Version 4.4 maxes out at 1080p (sometimes 1440p if you hack the config). It does not support 4K, HDR, or AV1 codecs. If you have a 4K TV, this app will look soft.
Watch history often doesn’t sync back to Google. The "Up Next" queue is buggy. If you watch a video on your phone, it won't show up here, and vice versa. smart youtube tv 4.4 4
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
No Shorts. No Store. No YouTube Music prompts. No "Next up in 5 seconds" auto-play ads (usually). It is just a simple grid of your subscriptions, trending videos, and search. For purists who miss the 2016 YouTube interface, this is therapy. Version 4
The biggest feature: Server-side ads (the unskippable ones) are blocked. In-video sponsor segments aren't removed, but the annoying pre-roll and mid-roll ads that Google injects simply do not play. On v4.4, this is still remarkably effective. Watch history often doesn’t sync back to Google
You can use it completely anonymously. If you do log in via the old "Device Activation" code method, it pulls your subscriptions perfectly. What’s Bad (The Cons) 1. The "Sign-in Error" is a Headache Google constantly changes its auth tokens. As of this writing, signing into v4.4 often fails with a "Device not certified" or generic error on the first try. You usually have to enable "Debug" mode, spoof a different device signature, or try 5 times. New users will get frustrated.