Firefox, randomly, does not allow all You Tube resolutions - why?

Tommygunn · Nov 18, 2016

I'm having a problem with Firefox (I'm currently on v50.0) not showing all resolutions that are available on the videos I view. It is also very random in that for any particular channel, from one of their videos to the next, I may get all options but on another vid I may only get up to 360.

However, if I use Chrome there is no problem at all and all res options are available for all vids.

What's the problem here, is there a fix for this annoying randomness?

Tom.

natr0n · Nov 18, 2016

I use firefox beta version never have issues with youtube vids/res.

Give it a try.

dorsetknob · Nov 18, 2016

on new ver 50
no problem Quality depends on orig vid and how much bandwidth you have to Spare for Youtube
( There is the possibility your ISP logs your Browser choice and Caps bandwidth for that Browser from Youtube Tin hat and Foil Coat Answer

)

MIG 29 · Nov 18, 2016

I use 64 bit version , no issues here.

Caring1 · Nov 18, 2016

Pretty sure it depends on upload quality.
It seems a lot are set at 360 automatically.

Tommygunn · Nov 18, 2016

I've just gone to v50.0 and the problem persists.

To several of you,
I'm not sure if you understood my problem fully but for any video it can be pot luck as to whether I get the options above 360, when using firefox. I might watch one video from the same channel and I get a max of only 360 but then watch another, from the same channel, and all options above 360 are there.

If I view the same 'Firefox problem' vid on Chrome all res options, above 360, are available.

Tom.

FYFI13 · Nov 18, 2016

Install Adobe Flash for Firefox. Some videos would play in low quality (720p at best) when using HTML5 instead of Flash player. Chrome has built-in Flash player, hence you have no problems with it.

P4-630 · Nov 18, 2016

FYFI13 said:
Install Adobe Flash for Firefox. Some videos would play in low quality (720p at best) when using HTML5 instead of Flash player. Chrome has built-in Flash player, hence you have no problems with it.

Youtube isn't using flash anymore.
http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/27/7926001/youtube-drops-flash-for-html5-video-default

FYFI13 · Nov 18, 2016

P4-630 said:
Youtube isn't using flash anymore.
http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/27/7926001/youtube-drops-flash-for-html5-video-default

By default it uses HTML5, while some videos still use Flash, AFAIK. I was experiencing exactly same issue as OP and installing Adobe Flash solved issue.

newtekie1 · Nov 18, 2016

I believe the problem is that Firefox 50.0 doesn't properly support the newest WebM VP9 Codec that Youtube has started to use for some of its videos.

https://www.youtube.com/html5

If you go to that page, you might get a red exclamation point on the WebM VP9 box with Firefox but they all should be good with Chrome. The problem is that Firefox reporting of VP9 support to websites is buggy right now. Sometimes it tells the websites it can support it, sometimes it does. So if you go to that HTML5 test page, 9 times out of time it will show all is good, but every once in a while it will show a red exclamation point on WebM VP9. So any videos that Youtube has converted to the VP9 format after upload might now work in Firefox randomly. To get around this, Youtube also makes alternative versions available in the VP8 Codec as well as the Flash Player. However, these alternative versions are only available in a limited selection of resolutions, usually up to 360p for VP8 and sometimes 720p for Flash.

You can try downloading the 51.0 beta, they may have fixed the bug in that version, I don't know. Or just wait for the official 51.0 to be released in January and hope they fixed it by then.

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/channel/desktop/

natr0n · Nov 18, 2016

firefox beta solves the issue...

P4-630 · Nov 18, 2016

Or just don't use firefox, it's an ugly browser anyway.

dorsetknob · Nov 18, 2016

I just played a few HD Vid's they played at 720 untill i ajusted Settings
seems it defaults to 720 if I want 1080 i have to manualy Select it in Settings, i don't log in to YouTube so Settings for Quality Seam to be Set Auto/ low for joe public

fullinfusion · Nov 18, 2016

ditch Fire Fox and try WaterFox 64

RejZoR · Nov 20, 2016

P4-630 said:
Or just don't use firefox, it's an ugly browser anyway.

And Chrome or Opera are somehow better with its entirely locked down interface where you can't move a single button without installing stupid addons for every item you want to move? No thanks.

Jetster · Nov 20, 2016

Its not Firefox its flash

newtekie1 · Nov 20, 2016

Jetster said:
Its not Firefox its flash

Youtube doesn't use flash with Firefox.

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Firefox, randomly, does not allow all You Tube resolutions - why?

Tommygunn

natr0n

dorsetknob

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MIG 29

Caring1

Tommygunn

FYFI13

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FYFI13

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