Youtube videos on VLC

[vincerooney]

Hi all,

Hope i'm asking this in the correct place. I have googled and followed a lot of the advice but it hasnt worked hence my post.

I've been watching youtube videos via VLC perfectly for months and now its suddenly stopped. It briefly loads up for about half a second and then just stops. No idea why its just suddenly stopped working! Any ideas?!

Some of the suggestions are about changing the file in "playlist" and downloading a new youtube.luac file etc. Nothing has worked! Any other suggestions?

[Hitchhiker]

Please post the link to the yt video that doesn't work anymore so that we can test it here.

[Pilzinsel64]

I have the same problem since today. No single video does work anymore.

As example, one video that did work before (with exactly this link out from a playlist):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAoEttt ... &index=365

And without the playlist association, but even that doesn't work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAoEtttA1vU

Or as another two examples:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R29BzmjHO_4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNn-juxY_ko

If you need more examples, then just tell me.

[Hitchhiker]

I have the same problem since today. No single video does work anymore.

As example, one video that did work before (with exactly this link out from a playlist):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAoEttt ... &index=365

And without the playlist association, but even that doesn't work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAoEtttA1vU

Or as another two examples:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R29BzmjHO_4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNn-juxY_ko

If you need more examples, then just tell me.

I see what the problem is. Before connecting to the youtube site in a browser it opens a consent page which you have respond to. This same consent data is replicated in vlc which blocks the connection to the video.

Code: Select all

http debug: location: "https://consent.youtube.com/ml?continue=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DcAoEtttA1vU&gl=NL&hl=en&pc=yt&uxe=23983172&src=1"

I'll file it as a bug after which we'll have to wait and see how the devs respond.

[Pilzinsel64]

I see what the problem is. Before connecting to the youtube site in a browser it opens a consent page which you have respond to. This same consent data is replicated in vlc which blocks the connection to the video.

Code: Select all

http debug: location: "https://consent.youtube.com/ml?continue=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DcAoEtttA1vU&gl=NL&hl=en&pc=yt&uxe=23983172&src=1"

I'll file it as a bug after which we'll have to wait and see how the devs respond.

Ah, make sense. Thanks! Looking forward to see at least a fixed script that we can we can replace the current with until the next VLC update. For now we can use the link as template and just replace the video id in he link, thank you.

[Hitchhiker]

The videolan site to file bugs to has changed and has moved to code.videolan.org. It's now become necessary to register there which requires 2FA. After creating username and p/w users are presented with a QR code. The problem here is that my phone doesn't support that so I can't complete the registration. Why make things easy when you can make them difficult!

I'll msg one of the devs to request that they do it (hopefully), but it may take a while longer.

[Hitchhiker]

Workaround for browser use: https://www.ghacks.net/2021/04/01/here- ... be-prompt/

Just need to find a way to add the same method to bypass the consent page!

[Hitchhiker]

I tested it a couple of times on other videos and the following seems to work in most cases.

So here's a video on youtube which will play in a browser, but not on vlc: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKSdDdINJek

To get around that problem click Tools ---> Messages and at the bottom change Verbosity to 2 (default is 0). Leave it on screen and hit Ctrl + N to open the Network menu and paste the URL to the video and hit Enter. Click Tools ---> Messages again (or just hit Ctrl + M) and then scroll upwards a bit until you see main debug with the URL shown in the Code field.

Code: Select all

https://consent.youtube.com/ml?continue=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DMKSdDdINJek&gl=NL&hl=en&pc=yt&uxe=23983172&src=1

Copy the whole link and paste it into the Network menu and click Play (or just hit Enter).

Here's a pix of the same vlc log I created with the URL to be copied highlighted.


(click to enlarge)

[marrak]

Yes, thank you for this workaround! But additionaly I have to open new instance of VLC and it works then. Hope to youtube/vlc fix soon.

[Hitchhiker]

Yes, thank you for this workaround! But additionaly I have to open new instance of VLC and it works then. Hope to youtube/vlc fix soon.

Yes, but you only have to do that once. With the exception of the URL to the video the rest of the string remains the same. You can see that by placing the two code fields below each other like this:

Code: Select all

https://consent.youtube.com/ml?continue=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DcAoEtttA1vU&gl=NL&hl=en&pc=yt&uxe=23983172&src=1

Code: Select all

https://consent.youtube.com/ml?continue=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DMKSdDdINJek&gl=NL&hl=en&pc=yt&uxe=23983172&src=1

They're both links to videos with entirely different subjects.

[vincerooney]

I tested it a couple of times on other videos and the following seems to work in most cases.

So here's a video on youtube which will play in a browser, but not on vlc: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKSdDdINJek

To get around that problem click Tools ---> Messages and at the bottom change Verbosity to 2 (default is 0). Leave it on screen and hit Ctrl + N to open the Network menu and paste the URL to the video and hit Enter. Click Tools ---> Messages again (or just hit Ctrl + M) and then scroll upwards a bit until you see main debug with the URL shown in the Code field.

Code: Select all

https://consent.youtube.com/ml?continue=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DMKSdDdINJek&gl=NL&hl=en&pc=yt&uxe=23983172&src=1

Copy the whole link and paste it into the Network menu and click Play (or just hit Enter).

Here's a pix of the same vlc log I created with the URL to be copied highlighted.


(click to enlarge)

Hi there,

thanks for this. I changed the verbosity to 2, closed it, opened network menu and pasted the url and clicked enter. nothing happened as expected so went back to tools----messages as you stated and just got

"main debug: no meta reader modules matched
main debug: `https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NteV8cnuPJk' successfully opened
ps warning: garbage at input from 509, trying to resync...
main debug: EOF reached
main debug: removing module "ps"
main debug: removing module "record"
main debug: removing module "prefetch"
main debug: removing module "access"
http debug: local stream 1 shut down
http debug: out RST_STREAM (0x03) frame of 4 bytes, flags 0x00, stream 1
http debug: local shutdown
http debug: out GOAWAY (0x07) frame of 8 bytes, flags 0x00, global
main debug: dead input
main debug: changing item without a request (current 3/4)
main debug: nothing to play
qt debug: IM: Deleting the input"

Any idea what i'm messing up? thanks in advance!

[markostamcar]

I found an easier workaround Tools -> Preferences -> Show settings: All -> Input/Codecs -> Access modules -> HTTPS -> uncheck Cookies forwarding

[Lotesdelere]

I found an easier workaround Tools -> Preferences -> Show settings: All -> Input/Codecs -> Access modules -> HTTPS -> uncheck Cookies forwarding

[blacknoise]

with this it doesnt work, neither cookies forwarded or not, nor above mentioned method:
https://youtu.be/nc0drYSQE2w?list=PL9V- ... 9JzAlnCw9u

big quest: system error? geo blocked?? or why?

VLC says:
main debug: processing request item: nc0drYSQE2w?list=PL9V-Gix3aQTmXchrAzj2QNK9JzAlnCw9u, node: Wiedergabeliste, skip: 0
main debug: rebuilding array of current - root Wiedergabeliste
main debug: rebuild done - 9 items, index 8
main debug: starting playback of new item
main debug: resyncing on nc0drYSQE2w?list=PL9V-Gix3aQTmXchrAzj2QNK9JzAlnCw9u
main debug: nc0drYSQE2w?list=PL9V-Gix3aQTmXchrAzj2QNK9JzAlnCw9u is at 8
main debug: creating new input thread
main debug: Creating an input for 'nc0drYSQE2w?list=PL9V-Gix3aQTmXchrAzj2QNK9JzAlnCw9u'
main debug: requesting art for new input thread
main debug: using timeshift granularity of 50 MiB
main debug: using timeshift path: C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp
main debug: `https://youtu.be/nc0drYSQE2w?list=PL9V- ... 9JzAlnCw9u' gives access `https' demux `any' path `youtu.be/nc0drYSQE2w?list=PL9V-Gix3aQTmXchrAzj2QNK9JzAlnCw9u'
main debug: creating demux: access='https' demux='any' location='youtu.be/nc0drYSQE2w?list=PL9V-Gix3aQTmXchrAzj2QNK9JzAlnCw9u' file='\\youtu.be\nc0drYSQE2w'
main debug: looking for access_demux module matching "https": 15 candidates
main debug: no access_demux modules matched
main debug: creating access: https://youtu.be/nc0drYSQE2w?list=PL9V- ... 9JzAlnCw9u
main debug: (path: \\youtu.be\nc0drYSQE2w)
main debug: looking for access module matching "https": 27 candidates
main debug: looking for tls client module matching "any": 1 candidates
gnutls debug: using GnuTLS version 3.6.15
gnutls debug: loaded 60 trusted CAs from system
main debug: using tls client module "gnutls"
main debug: resolving youtu.be ...
main debug: looking for meta fetcher module matching "any": 1 candidates
lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\vlc\lua\meta\fetcher
lua debug: Trying Lua scripts in C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\fetcher
main debug: no meta fetcher modules matched
main debug: looking for art finder module matching "any": 2 candidates
qt debug: IM: Setting an input

.....
any option for complete attachments in this thread????

[blacknoise]

relates this 'code' solution above in any way to something like geo blocking? or what is the reason for Yt/Google to do so?
my above mentioned url could be eventually something foreign (?)

[Lotesdelere]

relates this 'code' solution above in any way to something like geo blocking?

First, you need to remove the "?list=PL9V-Gix3aQTmXchrAzj2QNK9JzAlnCw9u" part.

Then

Code: Select all

lua error: Couldn't extract youtube video URL, please check for updates to this script

which means VLC needs a new version of the Youtube.lua script.
Cat and mouse game.

[Hitchhiker]

As per the screenshot your youtube video will play.


(click to enlarge)

Where you appear to have made a mistake is not including the "consent" part of the URL in the log file which looks like you see it in the screenshot.


(click to enlarge)

What you can also do is after you've copied the correct URL is to hit Ctrl + Q to exit vlc completely and then restart it again. Paste the URL you just copied into vlc's network field (Ctrl + N to open) and hit Enter.

[Hitchhiker]

A new youtube.luac file has just been released which resolves the youtube consent issue.

Copy the code from here:

Code: Select all

https://github.com/videolan/vlc/blob/master/share/lua/playlist/youtube.lua#L1

To create a new youtube.luac file follow my instructions here: https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.ph ... 26#p483226
The post dates from December 2018, but the link has been updated automatically to the current file which comprises of 633 lines of code.

[blacknoise]

so, it worked by all urls, i tried now, but not with my single one mentioned above*, strange!

everything done exactly like described, and then tried (the procedere) once & once again, but this single one does not want to work!

nevertheless, i think i can live with that, thank you very much.

(*: eventually that has to do with some unemptied cache?)

[Hitchhiker]

so, it worked by all urls, i tried now, but not with my single one mentioned above*, strange!

everything done exactly like described, and then tried (the procedere) once & once again, but this single one does not want to work!

nevertheless, i think i can live with that, thank you very much.

(*: eventually that has to do with some unemptied cache?)

I just tried it, but didn't have any problem playing it on 3.0.12

Try this: hit Ctrl + P to open preferences and in the Interface menu, Privacy / Network Interaction remove the checkmark from "Save recently played items". Save, exit and restart vlc.

[blacknoise]

Save recently played items

unfortunatley this doesnt work!

ANd desperately some more urls discovered, where it does not work:

https://youtu.be/gpZslOr3ZRo?list=PLjPI ... 0kvN2AAn8n

i'm very sorry, but obviously did not really check, what runs wrong:

--- cannot attach some txt.files ---


edit:
i'm not really sure, but i discovered this:

main error: no suitable access module for `http://www.youtube.com/list_ajax?action ... 8n&index=1'
lua warning: error running script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\playlist\149909-playlist_youtube.lua: function parse(): ...ideoLAN\VLC\lua\playlist\149909-playlist_youtube.lua:65: attempt to index local 's' (a nil value)
directory warning: unable to read directory

may be this gives a hint for not working proper?? this 149909-item seems as it has to do with that problem??

edit:
i tried it once again with my 5,5 dioptric glasses, but did not find this item!!!

[blacknoise]

this is really driving me mad!!! some works, some not!!!
may i please for halp? thank u very much!!

[blacknoise]

this is really driving me mad!!! some works, some not!!!
may i please for halp? thank u very much!!

[Lotesdelere]

lua warning: error running script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\playlist\149909-playlist_youtube.lua

Wrong filename. Should be "youtube.lua" (without quotes) and not "149909-playlist_youtube.lua".

[Hitchhiker]

Save recently played items

unfortunatley this doesnt work!

ANd desperately some more urls discovered, where it does not work:

https://youtu.be/gpZslOr3ZRo?list=PLjPI ... 0kvN2AAn8n

i'm very sorry, but obviously did not really check, what runs wrong:

--- cannot attach some txt.files ---


edit:
i'm not really sure, but i discovered this:

main error: no suitable access module for `http://www.youtube.com/list_ajax?action ... 8n&index=1'
lua warning: error running script C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\playlist\149909-playlist_youtube.lua: function parse(): ...ideoLAN\VLC\lua\playlist\149909-playlist_youtube.lua:65: attempt to index local 's' (a nil value)
directory warning: unable to read directory

may be this gives a hint for not working proper?? this 149909-item seems as it has to do with that problem??

edit:
i tried it once again with my 5,5 dioptric glasses, but did not find this item!!!

I don't have a problem playing your first link. Here's a pix of it.


(click to enlarge)


As regards the second link the reason that won't play is because youtube has removed the video from the site. Copy / paste the link into your browser and you'll be presented with a 404 error which means "file not found".