Embedded video won't play
Embedded videos at a particular website do not play in FF 80.0.1 (64 bit). My system is running Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS.
I have tried workarounds but none have provided a remedy. There could be a bug in FF causing this but I'm not sure.
Here is an example link: https://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/video/1788049475999/Winning-moment-Stage-14
This is the behaviour I see: After I click the play button in the lower left of the embedded frame the video begins to load. The beginning of an ad flashes into the video box but cuts out before playing. The video box is then loaded with the first shot of vision I wish to view but does not play.
I use four FF profiles with various modifications to improve privacy and security. When these changes occasionally cause problems with website function I try loading the website in a FF profile with reduced security/privacy controls. Modifications include changes to privacy and security settings, browser extensions and about:config changes.
Cascading through profiles with a step-wise reduction in the number of modifications still wouldn't permit me to play videos from this site. Even my vanilla FF profile with only a few UI tweaks does not play the video. After that I tried loading problematic pages in a brand new, freshly created vanilla FF profile to which no changes had been made. Videos still wouldn't play in a pristine profile with zero user modifications.
My internet connection comes via a smartphone mobile hotspot. The phone has a system level ad blocker running (Android phone, Blokada app) but switching it off did not allow the videos to play.
After that I tried a different browser. I installed Brave browser via Snap. Version 1.13.82 Chromium: 85.0.4183.83 (Official Build) (64-bit)
It played the video first time. Therefore internet connection to site is good. Did not load advertisement at start of video, no flash of ad content. When the video panel is loaded in Brave a large yellow play button is superimposed on the first frame of the video. The button is a yellow circle with a right-pointing yellow triangle inside it. Clicking the white play button in the lower left corner of the embedded video frame does not play the video. Clicking the large superimposed yellow icon initiates video play.
I'd be grateful for advice on how to rectify this problem.
Chosen solution
It works if I allow video and audio to play (i.e. the video doesn't start when autoplay is blocked). Enhanced Tracking Protection doesn't seem to matter.
1664792 - Embedded video won't play at sbs.com.au
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Make sure you are not blocking content.
Start Firefox in Safe Mode {web link}
A small dialog should appear. Click Start In Safe Mode (not Refresh). Is the problem still there?
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/enhanced-tracking-protection-firefox-desktop
Make sure you have the latest FFmpeg and libavcodec packages installed.
You can check the Web Console for possible media related messages.
- "3-bar" menu button or Tools -> Web Developer
- https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Tools/Web_Console
@FredMcD: I didn't do the Safe Mode shuffle. Testing embedded video play at that site in a brand new profile with zero user changes was done instead. See my original post.
@cor-el: I searched the system for ffmpeg and libavcodec packages. libavcodec58 was natively installed. ffmpeg was not installed. I installed it and retested. No change; video still not playing.
I opened the Web Console. It pulls lots of information from the example page given. I'm have no familiarity whatsoever with reading or interpreting the information it presents. There were many listings/lines headed with an exclamation mark (!) inside a yellow triangle. Some were related to cookies. Some were related to autoplay - only allowed when approved by user. Embedded player appears to be ConvivaThePlatformUniversalPlugin.min.js At the very bottom of the panel there was one line headed with a red dot enclosing a white exclamation mark. It read: Uncaught TypeError: sbs_s.AudienceManagement is undefined ...and was followed by multiple lines about "nrWrapper" and "setTimeout handler*nrWrapper"
I'm not much help here because I have no idea what I'm looking at.
Have either of you tried the example website yourselves?
Sorry,
Due to publishing rights, the content you are trying to watch is currently not available outside of Australia
Bug report submitted to Bugzilla@Mozilla.
Please post the bug report link here. Good luck.
Chosen Solution
It works if I allow video and audio to play (i.e. the video doesn't start when autoplay is blocked). Enhanced Tracking Protection doesn't seem to matter.
1664792 - Embedded video won't play at sbs.com.au
Modified by cor-el
Bug report link:
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1664792
I posted about this at Mozillazine forums too. Received an informed response. During the TdF hasty changes have been made to the implementation of SBS online. This post is an informative read: http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?p=14872172#p14872172
repeat post deleted
Modified by Nullius
Changing autoplay permissions for sbs.com.au in my UI-tweaked vanilla FF profile permitted the videos to play. Still works with uBlock Origin extension active. It prevents leading ad from loading. Hadn't realised autoplay was blocked by default, and can be adjusted on site-by-site basis.
Thank you cor-el.
Thank you FredMcD for your interest.
Modified by Nullius
Note to all: New responses posted.