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Ole Anderson
09-12-2018, 1:31 PM
I am becoming addicted to YouTube videos, to the point I have subscribed to several channels. Now that I can view them from the comfort of my couch on my big 'ol Smart HD TV my addiction has ramped up. Pure Living for Life, Wranglerstar, Tips from a Shipwright, April Wilkerson, The Wood Whisperer to name a few. Have to view new subscriber content within a day. Pretty much anything related to chain saws, saw milling, stupid people getting their truck (or MH) towed out of the surf. A lot of click bait, but also a lot of quality videography/sound/story lines. Anybody know of a 12 step program???:p

Perry Hilbert Jr
09-12-2018, 2:03 PM
Yes indeed. I watch almost as much you tube as I watch regular TV. You tube is on demand. fits my schedule and despite all the crap, it is easy to learn new tips and skills.

John K Jordan
09-12-2018, 2:24 PM
Anybody know of a 12 step program???:p

Lots of steps with 12. Buy a farm and get 12*4 animals and 12/2 buildings and 12 * 20,000 honeybees to take care of. Then get seriously immersed in woodturning to the point you have students and visitors waiting to come and do at least 12/2 demos every 12 months. Throw in a small hobby machine shop and add 12/3 welders for good measure. They get a sawmill and equipment to lift and haul logs and put them in stacks of 12. Get in some serious practice on 12/4 musical instruments every day. Be sure to walk at least 12/2 miles a day. Then start 12*2/3 house remodeling projects in your spare time. From experience I can promise the time you watch anything on a TV will be reduced!

I watch a few YouTube videos on woodturning and machining, maybe a couple a month. I don't even look at the column of suggested videos the drug pusher tries to use to tempt and corrupt me. Mostly I watch YouTube when someone I know well posts or emails a link and says why it is worth watching. Besides that and an occasional movie on DVD, I haven't watched an hour of anything on a TV screen for maybe 13 years.

JKJ

Alan Caro
09-12-2018, 6:22 PM
Ole Anderson,

I've been disconnected from the television machine for about twenty-five years and run a computer as a television engine. This saves the cable fees and with the combination of Netflix, YouTube, and DVD's from the library, have plenty to watch.

There are, amazingly, 300 hours of content uploaded to You Tube every minute:

https://www.tubefilter.com/2014/12/01/youtube-300-hours-video-per-minute/

> which means there will be mostly click-bait rubbish.

I think the key to YouTube sanity is to only watch videos that are the results of a specific search and that this is done so that the recommended videos fall within the categories of direct interest. I use private browsing, adblockers, and a VPN to avoid intrusions and tracking. A VPN will seriously reduce the chances of a virus. When I watch YouTube, there are two methods. If I'm open to Russian car crashes and fluffy kittens on skateboards, I simply start YouTube and see what's what. I admit to the guilty pleasure of watching heavy equipment "fails" and have a new respect for the skill of crane operators that don't drop huge water tanks or locomotive engines on themselves.

But, more often I open gmail and open another tab which triggers YouTube to open to the areas I'm interested in. I also look for a lot of how-to, technology, and old car videos with this method- anyone else here like Jay Leno's Garage?, but I don't want recommendations for those. I listen to YouTube music for hours and hours and the algorithm has really refined the recommendations to a point that discover videos that will watch, or make me think of something along those lines. I've heard a lot of music and performers new to me that I really enjoy.

So, in summary, consider using private browsing, and when seriously watching YouTube, sign into Google. Watch only items specifically searched. Any category that you don't want to have flood the recommendations for life, only watch when not signed in. Eventually, when you sign in, everything will be of interest. This makes the idea of addiction moot as the recommended listings will be of interest and useful- they won't seem to be a waste of time.

I recommend setting up a media computer- it doesn't have to be very high performance to run the TV. The TV cable can be cut, and with a wireless keyboard mouse:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126406&cm_re=logitech_wireless_keyboard_and_mouse-_-23-126-406-_-Product

> it's far, far more controllable- and more private than a smart TV. To some degree, smart TV's watch you back and keep a record of viewing habits. It's not malicious except in terms of throwing advertisements in your email, but I object and have spent the last 30 years avoiding advertising in any form. On the media computer, I also read the online papers, magazines, and journals, look at various web sites, and write emails. I writing this now on the media computer: a used HP z420 workstation ($136) running a 40" 4K Samsung Smart TV- but dumbed down- no cable, and Netflix is run through the computer. I have a good computer soundcard (ASUS STX Essence) that powers a Logitech Z2300 2.1 computer sound system and the sound is fantastic. Look at the Logitech z533 system- which has a wired remote and a used Creative Soundblaster X-Fi Titanium soundcard, $25 or so. You only need the Internet connection.

Gosh, 300 hours added per minute, I'm going to have to run my videos at 1,080,000X speed only to stay where I am now.

Alan Caro