cross-posted from: https://beehaw.org/post/14909762

It seems YT started another attempt at blocking alternative clients. They changed something in their API and both SmartTube and Tubular (NewPipe fork) are completely broken. Apparently it started happening this past week, but we personally just felt it today.

Edit: SmartTube already has an update but still not working for 4K videos it seems. Tubular still not working but it might be due to the upstream (NewPipe) is still working on a fix.

  • Matt
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    110 months ago

    Tubular is also broken for me. Had to switch to RVX YT.

  • @[email protected]
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    2010 months ago

    Freetube on desktop has been working somewhat being able to switch to invidious. But for Android I’ve fallen back to Firefox + Ublock Origin + Sponsorblock.

      • @[email protected]
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        410 months ago

        If you have iOS and airplay support you can use safari to airplay YouTube to the TV. I use the 1blocker and sponsorblock extension for safari.

        • @[email protected]
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          310 months ago

          It’s broken too fam … I’m in shambles

          (Okay, actually, I’m fine… But it is annoying)

          • Sips'
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            310 months ago

            Oh sorry, thought the question was about finding an app in general.

    • @[email protected]
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      710 months ago

      freetube has an android app as well. it’s in beta but it’s been working pretty well for me.

      it’s worth giving a shot.

    • @[email protected]
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      210 months ago

      Had some issues with Free tube last couple days. Free tube came out with an update, 0.21.1 and fixed the loading issue, at least for me

  • calm.like.a.bomb
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    810 months ago

    The moment they cut the cord on SmartTube (Android TV), I’ll block youtube on my local DNS. Fuck them!

    • whoareu
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      2510 months ago

      sounds horrible, yesterday I couldn’t watch a video on Tubular so I just didn’t watch it.

      • 𝕸𝖔𝖘𝖘
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        310 months ago

        Me, today. But with newpipe. YouTube isn’t a necessity. It’s an entertainment. The moment it becomes too annoying to use, is the moment we stop using it. That’s how entertainment products work… or should work.

        • @[email protected]
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          310 months ago

          Except it’s not only entertainment. There’s tons of the useful kind of content too, including repair videos.

          • 𝕸𝖔𝖘𝖘
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            110 months ago

            Those are entertainment. Entertainment doesn’t have to be strictly mind numbing. Maybe they fall more under edutainment?

            • @[email protected]
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              210 months ago

              Not sure about that. I’m not watching repair videos out of boredom, but only when I need to get something fixed.

              • 𝕸𝖔𝖘𝖘
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                110 months ago

                Of course. Same here. But those videos would work on any network, not just Google’s. The reasons they’re there are plenty, and I won’t pretend to know them all. However yt started as an entertainment space, and shifted into other spaces. What I’m proposing, is that we can have those spaces elsewhere, but we need to start somewhere. The easiest way to get people to start doing something, is by making it entertaining.

  • @[email protected]
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    110 months ago

    NewPipe and FreeTube didn’t work for me yesterday or today but Grayjay is still working

  • Jeena
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    1310 months ago

    Will this be how I’ll finally be able to ditch the last Google service I’m still using? That would be a win for me.

    • @[email protected]
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      1210 months ago

      This is a regular occurence. Google breaks the newpipe extractor > Devs take 2-3 days > Its fixed and working > repeat every few weeks/months

    • Jeena
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      310 months ago

      Interesting that right now on the same home network all the same apps still work on my phone but not on the Chromecast anymore (I watch mostly on TV.

  • UKFilmNerd
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    710 months ago

    I don’t understand it, but going through various githubs, the problem has been discovered. Here it is:

    YouTube changed their code to make it more difficult to extract the throttling parameter decryption function.

    There was some coding demonstrating the problem but it was way over my head. Hopefully fixes are coming soon as the issue was marked as urgent. It looks like they know what needs changing.

  • Lettuce eat lettuce
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    410 months ago

    Tubular and NewPipe both barely working all day for me. Maybe 1 out of 10 vids loads. Downloading fails too.

    • @[email protected]
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      210 months ago

      I find it useful changing instances in invidious, there is usually at least one up and running. You could use Clipious or Materialious apps on Android for easy access. Btw I once had Tubular, Newpipe, Libretube(piped.video) and Clipious installed all at the same time because of the same issues with Youtube attacking privacy front ends.