TubeArr

Turn YouTube channels into a TV library for your media server.

TubeArr is an Arr-style YouTube channel tracker and downloader. It transforms YouTube content into a structure that media servers like Plex can ingest as if it were TV shows—automatically tracking, downloading, and organizing channels, playlists, and videos with rich metadata, artwork, and automation.

Download View on GitHub
Built for self-hosters. Designed for the *Arr ecosystem.

What is TubeArr?

TubeArr is a YouTube-to-TV-library translation layer with download automation. It maps YouTube channels to TV shows, playlists to seasons, and videos to episodes, making your YouTube collection look and behave like a TV library for Plex, Jellyfin, and other media servers. It’s not just a downloader—it’s a full media management solution for YouTube content.

Features

Channel Management

  • Add channels by ID, URL, handle, or search
  • Bulk monitoring controls & import from folders
  • Per-channel settings: quality, folder, tags, type
  • Channel metadata: title, description, artwork

Video Discovery & Metadata

  • Multi-source metadata: YouTube, yt-dlp, API, RSS
  • Tracks title, description, artwork, air date, runtime, type
  • Staged acquisition pipeline for robust updates

RSS-Based Fast Monitoring

  • Efficient channel RSS sync for new uploads
  • Fallbacks: yt-dlp, page parsing, API
  • Parallelized for speed

Playlist & Season Handling

  • Treats playlists as seasons for media servers
  • Stable playlist numbering for Plex/Kodi
  • Custom and rule-based playlists

Custom Playlists & Rule Engine

  • Define custom playlists per channel
  • Flexible rules: title, playlist, keywords, type
  • Virtual grouping for advanced organization

Monitoring & Filtering

  • Fine-grained monitored/unmonitored flags
  • Bulk monitor/unmonitor, presets, round-robin
  • Filter out Shorts/livestreams

Download Queue & Processing

  • Real queue processor with statuses
  • Parallel downloads, cancel/abort, history
  • Per-channel quality profiles

Advanced Quality Profiles

  • Multiple saved profiles, per-channel assignment
  • Constraints: resolution, FPS, codecs, HDR/SDR
  • Advanced yt-dlp/FFmpeg config integration

yt-dlp & FFmpeg Integration

  • Customizable yt-dlp/FFmpeg paths & args
  • Cookie/auth support for restricted content
  • Parallelism and config-file generation

Media Management & Organization

  • Root folder management, browser, free space checks
  • Rename, delete, recycle bin, hardlink, permissions
  • Auto-unmonitor after download

Naming Engine

  • Servarr-style tokenized naming
  • Multiple formats: standard, daily, episodic, streaming
  • Preview/validation and illegal character handling

NFO & Sidecar Metadata

  • Writes tvshow.nfo, season.nfo, episode NFOs
  • Stable numbering, scheduled sync/repair
  • Artwork and manifest management

Artwork & Thumbnails

  • Stores and exports channel, playlist, video artwork
  • Episode thumb streaming for Plex
  • Repair and fallback logic

Custom Plex Metadata Provider

  • Local HTTP provider for Plex
  • Stable rating keys, match logic, artwork URLs
  • Bridges TubeArr output to Plex as native TV

Logging, History & Notifications

  • App logs, download/metadata/history endpoints
  • Notification API and integrations
  • Plex notification support

System Administration & Automation

  • Health checks, backups, localization, server settings
  • Command queue and scheduled tasks
  • Unattended operation for self-hosters