[binand]

Originally Posted by mayukh42

Coming to ad-free Youtube, one option (for android TV) is through Kodi plugin, which uses one's own account's Youtube API Key to access content.

My TV serves ads in the home screen now. This is a never-ending war.

Originally Posted by amol4184

I run network wide ad blocker on Raspberry pi running 24/7 (PiHole). It can't block YouTube/YT music ads.

I run a DNS blocklist on a Linux box in my home network, and exactly the same experience.

After some tests, I realised that Android gratuitously adds 8.8.8.8 (Google Public DNS) to the ones served by your DHCP server; and uses it to resolve if it suspects the other servers are blocklisting ads.



I have now blocked outbound DNS queries to Google Public DNS at my LAN edge, but it still manages to resolve and serve ads. Reason? I think it is capable of falling back to mobile data when Wifi doesn't yield correct resolution for its ad servers.

[ph03n!x]

Originally Posted by binand

...
After some tests, I realised that Android gratuitously adds 8.8.8.8 (Google Public DNS) to the ones served by your DHCP server; and uses it to resolve if it suspects the other servers are blocklisting ads.

...

Enable Private DNS in your Android - should somewhere in Settings -> Connections (or similar, depending on the OE skin), choose Specified DNS, and enter dns.adguard.com for the DNS address.

This will bypass all local/ router and ISP DNS, and resolve all queries with adguard through DNS-over-TLS.

This won't block, say, Video Ads in YouTube or in anything else where there is a hard-coded IP to place Ads though. Everything else will be Ad-free.

If you have OpenWRT running in your home router, you can also have dnscrypt set to dns-family.adguard.com - will also block... Ummm... non-family-friendly sites in addition to blocking ad servers

EDIT: Android might, at times, complain that the Private DNS server is not accessible and hence you do not have internet connectivity - giving you an option to turn it off. Ignore that blackmail, it'll all be back to good within seconds.

[binand]

Originally Posted by ph03n!x

Enable Private DNS in your Android [...] This will bypass all local/ router and ISP DNS, and resolve all queries with adguard through DNS-over-TLS.

Yeah, but I don't want that. The whole purpose of having my own LAN DNS is to be able to control it exactly to my taste.

(My LAN DNS uses Adguard for upstream sometimes, but its performance has been abysmal for me. So I more often than not end up using Cloudflare).

Originally Posted by ph03n!x

This won't block, say, Video Ads in YouTube or in anything else where there is a hard-coded IP to place Ads though.

I am already quite ad-free. What private DNS delivers is DNS over TLS. I've been thinking about it for a while now, perhaps it is time to actually do it.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by amol4184

I run network wide ad blocker on Raspberry pi running 24/7 (PiHole). It can't block YouTube/YT music ads. Every now and then people come up with new ideas to stop yt ads but none work.

Originally Posted by mayukh42

Coming to ad-free Youtube

Originally Posted by binand

Thought I'll update this thread; I switched to Youtube Revanced for the full-featured Youtube experience, a few months back.

Not 100% sure if you guys are discussing options for ad-free Youtube on android mobiles or android (smart)TV; but for the former, I have been happily using Brave browser for Youtube for several months now; it allows me
- YT with zero ads
- Background playback

I plan to dig around for Brave browser APK files for my TV later this weekend; hopefully that shouldn't be a too much of an hassle. Do give it a try.

[binand]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

I have been happily using Brave browser for Youtube for several months now[...] Do give it a try.

Had tried it, but didn't like it. Went back to Firefox which I had abandoned soon after Google introduced Chrome (at that time, Chrome's USP was speed and responsiveness both of which appealed to me).

Primarily because shorn of all the sweet talk, Brave's core revenue model is also based on serving ads.

[ph03n!x]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

...

I plan to dig around for Brave browser APK files for my TV later this weekend; hopefully that shouldn't be a too much of an hassle. Do give it a try.

Originally Posted by binand

...
Primarily because shorn of all the sweet talk, Brave's core revenue model is also based on serving ads.

An alternative to Chrome/ Brave is Kiwi Browser - Chromium based, and can have extensions - so I can have uBlock Origin and Privacy Badger too.

I use Kiwi in one of my phones, and Firefox in the other - both with duckduckgo as the default search engine with disabled 3rd party cookies to spread around my footprint outside of Google. Soul is sold, salt is left out...

[nibedk]

Anyone using Pixel 7 Pro. Need feedback on the same.

Have been on Pixel 4a for a couple of years now and am targetting Flipkart BBD to buy one (Pixel 7 is under consideration also). Both have 3 more OS updates (14,15 and 16) and an additonal year of security.

Looking at the ongoing rates with exchange I beleive the rates may be sub 50 K for the Pro and sub 40 K for Pixel 7.

I am not much of a gamer so the heat issues wont bother me. Most of us usually charge the phone once a day and with the puny battery on the 4a I am still able to manage a day charging either late in night or early morning.

I have always been on small and light phones so 7 pro seems very big. Are the increments over Pixel 7 worth the price difference. The screen though is not flat on the 7 pro and I see that tempered glass options are almost nil.

The whole point is to have a real flagship experience this time.

The Pixel 8 series would get released during that time, so gives me a chance to compare and decide if I can strecth a little. The flat screen is what interests me as I beleive the rest of the updates would mostly be incremental. My usage really doesn't require the newest or latest but I am ok to wait since the BBD sale would be sometime in Oct.

Need feedback on the weight, curved screen and shortcomings if any

[mayukh42]

Originally Posted by amol4184

network wide ad blocker ... can't block YouTube/YT music ads

Hm. PiHole is DNS blocker, and Youtube serves ads from the same domain as its videos. The rogue! So PiHole types won't work. We actually need to look at unencrypted raw data of the website to bypass YT ads, the way browser extensions do.

Originally Posted by binand

My TV serves ads in the home screen now. This is a never-ending war.

Yeah, there are some hacks for Amazon or Samsung devices involving ADB from another computer.

OT] The Evil company is also trying to "DRM" the internet, but expectedly Mozilla Foundation has vetoed it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i0Ho-x7s_U

This war will continue.

Originally Posted by binand

After some tests, I realised that Android gratuitously adds 8.8.8.8 (Google Public DNS) to the ones served by your DHCP server; and uses it to resolve if it suspects the other servers are blocklisting ads.

So does this work if mobile data is off? I usually have it so when at home, since it can use WiFi.

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

happily using Brave browser for Youtube for several months now; it allows me
- YT with zero ads

Brave has been the go to browser for all our devices for some time, but gradually we are moving back to Firefox.

Brave has mostly worked for ad-free experience. But the ad blocker is built-in and we are at their mercy. Rarely, but we have occasionally had some ads in YT, perhaps it was because they updated their filter lists late.

Enter Mozilla to the rescue. Firefox Mobile (or Fenix as they call it) actually allows to install 3rd party ad-blockers as add-ons, just like the desktop browser version. So it has much better success rate.

[sachinayak]

Originally Posted by nibedk

Have been on Pixel 4a ....Pixel 7 is under consideration also). ....I have always been on small and light phones so 7 pro seems very big.

Have been in the similar situation. Moved from Pixel 3A to Pixel 6 and now on the Pixel 7. I absolutely loved the erstwhile Pixel A series due to the compact design and flagship cameras.

Coming from Pixel A series, the Pixel 7 itself seems too large (forget the 7Pro). The only reason to get the 7 Pro - in my opinion would be the telescopic zoom lens and/or the 120 Hz refresh rate on the screen.

Battery life is quite good on both Pixels, cameras are class leading (not for Portrait photos or Videos though) and the stock Android experience is fluid. Would certainly recommend the Pixel 7.

[shipnil]

Originally Posted by binand

I will miss my firstname@gmail.com email address though.

Binand, may I ask what was the reason for Google to suspend/cancel your account? Is it due to these ad blockers you installed on various devices?

[binand]

Originally Posted by shipnil

Binand, may I ask what was the reason for Google to suspend/cancel your account? Is it due to these ad blockers you installed on various devices?

Oh they haven't done it. I was just saying I would miss my @gmail address if they were to do so. I have plan Bs for all self-generated data / content, and am prepared to lose my digital purchases.

They did suspend an anonymous throwaway account I was using exclusively to download APK files off the play store (this was before services like apkmirror.com were popular).

[Aaroah]

Guys,

Thoughts on upgrading to Pixel 7 Pro from a 2-year-old S20 FE 5G. S20 still works flawlessly without hiccups, Have turned off software animations hence no issues on performance as well - it has still somehow managed to punch way above its weight after so long. I'm curious about the potential trade-offs or advantages of moving to the Pixel. Will this transition offer a noticeable upgrade, or might there be certain aspects where I'd have to compromise? Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

[IndigoXLGrandDi]

Originally Posted by IndigoXLGrandDi

I facing following problem in Moto G40 Fusion-

The Video camera symbol does not go away after ending Video Call. I am talking about Video Call using Phone App and not WhatsApp.

Searched on Google but could not find correct solution.

Currently I have to Restart the phone after Video Call for turning the Camera symbol OFF.

Bhpians, Any Solutions?

Sim is Airtel, if that matters.

Please refer below screenshot for my previous query.

Any solution on this?

[sajands]

Originally Posted by Aaroah

Guys,

Thoughts on upgrading to Pixel 7 Pro from a 2-year-old S20 FE 5G. S20 still works flawlessly without hiccups, Have turned off software animations hence no issues on performance as well - it has still somehow managed to punch way above its weight after so long. I'm curious about the potential trade-offs or advantages of moving to the Pixel. Will this transition offer a noticeable upgrade, or might there be certain aspects where I'd have to compromise? Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

I have the 7 Pro for me it was a massive upgrade from OnePlus Nord jokes aside, 7 Pro is only for the camera, I am in love with it and that's the only reason I jumped into the Pixel wagon, else I would have picked the Moto Edge series.

[sayyam.gaur58]

I'm using S21 FE 5g since the last 6 months. It's a very unpredictable phone, for some months battery seemed fine and okay’ish for my use. I use it for my office calls etc. However since the last two months, the battery is just horrible. I merely get 4-4.5 hours of screen of time no matter what I do.

Anybody else facing this? Even the overnight battery drain is about 20%. I might just sell this off reluctantly.