How to use YT2009 frontloader to watch youtube with a retro layout

What is YT2009?

YT2009 is a project I learned about recently that uses your local machines IP to host a small site that simply acts as a media player, which interfaces with youtube to get videos, thumbnails, comments, etc. But instead of the modern layout, you get the classic 2009 layout without having to worry about the layout breaking like you would a userstyle or extension.

YT2009 has a simple web version however currently that is not working, so instead I will show you how to set up the more advanced windows power-shell version

If you're willing to wait for the web-app to get fixed you can find it here: https://yt2009.sliplane.app/

IMPORTANT: YT2009 saves every video you watch to your local hard disk, make sure you clean it out when you're running low on space, these videos can be found in the YT2009-Main > assets folder, just be sure not to delete the other 2 folders inside!

To get started you will need

Gitbash (optional) > https://www.git-scm.com/downloads

A clone directory of YT2009 > https://github.com/ftde0/yt2009

Node.js > https://nodejs.org/en

Imagemadick > https://imagemagick.org/

Ffmpeg > https://ffmpeg.org/ ( I have been told Imagemadick will install ffmpeg for you but its better to have the link just in case)

Step 1

Install imagemadick, ffmpeg, and node.js by running their respective installer application wizards.

Step 2

Get a clone directory of YT2009, you do this in powershell with gitbash or a much easier way is to click the 'code' button, then select 'save as a zip' then extract that zip file, the extracted folder will be the clone directory. (just be aware that you may need to go an extra layer YT2009-main>YT2009-main

Step 3

Go to the windows search bar, or press the windows key and type 'powershell' then right click powershell and select 'run as administrator'

To get started,  go to the folder of your directory (YT2009-main) and right click, select 'copy as path' then go back to powershell, type "cd" then paste the path and hit enter

Step 4

type 'npm install' and hit enter and wait for YT2009 to install all requirements

Step 5

You'll need to create and set up your configuration file, type 'node yt2009setup.js' and hit enter.

It'll ask you what port to use. I did 88 but most people said 80 works fine

Type 'dev' when prompted

Then you need to pick your IP address, for most people the default 127.0.0.1 worked just fine. However when I did so it gave me a error so I recommend you go to your network properties and use your current IP address

type 'no' to the option for a second port

type 'yes' to disable ssl

type 'yes' to automatic management

Step 6

go back to your file explorer and go to the YT2009 directory, find the
post_config_setup.js file then rick click and select 'edit'

once you're editing the file, look for the line that says 'let check_tools' and make sure it says '-version' after the word convert. remove extra dashes if possible

save the file and exit

go back to powershell and type 'node post_config_setup.js' hit enter and wait for the rest of the assets to download

Step 7

type 'cd back' into powershell and hit enter

then type 'node backend.js'


It should run fine but if you run into any errors its likely your config file so go back to your main directory and restart the configuration progress.

Step 8

Go to any web browser of your choice and type in [the IP you chose] + : [the port number]


Example: 127.0.0.1:80

And you should be in the YT2009 homepage, have fun! Make sure PowerShell stays open for as long as you plan to use YT2009. 

I recommend using RB-tray to hide PowerShell to your system tray if it bothers you having it on the taskbar like it does for me


Note that every time you want to run YT2009 you will need to use the cd back and node backend.js commands to start it in PowerShell but you shouldn't have to do anything else.


NOTE: You shouldn't need PowerShell to be admin from here on out, admin permissions is simply needed to install components, afterwards its much safer to run PowerShell without admin permissions!

lemme know what you think! Thank you for reading all the way through