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YouTube slows down video load times when using Firefox

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Re: YouTube slows down video load times when using Firefox

#141

Post by chii »

bambax wrote: post #118
CapsAdmin wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Something related to this which I find extremely frustrating is that I'm capable of watching a 4k video in my browser just fine. So if I decide to buy or rent a movie on youtube, they can only be played back at 420p. Apparently this is due to DRM restrictions, but the frustrating part is that you can pay extra money for the HD version and there's nothing telling you about this not being supported in your browser unti…

Buy a movie on YT or DVD, and then... watch a torrented version? This isn't the future we were promised, but it sure is the future we have.

> Buy a movie on YT or DVD, and then... watch a torrented version?

in which case, why buy it at all? A torrent isn't going to load as fast as what you paid YT for.

Re: YouTube slows down video load times when using Firefox

#142

Post by iinnPP »

gear54rus wrote: post #125
iinnPP wrote: post #113

https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-strategies/app-and... Seems odd to do something so brazen while also publishing information that (could) prove intent. Google also modifies how business information can be accessed from Firefox Mobile. You can't read reviews easily from Firefox Mobile. At least not my install.

That's because it's not actually what's happening. I'm all for bashing bigcorps and especially ad empires but reddit folks confused correlation with causation here. The code in question is part of a function that injects a video ad (that plays before the start) and the code itself is just a fallback in case it fails to load over 5 seconds so that video page doesn't break completely. Why was this affected by user agen…

That makes sense and explains why it seemed so odd.

I don't use YouTube so the comment was more of a way to bring up the other behavior in business reviews. It seemed relevant.

Edit: reviews are also broken(for me) on Firefox desktop with no extensions enabled and with ublock enabled.

Re: YouTube slows down video load times when using Firefox

#143

Post by madeofpalk »

imiric wrote: post #49
blueflow wrote: post #31

If you are fluent with the terminal, you don't need to suffer from the YT Web UI. Install mpv and yt-dlp. Play videos like this: mpv [--no-video] "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9zVjEZ7W8Q" Option in brackets is optional.

This is the way. I really don't understand why any technically proficient user would willingly use any of the official YouTube frontends. You get bombarded with ads, you're constantly tracked and experimented on, and your behavior is used to improve their algorithms in order to keep you on the site for as long as possible. It's a hostile user experience, just like most of the mainstream web. Whenever possible, I sugg…

Because I don't want to fuck about working against the platform, opting myself into something that'll break at any moment.

I would much rather put up with Youtube than be frustrated when my 'alternate frontend' one day breaks and i need to figure out a workaround.

Re: YouTube slows down video load times when using Firefox

#144

Post by _fizz_buzz_ »

amelius wrote: post #93
frankjr wrote: post #39

I have a hard time believing that's actually what's happening. If they wanted to slow down other browsers, why would they choose this easily discoverable way? They could have easily slowed down serving of JS files (and other assets) based on the user agent to a similar effect. It seems more likely this is just a debug snippet that has made it into production by accident.

> They could have easily slowed down serving of JS files (and other assets) based on the user agent to a similar effect. And that is /not/ easily discoverable??

I would argue it's a bit harder to find if the youtube backend serves files slower for certain browsers. One could even radomize it and sometimes still serve it fast or something. Since you cannot look at the backend code it would be hard to proof anything.

Re: YouTube slows down video load times when using Firefox

#145

Post by _fizz_buzz_ »

seydor wrote: post #83
bad_user wrote: post #26

I am not getting this behaviour in Firefox 120. Tried it, logged out as well. > setTimeout(function() { c(); a.resolve(1) }, 5E3); The code looks like a silly concurrency bug fix, i.e., a lazy way to force ordering.

I can't believe billion dollar companies 'solve' bugs the same way as i do

The people working there are also just people like you.

Re: YouTube slows down video load times when using Firefox

#146

Post by rozenglass »

sammy2255 wrote: post #32
blueflow wrote: post #31

If you are fluent with the terminal, you don't need to suffer from the YT Web UI. Install mpv and yt-dlp. Play videos like this: mpv [--no-video] "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9zVjEZ7W8Q" Option in brackets is optional.

I think you’re missing the point. How can I browse Youtube in mpv?

In addition to Piped, and Invidious, mentioned by sibling comments, which allow you to subscribe, search, and provide recommendations, you can use a complete CLI workflow with something like ytfzf[0], or, you can use the search commands on yt-dlp[1], which are also accessibly through mpv using the ytdl:// prefix.

Getting familiar with such tools not only replaces the terrible UXes you have to be subjected to, but also gives you the power and freedom to be creative with how you use Youtube and other online streaming sites.

I wrote various tiny scripts to replace all my needs for Youtube search, using any highlighted text, with a shortcut, Youtube Music, with a synced plain text file of song titles and a shuffle-on-read script, and more curiously, a script to help me slowly go through all thousands of my partner's favorite songs, and then, using shortcuts, add them to my own favorites, decide on them later, add them to the "what the heck do you listen to" friendly banter list, or the "my ears bleeding" list, etc. Much better UX then anything the slow web UIs can offer, and with minimum hacking.

[0]: https://ytfzf.github.io/

[1]: https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp

Re: YouTube slows down video load times when using Firefox

#147

Post by [deleted] »

qwery wrote: post #95
ayhanfuat wrote: post #3

From reddit discussion ( https://www.reddit.com/r/firefox/comments/17ywbjj/comment/k9... ): > To clarify it more, it's simply this code in their polymer script link: > setTimeout(function() { c(); a.resolve(1) }, 5E3); > which doesn't do anything except making you wait 5s (5E3 = 5000ms = 5s). You can search for it easily in https://www.youtube.com/s/desktop/96766c85/jsbin/desktop_pol...

Is the use of the "E" notation common in JS? I can see that it (could be) less bytes, obviously more efficient for bigger values... Looking at the script I can see it is minified or whatever we call that these days. I guess my question really is: did someone write "5E3" or did the minifier choose it? (Sorry this is heading into the weeds, but I'm not really a web developer so maybe someone can tell me!)

[deleted]

Re: YouTube slows down video load times when using Firefox

#148

Post by jonathanstrange »

bluescrn wrote: post #51
m4tthumphrey wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is interesting as I had noticed this happening to me (in Chrome) when the anti-ad-blocking started. I assumed that it was YT's way of "annoying" me still while no ads were shown... It was eventually replaced with the "You cant use Adblockers modal" and now I just tolerate the ads. So I wonder if that 5s delay has always been there.

When I ran into the adblocker-blocker (Firefox + uBlock Origin), I noticed that I could watch videos if logged out. So I just stayed logged out, and haven't seen an anti-adblock message since. Or an ad. Added bonus, I'm less tempted to venture into the comments section...

I'm using Firefox + uBlock Origin logged in and it works totally fine. Maybe Youtube removed the anti-adblocker on select accounts? I remember I once entertained myself with writing a report in which I sounded like I'm sitting in a retirement home and have no clue what's going on with "ad block." Did perhaps someone actually read this?

Re: YouTube slows down video load times when using Firefox

#149

Post by darkwater »

scyzoryk_xyz wrote: post #66
dschuetz wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For now. Google is working on making a premium internet based on their services that permeate the whole web which they plan to serve only to "trusted devices" running Chrome - I do not think this is going to work out well for them.

I hope not, but I suspect they will succeed. My observation is that the vast majority of people around me here in Europe see Google as completely trustworthy. It's truly profound how split-second loading delays contribute to a negative impression about digital products. I guess we're all worn out from using our devices. Most of us just want "thing" ASAP, and we'll compulsively click 'agree' to anything that happens t…

> I hope not, but I suspect they will succeed. My observation is that the vast majority of people around me here in Europe see Google as completely trustworthy.

Just like MS was always seen in Europe as well, outside (parts of) the tech-workers bubble. Governments in every single country at every level never had any problem mandating proprietary softwares and formats to their citizens for many, many years.

Re: YouTube slows down video load times when using Firefox

#150

Post by nusl »

chii wrote: post #141
bambax wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Buy a movie on YT or DVD, and then... watch a torrented version? This isn't the future we were promised, but it sure is the future we have.

> Buy a movie on YT or DVD, and then... watch a torrented version? in which case, why buy it at all? A torrent isn't going to load as fast as what you paid YT for.

The further time goes on toward segmented streaming platforms and DRM bullshit, the deeper my piracy hedge grows. Eventually there will be a streaming service aggregation service a la Cable channels and we're back at square 1. Add to that streaming services pushing new ad schemes now that they've captured enough market share for the risk to be worth it, and we've got a great storm brewing for a resurgence in piracy and media execs going "but y?"

BTW modern piracy setups are far more streamlined and easier to manage/use than modern streaming platforms. Assuming you have some tech ability anyway.

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