Recording: Save high-quality audio files locally for future use.

Cross-Platform Compatibility: Available on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

When paired with Ansible, the Butt plugin setup and management process becomes streamlined, ensuring a consistent configuration across multiple systems.

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Why Use Ansible for Butt Plugin Management?

Automation: Automate repetitive setup tasks, including installation and configuration.

Scalability: Deploy the Butt plugin across multiple devices efficiently.

Consistency: Apply uniform settings, such as server configurations and recording options.

Error Reduction: Eliminate manual mistakes during setup and updates.

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Setting Up the Butt Plugin

Manual Steps

1. Download the Plugin:

- Visit the [official website](https://danielnoethen.de/) and download the plugin for your operating system.

2. Install Dependencies:

- Ensure required libraries and tools (e.g., audio drivers) are installed on your system.

3. Configure Audio Settings:

- Set up the audio input, bitrate, and server connection settings.

4. Test the Connection:

- Verify that the plugin streams successfully to your target server.

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Automating with Ansible

#### Example Playbook for Installing the Butt Plugin

This playbook automates the installation of the Butt plugin on Linux systems.

``yaml


name: Install Butt plugin on Linux
  hosts: linux_servers
  tasks:
    - name: Install required dependencies
      ansible.builtin.package:
        name: 
          - libasound2
          - libmp3lame0
        state: present

    - name: Download Butt plugin
      ansible.builtin.get_url:
        url: "https://danielnoethen.de/butt/downloads/butt-0.1.32.tar.gz"
        dest: "/tmp/butt.tar.gz"

    - name: Extract Butt plugin
      ansible.builtin.unarchive:
        src: "/tmp/butt.tar.gz"
        dest: "/opt/butt"
        remote_src: true



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#### Example Playbook for Configuring the Plugin
This playbook configures the plugin settings, including audio input and server connection details.

``yaml

name: Configure Butt plugin

hosts: linux_servers

tasks:

- name: Create configuration file

ansible.builtin.copy:

dest: "/opt/butt/config.ini"

content: |

[audio]

input_device=default

bitrate=128

[server]

host=stream.example.co