Names and colors
The box's actual Linux interfaces stay technically unchanged. For the visible overlay, you can assign readable names such as Starlink, Telekom, Vodafone or Wi-Fi, plus your own circle colors.
One glance tells you which connection is carrying the stream
The new IRL4YOU BELABOX network overlay puts the network paths you're using right into the video. Colored circles show up to eight configured connections as a percentage share, as a kilobit value, or as a plain status light. An extra total circle can show the total bandwidth and RTT of the SRT output.
1. What's new?
The regular BELABOX interface already shows important information about your stream. The new overlay brings part of that network view right into the outgoing video. That way the display can be visible in the finished stream, without you having to set up an extra browser source in OBS.
If a configured connection drops or a hotspot becomes unreachable, its circle disappears after a short time. When the interface comes back, it's sorted back in automatically. The video keeps running regardless of the display refresh, which is every two seconds by default.
2. What can you set?
Values or status
The connection circles show either percentages, kilobits per second, or just the colored status without a number. The total circle and its values can be switched on and off separately.
Position and readability
You can anchor the overlay in any corner of the frame. Font color and the opacity of the dark inner areas can also be adjusted to fit your own picture.
Up to eight paths
The configurator lets you prepare up to eight interfaces. With more than four visible circles, further compact rows are added automatically.
3. Why right in the video?
The overlay is generated on the same Orange Pi or ROCK box that runs the BELABOX software. It's blended into the encoded picture there and becomes part of the outgoing stream. Viewers or a production desk don't need a separate stats page.
That saves extra pieces in your setup. At the same time, the display is deliberately compact: it's meant for a quick read on your active connections, not as a full network diagnostic tool.
Important: The percentages show each connection's share of the upload being sent right now. They're not a speed test, and they don't tell you how much headroom a single connection still has.
4. These boxes were tested in practice
| Hardware | Tested inputs | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Orange Pi 5 Plus | RTMP 1080p30/60, HDMI and USB/UVC 1080p30 | approved after practical testing |
| Radxa ROCK 5B Plus | RTMP 1080p30/60, HDMI and USB/UVC 1080p30 | approved after practical testing |
We also checked picture and sound, restarts, changing interfaces, recovery, and a longer 1080p60 test. Other boards, cameras, resolutions or frame rates may work, but version 1.1 doesn't list them as tested and approved yet.
5. Configure in the browser, install on the box
The configurator runs locally in your browser. There you enter the existing Linux interface names of your BELABOX, then set visible names, colors, display mode, position, font color, background opacity and refresh time. None of this is sent to IRL4YOU.
Your choices produce a personal install command. After you log in over SSH and switch to the root user, you can run that command on the box. Download, checksum, installation and applying your configuration then happen automatically.
6. Our verdict and the clear limits
The BELABOX network overlay is a practical extra for streamers who want their active connections visible on screen. It doesn't replace a full diagnosis, but it makes the current network mix easy to understand at a glance and adapts to different stream layouts.
The modified BELABOX source code comes with the build script and license in the download package. Like the technical foundation it builds on, the extension is licensed under the GNU GPL version 3 or later. Before an important outing, a private test with your own hardware is still a must.
Note on USB LAN: With routers connected over USB, you may need to unplug the USB cable once and plug it back in after the box restarts. As soon as Linux detects the interface again, it shows up in the overlay automatically.