bitvid

I have a basic node js #WebTorrent seed server with #nostr login working reliably. 👍
I can run headless and access from the browser.
I can add videos from magnet links or from file.
Server runs in background.
Saves added torrents to DB.
Only displays data when logged into a nostr account.
Can seed video, download stored files from browser, copy magnet, pause seeding and remove/delete torrent (and file).
Has paginated list.
And UI storage location selector.
Next I need to add a special "seed video" button to videos on bitvid client and the option to auto seed videos found on your seed list as well as blanket seed settings like:
- automatically seed any video I publish
- automatically seed any videos npubs from this list publish
- seed with time limits (seed this video for 1 day, week, month etc.)
And many more ideas.
https://image.nostr.build/da731c925859dd125df983df65c603b71d6952212a788ea602a705283b55e2b9.jpg

2025-02-18 00:31:35 UTC

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I considered it but it didn't support the fields I needed like magnet links, and eventually audio and podcast info like track number etc. So creating my own spec seemd like the best option. Plus I really wanted bitvid to only support magnet link and webtorrent webRTC media content.
There are and will be tons of nostr video clients that point to a http link somewhere and nip-71 is perfect for that purpose, but I felt like webRTC required a special place due to the necessity of seeding.
And the same applies to the torrent nip. I can remember the number. But it had similar issues just on the bittorrent side rather than Webtorrent, which is what I am using.

2025-02-17 22:23:17 UTC

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Im working on a decentralized, nostr based video platform. At the moment the videos must be hosted by a desktop app called "WebTorrent Desktop" then the magnet link can be posted to nostr along with a title, description and thumbnail image.
Its still in early development and missing many features.
But viewers and audiences can also help support the video hosting.

2025-02-11 23:30:55 UTC

Doing some testing with a custom build of a webtorrent CLI seed server. So videos that I have posted may be unresponsive off and on this week.

2025-02-10 02:10:41 UTC

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Its reckless and liberating at the same time. 😎

2025-02-10 00:58:35 UTC

Subscriptions are live at beta.bitvit.network 💪
Will be looking for bugs in the system this week.
I also need to add support for #amber or direct nsec login to make mobile login easier.

2025-02-09 23:40:22 UTC

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Thanks for taking a look at #bitvid!
I have spent the past few months building this project and I know it's still kind of an experiment to see if it can scale. But I think it can scale with the right community expectations/culture and tools.

2025-02-09 23:22:49 UTC

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At the moment the WedTorrent Desktop app is the best option. I'll create a tutorial walking through the process soon.
I am working on a docker based alternative that can run on a Synology NAS or even a Raspberry Pi with a hard drive attached built with bitvid and nostr in mind. I dont know how long it will take to get that ready.
There are limitations with the number of videos that can be seeded from a single computer so I'm working on different ways to scale that up for the average user.

2025-02-09 22:42:42 UTC

I will soon roll out the private channel subscriptions on beta.bitvid.network .
Now you can:
- View a channels profile page along with all the content they have posted.
- Subscribe to a channel directly from its profile page.
- Maintain a #private subscription list (kind=30002 event) that’s encrypted using NIP-04, so nobody but you knows which channels you follow.
- Catch up on the latest videos from your subscribed creators in the “Subscriptions” view, pulled from all the channels you’ve added.
Eventually I'll add a list of the channels you are subscribed to in the sidebar for easier navigation.
This subscription approach keeps your follow activity off any public follow lists. Only you have the key to decrypt your subscription data, so it stays hidden from prying eyes. If you’re already logged in, check out #view=subscriptions to see which channels you’re following or to discover more content once you’ve subscribed.
Will roll out to the beta domain first then if all goes well I'll push to main.
Right now it requires a #nip-07 extention. If you have any questions about setting it up or want to suggest improvements, just let me know.
Seed. (Done) Zap. (Coming Soon) Subscribe. (Done) 🎉
#bitvid

2025-02-09 19:25:11 UTC

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🤔

2025-02-08 18:24:29 UTC

If there is #bitvid video content that you want to watch but is loading too slowly, then that means you should help by seeding that video. 💪
#bethenetwork

2025-02-07 22:49:35 UTC

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Not yet. But it will.

2025-02-07 21:24:18 UTC

A truly decentralized video and audio platform demands a Seeding Culture, a commitment from both creators and viewers to sustain the content they value.
Decentralization isn’t magic. It’s not a button you press. It’s a responsibility you live out.
- If you want content to last, you must seed it, either by supporting a service provider with zaps or running the torrents yourself.
- If you believe in independent media, you must be part of the network that keeps it alive.
- If you believe that advertising models distort incentives, and cause self censorship, then you must look for alternative models.
- If you care about censorship resistance, you must take ownership of distribution instead of relying on centralized platforms.
The simple truth is, with bitvid, as long as someone is willing to seed, the content never dies.
This isn’t just file-sharing. It’s a statement of value. It makes the content you love yours in a way no centralized service ever could.
#bitvid is built on this principle. No gatekeepers. No servers to take down. No platform risk. Just people choosing to support what matters to them. This is the vision.
Help me make it a reality.
Seed. Zap.(coming soon) Subscribe.(coming soon)
Be the network.

2025-02-07 19:28:20 UTC

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In part yes. You can seed, on servers or desktop computers you control, any content posted to #bitvid. Simply open a video and copy the #magnet link. You can then paste this link right into #WebTorrent desktop app to support the distribution of that content.
I hope to enable seeding content by public key so you can support creators automatically by seeding anything they post.
At the moment, building a reliable and functional client is my first priority.

2025-02-06 20:46:07 UTC

The sidebar on mobile is still a bit wonky.
I plan to fix that this weekend. Once the beta mobile sidebar is solid and I do more in-depth testing on everything I'll push this version to main.
Next up: Profiles and Subscriptions! 😎

2025-02-06 17:15:09 UTC

Made some serious performance improvements last night.
https://beta.bitvid.network

2025-02-03 04:14:47 UTC

Check out the new whitelist application form on the beta site.
https://beta.bitvid.network/?modal=application

2025-02-01 22:13:22 UTC

I love when bugs turn into legitimate features. 😅

2025-01-30 15:35:03 UTC

#ownyouraudience

2025-01-30 15:03:36 UTC

bitvid = #Nostr + #WebTorrent +IPNS
And eventually #bitcoin

2025-01-30 15:00:49 UTC

bitvid uses #IPNS to ensure that the client can be accessed by anyone.
Here is an example of a link going through an IPNS Gateway to access video content.
https://k51qzi5uqu5dgwr4oejq9rk41aoe9zcupenby6iqecsk5byc7rx48uecd133a1.ipns.flk-ipfs.xyz/?v=nevent1qqsx5we9cge45r3rkhcwyq3danwmdfas3j37dzpugvckhtztl5dmspg8fd053

2025-01-30 14:47:13 UTC

New additions to #bitvid:
- a ton of refactoring for faster and more reliable load times in various conditions
- altered the login and alert UI design
- added an decent "upload video" form
- fixed links that are to videos that have since been edited
- reworked how the delete and edit functions work to be more reliable without creating multiple copies of the same video
- improved code modularity

2025-01-30 03:30:46 UTC

Want to see the latest updates? Try the #bitvid beta.
https://beta.bitvid.network/
Ill push to main once I know it's not broken. lol
Fixed a ton of things. Reworked a ton of things, but my favorite is now after editing a video, the new video URL and the old video URL will still work.
That was tricky to figure out since nostr is immutable, and I don't want new versions of the same videos showing up in the grid feed. Maybe it's not the correct way to do this, but I ended up using a Root ID.

2025-01-28 18:06:04 UTC

#exit #nostr #bitcoin #bitvid https://image.nostr.build/4de3d786b5ed4d74fe7e628853c1bb963c0f593f2eae7e27d43a8a80ffb9863d.jpg

2025-01-28 12:52:41 UTC

#bitvid should load much faster than before now.
Its never going to load as fast as a centralized site streaming traditional media but it should be much faster.

2025-01-28 03:22:26 UTC

Give it like a solid 20 seconds to load. 😅
I'll make it faster. Right now I just need it to work reliably.

2025-01-27 16:39:51 UTC

This weekend I added a local browser based #WebTorrent client to help get content seeded out in a pinch from any computer.
https://bitvid.network/torrent/beacon
Shout out to #βTorrent for the amazing work. The #bitvid βeacon client is based on a modified βTorrent client.
So, now using just bitvid you can seed a video file from any computer and have a verified URL where it can live online with public nostr post verification. And the community that values the content can support by seeding that video content as well. This ensures that content can continue to proliferate.
Its a full cycle system in a single tool now.
More features like channel profiles, subscriptions and better nostr relay and npub/note blocklist control are on the agenda for the next few weeks.

2025-01-26 20:01:43 UTC

Added default thumbnail as fallback and forced 16:9 aspect.

2025-01-26 18:35:11 UTC

Working on adding a fallback thumbnail image in case the link in the nostr note doesn't load in any content. This is why some of the videos have no images.
Will also be adding a 16:9 Thumbnail crop/fill to the thumbnail display box.
#bitvid

2025-01-25 21:49:37 UTC

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Also, if you have visited the site before you may need to clear your browser cache before the changes will be seen.

2025-01-25 21:48:38 UTC

I have unique URL addresses working for each video now. And also a working share button that copies the event address. 👍
I don't have video social preview content yet. But hey at least your video can have a unique place to live.
Check it out!
https://bitvid.network/?v=nevent1qqstzjq9hgxnhewcnlqzn738a5ugyemxwcjrxmf5adezz4znw7cgkgqzatulq

2025-01-25 19:37:47 UTC

Just added "copy magnet link" button so anyone can seed the videos they like.
Paste this link into Webtorrent Desktop and help support the creator.
#bitvid

2025-01-25 14:19:11 UTC

Added much better Firefox support for video playback.

2025-01-25 12:41:15 UTC

Social Video in the Limit. Help me build it.
#bitvid

2025-01-24 14:36:30 UTC

If your a #developer and are interested in helping me build a truly #decentralized #video #client using #nostr and #webtorrent please contact me. 🙏
The code is available at: https://github.com/PR0M3TH3AN/bitvid

2025-01-24 14:31:07 UTC

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Its probably best I work out more of the kinks first. I appreciate your feedback!

2025-01-24 14:29:39 UTC

The bitvid site is buggy at the moment but a simple refresh of the page will solve a lot of issues.
Currently the site works best on Chrome based browsers. 👍
Will be fixing bugs and adding features as soon as possible.

2025-01-24 14:26:03 UTC

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Ok, thanks! At the moment I have in place a white list of npubs that can login. This is to prevent the posting of things like CP of adult content until I have a better way of allowing users to create block lists and content tags.
I was able to reproduce this bug using Firefox so I should be able to fix. 👍
Thank you for bringing it to my attention.

2025-01-24 14:19:23 UTC

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I think based on your screenshot there is maybe an issue with the file format? I just got the same bug on standered Firefox so I'll look into it. Thanks!

2025-01-24 14:16:33 UTC

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Hmm, can you send me more details about your setup? I'll see if i there is something I can do.
The service worker needs root access to the site files that are cached on device. Some browsers like Tor block these actions so there's not much that can be done.

2025-01-24 13:31:17 UTC

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Its usually a privilege issue with the service worker. I had the same issue at first. But I seem to have it working reliably. It's also very important that the torrent is created by a Webtorrent WebRTC client. Regular Torrent files won't work.
Check it out for yourself at https://bitvid.network 👍

2025-01-23 23:52:16 UTC

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#bitvid is a #webtorrent based video client that uses #nostr to post #webRTC #torrent #magnet links. (Using all the tags lol)
Its very early days of development but I'm hoping to prove this is a viable solution for decentralized video platform. If you want to learn more about how it works, check out the "about" page.
https://bitvid.network/about

2025-01-23 23:40:23 UTC

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Thanks! Still building out the app. My hope is that this app will be completely static and could run on your desktop or at any website. All uploaded content is streaming from other users and content creators computers directly rather than from centralized servers. This means that content can be sure to endure as long as a single person is seeing.

2025-01-20 03:56:12 UTC

If anyone would like to be whitelisted and have access to add video content to bitvid while we are in development please send me a DM. 👍

2025-01-20 03:17:32 UTC

Next on our roadmap:
1. Fix bugs related to posting and editing videos. Partially related to adjusting the private status.
2. Add "Copy Magnet" button to each video so that anyone can seed the content.
3. Use the event ID to create a unique URL so anyone can share a link directly to a particular video.
4. Add a npub profile section to see all videos posted by a particular npub.
5. Add a subscription list note type function so you can subscribe to channels and restore your subscriptions from relays.
6. Add custom relay selector.
7. Add an import/export for blacklisting npubs.
8. Add zaps for videos and channels.
9. Add comments to video modal.
10. Update video spec to include categories and tags.
11. Add Customizable Home feeds.
And much more!
There is alot to do so if your interested in helping out then check out the github repo.
https://github.com/PR0M3TH3AN/bitvid
#bitvid #nostr #webtorrent #video

2025-01-12 12:22:33 UTC

@nprofile…crqs
transporting #video between #individuals with the opposite of a #database.
the future will be #decentralized.