local-transcription/server/QUICK_FIX.md

Quick Fix for Multi-User Display Issues

The Problem

Your PHP SSE (Server-Sent Events) setup isn't working because:

1. PHP-FPM buffers output - Shared hosting uses PHP-FPM which buffers everything
2. Apache/Nginx timeouts - Proxy kills long connections
3. SSE isn't designed for PHP - PHP processes are meant to be short-lived

The Solutions (in order of recommendation)

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✅ Solution 1: Use PHP Polling (Easiest Fix)

What changed: Instead of SSE (streaming), use regular HTTP polling every 1 second

Files affected:

• Keep: server.php, config.php (no changes needed)
• Replace: Use display-polling.php instead of display.php

Setup:

1. Upload display-polling.php to your server
2. Change your OBS Browser Source URL from:

   OLD: https://your-site.com/transcription/display.php?room=ROOM
   NEW: https://your-site.com/transcription/display-polling.php?room=ROOM
   

3. Done! No other changes needed.

Pros:

• ✅ Works on ANY shared hosting
• ✅ No server configuration needed
• ✅ Uses your existing setup
• ✅ 5-minute fix

Cons:

• ⚠️ 1-2 second latency (vs instant with WebSocket)
• ⚠️ More server requests (but minimal impact)

Performance: Good for 2-20 concurrent users

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⭐ Solution 2: Use Node.js Server (Best Performance)

What changed: Switch from PHP to Node.js - designed for real-time

Setup:

1. Get a VPS (or use free hosting like Railway.app)
2. Install Node.js:

   cd server/nodejs
   npm install
   npm start
   

3. Update desktop app Server URL to:

   http://your-server.com:3000/api/send
   

4. Update OBS URL to:

   http://your-server.com:3000/display?room=ROOM
   

Pros:

• ✅ Real-time (< 100ms latency)
• ✅ Handles 100+ users easily
• ✅ Native WebSocket support
• ✅ Lower resource usage
• ✅ Can use free hosting (Railway, Heroku, Fly.io)

Cons:

• ❌ Requires VPS or cloud hosting (can't use shared hosting)
• ❌ More setup than PHP

Performance: Excellent for any number of users

Free Hosting Options:

• Railway.app (easiest - just connect GitHub)
• Heroku (free tier)
• Fly.io (free tier)

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🔧 Solution 3: Fix PHP SSE (Advanced - Not Recommended)

Only if you have full server control and really want SSE

This requires:

1. Apache configuration changes
2. Disabling output buffering
3. Increasing timeouts

See apache-sse-config.conf for details.

Not recommended because: It's complex, fragile, and PHP polling is easier and more reliable.

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Quick Comparison

Solution	Setup Time	Reliability	Latency	Works on Shared Hosting?
PHP Polling	5 min	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	1-2s	✅ Yes
Node.js	30 min	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	< 100ms	❌ No (needs VPS)
PHP SSE	2 hours	⭐⭐	Should be instant	❌ Rarely

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Testing Your Fix

Test PHP Polling

1. Run the test script:

   cd server
   ./test-server.sh
   

2. Or manually:

   # Send a test message
   curl -X POST "https://your-site.com/transcription/server.php?action=send" \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{
       "room": "test",
       "passphrase": "testpass",
       "user_name": "TestUser",
       "text": "Hello World",
       "timestamp": "12:34:56"
     }'
   
   # Open in browser:
   https://your-site.com/transcription/display-polling.php?room=test
   
   # Should see "Hello World" appear within 1-2 seconds
   

Test Node.js

1. Start server:

   cd server/nodejs
   npm install
   npm start
   

2. Open browser:

   http://localhost:3000/display?room=test
   

3. Send test message:

   curl -X POST "http://localhost:3000/api/send" \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{
       "room": "test",
       "passphrase": "testpass",
       "user_name": "TestUser",
       "text": "Hello World",
       "timestamp": "12:34:56"
     }'
   

4. Should see message appear instantly

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My Recommendation

Start with PHP Polling (Solution 1):

• Upload display-polling.php
• Change OBS URL
• Test it out

If you like it and want better performance, migrate to Node.js (Solution 2):

• Takes 30 minutes
• Much better performance
• Can use free hosting

Forget about PHP SSE (Solution 3):

• Too much work
• Unreliable
• Not worth it

---

Files You Need

For PHP Polling

• ✅ server.php (already have)
• ✅ config.php (already have)
• ✅ display-polling.php (NEW - just created)
• ❌ display.php (don't use anymore)

For Node.js

• ✅ server/nodejs/server.js (NEW)
• ✅ server/nodejs/package.json (NEW)
• ✅ server/nodejs/README.md (NEW)

---

Need Help?

1. Read COMPARISON.md for detailed comparison
2. Read server/nodejs/README.md for Node.js setup
3. Run ./test-server.sh to diagnose issues
4. Check browser console for errors

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Bottom Line

Your SSE display doesn't work because PHP + shared hosting + SSE = bad combo.

Use PHP Polling (1-2s delay) or Node.js (instant). Both work reliably.