Flashing/Flicker when video doesn't load properly

[kubo6472]

Behavior of the program
Weird glitching

Expected behavior
Video plays or error is displayed

To Reproduce
Open the video

Link to video
https://youtu.be/Z0v4Hd431Gg

Screenshots

Environment Information (please complete the following information):

• OS: Win

• OS Version: Edition Windows 10 Pro
  Version 20H2
  OS build 19042.1052
  Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.2020.0

• FreeTube version: 0.13.1

• Installation Method (If applicable): Chocolatey

• Primary API Used: Invidious (my own instance)

[GilgusMaximus]

Well this usually happens when invidious has problems. I have not seen it with the local api yet

[jn64]

I have seen this with local API. I only use local API with fallback disabled.

However I can't figure out any reason, it seems to be random. Reloading always fixes it.

On Fedora 33 with FreeTube 0.13.1 flatpak

[GilgusMaximus]

At the moment any testing is non valid as the API is not working anyways. But because @kubo6472 mentioned his own Invidious Instance, it is likely that this might happen due to it.

[kubo6472]

But because @kubo6472 mentioned his own Invidious Instance, this might happen due to it.

Well, bc the local 404s 4me everytime, so it fallbacks to the invidious one. The app itself is very unusable 4me rn.

[StoppingBuck]

Well, bc the local 404s 4me everytime, so it fallbacks to the invidious one. The app itself is very unusable 4me rn.

That part is a well-known issue and seems to be tracked in #1438

[jn64]

I have seen this glitching with local API long before the current issue with loading.

After 1438 is fixed I'll try to capture it if I see it again.

[peepo5]

happens to me occasionally too

i think its actually to do with dash and legacy both not working so it switches between them infinitely

[peepo5]

maybe a hard player-type auto-switch limit could be implimented

[ChunkyProgrammer]

Was able to reproduce (Local API, Windows 10)

TLDR:
I think
player = null => program errors
which leads to:
this = null => more program errors

In the console: it logs "Unable to play dash formats. Reverting to legacy formats..." a bunch (as well as 403 & MediaError)

But it only logs "No sources available" once and that's where it broke out of the loop for me. & displayed this

So format is always dash when it gets here until it eventually works?
https://github.com/FreeTubeApp/FreeTube/blob/development/src/renderer/components/ft-video-player/ft-video-player.js#L478
I'm not sure why it was able to break out eventually though.

Also, this error didn't appear right away but started appearing after a few loops. (I guess it still loops even when "this" is undefined?)

And when this error stopped it started to work

Maybe something similar to:

If this === undefined Then 
      If format === 'dash' Then
          reloadWatchPageInLegacyFormat(); 
      Else
          reloadWatchPageInDashFormat();
      End-If
End-If

could stop the loop?

[GilgusMaximus]

maybe a hard player-type auto-switch limit could be implimented

Definitely a good idea

[Winterhuman]

Perhaps the width and height of the video frame could be set, like setting the dimensions of an image in an HTML file for before it loads fully, to prevent the video frame from shrinking on failed video loading?

[ghost]

I'm totally new to all of this, but having the same problem. . . . .

1. is there a work around (in non-programmer terms please)?
2. Or some change to be made in a person's settings?

Thanks ~

[kubo6472]

is there a work around (in non-programmer terms please)?

This app uses two methods of getting videos. The local api and using an invidious instance (redirect.invidious.io) to get videos. I run my own invidious instance and after updating both freetube and it to latest versions I practically eliminated this problem. I know this problem still persist with local API, so I won't close this for a workaround.

Let me now how that goes.
Greetings, Jakub

[jn64]

is there a work around (in non-programmer terms please)?

Press Ctrl-R to reload when this happens

[ghost]

Thanks guys, I did finally have to use the reset . . . but have noticed that the black-bubble-errors are back (from a previous post) and so I changed my instance again and it seemed to help a little.

I can't help but feel it's partly because I do not understand Best-Use scenarios, and I'm doing things (using the back button a lot, and searches) which the software isn't happy with. For example in the beginning I would load my subscriptions page often, and was told that youtube doesn't like that and can block certain subscriptions. So I stopped, but is that a document that offers guidance for the best way to use FreeTube?

I will do and read up on using invidious instance ~ Thanks much!

[kubo6472]

I use RSS to load subs. @currentwave

[ghost]

I have now changed the following in my settings:

I'm using RSS
No longer using Dash but Legacy instead
Back to allowing a new instance at start up

And I'm still having the same issues - I'll be gathering another console image of errors later and posting back here. I don't know if this helps, but I hope so.

[efb4f5ff-1298-471a-8973-3d47447115dc]

Warning

This video may potentially trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised

Just putting this vid here

Lrnjjl4O1W.mp4

[Sandyran]

I have experienced this too, but with other videos. They flash and load indefinetly. It happends randomly. It is just like in @efb4f5ff-1298-471a-8973-3d47447115dc's video.

[kubo6472]

Just went back to check for this issue, forgot I already opened this one. It's already happening with Invidious API as well. Since external player was added in the meantime. Opening https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pi3_Zs-oRUo this with freetube results in the glitching, opening it in VLC works just fine, and my invidious: https://invidious.tjm.sk/watch?v=Pi3_Zs-oRUo works just fine. I made sure local api was not being used in this example. Any idea what might be the culprit in this case?

[github-actions]

This issue is stale because it has been open 28 days with no activity. Remove stale label or comment or this will be closed in 7 days.

[github-actions]

This issue is stale because it has been open 28 days with no activity. Remove stale label or comment or this will be closed in 7 days.

[github-actions]

This issue is stale because it has been open 28 days with no activity. Remove stale label or comment or this will be closed in 7 days.

[efb4f5ff-1298-471a-8973-3d47447115dc]

This should be solved in v0.22.0