Audio Only Mode - Less Data Usage - Not about Download/Background Play

[desmonk]

Checklist

• I checked, but didn't find any duplicates (open OR closed) of this issue in the repo.
• I have read the contribution guidelines given at https://github.com/TeamNewPipe/NewPipe/blob/HEAD/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md.
• This issue contains only one feature request. I will open one issue for every feature I want to request.

Describe the feature you want

How about an option to play a video when needed in an audio only mode without downloading? This will help users to play many videos they want to play using least amount of data!

Also, a Background Play can be streamed only as audio as it's a background video already playing as an audio track.

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe it

This is kind of an issue if you look it that way. Right now, Background Play still uses a video as audio to function. Here though, only audio is streamed whether in background or not.

Additional context

I don't have any for now.

How will you/everyone benefit from this feature?

Saving data usage. One byte at a time!
Users will grately benefit if they can stream any video as just audio and save data. Same goes for a background video which only needs an audio stream.

[avently]

Right now, Background Play still uses a video as audio to function

It's false. Do you have any proofs?

[defini-tiv]

@desmonk I'm not sure about understanding you correctly, but as far as i know, there is this Option already.
If you tap on the headphones-symbol under a video or just select it in the context-menu it will just stream the audio.

[triallax]

@defini-tiv what you want is already the case. You can read that here: "Save mobile data volume (we only download the audio)."

[desmonk]

Thank you everyone for responses. What I meant is an audio only mode whether a user wants to play in background or foreground. Secondly, I raised the case cause I don't know what stream of audio from video is fetched.

Meaning, if we choose to play background play of 1080p video then does the audio stream too comes from resolution? If that's the case then having the ability to select an audio stream that a user prefers say 480p for example, will save data.

Another aspect is an audio only mode option can allow users to choose what audio quality streams they want just as we can select a resolution of a video.

Hope this answer can help you understand more clearly.

[avently]

@desmonk video is not fetched when you're listening in background or with screen off. Only separate audio stream that is the same for every resolution

[desmonk]

But what is the audio stream quality meaning bit rate? Does it fetch from same resolution as a video? Can we select the audio stream quality just as we can with a video?

[triallax]

@desmonk there is an issue to allow choosing audio bitrates: #1059

[desmonk]

Yes, I read that but this is a different case in nature. Right now, I don't know what is the default audio stream used by app. So that's why I opened the case. Later on as we evolve, addition of a custom audio stream too will benefit.

Can you tell us what's the default quality used by app?

[triallax]

NewPipe has no default "audio quality." The stream is provided by YouTube (I don't know about other services), and NewPipe doesn't decide the bitrate. See Tobi's comment below.

[desmonk]

So does it mean that audio is being derived from same resolution video a user has selected?

[triallax]

I'm not an expert on that, so we'll have to wait for someone more knowledgeable.

[desmonk]

I understand and hope this case can be reopened until a valid answer is received.

[triallax]

Well, since this is more of a question than a request, you should probably go and ask on the IRC room. See https://newpipe.net/press/contact/.