How to Deploy MeTube and Download YouTube Videos via Oikos OpenHub

MeTube on Oikos: Self-Hosted YouTube Downloader#

MeTube is a user-friendly, self-hosted application that simplifies the process of securely downloading content from YouTube and other video platforms. It allows users to select their preferred video quality (e.g., 1080p, 720p) and format (e.g., MP4 for video or MP3 for audio conversion), making it an efficient solution for offline viewing and audio extraction.

Deploying MeTube through the Oikos OpenHub Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) provides a dedicated, reliable environment for managing your video downloads without relying on external, ad-heavy third-party websites.

1. Accessing the Oikos OpenHub Catalog#

Access the Oikos Console#

  • Visit: Navigate to the Oikos platform launchpad at https://launch.nife.io.
  • Log In: Use your registered Oikos credentials to access the primary application dashboard.

Navigate to OpenHub#

  • Locate: Find the OpenHub option in the left-hand navigation sidebar (standardizing the terminology).
  • Selection: Click OpenHub to view the comprehensive catalog of deployable open-source applications.

Search for MeTube#

  • Search Bar: Utilize the search functionality within the OpenHub interface and enter the term MeTube.
  • Identify: Locate the MeTube application card, pre-configured for deployment on the Oikos PaaS.

2. Configuring and Initiating Deployment#

MeTube requires persistent storage to retain downloaded files until you transfer them to your device.

Start Deployment and Configuration Review#

  • Action: Hover over the MeTube tile and click the Deploy button. This transitions you to the configuration screen.

Review Deployment Settings#

  • App Name: Assign a unique name to your video downloader instance (e.g., youtube-downloader).
  • Cloud Region: Select a Cloud Region closest to your location for better management access.
  • Resource Allocation: Review the default CPU and RAM. Downloading and converting high-resolution videos (especially conversion to MP3) can be CPU-intensive, so ensure adequate resources are allocated.

Crucial Persistence: Oikos must ensure persistent storage is mapped to the container path where MeTube stores the downloaded videos. This volume guarantees that your completed files are retained until you manually download them, even if the container restarts.

  • Finalization: Review all settings, confirm persistence is configured, and click Submit or the final Deploy button to commence the container launch process.

Monitor Deployment Status and DNS Resolution#

  • Process: Oikos provisions resources, pulls the MeTube container image, and maps the storage volume.
  • DNS: After the status changes to Running, allow a short period (approximately 90 seconds) for the domain name system (DNS) to fully resolve the public URL to your container IP.
  • Completion: Wait for the status indicator to change to Running.

3. Accessing and Downloading Videos#

Wait for Completion and Launch#

  • Action: Once the status is Running and the DNS has resolved, click the Open App button.
  • Result: This redirects you to the unique, secure URL of your deployed MeTube application.

Step-by-Step Download Process#

  1. Provide the YouTube Video Link: Copy the desired YouTube video URL from your browser and paste it into the designated input field on the MeTube homepage.
  2. Choose Quality and Format:
    • Quality: Select your preferred video resolution (e.g., 1080p, 720p). Higher quality files are larger.
    • Format: Select the output format. Choose MP4 for video or MP3 to extract only the audio track (YouTube to MP3 conversion).
  3. Initiate Download: Click Add to queue the video for download on your Oikos server.

Final Download and File Retrieval#

  1. Monitor Progress: Monitor the download status on the MeTube dashboard.
  2. Access Completed Section: Once the status indicates the process is finished, navigate to the Completed Section.
  3. Download to Device: Locate the completed file and click the download icon next to it. The file will then be securely transferred from your Oikos-hosted MeTube container directly to your local device.

Core Benefits of Deploying MeTube on Oikos#

1. Dedicated and Private Downloading#

Using your self-hosted MeTube instance ensures that your video downloading activity is kept private and is not associated with third-party, ad-supported download websites that often pose security risks.

2. High-Speed Conversion and Quality Control#

MeTube leverages the dedicated resources of your Oikos container to handle high-resolution video streams and perform quick audio/video conversions, providing consistent performance superior to shared web services.

3. Secure and Reliable Access#

Oikos secures your MeTube deployment with an HTTPS connection, ensuring the video link data and the final file transfer between the server and your device are encrypted.

4. Simplified Infrastructure Management#

The PaaS environment handles the operating system, container runtime, and persistent storage volume management, allowing you to use the media tool without any backend maintenance complexity.