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Vinegar: Safari extension that replaces YouTube embeds with HTML5 video tags

andadinosaur.com

111–120 of 152 posts

Re: Vinegar: Safari extension that replaces YouTube embeds with HTML5 video tags

#111
I didn't verify this but my guess is that with the lack of the MSE API on Safari iOS, YT has no other option but to serve the HLS manifest directly to the video element thus it's a whole lot easier to grab the HLS URL (after YT's player JS generated the signature). Would be a bit more tricky to do this on Chrome (or Firefox) where the video buffer is built in code (MSE).

On second thought, muxing mpeg2ts to mp4 containers would make it possible to play the same HLS stream on Chrome.

Re: Vinegar: Safari extension that replaces YouTube embeds with HTML5 video tags

#112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would you consider paying for YouTube and Spotify instead? Both are available ad-free.

If you pay a company built around ad revenue to remove ads in one particular product, you now have a big flag “has money and willing to pay” on your profile. No ads on that product, sure, but very much not coincidentally you cannot opt out of all ads across Alphabet, and the flag is a very strong signal for elsewhere you will be shown ads (even if it’s not made directly available to advertisers in targeting settings)…

Google had the whole 'you can outbid advertisers if you want' feature but killed it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Contributor

Re: Vinegar: Safari extension that replaces YouTube embeds with HTML5 video tags

#113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Fortunately, there is no truth of the matter, so anything goes as long as we're internally consistent. I don't think that what you said is internally consistent. Now, we may disagree about exactly what you mean, but it sounds like you are putting forth some form of moral relativism, which has appeared in various forms over the millennia. Many ways of phrasing moral relativism have logical inconsistencies in them. I…

To quote Stephen Fry, moral relativism is just another way of saying "thinking". Morals can come from culture, they can come from religion, or they can come from individual contemplation. Morals are axioms. The one thing we can say for sure about them is that nobody agrees on what they should be. Saying that advertising is a pest that should be actively removed is not even an uncommon viewpoint. The city of Sao Paolo…

> The one thing we can say for sure about them is that nobody agrees on what they should be.

That’s not relativism.

Re: Vinegar: Safari extension that replaces YouTube embeds with HTML5 video tags

#114

I really love this idea, but it seems like on macOS, you can't use the left/right arrows to skip forward/backward. I did some testing and this appears to be a limitation of the HTML5 video player implemented in Safari, but it would be amazing if this functionality was added (along with other keyboard shortcuts).

J for rewinding 10 seconds, K for pausing, and L for fast-forwarding 10 seconds is what i've gotten used to, along with , and . for frame-by-frame scrubbing.

https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/7631406?hl=en

Re: Vinegar: Safari extension that replaces YouTube embeds with HTML5 video tags

#115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Completely your choice to bypass it, I just don't agree it's ethical when there is a choice to pay a bit of money instead to not have the ads. I will agree that this does not stop them from gathering your data and that is fair. But just stripping the ads without paying when they give you that choice doesn't seem like an ethical choice.

I close my eyes during the ads. Want to lecture me about how unethical that is? I’m “stealing” from the advertiser now because google will charge them for that view.

In a way, yes, but both Google and Advertisers know that not every view is going to have a fully captive viewer. It's a spectrum, and where you think the line should be drawn between unethical and ethical behavior is a personal viewpoint.

Re: Vinegar: Safari extension that replaces YouTube embeds with HTML5 video tags

#116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> it's embarrassing how many iOS extensions I have installed just to work around today's shitty websites The user-hostile design of web sites in 2021 is appalling. Even simple text articles or blog posts have become horrible. I was just reading a blog post linked from HN which featured 3 different popups: two modals and a modeless sidebar popup that follows you as you scroll. No, I don't want to subscribe to your ema…

I refuse to believe those newsletter popups ever get any interaction apart from clueless people who think you need to fill them out so they go away.

It's sad but it works: "Whether you personally love it or hate it, the truth is, sticking a big ole pop-up in their face can be one of the most effective ways to jolt their attention & grab their email for a return visit."

In Defense Of The Popup https://cxl.com/blog/popup-defense/ (yes, page has a popup).

Re: Vinegar: Safari extension that replaces YouTube embeds with HTML5 video tags

#117
post #15

Unrelated, but has anyone else had issues with embedded YouTube videos playing just by swiping your finger over them while scrolling the page on iOS? I’m sorely tempted to block YouTube at the network level, it’s so annoying.

I can't fathom why Google decided to do this, it's profoundly irritating!

Looks like Vinegar fixes this (even in apps other than Safari). $2 very well spent.

Re: Vinegar: Safari extension that replaces YouTube embeds with HTML5 video tags

#118
post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The YouTube app on Android only supports picture in picture and background play (screen off) with premium; I imagine the iOS app is similar.

Picture-in-picture works great on Android without premium. No background play though.

This only works in the US and on Android AFAIK. If I want PiP I gotta pay or fiddle with putting the YouTube app in a Window.

Re: Vinegar: Safari extension that replaces YouTube embeds with HTML5 video tags

#119
post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Picture-in-picture works great on Android without premium. No background play though.

Hmm, this doesn't work for me in the app in Android 10 or 11. Perhaps it is region specific? I'm in the UK. Edit: it does work via browser if you navigate out of fullscreen. TIL :)

It's US only.

Re: Vinegar: Safari extension that replaces YouTube embeds with HTML5 video tags

#120
post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you enable an extension (this one) ONLY on youtube?

System Settings / Safari / Extensions / Vinegar Set “all websites” to “deny” Visit YouTube.com. Run the extension from the puzzle icon in the address bar, give it permission for “allow on this website”

Cool. Thanks! I guess this feature is not available on macOS pre-Monterey (i.e. Big Sur)? I could not find it neither in macOS / System Preferences nor Safari / Preferences / Extensions.
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