Firefox v48.01 does not play html5 videos on youtube of vimeo

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Hi,

I have a frustrating problem: my Firefox v48.01 does not play html5 videos on youtube of vimeo. Since all my youtube videos are served as html5 video, I can no longer play anything on youtube.

NONE of the following fixed the problem:

[*]- I’ve completely reinstalled firefox and created a completely new profile (which sync’d to my stored profile setting)
[*]- I’ve started Firefox in safe Mode
[*]- I tried, unsuccessfully, to do restore a Windows restore point to a recent date where youtube and vimeo worked, but the restore did not complete successfully (So I also have a problem with my system restores)
[*]- I’ve updated my Nvidia video card driver
[*]- I googled the problem but none of the search results fixed the problem

running Windows 10 (NOT the new Anniversary edition)

I am out of ideas. thanks for any help.

radar

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When a restore point reports as unsuccessful then it’s usually because of your antivirus program – try the restore point again in Safe Mode.

Not familiar with vimeo but have you tried a different browser, such as IE ?

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thanks Sudo15. I turned off Bitdefender but still had a problem restoring. I will try booting into Safe Mode and see if that helps – good idea.

vimeo is a video server that, I think, only provides a place where people can upload their videos and control access to who views them.

I tried youtube in Chrome and it works, but there are tools I use in Firefox to download youtube videos that I have not found in Chrome (although I have not looked, recently). I’m not a fan of the Chrome minimalist interface. It take more mouse clicks than in Firefox to get stuff done.

thanks

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I’ve never had any fancy for Chrome and only have Firefox as a spare browser to IE as I don’t like FF either.

For me, IE is much more straight forward, but each to their own.

See if things are more straight forward in IE.

You can turn off an antivirus program but it has two parts – av and firewall – booting up into Safe Mode isolates the lot and is much safer as you are still afforded some protection.

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Just looked at both Vimeo and Youtube and the HTML5 videos play fine (I am on the AU). Perhaps you have a setting that’s stopping it (but I have no idea what it might be).

Eliminate spare time: start programming PowerShell

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radar

A right click on the video gives some options. Debug info, stats, about, report play back issues. might be of some value.
:cheers:

🍻

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

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I booted into Safe Mode but still could not get Firefox to play html5 videos. Chrome has no problem with them in either Windows Safe or Windows Normal Mode. Firefox used to work, just fine, until I got the bright idea to install Flash Block (to block the auto start of flash videos) and another video-related addon whose name I cannot remember. I’ve since removed these 2 addons, but still have the problem that one of them created. VERY frustrating.

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I haven’t been able to duplicate the problem so maybe a link to a page you are having trouble with will help??

Before you wonder "Am I doing things right," ask "Am I doing the right things?"

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I haven’t been able to duplicate the problem so maybe a link to a page you are having trouble with will help??

Hi Berton,
The issues occurs on every youtube screen. What I don’t understand is why it happens with a totally new installation of Firefox with a brand new profile.

thanks

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I’m playing a Roy Clark video clip now. For downloading I use Ant.com toolbar, is saving the clip as an .mkv format which can be played in VLC.

Before you wonder "Am I doing things right," ask "Am I doing the right things?"

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I’m playing a Roy Clark video clip now. For downloading I use Ant.com toolbar, is saving the clip as an .mkv format which can be played in VLC.

I do something similar using VLC with either NetVideoHunter or Video DownloadHelper. These 2 add-ons save files as .mp4, which I prefer. Not sure of the differences between .mp4 and .mkv

However, I don’t download EVERY video I watch. So, if it doesn’t play, it’s a pain to have to wait while it downloads.

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Radar,

“- I’ve completely reinstalled firefox and created a completely new profile (which sync’d to my stored profile setting)”.

I’m wondering if syncing to your stored profile settings carried the problem to your new profile.

Mark

Win 11 home - 24H2
Attitude is a choice...Choose wisely

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I’ve just noticed that Mozilla is now offering FF version 48.0.2. I need to read up about it but maybe this will fix the problem. You have my sympathies, I like to download some youtube videos too. I haven’t even let the 48.0.1 update install. I’m extremely cautious and usually wait for a while before installing new updates. If you can, try going back to version 48 and see if that corrects the problem.

Even astrophysicist Carl Sagan when speaking astronomically used Billions, not Trillions.

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I missed 48.0.1, but 48.0.2 plays HTML5 ok.

If all else fails, try this or this. (You’ll need Adobe Flash.)

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mledman – that’s a good point. This might be why I still had the problem AFTER resinstalling FF. I will investigate this. Sync is so convenient for getting back to my original config. Is there a way to specify the add-ons that will sync?

CEScott – I have tried v48, but still had the problem.

Thank you both for your ideas.

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Radar,

I don’t use sync, so I’m no help in that regard :). You could try restarting with add-ons disabled as a quick test. (under the help menu)

Mark

Win 11 home - 24H2
Attitude is a choice...Choose wisely

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thanks Tonyl, I’ll give these addons a try once I fix my file permissions problem that all of a sudden cropped up yesterday – I may be looking at a complete re-install of windows 10 – yech

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*** SOLVED ***

the problem was NOT Firefox or any of my add-ons. The problem was that a program (MySpeed) quit working correctly when I updated to Firefox v48. For some reason the automatic update feature of MySpeed did not work, so I did not know I had a problem. In one of the many reboots I did in trying to fix the html5 problem, I finally noticed that MySpeed was not loading correctly. So, I uninstalled MySpeed, rebooted, and Firefox and html5 videos started working again!!!

I’m very sorry so many of you generously tried helping with this problem. I will send an email to the MySpeed folks and give them a dose of my frustration.

Thank again

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