Pinchflat

Pinchflat is a self-hosted web application used for downloading and archiving YouTube content. It utilizes yt-dlp to automate the retrieval of videos from specific channels or playlists based on user-defined rules, periodically checking for new uploads to keep local archives current. This allows users to maintain a permanent local copy of their favorite creators without manual intervention.

The software is deployed as a Docker container and provides a web interface for configuration, including presets to help users get started quickly. It is designed specifically to save media to local disk storage rather than serving as a playback client. Because it focuses on the acquisition and organization of files, it acts as a backend tool for users who maintain their own media libraries on a home server.

Key features

• Automatic downloading of new content from YouTube channels and playlists
• Integration with SponsorBlock to manage sponsored segments
• Support for custom file naming conventions for organized storage
• Ability to pass cookies to YouTube for accessing private playlists
• Support for downloading audio-only content
• Custom rules for handling livestreams and YouTube Shorts
• Apprise integration for system notifications
• Option to automatically delete old content based on set criteria

Pinchflat is built to integrate with media center software such as Plex, Jellyfin, and Kodi, allowing users to watch archived content through those platforms or via VLC. It also supports serving RSS feeds, which enables the use of downloaded content within various podcast applications. The application includes advanced filtering options, such as setting cutoff dates and filtering by title, to ensure only desired media is archived.

For technical users, the application allows the use of custom yt-dlp options and the execution of custom scripts after media is downloaded or deleted. It can be deployed via Docker, Podman, or Unraid, and supports different database journal modes to accommodate storage on network shares.

This tool is intended for users seeking a hands-off approach to local media archiving.