OT: YiouTube sunscribed sites

[Chris J Dixon]

Viewing my YouTube subscribed sites on my PC ( Windows 10 &
Firefox) my subscribed sites are listed in alphabetical order.

However, I watch a lot on my smart TV (Samsung UE43KU6000 TV.)
Here, until recently, the list order was much the same, except
the few most recently added were also duplicated at the top of
the list.

Now, the order appears random. I can't see any correlation to
name, date subscribed, date posted, viewing frequency...

My Humax Aura 2TB also allows me to use Youtube, and appears to
behave identically to the TV.

I am not aware of making any changes myself, and can't find any
obvious way to influence things.

Am I missing something, or is this simply something I am stuck
with?

Chris

[Rich]

Post by Chris J Dixon
Am I missing something, or is this simply something I am stuck
with?

You are likely stuck with it, given that a "smart tv" controls you,
rather than the other way around.

Consider downloading the items you want to watch from youtube
(https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp) and then setting up a playback
system for the downloads. Then you will be in control of every aspect
of the display and playback of the downloaded files.

[Theo]

Post by Rich

Post by Chris J Dixon
Am I missing something, or is this simply something I am stuck
with?

You are likely stuck with it, given that a "smart tv" controls you,
rather than the other way around.
Consider downloading the items you want to watch from youtube
(https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp) and then setting up a playback
system for the downloads. Then you will be in control of every aspect
of the display and playback of the downloaded files.

There are also alternative apps like 'SmartTube' for Android TV, although it
depends on your TV/box as to whether it'll let you install them. They also
block ads and sponsored segments.

https://github.com/yuliskov/SmartTube

(can't speak of what it does for subscriptions though)

Theo

[RJH]

Post by Theo

Post by Rich

Post by Chris J Dixon
Am I missing something, or is this simply something I am stuck
with?

You are likely stuck with it, given that a "smart tv" controls you,
rather than the other way around.
Consider downloading the items you want to watch from youtube
(https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp) and then setting up a playback
system for the downloads. Then you will be in control of every aspect
of the display and playback of the downloaded files.

There are also alternative apps like 'SmartTube' for Android TV, although it
depends on your TV/box as to whether it'll let you install them. They also
block ads and sponsored segments.
https://github.com/yuliskov/SmartTube
(can't speak of what it does for subscriptions though)

Thanks for that - never knew it was a thing. Just 'rooted' my 2018 LG TV and
it seems to have worked - at least, the ad-free Youtube app works. I used:

https://cani.rootmy.tv

to check for WebOS TVs. Very neat installer - just load an mp3 file using the
TV's music player. Quite a lot of small print and warnings, so caveat emptor
etc.

[D]

Post by Rich

Post by Chris J Dixon
Am I missing something, or is this simply something I am stuck
with?

You are likely stuck with it, given that a "smart tv" controls you,
rather than the other way around.
Consider downloading the items you want to watch from youtube
(https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp) and then setting up a playback
system for the downloads. Then you will be in control of every aspect
of the display and playback of the downloaded files.

Pro tip! If you want to liberate yourself from your smart-TV, go and get
yourself a Radxa Zero and run Kodi on it.

That way you can turn off all the smarts on the TV, and just view the
stuff you want to view through the Radxa single board computer.

[Theo]

Post by D

Post by Rich

Post by Chris J Dixon
Am I missing something, or is this simply something I am stuck
with?

You are likely stuck with it, given that a "smart tv" controls you,
rather than the other way around.
Consider downloading the items you want to watch from youtube
(https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp) and then setting up a playback
system for the downloads. Then you will be in control of every aspect
of the display and playback of the downloaded files.

Pro tip! If you want to liberate yourself from your smart-TV, go and get
yourself a Radxa Zero and run Kodi on it.
That way you can turn off all the smarts on the TV, and just view the
stuff you want to view through the Radxa single board computer.

...until you want to watch Netflix, iPlayer, ITVX, Disney+ or whatever. Then
you'll find there's either no streaming app or the streaming app won't run
because you aren't running their DRM on 'certified' hardware.

Although there are approved Android TV boxes, and they're an option if you
need more control / less spying than your smart TV.

Theo

[Andy Burns]

Post by Theo

get yourself a Radxa Zero and run Kodi on it.
That way you can turn off all the smarts on the TV, and just view the
stuff you want to view through the Radxa single board computer.

...until you want to watch Netflix, iPlayer, ITVX, Disney+ or whatever. Then
you'll find there's either no streaming app or the streaming app won't run
because you aren't running their DRM on 'certified' hardware.

Don't know if they've b0rked it in new and innovative ways, but I did
have Kodi (or maybe it was still XBMC at the time) running with the
widevine plugin extracted from the Chrome installer, running on a Pi3
... obviously it did require a Netflix account, which I stopped paying
for after a year.

[D]

Post by Theo

get yourself a Radxa Zero and run Kodi on it.
That way you can turn off all the smarts on the TV, and just view the
stuff you want to view through the Radxa single board computer.

...until you want to watch Netflix, iPlayer, ITVX, Disney+ or whatever.
Then
you'll find there's either no streaming app or the streaming app won't run
because you aren't running their DRM on 'certified' hardware.

Don't know if they've b0rked it in new and innovative ways, but I did have
Kodi (or maybe it was still XBMC at the time) running with the widevine
plugin extracted from the Chrome installer, running on a Pi3 ... obviously it
did require a Netflix account, which I stopped paying for after a year.

Actually... I think I installed a youtube plugin and it worked. But that
was for the wife, but she never used it in the end.

What I usually do, is to download documentaries off youtube with yt-dlp
and ship them to the NAS, there they are picked up by the kodi
automatically if they are well known.

Works lile a charm and all commercials are removed as well.

[D]

Post by Theo

Post by D

Post by Rich

Post by Chris J Dixon
Am I missing something, or is this simply something I am stuck
with?

You are likely stuck with it, given that a "smart tv" controls you,
rather than the other way around.
Consider downloading the items you want to watch from youtube
(https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp) and then setting up a playback
system for the downloads. Then you will be in control of every aspect
of the display and playback of the downloaded files.

Pro tip! If you want to liberate yourself from your smart-TV, go and get
yourself a Radxa Zero and run Kodi on it.
That way you can turn off all the smarts on the TV, and just view the
stuff you want to view through the Radxa single board computer.

...until you want to watch Netflix, iPlayer, ITVX, Disney+ or whatever. Then
you'll find there's either no streaming app or the streaming app won't run
because you aren't running their DRM on 'certified' hardware.

This is not so interesting. All the content of the above exists on torrent
sites, for free.

Post by Theo
Although there are approved Android TV boxes, and they're an option if you
need more control / less spying than your smart TV.

This is also a possibility.

Post by Theo
Theo

[Pamela]

Post by Theo

Post by D

Post by Rich

Post by Chris J Dixon
Am I missing something, or is this simply something I am stuck
with?

You are likely stuck with it, given that a "smart tv" controls you,
rather than the other way around.
Consider downloading the items you want to watch from youtube
(https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp) and then setting up a playback
system for the downloads. Then you will be in control of every
aspect of the display and playback of the downloaded files.

Pro tip! If you want to liberate yourself from your smart-TV, go and
get yourself a Radxa Zero and run Kodi on it.
That way you can turn off all the smarts on the TV, and just view the
stuff you want to view through the Radxa single board computer.

...until you want to watch Netflix, iPlayer, ITVX, Disney+ or
whatever. Then you'll find there's either no streaming app or the
streaming app won't run because you aren't running their DRM on
'certified' hardware.
Although there are approved Android TV boxes, and they're an option if
you need more control / less spying than your smart TV.
Theo

I hate YouTube adverts, so I run SmartTube. It works like a charm and
synchronises subscriptions and playlists from your Google/YouTube
account, as well as correctly marking which videos you have watched.

I wouldn't be without it.

However the app isn't available from the usual tv app library and has to
be side-loaded, which is slightly fiddly but not a big deal. For step by
step instructions see:

"How to Install SmartTube on Firestick (Ad-Free YouTube)"
https://troypoint.com/smarttube/

[Adrian Caspersz]

Post by Chris J Dixon
Viewing my YouTube subscribed sites on my PC ( Windows 10 &
Firefox) my subscribed sites are listed in alphabetical order.
However, I watch a lot on my smart TV (Samsung UE43KU6000 TV.)
Here, until recently, the list order was much the same, except
the few most recently added were also duplicated at the top of
the list.
Now, the order appears random. I can't see any correlation to
name, date subscribed, date posted, viewing frequency...

They are messing with it, "to see what folks like"

I'd guess, the randomness either gives you the opportunity to catch up
with a channel that you previously missed - or it gives channels with
names further down the alphabet a subscriber lookin'.

You can sort the list order on a phone, and view the selected channel on
a linked TV.

Or if your TV does voice commands, ask it for the channel name.

If you've got a good memory of those.

I've got 331 ;-)