HTML5 and Windows XP

[hech54]

I'm used to NOT being able to watch some YouTube videos(on Firefox) with XP. I normally just wait several hours
until YouTube generates something I can watch later.....IF that is what is really happening. Either way
if I wait a while I can eventually watch the video.
I've been sending the YouTube link to my iPhone via the Messenger website(Messenger.com) via Firefox if I REALLY
want to watch the video right now....then watch it on my iPhone obviously.
Just this morning I did exactly that....placed the YouTube link in Messenger.com and sent it on it's way. But this time for
sh|ts and giggles I pressed PLAY in the video preview that showed up in Messenger.com.......and the video played.
Still on XP, still in Firefox.
How messed up is that?

[mike20021969]

I subscribe to a few YT channels.
Using Windows XP and Firefox ESR 52.3.0, watching videos that have "just been uploaded" is hit and miss.
Neither the uploading channel nor the video's length makes any difference.
Whether it's 1 or 30 minutes long, one persons video can be viewed straight away whilst someone else's can take either a few hours or, in one case, 3 days.

One thing that makes it worse is that I can now not use/force flash player on YouTube with ESR 52.3.0.
I can't find an add-on that will make it work, nor does disabling any of the webm options in about:config (although that used to).

[sneaker]

Doesn't Chrome have an integrated H.264 decoder? Try that. (but it's no longer updated for XP, I believe, so use with care)

Or download video using youtube-dl (+ffmpeg):
youtube-dl -f "bestvideo[ext=mp4]+bestaudio[ext=m4a]" "YOUTUBE_URL"
or just
youtube-dl "YOUTUBE_URL"
depending on what formats and quality you want. I assume your media player can play just about anything.

Some players (MPC-BE?) can also accept youtube urls.

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/382524-How-to-get-started-with-youtube-dl-from-the...command-prompt
https://github.com/rg3/youtube-dl/#format-selection

[mike20021969]

Doesn't Chrome have an integrated H.264 decoder?

I ditched Google Chrome (47.x) after a re-install of Windows XP just recently.

Firefox ESR uses the openH264 plugin (version 1.6.0) - that appears to be integrated.

Also, no one's video is so important that it's a must see right now. Coming back to watch at a later time will always suffice.

[sneaker]

AFAIK openH264 only supports Constrained Baseline Profile so it is of limited use - not comparable to the one in Chrome.

[Atak_Snajpera]

I subscribe to a few YT channels.
Using Windows XP and Firefox ESR 52.3.0, watching videos that have "just been uploaded" is hit and miss.
Neither the uploading channel nor the video's length makes any difference.
Whether it's 1 or 30 minutes long, one persons video can be viewed straight away whilst someone else's can take either a few hours or, in one case, 3 days.

One thing that makes it worse is that I can now not use/force flash player on YouTube with ESR 52.3.0.
I can't find an add-on that will make it work, nor does disabling any of the webm options in about:config (although that used to).

YouTube first converts recently uploaded videos to AVC format and then after some time(hours) to VP9.

[mike20021969]

YouTube first converts recently uploaded videos to AVC format and then after some time(hours) to VP9.

That doesn't explain why some videos are immediately viewable and others aren't. I recently waited 3 days to watch a 10 minute video, yet another video which was just under 30 minutes could be viewed straight away.

[hech54]

It depends on what the user uploaded. I have never uploaded anything other than HandBrake encoded "iPhone iPod Touch"setting videos. You won't be getting any high quality downloads of my YouTube stuff.

[sneaker]

YouTube first converts recently uploaded videos to AVC format and then after some time(hours) to VP9.

That doesn't explain why some videos are immediately viewable and others aren't. I recently waited 3 days to watch a 10 minute video, yet another video which was just under 30 minutes could be viewed straight away.

Yeah, it was discussed somewhere on the forum previously. Hours can turn into days, months ...
No one really knows why Youtube does that but it's just the way it is. For the full Youtube experience you need (High Profile) AVC decoding. If you Firefox doesn't deliver that on XP you need to use something else.

[Atak_Snajpera]

YouTube first converts recently uploaded videos to AVC format and then after some time(hours) to VP9.

That doesn't explain why some videos are immediately viewable and others aren't. I recently waited 3 days to watch a 10 minute video, yet another video which was just under 30 minutes could be viewed straight away.

I fell your pain. From time to time I have to use Q8300@2.8GHz (with ancient R1950 PRO LoL!) for watching youtube and for some weird reason AVC 1080p60fps kills this CPU with 100% usage (FireFox)! On other hand VP9 runs perfectly smooth using only ~60%.

[pandy]

Check if MSE is enabled https://www.ghacks.net/2014/05/10/enable-media-source-extensions-firefox/

[sneaker]

Firefox ESR uses the openH264 plugin (version 1.6.0) - that appears to be integrated.

Seems there is another plugin from Adobe. But ... it's complicated.

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/175591-enable-mp4-h264-aac-html5-video-in-firefox-on-w...without-flash/
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1258220

[mike20021969]

Check if MSE is enabled https://www.ghacks.net/2014/05/10/enable-media-source-extensions-firefox/

Yes, they're all set to true. Setting specific ones to false was what forced flash to be used instead. As mentioned previously, the setting to flase trick no longer works (for me, anyway).

[hech54]

I saw a "fix" listed once, it involved something called gmp-eme-adobe-v17 and it also involved using about:config in Firefox, but it was a MESS for a dummy like me.....and much of the stuff listed in the fix was not in my about:config settings.

[mike20021969]

.....and much of the stuff listed in the fix was not in my about:config settings.

According to the fix on the msfn board link in post #12, you have to add the entries not listed manually.
It all looks straightforward, but is it worth all the mider? Will it even help?
I'm not sure.
I'd rather just wait for the video to become watchable.

[goldeneq]

I have removed this post.
See mssg. below.

[jimdagys]

I always attempt to first download any streaming video. My internet plays sd stream videos with start and stop, HD videos are mostly stop with 100%cpu.

[goldeneq]

If you have an XP machine
DO NOT even try loading Chrome (ever. any version.)
When it 'updates' (and it will... if you use Google as a search engine..
it will 'detect' Chrome (no matter HOW you tried to disable 'updates')..
and 'auto-update' your XP machine into your worst nightmare.

So again... Chrome browser (on XP) is no longer an option.

Instead... use Firefox 51 (and newer) and follow the instructions found here:
http://wp.xin.at/archives/4059

[Deathrow_Bo_Dean]

Hello All, I new here but I see lots of You have the same problem that I have of not being able to watch any YT videos anymore. I found this site (here) may have the solution so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. OK, kere is where I'am at in my instalation:

!. I've downloaded the youtobe-dl (Windows version) a white and blue box application file (not in a zip).

2.I also downloaded the ffmpeg-3.4win32-static 41.755 KB (a Zip file ) and extracted it to it's folder -> ffmpeg-3.4-win32-static

3. I made a folder on my C drive i.e C:\Videos.

4. Question: Do I just put the youtube-dl in C:\Videos or do I make a subfolder in c:\Videos and name it something?

5: The ffmpeg zip file when extracted to it's ffmpeg-3.4-win-static folder has 3 folders and 2 text docs in it ->

3 folders named bin, doc and presets and 2 text files named License and readme.

6. Inside the bin folder of ffmpeg there are 3 application files (each in a white and blue box) their names are ffmpeg, ffplay and ffprobe.

7. Can someone please tell me just where to place or put these files?

8. Also I'd like to get some instructions on how to use youyube-dl to view a YT-video? ( I do know how to use the CMD prompr.

Thanks for any help..... DBD
-

[Vidd]

FFmpeg 3.4 is not compatible with XP unless you custom compile it and disable all the stuff that breaks XP, like Intel QSV. Find an old version of FFmpeg like 2.8 or 3.0 to use with youtube-dl and XP. ffmpeg.exe goes in the same directory as the youtube-dl executable.

But YouTube videos can still be watched using FireFox on XP. The only problem is with recently uploaded videos, but after a few hours they can almost always be watched.

[Deathrow_Bo_Dean]

Thank's vidd for Your quick reply. I have created a folder on my C drive names c:\Videos. I put youtube-gl in it so now it looks like this c:\Videos and the only file in the c:\Video folder is youtube-dl. I will try to find an earlier version of ffmpeg like you recomend and put the ffmpeg.exe in C:\Videos along with the youtube-dl. If thats not correct please let me know. The question i have now is: What do I do with or where do I place the rest of the files that are in the ffmpeg folder?

***Here are my results so far.***
When I start youtube-dl with the ffmpeg 2.8.exe in the c:\videos folder, with the " c:\videos\youtube-dl.exe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8UZQkN52o4 " script I get url can't be found error and a no ceftifficate error. and it crashes back to the desktop..

If I start the ffmpeg 2.8.exe it opens the cmd box to c:\ffmpeg.I can see the otherdirectories are in the folder and the cmd window box staies open.

? do I have to configuer the ffmpeg program first?

[Vidd]

Try this template. Replace the youtube address with your video, but keep the quotes " ". --no-check-certificate should fix the error.

C:\videos\youtube-dl.exe "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXXXXXXXX" -o "c:\videos\output.mp4" --no-check-certificate

If it does not work try FFmpeg 3.0.

More info:
https://github.com/rg3/youtube-dl/issues/7309#issuecomment-172354527