Skip the Ads, Not the Video: iSponsorBlockTV Brings SponsorBlock to Your TV
You've got SponsorBlock set up in your browser, so you never sit through a creator's mid-roll pitch on your laptop. Then you flop onto the couch, open the YouTube app on your TV, and it's back to manually scrubbing past sponsors and staring down unskippable ad timers. iSponsorBlockTV closes that gap: it's a self-hosted app that connects to your YouTube TV app and skips segments for you, just like the browser extension does.
What It Does
iSponsorBlockTV is a self-hosted application that connects to your YouTube TV app and automatically skips segments — sponsors, intros, and the like — using the SponsorBlock API. It doesn't just stop at segments. It can also auto mute and press the "Skip Ad" button the moment it becomes available on YouTube ads, so you're not racing to find the remote.
Under the hood, it talks to your device through pyytlounge, an async Python library built on asyncio and aiohttp. SSDP handles auto discovery, and there's a graphical configurator built with Textual if you'd rather click through setup than edit config files. The whole thing runs on a computer with network access — it doesn't need to be on the same network as your device, only access to youtube.com is required. Auto discovery does need the two on the same network during setup, but you can also manually add a device with the YouTube TV code from your app's settings page.
Why It's Cool
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The device support list is genuinely broad. Apple TV, Samsung (Tizen), LG (WebOS), Android TV, Chromecast, Google TV, Roku, Fire TV, CCwGTV, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One/Series, and PlayStation 4/5 are all marked working. That's a lot of living rooms covered by one tool.
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It does more than skip segments. Ad muting and auto-pressing "Skip Ad" is the part that'll save you the most irritation. If you're the person who reflexively grabs the remote every time an ad starts, this takes that job off your hands.
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It's flexible about where it runs. Since it only needs access to youtube.com, you can host it on a server or a home box that isn't sitting next to the TV. That's a thoughtful design choice for people who already have a always-on machine somewhere.
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There's a real configurator. A Textual-based graphical setup is a nice touch for a project that could have easily been YAML-only. Home Assistant users also get an addon maintained by a third party, so it slots into existing smart home setups.
One honest caveat: the README carries a warning that YouTube changed its screen ID code format and is revoking existing codes, so you'll need to pair your device again. The wiki has the details. It's not a dealbreaker, but expect some pairing friction if you're setting it up now.
There are also limits on YouTube's side. Shorts aren't fully supported — you can watch a single short by selecting "Disconnect" in the warning shown, or by long-pressing the thumbnail and hitting play from the menu. And if you use AirPlay to send audio to another speaker on Apple TV, ad muting won't work.
How to Try It
- Head to the repository and check the wiki for installation instructions — the README points there for the actual steps rather than listing them inline.
- Run it on a computer with network access to youtube.com.
- During setup, either let auto discovery find your device (same network required) or manually add it using the YouTube TV code from your app's settings page.
- If you've paired before, re-pair your device given the code format change mentioned in the warning.
- Optionally, use the Textual configurator to manage settings without touching config files.
Docker images are published on both Docker Hub and ghcr.io if containers are your preferred route. Contributions are welcome via the standard fork-and-pull-request flow, and the project is licensed under GNU GPLv3.
Final Thoughts
iSponsorBlockTV solves a specific, real annoyance for people who've already bought into SponsorBlock but watch YouTube primarily on a TV. The broad device compatibility and the ad-skipping features make it more than a niche utility. The pairing warning is worth taking seriously, and Shorts support is limited, so go in with realistic expectations. If you've got a spare always-on machine and a TV that's on the compatibility list, it's a practical addition to your setup — and the active contributor base suggests it'll keep tracking YouTube's changes as they come.