This blog post details a method for blocking YouTube ads on Apple TV by intercepting and manipulating encrypted traffic using pfSense, a firewall and router platform. The author leverages pfSense's ability to decrypt TLS/SSL traffic, then uses a custom Python script to parse and filter Google's Protocol Buffer (protobuf) messages, removing the components associated with advertisements before re-encrypting and forwarding the modified traffic to the Apple TV. This approach eliminates ads without relying on DNS blocking or other methods that YouTube might easily circumvent. The post provides a detailed explanation of the setup process, including installing necessary packages, configuring pfSense, and implementing the Python script.
My-yt is a personalized YouTube frontend built using yt-dlp. It offers a cleaner, ad-free viewing experience by fetching video information and streams directly via yt-dlp, bypassing the standard YouTube interface. The project aims to provide more control over the viewing experience, including features like customizable playlists and a focus on privacy. It's a self-hosted solution intended for personal use.
Hacker News users generally praised the project for its clean interface and ad-free experience, viewing it as a superior alternative to the official YouTube frontend. Several commenters appreciated the developer's commitment to keeping the project lightweight and performant. Some discussion revolved around alternative frontends and approaches, including Invidious and Piped, with comparisons of features and ease of self-hosting. A few users expressed concerns about the project's long-term viability due to YouTube's potential API changes, while others suggested incorporating features like SponsorBlock. The overall sentiment was positive, with many expressing interest in trying out or contributing to the project.
Louis Rossmann criticizes Mozilla's handling of the Firefox browser, arguing they've prioritized telemetry and user tracking over performance and essential features. He points to the declining market share as evidence of their mismanagement and expresses frustration with the browser's increasing bloat and sluggishness. Rossmann believes Mozilla has lost sight of its original mission of providing a fast, open-source alternative to dominant browsers and is instead chasing trends that don't benefit users. He contrasts this with the Pale Moon browser, highlighting its focus on performance and customization as a better embodiment of Firefox's original values.
The Hacker News comments discuss Louis Rossmann's video about Firefox's declining market share. Several commenters agree with Rossmann's assessment that Mozilla has lost focus on its core user base by prioritizing features that don't resonate with power users and developers. Some point to specific examples like the removal of XUL extensions and the perceived bloat of the browser. Others argue that Firefox's decline is inevitable due to the dominance of Chrome and the network effects of Google's ecosystem. A few commenters defend Mozilla's decisions, suggesting they're trying to appeal to a broader audience. The discussion also touches on the difficulty of competing with a resource-rich giant like Google and the importance of open-source alternatives. Several users express nostalgia for Firefox's past dominance and lament its current state.
Modern websites, bloated with JavaScript and complex designs, are increasingly demanding on older PC hardware. This makes browsing with older machines a slow and frustrating experience, effectively rendering them obsolete for general internet use, even if they are perfectly capable of handling other tasks. The video demonstrates this by comparing the performance of a modern high-end PC with older machines, highlighting the significant difference in loading times and resource usage when browsing current websites. This trend pushes users towards newer hardware, contributing to e-waste even when older machines are still functionally viable for less demanding applications.
Hacker News users discussed the challenges of running modern web browsers on older hardware. Several commenters pointed to the increasing bloat and resource demands of browsers like Chrome and Firefox, making them unusable on machines that could otherwise handle less demanding tasks. Some suggested that the shift to web apps contributes to the problem, blurring the lines between simple websites and full-fledged applications. Others recommended lightweight alternatives like Pale Moon or using a lightweight OS to extend the life of older machines. The idea of planned obsolescence was also raised, with some speculating that browser developers intentionally allow performance to degrade on older hardware. A few users pushed back, arguing that web development advancements often benefit users and that supporting older systems indefinitely isn't feasible.
YouTube Sequencer turns any YouTube video into a customizable drum machine. By mapping different sounds to sections of the video's timeline, users can create unique beats and rhythms simply by playing the video. The platform offers control over playback speed, individual sound volumes, and allows users to share their creations with others via unique URLs. Essentially, it transforms YouTube's vast library of video content into a massive, collaborative sample source for making music.
Hacker News users generally expressed interest in YouTube Sequencer, praising its clever use of YouTube as a sound source. Some highlighted the potential copyright implications of using copyrighted material, especially regarding monetization. Others discussed technical aspects like the browser's role in timing accuracy and the limitations of using pre-existing YouTube content versus a dedicated sample library. Several commenters suggested improvements, such as adding swing, different time signatures, and the ability to use private YouTube playlists for sound sources. The overall sentiment was positive, with many impressed by the creativity and technical execution of the project.
A VTuber's YouTube channel, linked to a Brand Account, was requested to verify ownership via phone number. Upon doing so, the channel's name and icon were permanently changed to match the Google account associated with the phone number, completely overwriting the VTuber's branding. YouTube support has been unhelpful, claiming this is intended behavior. The VTuber is seeking community support and attention to the issue, warning others with Brand Accounts to avoid phone verification, as it risks irreversible damage to their channel identity.
HN commenters were largely skeptical of the YouTuber's claims, suspecting they had misunderstood or misrepresented the situation. Several pointed out that YouTube likely wouldn't overwrite an existing Google account with a brand account's information and suggested the user had accidentally created a new account or merged accounts unintentionally. Some offered technical explanations of how brand accounts function, highlighting the separation between personal and brand channel data. Others criticized the YouTuber for not contacting YouTube support directly and relying on Reddit for technical assistance. A few commenters expressed general frustration with YouTube's account management system, but most focused on the plausibility of the original poster's story.
The author claims to have found a vulnerability in YouTube's systems that allows retrieval of the email address associated with any YouTube channel for a $10,000 bounty. They describe a process involving crafting specific playlist URLs and exploiting how YouTube handles playlist sharing and unlisted videos to ultimately reveal the target channel's email address within a Google Account picker. While they provided Google with a proof-of-concept, they did not fully disclose the details publicly for ethical and security reasons. They emphasize the seriousness of this vulnerability, given the potential for targeted harassment and phishing attacks against prominent YouTubers.
HN commenters largely discussed the plausibility and specifics of the vulnerability described in the article. Some doubted the $10,000 price tag, suggesting it was inflated. Others questioned whether the vulnerability stemmed from a single bug or multiple chained exploits. A few commenters analyzed the technical details, focusing on the potential involvement of improperly configured OAuth flows or mismanaged access tokens within YouTube's systems. There was also skepticism about the ethical implications of disclosing the vulnerability details before Google had a chance to patch it, with some arguing responsible disclosure practices weren't followed. Finally, several comments highlighted the broader security risks associated with OAuth and similar authorization mechanisms.
TL;DW (Too Long; Didn't Watch) is a website that condenses Distill.pub articles, primarily those focused on machine learning research, into shorter, more digestible formats. It utilizes AI-powered summarization and key information extraction to present the core concepts, visualizations, and takeaways of each article without requiring viewers to watch the often lengthy accompanying YouTube videos. The site aims to make complex research more accessible to a wider audience by providing concise summaries, interactive elements, and links back to the original content for those who wish to delve deeper.
HN commenters generally praised TL;DW, finding its summaries accurate and useful, especially for longer technical videos. Some appreciated the inclusion of timestamps to easily jump to specific sections within the original video. Several users suggested improvements, including support for more channels, the ability to correct inaccuracies, and adding community features like voting or commenting on summaries. Some expressed concerns about the potential for copyright issues and the impact on creators' revenue if viewers only watch the summaries. A few commenters pointed out existing similar tools and questioned the long-term viability of the project.
Warner Bros. Discovery is releasing full-length, classic movies on their free, ad-supported YouTube channels like "WB Movies" and genre-specific hubs. This strategy aims to monetize their vast film library content that isn't performing well on streaming services. By utilizing YouTube's existing audience and ad infrastructure, they can generate revenue from these older films without the costs associated with maintaining their own streaming platform or licensing deals. This also allows them to experiment with different ad formats and potentially drive traffic to their Max streaming service by showcasing their library's depth.
Hacker News commenters discuss several potential reasons for Warner Bros. Discovery's strategy of releasing free, ad-supported movies on YouTube. Some suggest it's a way to monetize their back catalog of less popular films that aren't performing well on streaming services. Others posit it's an experiment in alternative distribution models, given the ongoing challenges and costs associated with maintaining their own streaming platform. The possibility of YouTube offering better revenue sharing than other platforms is also raised. Several commenters express skepticism about the long-term viability of this strategy, questioning whether ad revenue alone can be substantial enough. Finally, some speculate that this move might be a precursor to shutting down their existing streaming services altogether.
The article explores YouTube's audio quality by providing several blind listening tests comparing different formats, including Opus 128 kbps (YouTube Music), AAC 128 kbps (regular YouTube), and original, lossless WAV files. The author concludes that while discerning the difference between lossy and lossless audio on YouTube can be challenging, it is possible, especially with higher-quality headphones and focused listening. Opus generally performs better than AAC, exhibiting fewer compression artifacts. Ultimately, while YouTube's audio quality isn't perfect for audiophiles, it's generally good enough for casual listening, and the average listener likely won't notice significant differences.
HN users largely discuss their own experiences with YouTube's audio quality, generally agreeing it's noticeably compressed but acceptable for casual listening. Some point out the loudness war is a major factor, with dynamic range compression being a bigger culprit than the codec itself. A few users mention preferring specific codecs like Opus, and some suggest using third-party tools to download higher-quality audio. Several commenters highlight the variability of audio quality depending on the uploader, noting that some creators prioritize audio and others don't. Finally, the limitations of perceptual codecs and the tradeoff between quality and bandwidth are discussed.
This video tests the adhesion of various glues on PETG 3D printed parts. The creator bonds two PETG cubes with each adhesive, lets them cure, and then attempts to break the bond using a calibrated force gauge. Tested adhesives include super glue, epoxy, UV cure resin, and various specialized plastic glues. The video documents the force required to break each bond and declares a winner based on highest break strength.
The Hacker News comments on the PETG adhesive test video largely discuss the efficacy of different adhesives for PETG, comparing the results shown in the video with their own experiences. Cyanoacrylate (super glue) is generally agreed to be unsuitable, while specialized PETG glues or more general-purpose plastics adhesives like MEK are favored. Some commenters debate the merits of different brands and application techniques, emphasizing the importance of surface preparation and clamping. Others offer alternative joining methods like solvent welding or mechanical fasteners, particularly for structural applications. A few comments also touch upon the video's production quality and presentation style, with some finding it overly long.
Summary of Comments ( 385 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43396735
Hacker News commenters generally express skepticism about the effectiveness and practicality of the described method for blocking YouTube ads on Apple TV. Some doubt the claim that all YouTube ads are served via protobuf, suggesting the method is likely to break frequently. Others point out the resource intensiveness of decrypting and re-encrypting TLS traffic on less powerful hardware like the Apple TV. Several commenters propose alternative ad-blocking solutions like Pi-hole or NextDNS, arguing these are simpler and more robust. The privacy implications of MITMing TLS traffic are also raised. While some acknowledge the cleverness of the approach, the consensus leans towards it being more of a proof-of-concept than a practical, long-term solution.
The Hacker News post discussing the blog post about blocking YouTube ads on AppleTV by decrypting and stripping ads from Protobuf has a moderate number of comments, sparking a discussion around the effectiveness, ethics, and technical aspects of the approach.
Several commenters express skepticism about the longevity of this method. They predict that Google will likely adapt and change its ad delivery system, rendering this specific decryption technique obsolete. This cat-and-mouse game between ad blockers and ad providers is a recurring theme. Some even suggest that Google might intentionally introduce breaking changes to specifically target this method, while others take a more neutral stance, viewing it as an inevitable evolution in the arms race between ad blockers and platforms.
The legality and ethical implications of bypassing ads are also debated. While some argue it's within the user's right to control their viewing experience, others point out that YouTube's terms of service likely prohibit such manipulation. This leads to a discussion about the broader issue of ad-supported content and the balance between user experience and content creator compensation.
Technical details of the implementation are discussed, with some questioning the efficiency and potential side effects of decrypting and re-encrypting the stream in real-time, particularly on less powerful devices like the AppleTV. The use of Protobuf for ad delivery is also mentioned, with some commenters expressing surprise or noting its prevalence in Google's infrastructure.
Alternative ad-blocking methods are suggested, including Pi-hole and other DNS-based solutions, which some commenters consider more robust and less prone to being circumvented. There's also a mention of using a custom DNS setup to block known ad servers.
Finally, some users share their personal experiences with ad blocking and express frustration with the increasing prevalence of ads on streaming platforms. This sentiment fuels the discussion about the ongoing struggle between users seeking an ad-free experience and platforms relying on advertising revenue.