I'm an MTV kid. Prior to that channel showing up on cable (and my being able to even get access to it), I was one of those 80s teens that had to settle for late night regular channel video highlights. It was only for an hour, but that single 60 minute slot full of new videos was my gateway into the latest music. Most of the stuff was at the bottom of my listening list, but the hope that at least one music video would come on with a song I loved was worth the wait every Friday or Saturday night. Most of my VCR recordings were those early videos, just want to capture a few of them to play them back again and again later during the normal day.

Fast forward now some 40 years later, and I'm still watching music videos on a daily basis. However, instead of relying on some cable channel, it's just being fed into my phone or laptop while I work or relax. Granted, the video selection isn't always my first choice, but unlike those early days, I can actually change it and play what I want, for a price.

I'm talking about the phenom that's been created thanks to the fun and energy that also started the Banano (BAN) themed genre of crypto, Jungle TV. Dubbed the name based on the general forum of the Banano server on Discord, Jungle TV is pretty much a wikipedia of music videos and just about anything else that shows up on a YouTube channel. In fact, some of the most commonly played videos in rotation, don't ask me why, include a screaming Toad cartoon character belting out goat-curdling tunes, a documentary on the deadly risks of professional deep diving and getting stuck in bad places under water (Delta p!), and Mariah Carey Christmas videos (urrggg...). Of course, there's a hell of a lot more on Jungle TV, and it's how I keep tabs on new music both domestically as well as internationally.

The Jungle TV platform is a bit confusing at first when you first look at it. Initially, you go to the website, and once things boot up a video plays. Whatever happens to be in the queue is what's showing. A couple of options exist once you start exploring, however, and the most important is the connection to Banano (BAN). This works in two ways: video fees and rewards. The first one involves using Banano to pay for the video you want to play. The fees are in three categories 1) get in line, 2) be the next one up, and 3) skip the bastard playing and make yours play. The first is the cheapest but your video literally goes to the back of the line, which could be a few weeks' deep. The second is the more practical, a bit more expensive, and you get your video showing right after the one already playing. The third, which can be downright rude in some circles, cuts off the current selection and starts yours, and you pay a price for that. Of course, the system also gives you the option to add tips to selections you like already playing, all of which gives out rewards. The system does take Nano (NANO) as well with the same approach.

The rewards are in Banano as well. Under the reward option, you have to input a Banano wallet address. Once done, as videos play and you watch them, you get a small share of the Banano paid for the video. Most payments are a fraction of a penny, but it starts to add up with regular watching. A boring day gets about 10 BAN or so, and a hot and heavy day could generate 100s of BAN. It all depends on tipping and payments for videos. Contests and events tend to do big drops, which are announced on the site as well.

Two of the best BAN wallets to work with are Kalium as well as BananoVault. Both work seamlessly with JTV and are easy to use back and forth, for payments or rewards.

So, if you gotta get your Metallica kick back on, you want to hear some Ukrainian frost punk techno, or you just want to learn about how easy it is for a professional lockpicker to unlock some of the best locks consumers can buy, then set JTV on cruise control and enjoy.

Just keep in mind, JTV doesn't come without engagement. You will periodically need to confirm you're still watching. If you just leave it on without clicking once in a while, you don't get paid with rewards. But hey, it's free music, or whatever somebody put in the queue. You might want to lower the volume, however, if you're in the office and yet another redux of Ram Ranch comes up on the playlist.