Some YouTube videos cannot be played.

[JRDove]

Hi,
I have searched for 'YouTube' but not found anything relevant. I have made a system to play YouTube videos. The browser loads a video.js player on a web server. It uses ExecuteScriptAsync and EvaluateScriptAsync to relay commands. This all works fine and I am pleased with the result. There is just one problem: most YouTube videos load and play normally but others do not not. I thought updating the browser might fix it but it didn't. I installed version 120.2.70. The videos seem to be loaded but as soon as I attempt to start them I get 'An error occurred'. Why some and not others? The problem is definitely linked to the use of CefSharp because I have an earlier, clunkier system that uses the VS webBrowser object and amazingly that still works. I'd be grateful for any enlightenment. Thanks for your time.
JR Dove

[amaitland]

Check the log file for errors.

If the videos use proprietary codecs then they won't play due to licensing restrictions see https://github.com/cefsharp/CefSharp/wiki/General-Usage#multimedia-audiovideo

Widevine is enabled by default though there are additional requirements in some cases see chromiumembedded/cef#3404

[JRDove]

Thanks for your reply. I looked at debug.log and there are plenty of errors even when the video plays correctly. I'm guessing that this line:
[0208/101607.934:INFO:CONSOLE(1)] "VIDEOJS:", source: (1) would provide more info if I knew what to do with it.
Here is the output 1) for a video that plays and 2) for one that doesn't, both posted by the same organisation:

1. address: https://youtu.be/uzd85Bnqlqs PLAYS
   [0208/102017.591:INFO:CONSOLE(5)] "Unrecognized feature: 'autoplay'.", source: (5)
   [0208/102017.615:INFO:CONSOLE(36)] "Synchronous XMLHttpRequest on the main thread is deprecated because of its detrimental effects to the end user's experience. For more help, check https://xhr.spec.whatwg.org/.", source: (36)
   [0208/102017.616:ERROR:service_manager.cc(157)] Connection InterfaceProviderSpec prevented service: content_renderer from binding interface: blink::mojom::ReportingServiceProxy exposed by: content_browser
   [0208/102018.933:INFO:CONSOLE(5)] "Unrecognized feature: 'autoplay'.", source: (5)
   [0208/102034.708:WARNING:extension_protocols.cc(477)] Failed to GetPathForExtension: invalid
   [0208/102034.711:WARNING:url_request_job_manager.cc(90)] Failed to map: chrome-extension://invalid/
   [0208/102034.723:WARNING:extension_protocols.cc(477)] Failed to GetPathForExtension: invalid
   [0208/102034.726:WARNING:url_request_job_manager.cc(90)] Failed to map: chrome-extension://invalid/
2. address: https://youtu.be/SrvFzCuhniQ DOES NOT PLAY
   [0208/101551.359:INFO:CONSOLE(5)] "Unrecognized feature: 'autoplay'.", source: (5)
   [0208/101551.380:INFO:CONSOLE(36)] "Synchronous XMLHttpRequest on the main thread is deprecated because of its detrimental effects to the end user's experience. For more help, check https://xhr.spec.whatwg.org/.", source: (36)
   [0208/101551.384:ERROR:service_manager.cc(157)] Connection InterfaceProviderSpec prevented service: content_renderer from binding interface: blink::mojom::ReportingServiceProxy exposed by: content_browser
   [0208/101552.833:INFO:CONSOLE(5)] "Unrecognized feature: 'autoplay'.", source: (5)
   [0208/101607.502:WARNING:extension_protocols.cc(477)] Failed to GetPathForExtension: invalid
   [0208/101607.502:WARNING:url_request_job_manager.cc(90)] Failed to map: chrome-extension://invalid/
   [0208/101607.513:WARNING:extension_protocols.cc(477)] Failed to GetPathForExtension: invalid
   [0208/101607.516:WARNING:url_request_job_manager.cc(90)] Failed to map: chrome-extension://invalid/
   [0208/101607.934:INFO:CONSOLE(1)] "VIDEOJS:", source: (1)
   [0208/101607.935:INFO:CONSOLE(1)] "VIDEOJS:", source: (1)
   [0208/101626.525:WARNING:spdy_session.cc(2914)] Received HEADERS for invalid stream 1
   [0208/101627.807:WARNING:extension_protocols.cc(477)] Failed to GetPathForExtension: invalid
   [0208/101627.807:WARNING:url_request_job_manager.cc(90)] Failed to map: chrome-extension://invalid/
   [0208/101627.828:WARNING:extension_protocols.cc(477)] Failed to GetPathForExtension: invalid
   [0208/101627.830:WARNING:url_request_job_manager.cc(90)] Failed to map: chrome-extension://invalid/
   [0208/101627.965:INFO:CONSOLE(1)] "VIDEOJS:", source: (1)
   [0208/101627.969:INFO:CONSOLE(1)] "VIDEOJS:", source: (1)

[amaitland]

Open a video you are having trouble with in Chrome, open Stats for Nerds and look at the codecs. Open a video that plays in Chrome and see what codecs it's using.

[mbragg12]

There is an issue with CEF and Youtube currently. Started around 2/6/2024.
chromiumembedded/cef#3643

[JRDove]

Yes, glad you mentioned that. I have an example of a video that used to play but no longer does. By the way, I think you meant 2/06/2023? Time flies :-)

[JRDove]

Thanks for your help. Here are my results. There's definitely a difference.

Video that plays (in CefSharp brpwser): vp09.00.51.08.01.01.01.01.00 (247) / opus (251)
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/VP9

Video that doesn't play (in CefSharp browser): avc1.4d401e (135) / opus (251)
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/AV1_(codec) When I search for avc1 I get av1.

UPDATE: Problem is apparently solved! :-) I went here [https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9MVZQVXJBQ9V?hl=de-de&gl=US(url) downloaded and installed codec AV1 for Windows 10 from Microsoft Store. Not sure sure why I got the German page but as it ain't broke I won't try and fix it. I'll try and do the same for Windows 11 now. Could you not find a way of including this in the browser?

UPDATE 2 The link above does not appear to work. If you type 'AV1 Video Extension - Microsoft Apps' in Google you should find the page.

[amaitland]

What edition of windows are you using? Is it one of the EU specific ones that has media features removed?

AV1 videos appear to play fine on my machine without installing anything.

Could you not find a way of including this in the browser?

We rely on open source builds provided by Spotify. https://cef-builds.spotifycdn.com/index.html

Exactly how they're build and what features are included is outside of my control.

[JRDove]

I didn't know there were EU specific versions but that may be the explanation because I live in France. I wonder where mbragg12 lives.
Here are the details:
Win 10 Version 21H2 (build du système d'exploitation 19044.3086)
Win 11 Version 23H2 (build du système d'exploitation 22631.3007)
Both computers were affected in exactly the same way and both are now behaving as planned.

[mbragg12]

I'm in USA. This looks like its a different issue from the one I mentioned.

[JRDove]

OK, sorry my solution was no use to you.