About SyncTV
SyncTV is a free, open platform for watching YouTube videos together in real time — no matter where you are.
How it works
- Create an account (free, takes 10 seconds).
- Open a room and share the link with anyone.
- Search for a YouTube video or paste a URL, then approve it to start playback.
- Everyone in the room watches in sync — pauses, seeks, and new videos are pushed instantly.
Who made this?
SyncTV was built by Matias Miettinen as a course project at Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences. The goal was to explore real-time web technologies — WebSockets, server-sent events, and synchronised media playback — in a practical, usable product.
The project is not commercially operated. There are no ads, no tracking, and no monetisation.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an account to join a room?
No — you can join any room as a guest and participate in chat. You need a free account only if you want to create and host your own rooms.
Is SyncTV free?
Yes, entirely free. SyncTV is a university project and will remain free for as long as it is running.
Do all participants need to be in the same timezone?
No. SyncTV synchronises playback over the internet regardless of where participants are located. All you need is a YouTube-accessible internet connection.
Who controls what plays?
The room host has full control: they approve or reject video requests from participants, manage the playlist order, play, pause, and skip. Guests and participants can submit video requests and vote on them.
What happens if the host leaves?
Playback will stop. The room remains open and participants can stay, but no one else can take over host controls. The host can re-join to resume.
My video is out of sync. What do I do?
The host can press ↺ Sync All in the player controls to push the current position to every participant immediately. If you are a viewer, refreshing the page will also re-sync you.
Can guests chat?
Yes. Anyone in the room — whether logged in or joining as a guest — can send messages in the room chat.
How many people can be in a room?
There is no enforced participant limit during the project period. Performance may degrade with very large groups.
What data do you store?
SyncTV stores your username, email address (hashed password), and the rooms you have created. Watch history and chat messages are not persisted between sessions. We do not sell or share your data.
Why only YouTube?
YouTube's IFrame API provides a reliable, royalty-free way to embed and control video playback across browsers. Support for other platforms may be added in the future.
Can I delete my account?
Yes, you can.
Contact & feedback
Found a bug or have a suggestion? Email AH2768@student.jamk.fi.