Channel Surfer turns YouTube into a classic cable TV-style experience

There is a fresh and entertaining way to watch YouTube: by flipping through channels, as cable TV viewers once did. The concept comes from London-based developer Steven Irby, who has launched a web app called Channel Surfer that presents YouTube videos through an interface styled like a retro television guide.

Inside the app, users can browse a range of topic-specific channels and click to tune in, much like watching live television.

At launch, the service includes 40 custom-built channels covering broad categories such as news, politics, sports, and lifestyle, along with several music channels and others with a stronger focus on technology.

That tech-focused group includes channels such as "AI & ML," "Code & Dev," "Space," "Retro Tech," "Tech & Gadgets," and "Gaming."

As users switch between channels, they rejoin the video in progress rather than starting it from the beginning. At the same time, the on-screen guide shows upcoming programming across all channels and the times those videos will appear. Users can also scroll forward to see what is scheduled over the next 24 hours.

The result makes YouTube feel much more like traditional live television. This experience has remained popular on free streaming platforms such as Plex, Pluto TV, and Tubi, all of which offer channel lineups of TV shows and movies. YouTube itself, meanwhile, continues to dominate TV streaming in the United States.

A small counter at the bottom of the screen also shows how many other people are currently watching YouTube alongside you.

Irby said he came up with the idea after thinking about how to recreate the kind of viewing experience offered by streamers, but for YouTube content, because choosing something to watch can still feel frustrating.

"I built Channel Surfer because I'm tired of the algorithms and indecision fatigue," Irby said. "I miss channel surfing and not having to decide what to watch. I want to sit and tune into what's on and not think about what to watch next."

"My boomer Mom watches cable TV. I want the same, but with my YouTube channels instead. Also, it's weirdly comforting to know I'm watching with other people," he added.

The project is one of several new experiments from Irby, a 40-year-old technology industry veteran who has spent more than a decade travelling the world.

"I have so much creativity from my long, weird journey. I can't bear the thought of being a Jira ticket monkey anymore," he said.

The app appears to be gaining attention, with Irby saying that Channel Surfer's newly launched website received more than 10,000 views on its first day.

Behind the scenes, Channel Surfer is currently a static Next.js site that uses PartyKit and is hosted on Cloudflare. The channels and music in the app come from Irby's handpicked selections. GitHub Actions runs a script that refreshes the data each day. At this stage, there is no back end.

Irby also said that while Claude helped with parts of the coding process, the site is not what people would describe as "vibe-coded."

The channels are essentially powered by embedded YouTube videos, including YouTube ads, which means the app should not violate platform policy. Over time, Irby said he would like to bring the experience to TV platforms such as Fire TV and Google TV. The app also works on mobile phones and tablets, though he said it still needs more refinement there.

At launch, Channel Surfer is available as a free service that offers access to 175 YouTube channels and 25 music playlists. Users who subscribe to Irby's newsletter can also import their YouTube subscriptions into the app.

The import process is quick, though it's a bit rough around the edges. Users drag a "Channel Surfer" bookmarklet to their bookmarks bar, open their YouTube subscriptions page, and click the bookmarklet. That starts the process and sends them back to the app, where they paste the JSON text into a box and hit an import button. Doing so adds their own channels to Channel Surfer's existing lineup, potentially expanding the experience by hundreds of additional channels.

The project feels like a throwback to an earlier version of the internet — one filled with playful ideas, small experiments, and personal creativity. For Irby, that is exactly the point.

"I'm obsessed with showing the world that the old web is still alive and well," he said. "It's just buried under a mountain of slop."