---
title: Streaming & URLs
description: YouTube and streaming support via yt-dlp
---

import Callout from "blume/components/content/Callout.astro";
import Badge from "blume/components/content/Badge.astro";
import Steps from "blume/components/content/Steps.astro";
import Step from "blume/components/content/Step.astro";
import Accordion from "blume/components/content/Accordion.astro";
import AccordionItem from "blume/components/content/AccordionItem.astro";

CineWindows streams media from the internet through its integration with `yt-dlp` and mpv's native network protocols. Open URLs directly, search YouTube from within the player, or paste a streaming link into the URL dialog.

## yt-dlp Integration

`yt-dlp` is the backbone of CineWindows' streaming support. It handles URL resolution, format selection, and extraction for hundreds of sites. The player launches `yt-dlp` as an external process — detected automatically via `PathUtils::mediaToolPath()` or bundled alongside the CineWindows executable.

### Auto-Update

yt-dlp can be updated from within CineWindows when a newer version is available. The integrated update mechanism runs yt-dlp's self-update routine and reports the result via the toast notification system.

## Supported Protocols

CineWindows streams any URL that mpv and yt-dlp support:

| Protocol | Examples |
|----------|----------|
| HTTP / HTTPS | Direct media links, HLS playlists (.m3u8) |
| HLS | Live streams, adaptive bitrate streams |
| DASH | MPEG-DASH manifests (.mpd) |
| RTMP | RTMP live streams |
| RTSP | IP camera streams, RTSP servers |
| YouTube | `youtu.be/*`, `youtube.com/watch?v=*` |
| YouTube Music | `music.youtube.com/*` |
| Twitch, Vimeo, Dailymotion | Site-specific extraction via yt-dlp |

> **Warning**
>
> Streaming performance depends on your network connection. For high-bitrate 4K content, a wired connection or strong Wi-Fi signal is recommended.

## URL Dialog

Open the URL dialog with `Ctrl+U` or from the **Media** menu. Paste any supported link and press Enter to begin playback. The dialog supports:

- Direct media URLs (`.mp4`, `.webm`, `.mkv`, `.mp3`, `.aac`, etc.)
- YouTube and streaming site links
- HLS and DASH manifest URLs
- RTMP and RTSP stream URLs

URLs are added to the current playlist and can be mixed with local files.

## Network Caching

Streaming uses mpv's built-in network cache with configurable buffer size:

| Setting | Default | Range |
|---------|---------|-------|
| Cache size | 150 MB | 10 MB – 1024 MB |
| Cache pause | auto | pauses playback when cache runs low |

Adjust cache settings in **Preferences > Advanced > Network Cache**. Larger cates buffer more content for smoother playback on unstable connections at the cost of higher memory usage.

## Watch from YouTube

1. ### Open YouTube Search

    Press `Ctrl+U` and paste a YouTube URL, or open **Media > YouTube Search** (`Ctrl+Shift+Y`) to use the built-in `YouTubeSearchDialog`.

2. ### Search or Paste

    Type a query in the search field — the `YouTubeSearchService` launches `yt-dlp ytsearch12:<query>` with `--flat-playlist --dump-single-json --skip-download` to fetch 12 results as JSON. Results display title, channel, duration, view count, upload date, and a thumbnail from `i.ytimg.com`.

3. ### Select and Play

    Click a result or press **Enter** to load it. CineWindows resolves the URL through yt-dlp and opens the best available stream in the player. Live streams are flagged with a live badge in the search results.

4. ### Full Playback Control

    Once loaded, streaming content behaves like local files — seek, pause, adjust speed, apply filters, toggle subtitles. The `MediaLibraryService` tracks play position and history for streaming URLs just as it does for local files.

<Accordion>
<AccordionItem title="YouTube Search Service Details">
The `YouTubeSearchService` manages a `QProcess` that runs yt-dlp with the following arguments:

- `--ignore-config` — prevents user config from interfering
- `--flat-playlist` — fast metadata-only extraction
- `--dump-single-json` — structured JSON output
- `--skip-download` — no media downloaded during search
- `--ignore-errors` — continues past unavailable videos
- `--no-warnings` — suppresses diagnostic warnings

Results are parsed from the JSON entries array, extracting id, title, channel/uploader, duration, view count, upload date, and live status. The search can be canceled mid-flight — the process is killed and results are discarded.
</AccordionItem>
<AccordionItem title="Security & Privacy">
CineWindows does not send telemetry or browsing data to any server. yt-dlp requests are direct between the tool and the streaming site. URL history is stored locally in the media library database and can be cleared at any time.
</AccordionItem>
</Accordion>