Stuck at "Loading..." again... Is it the end this time?

[Dioxaz]

I really don't have any hopes anymore considering the current state of this add-on, and also the current state of the Nico Nico userbase in English-speaking lands (looks like I'm one of the very last ones still hanging on to it).

But, I'll attempt anyway. You all know Nicofox won't ever work on recent versions of Firefox, as its development looks frozen by now. That's why I'm currently using an older Firefox 52 alongside my main one which is regularly updated. The sole purpose of this Firefox 52 is for using Nicofox and DownloadThemAll.

But as of today, September 16th of 2018, the dreaded endless "Loading..." loop is back again. Nico Nico might have changed something in the way older HTTP streams are served (XBMCnico also fails to serve them) as I'm incapable to this day to make it go further. Disabling and enabling all sorts of features (comments, thumbs, etc.) doesn't seem to help.

My last successful download dates back to September 9th of 2018 (only a week ago). It's sad to see this add-on going away like this but sadly all good things have an and. I will surely miss it... Well, unless this is only a temporary issue... but I have high doubts.

[arigayas]

私は、Firefox 57以降 Niconico-Downloader を使ってます。

I use Niconico-Downloader from Firefox 57.
https://addons.mozilla.org/ja/firefox/addon/niconico-downloader/
GitHub：https://github.com/nekoziroo/Niconico-Downloader

[arigayas]

Niconico-Downloader is HTML5 Player exclusive use.

[Dioxaz]

Unfortunately, Niconico Downloader can't really be used as an alternative for the old Nicofox, as it only downloads the video and is not even capable of renewing the 2-minute heartbeat as my attempts crap out halfway through. The only reliable method to download as of now is using the inspector and right-click the stream to save it afterwards while keeping the video tab open.

And that is, only for downloading the video file. I wish something as functional as what Nicofox used to be as a replacement could exist (true download manager with thumbnail and comment download).

Edit: it looks like Nico isn't serving the older 360p encodes anymore for new-spec videos (after 10/2016) as older videos still download fine. I really wish Nicofox could be updated to download new-spec vidoes with a nice and transparent heartbeat renewal so you don't have to bother keeping the video tab opened. But, hehe... these are... dreams! :P

[arigayas]

If you use Niconico-Downloader I forgot to teach you what you need to configure.

HTML5 Player on (Mouse)right click -> 視聴方法の切替（hls > http）.

[Dioxaz]

I was already on "http" but thank you for the tip anyway (the add-on doesn't catch the link in "hls" mode).

I had the intention of editing my previous message but I'll post it here. I think I found out what's causing Nicofox to fail. When trying to get the download link via the "http://flapi.nicovideo.jp/api/getflv/{VideoID}" function in the URL bar, the returned URL now gives us a lovely "403 Forbidden" error instead of giving the video file (older encode). An example:

"http://flapi.nicovideo.jp/api/getflv/sm33873563" gives us this output:
"thread_id=1537188332&l=190&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsmile-pow62.nicovideo.jp%2Fsmile%3Fm%3D33873563.73516&ms=http%3A%2F%2Fnmsg.nicovideo.jp%2Fapi%2F&ms_sub=http%3A%2F%2Fnmsg.nicovideo.jp%2Fapi%2F&user_id=4015613&is_premium=1&nickname=Dioxaz&time=1537209632413&done=true&ng_rv=3&userkey=1537211432.%7E1%7Ed1XcdNY169AzoJieh4cRGlZuHFaHccZUZaLZ3neidqY"

So the matching URL for the video file is this one:
http://smile-pow62.nicovideo.jp/smile?m=33873563.73516

It now gives a "403 Forbidden" error, which prevents Nicofox from going further and makes it stuck in a "Loading..." loop.

Those old "smile-pow{server number}.nicovideo.jp/smile?m={VideoID}" URLs are obsolete by now and the add-on needs to retrieve the new ones (for videos uploaded after October 2016), which in this particular case is "https://pc120bb52f4.dmc.nico/vod/ht2_nicovideo/nicovideo-sm33873563_eaa7b787f8b0b722c9e332c2c0b943a874ececee8d304d68a884bbc6044998a6?ht2_nicovideo=4015613.knrkzt_pf7r92_3nn5fyfk3eox7" in HTTP mode.

[arigayas]

If you are a premium member,
I've heard that the download will fail due to the httpsization of Niconico Douga.
When a flash player was used with nicofox.

[Dioxaz]

Another behaviour I noticed. Still using the video above as an example. If I force the display into Economy mode by adding "?eco=1" at the end of the URL, then I'm able to retrieve the video with success using "https://flapi.nicovideo.jp/api/getflv/sm33873563?eco=1" and using the retrieved URL below:

http://smile-cls61.sl.nicovideo.jp/smile?m=33873563.73516low

The fact that I'm premium can be an explanation indeed. But I'm really not in the mood to temporary cancel my Premium account just for testing. I could create another "non-premium" account just for testing.

[arigayas]

I switched to "non-premium" account and tested it, but it seems that I can not download videos with that account.I tested it with nicofox.

[Dioxaz]

I finally created a brand new non-premium account and it looks like you were right. I was able to download with Nicofox again using that test account and guess what? Even the XBMCnico addon for KODI now works again when logging with that test account! That was a good call, arigayas.

I'm under the impression that Niconico unwantedly crippled their own API when switching to HTTPS. I hope they will come with a solution that will allow Premium members to use third party apps again (at least the ones which rely on "Flapi" to get video info). Either by updating the "Flapi" method or coming up with a brand new API.

For now, the older Firefox 52 is logged with the test account only for downloading while my regular one (currently 62) uses the proper Premium account that I use everyday for watching, mylisting, browsing and ad tickets.

[arigayas]

I am a Japanese who reads English using Google Translate.
I'm sorry. I do not know much about technical matters.

[Dioxaz]

I think it's time say farewell to our good old Nicofox. Downloading attempts of legacy encodes now yield a 403 error even on non-premium accounts. My last successful attempt dates back to 2021-2-12. I'm still looking for a good and sensible alternative in 2021. There are still none to my knowledge. I really liked the functional side of that add-on, with a complete manager and downloading thumbnails and comments at the same time. The only alternative to this day is animelover1984's fork of youtube-dl. It only lacks the download manager side and it can't be used as a browser add-on to my knowledge.

So if someone is ever aware of a true alternative to Nicofox in 2021, he or she will have my gratitude. It's almost with bitterness that I have to drop that beloved add-on after more than a decade of use.