A new web app called Channel Surfer is giving YouTube a nostalgic twist by turning it into something that feels a lot more like classic cable TV. Instead of endlessly scrolling, comparing thumbnails, or letting recommendations steer the night, you can “channel surf” through curated YouTube programming using an interface that looks like a retro TV guide.
Built by London-based developer Steven Irby, Channel Surfer lets you browse topic-based channels and tune in as if the videos are part of a live lineup. When you switch channels, you jump into whatever is currently playing mid-stream, just like flipping through TV stations back in the day. A built-in guide shows what’s on now, what’s coming next, and even what’s scheduled across the next 24 hours, making the whole experience feel more like live television than on-demand streaming.
At launch, the service includes 40 custom-built channels covering a wide mix of interests. There are broad categories like news, politics, sports, and lifestyle, plus multiple music options and a strong selection for tech fans. Tech-focused channels include AI & ML, Code & Dev, Space, Retro Tech, Tech & Gadgets, and Gaming—designed to make it easy to drop into something interesting without overthinking it.
One of the more charming touches is a small viewer counter at the bottom of the screen that shows how many other people are watching along with you. That little bit of shared presence taps into what people often miss about traditional TV: the feeling that you’re not the only one tuned in.
Irby created the project to solve a familiar modern problem: decision fatigue. Algorithms can be useful, but they can also make watching feel like work—too many choices, too much optimization, too much pressure to pick “the right” video. Channel Surfer is meant to bring back the comfort of simply seeing what’s on and going with it. He’s also drawn to the oddly reassuring idea of watching the same stream as other people at the same time, even if you never interact.
Channel Surfer is also part of a broader creative streak from Irby, a long-time tech industry veteran who’s spent years traveling and experimenting with new ideas. The app has already shown early signs of momentum, pulling in over 10,000 views on its first day live.
On the technical side, Channel Surfer currently runs as a static Next.js site using PartyKit, hosted on Cloudflare. The channel lineup is hand-picked rather than automatically generated, with a script refresh running daily via GitHub Actions. There isn’t a full backend yet, and while AI helped during development, Irby says it wasn’t built through “vibe coding.”
Importantly, the videos play through standard YouTube embeds—ads included—so the setup should stay within platform rules. Looking ahead, Irby would like to expand Channel Surfer beyond the browser and bring it to TV platforms like Fire TV and Google TV. It works on mobile and tablets now, though it still needs refinement for those screens.
Channel Surfer is free to use and currently offers access to 175 YouTube channels and 25 music playlists. There’s also a way to personalize the experience by importing your own YouTube subscriptions, giving you a much larger lineup tailored to your interests. The import process is intentionally simple and a bit old-school: you add a Channel Surfer bookmarklet to your browser, run it while viewing your YouTube subscriptions, then paste the generated JSON into the app to pull your channels into the guide.
More than just a new way to watch YouTube, Channel Surfer feels like a throwback to a more playful era of the web—when small, clever projects made the internet feel surprising and fun. That’s a big part of the goal: reminding people that the creative, experimental spirit of the early web still exists, even if it’s harder to spot today.
