What is this?
cat-catch ('Cat Catch') is a browser extension that sniffs out the resources a page loads, filters them into a list, and helps you download media such as m3u8 video streams.
cat-catch ('Cat Catch') is a browser extension that sniffs out the resources a page loads, filters them into a list, and helps you download media such as m3u8 video streams.Is this a separate app or something that lives inside my browser?It lives in your browser as an extension — Chrome, Edge, Firefox and even Edge on Android are supported. There is no separate desktop app to run.
It lives in your browser as an extension — Chrome, Edge, Firefox and even Edge on Android are supported. There is no separate desktop app to run.Will it run in an older browser?From version 1.0.17 it needs a Chromium core of 93 or newer — older browsers should use 1.0.16 — and Chromium 104+ unlocks the full feature set. The Firefox listing is only reachable from a non-China IP.
From version 1.0.17 it needs a Chromium core of 93 or newer — older browsers should use 1.0.16 — and Chromium 104+ unlocks the full feature set. The Firefox listing is only reachable from a non-China IP.So can I just download any video I find with it?No — the README restricts it to videos you own the rights to or have authorization for, forbids unauthorized copyrighted content, and puts all legal responsibility on the user.
No — the README restricts it to videos you own the rights to or have authorization for, forbids unauthorized copyrighted content, and puts all legal responsibility on the user.What can it actually catch — plain files or live streams too?Both. Under the hood it bundles hls.js for HLS/m3u8 streams, mpd-parser for DASH manifests and mux.js for MPEG streams, and the repo is tagged m3u8-downloader — segmented streams are a core use case, not just direct mp4 links.
Both. Under the hood it bundles hls.js for HLS/m3u8 streams, mpd-parser for DASH manifests and mux.js for MPEG streams, and the repo is tagged m3u8-downloader — segmented streams are a core use case, not just direct mp4 links.Are all cat-catch listings in the extension stores trustworthy?No. Since the code is open, ad-laden fake cat-catch clones have been uploaded to stores, so the author says to trust only the install links from the GitHub repo and its user docs.
No. Since the code is open, ad-laden fake cat-catch clones have been uploaded to stores, so the author says to trust only the install links from the GitHub repo and its user docs.Can a website opt out of being sniffed?Yes. Site owners open a GitHub issue titled '[Opt-Out Request] your-domain' with contact details, and the domain is added to the project's avoid-sniffing list in a future update.
Yes. Site owners open a GitHub issue titled '[Opt-Out Request] your-domain' with contact details, and the domain is added to the project's avoid-sniffing list in a future update.What are similar projects?streamfirefly, Telegram-Media-Downloader, SponsorBlock, Youtube-Pro-Plus, SwitchyOmega, uBlock, desktop_gifs, maxurl
streamfirefly, Telegram-Media-Downloader, SponsorBlock, Youtube-Pro-Plus, SwitchyOmega, uBlock, desktop_gifs, maxurlWhich topics is it in?media-downloader, m3u8, download-manager, video-downloader, jquery, chromium, firefox, extension, firefox-extension, chrome, downloader, chrome-extension
media-downloader, m3u8, download-manager, video-downloader, jquery, chromium, firefox, extension, firefox-extension, chrome, downloader, chrome-extension