Watching a model of the musical Chess from inside Minitube.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
I regularly view movies on YouTube. I exploit it to study issues that require extra fast instruction than one would discover within the written phrase (comparable to supplemental voice classes…however do not inform my vocal teacher) and to be entertained. However I’ve at all times discovered the online browser interface with YouTube to be missing. I do know that is a private choice however there’s one thing about it that bothers me.
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That is why, after I have to view a YouTube video on my desktop, I flip to slightly software known as Minitube. Basically, Minitube is all about making YouTube feel and look a bit extra like a standard tv expertise. As an alternative of viewing movies in your browser, you view them in their very own app that features some fairly cool options, comparable to:
Simple channel subscription.Constructed-in share software.Associated movies search.Floating, compact, and full-screen modes.Discover video elements (if out there inside the video).Simple decision switching.
I’ve at all times been a fan of not throwing each single factor I exploit into an internet browser. Any time I can choose to make use of an app over a browser tab, I’ll. Typically which means turning an internet site into an internet app. Different instances it is discovering third-party apps to suit the invoice. Minitube does a terrific job of serving to me work together with YouTube with out including one more tab.
Minitube is free for Linux however for MacOS and Home windows, there’s an related price (roughly $11). Is it price the price? You’ll be able to obtain, set up, and take a look at it out earlier than you determine to pay. You need to use Minitube on each MacOS and Home windows at no cost as effectively, however the free variations do not embrace ceaselessly updates and e mail assist.
Putting in Minitube on Linux
What you may want: To put in Minitube on Linux, you may want a Ubuntu/Debian distribution (because the developer solely ships a .deb installer) and a person with sudo privileges.
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Open a terminal window and alter into your Downloads listing with the command cd ~/Downloads. Set up Minitube with:
sudo dpkg -i minitube.deb
As soon as the command completes, you are prepared to make use of Minitube.
Utilizing Minitube
One factor to bear in mind is that if you happen to’ve already subscribed to quite a lot of YouTube channels together with your default internet browser, they will not switch to Minitube. The truth is, there is no YouTube sign-in for this app (which is, if I am being sincere, fairly refreshing).
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When the app first opens, you may see the Search tab. Kind a search string into the textual content space and hit Enter in your keyboard and the outcomes will seem. You’ll be able to scroll by way of the subsequent navigation to discover a video. As soon as you’ve got discovered the video you are on the lookout for, choose it, and click on the Play button.
The primary Minitube window can solely be accessed while you first open the app.
Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET
In the event you discover a channel you wish to subscribe to, merely play a video from the channel, click on the three-dot menu button close to the higher proper nook of the video, and click on Subscribe to X (The place X is the channel title).
Subscribing to the official YouTube channel of my favourite band, Rush.
Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET
My solely gripe with Minitube
I’ve solely two issues with Minitube. The primary is Linux-specific in that it may be (at instances) a bit gradual to load movies. As soon as movies begin taking part in, they’re nice — so simply have a little bit of endurance. The opposite downside I’ve pertains to all three platforms: The app does not help you get again to the principle web page as soon as you’ve got began watching a video. That is nice as a result of you possibly can nonetheless seek for new movies from the paying display. Nevertheless, to get again to your subscriptions, you need to shut the app and re-open it. It will be good if there was a Subscription entry within the View menu however that is not the case.
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Even with these two gripes, Minitube is a nice manner of interacting with YouTube movies while you’d somewhat not should open one more tab or go away the tab you’re at the moment working with. It is not excellent but it surely’s served me effectively through the years.