Anyone who’s been using privacy-respecting frontends for some time will recognise Piped. A YouTube frontend with no ads, integrated SponsorBlock, return dislikes, and a customisable UI.

Piped also allows you to subscribe to as many channels as you want without ever logging into a Google account. You can export your subs list from YouTube and import them to Piped seamlessly.

If you’ve never heard of it, give it a glance at https://piped.video. For more instances, check here.

  • pastelsquirrel@beehaw.org
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    1 year ago

    can definitely recommend this, but just a head’s up - Google has a habit of hitting the main instance with rate limiting, which causes videos to not load until it gets fixed. but thankfully Piped has multiple instances, so if the main one is down, you can keep watching.

  • kavin@feddit.rocks
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    1 year ago

    Hello there, I’m the author of Piped and would love to answer any questions you may have! 👋

    • zxo@sopuli.xyz
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      1 year ago

      Yep, Piped uses the NewPipeExtractor to load videos, just like NewPipe. However, Piped runs it server side, and NewPipe runs it client side. YouTube likes to rate limit the big instances too, so all you have to do is use a smaller one like il.ax or piped.adminforge.de.

      • NoTime@lemmy.one
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        1 year ago

        Doesn’t this make NewPipe better in that instance? If it’s client side you aren’t going to be rate limited.

        There is also a fork of NewPipe that integrates SponsorBlock (I don’t know if Piped has that).

        • XpeeN@sopuli.xyz
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          1 year ago

          That youtube don’t know YOU scrape their website. in fact, they don’t even know you’re watching a video.

          • zxo@sopuli.xyz
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            1 year ago

            However, YouTube rate limits big Piped instances, so it’s better to use NewPipe or a small instance.

    • seducingcamel@beehaw.org
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      1 year ago

      How’s the UI? I remember using it over a year ago and it felt really crusty compared to the Chromecast YouTube app

      • quarterlotus@beehaw.org
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        1 year ago

        Much better than before, I’d imagine. I haven’t used it for that long but I find it really smooth and nice to use, I haven’t had any issues, really.

  • fades@beehaw.org
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    1 year ago

    Excellent timing! With the rumblings of YT attacking anti-ad users and me using my new iPad Pro for watching stuff on the go, I’ve just started looking into side-loading.

    Looks like I’ll be going with an app that utilizes this fw. Good share!

  • garrett@infosec.pub
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    1 year ago

    Having a lot of troubles with viewing content in any of the instances. Unfortunate since things are looking a lil’ bleak on YouTube as a whole.

  • b9chomps@beehaw.org
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    1 year ago

    I use it for about a year new. There are a few hiccups now and then, but you can just switch instance. That’s why I recommend using Libredirect with it. If you have trouble with an instance just ping the instances in Libredirect and chose a new one. Backup your preferences from the old instance and import it to the new. Your settings and subscriptions are available again.

    • chris.@beehaw.org
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      1 year ago

      eh, i don’t think it’s fair to discount a youtube frontend for having a bug, especially not a frontend as new as this one. projects at this early a stage always have issues, & youtube frontends have to deal with the added bonus of google randomly rate-limiting & consistently trying to break them. youtube frontends are always going to have issues & need constant updates by nature, there’s not much any of them can do about it

    • pastelsquirrel@beehaw.org
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      1 year ago

      main instance is being rate limited - basically Google likes to go ‘fuck you’ and kill the main instance for a few days. just switch to a smaller instance and you’ll be good

  • Pixel@beehaw.org
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    1 year ago

    is there any way for me to sign into my youtube account by way of piped so I can get my sub feed and stuff?

    • b9chomps@beehaw.org
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      1 year ago

      You can export your Youtube subscription into a csv file that can be imported into Piped. If you enable cookies you don’t even need to create an account and can still have a personal feed. That’s the main reason for me to use it above Invidious