I do not use YouTube much but may have expected to note reports on this.
Apparently this may have first been seen in Fx35 but >Fx33 You Tube is offering HTML5 where available but without the option to switch to FlashPlayer. I found this article
<snip> .... What this means is that Google will enforce the use of HTML5 video on YouTube for all Firefox users who use Firefox 33 or newer on their system to do so .... Update: Google seems to have delayed the change. Firefox 34 users can switch players right now on the site.<snip>
Using a user agent switcher to spoof Fx32 allows a choice.
edit Tidied up blockquote.
I do not use YouTube much but may have expected to note reports on this.
Apparently this may have first been seen in Fx35 but >Fx33 You Tube is offering HTML5 where available but without the option to switch to FlashPlayer. I found this article
* http://www.ghacks.net/2014/07/17/google-enforces-html5-youtube-firefox-33-newer/
<blockquote><snip> .... What this means is that Google will enforce the use of HTML5 video on YouTube for all Firefox users who use Firefox 33 or newer on their system to do so .... Update: Google seems to have delayed the change. Firefox 34 users can switch players right now on the site.<snip></blockquote>
Whilst answering
* ''Prevent firefox from using HTML5 player in Youtube.'' [/questions/1044212#answer-684736]
Using a user agent switcher to spoof Fx32 allows a choice.
'''edit''' Tidied up blockquote.
I posted a reply in the support thread regarding HTML5 on YouTube in Firefox 36 Beta (which the OP is using).
''John99 [[#post-63913|said]]''
<blockquote>
* ''Prevent firefox from using HTML5 player in Youtube.'' [/questions/1044212#answer-684736]
</blockquote>
I posted a [/questions/1044212#answer-684863 reply] in the support thread regarding HTML5 on YouTube in Firefox 36 Beta (which the OP is using).
Spoofing Fx32 with users agent switchers is a workaround. I tested in Fx35, Fx36 Beta, and Fx37.0a2 all would play YouTube videos in FlashPlayer.
P.S.
Above tested on Windows 7.
Linux may differ, for instance Fx35 canonical build on Ubuntu14.04 LTS allows choice without spoofing.
Thanks for the bug & ReleaseNotes links Alice
Spoofing Fx32 with users agent switchers is a workaround. I tested in Fx35, Fx36 Beta, and Fx37.0a2 all would play YouTube videos in FlashPlayer.
----------
P.S.
Above tested on Windows 7.
Linux may differ, for instance Fx35 canonical build on Ubuntu14.04 LTS allows choice without spoofing.
Thanks for the bug & ReleaseNotes links Alice
423 // Whether to enable MediaSource support. We want to enable on non-release
424 // builds and on release windows, but on release builds restrict to YouTube. We
425 // don't enable for YouTube on non-Windows for now because the MP4 code for
426 // those platforms isn't ready yet.
bug 1119535 - Don't expose MSE on Windows < 7 in Firefox 36
You can also check media.mediasource.* prefs and possibly disable MSE support.
See comment 9:
[https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1112761 bug 1112761] - Restrict MSE support to youtube.com domain for Firefox 36
Some info about default values for media prefs:
*http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/source/modules/libpref/init/all.js
423 // Whether to enable MediaSource support. We want to enable on non-release
424 // builds and on release windows, but on release builds restrict to YouTube. We
425 // don't enable for YouTube on non-Windows for now because the MP4 code for
426 // those platforms isn't ready yet.
[https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1119535 bug 1119535] - Don't expose MSE on Windows < 7 in Firefox 36
I think what surprised me was Google You Tube forcing HTML5 and effectively preventing FlashPlayer use.
That seems more like a Mozilla Ideal moving away from FlashPlayer towards HTML5 & Shumway. (I bumped a shumway thread /forums/contributors/711012 )
I suppose some conspiracy theorists may suggest it is a business plan of Google's to promote Google Chrome with FlashPlayer by placing Firefox at a disadvantage on YouTube.
I think what surprised me was Google You Tube forcing HTML5 and effectively preventing FlashPlayer use.
That seems more like a Mozilla Ideal moving away from FlashPlayer towards HTML5 & Shumway. (I bumped a shumway thread [/forums/contributors/711012] )
I suppose some conspiracy theorists may suggest it is a business plan of Google's to promote Google Chrome with FlashPlayer by placing Firefox at a disadvantage on YouTube.
''John99 [[#post-63917|said]]''
<blockquote>
Spoofing Fx32 with users agent switchers is a workaround.
Thanks for the bug & ReleaseNotes links Alice
</blockquote>
You're welcome.
I think, if you want to use an add-on, cor-el's suggestion in the support thread is a better workaround:
YouTube Flash Video Player:
*https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/youtube-flash-video-player/
It looks as though forcing HTML5 on YouTube was a beta test and will no longer happen by default when Firefox 36 is released.
''John99 [[#post-63920|said]]''
<blockquote>
I think what surprised me was Google You Tube forcing HTML5 and effectively preventing FlashPlayer use.
</blockquote>
This bug was fixed today:
* [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1129039 Bug 1129039] - Disable MSE for Firefox 36
It looks as though forcing HTML5 on YouTube was a beta test and will no longer happen by default when Firefox 36 is released.
i think mse support on release is going to be postponed because it might be responsible for the high current crash rate in firefox beta: https://crash-stats.mozilla.com/home/products/Firefox
It looks as though forcing HTML5 on YouTube was a beta test and will no longer happen by default when Firefox 36 is released.
Alice,
Did you find something further from Google YouTube about this then. Otherwise I suspect regardless of MSE Firefox 36 users will not be able to use FlashPlayer on YouTube without spoofing an earlier version.
I did not notice any explanation of the Google YouTube changes, but I did not look too hard.
There was a bug comment but I didn't notice the background info about the discussion
> Did we talk with Google? Yes, we have been talking with them.
It does not state the outcome of the talks.
''AliceWyman [[#post-63984|said]]''
<blockquote>
''John99 [[#post-63920|said]]''
<blockquote>
I think what surprised me was Google You Tube forcing HTML5 and effectively preventing FlashPlayer use.
</blockquote>
This bug was fixed today:
* [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1129039 Bug 1129039] - Disable MSE for Firefox 36
It looks as though forcing HTML5 on YouTube was a beta test and will no longer happen by default when Firefox 36 is released.
</blockquote>
Alice,
Did you find something further from Google YouTube about this then. Otherwise I suspect regardless of MSE Firefox 36 users will not be able to use FlashPlayer on YouTube without spoofing an earlier version.
I did not notice any explanation of the Google YouTube changes, but I did not look too hard.
There was a bug comment but I didn't notice the background info about the discussion
*https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1129039#c8 <blockquote>> Did we talk with Google? <br /> Yes, we have been talking with them.</blockquote>
It does not state the outcome of the talks.
Did we talk with Google? Even if MSE is disabled for Firefox 36, Flash fallback will not work in Youtube unless Google changes the sniffing code (see bug 1125621 comment #2).
... and the reply was,
Yes, we have been talking with them.
Bug 1129039 - Disable MSE for Firefox 36 was fixed so I took that to mean that Mozilla worked it out with Google to allow fallback to Flash for YouTube videos in Firefox 36. Look through bug 1125621 for more info.
Mozilla has been running other tests in Firefox 36 Beta for changes that won't be included when Firefox 36 is released (Fx36 In-content preferences and disabling Flash protected mode by default are two that come to mind) so lets just wait and see what happens when Firefox 36 is released.
The full question in [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1129039#c7 bug 1129039#c7] was,
Did we talk with Google? Even if MSE is disabled for Firefox 36, Flash fallback will not work in Youtube unless Google changes the sniffing code (see [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1125621#c2 bug 1125621 comment #2]).
... and the reply was,
Yes, we have been talking with them.
-----
[https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1129039 Bug 1129039 - Disable MSE for Firefox 36] was fixed so I took that to mean that Mozilla worked it out with Google to allow fallback to Flash for YouTube videos in Firefox 36. Look through [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1125621#c14 bug 1125621] for more info.
Mozilla has been running other tests in Firefox 36 Beta for changes that won't be included when Firefox 36 is released ([/forums/knowledge-base-articles/711045 Fx36 In-content preferences] and [https://quality.mozilla.org/2015/01/disabling-protected-mode-in-firefox-36-beta/ disabling Flash protected mode by default] are two that come to mind) so lets just wait and see what happens when Firefox 36 is released.
YouTube may be experimenting with different default players for different browsers and operating systems. <snip> By the way, "Ask to Activate" is working for me in both Firefox 35 and 36 .... I just have to reload the page sometimes, which was the workaround reported in /questions/1042082.
and then later posted
I checked mozillazine and there's a similar topic where people have posted about YouTube changing the default player to HTML5 then, within the last two days, back to Flash, if you want to read through it: http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=2914601
Seems to be back to FlashPlayer by default for YouTube on Windows Fx35 Release.
This gets confusing, I am sure there will be a lot of us wondering what is happening, and what may happen next.
''AliceWyman [/questions/1044212#answer-692520] said''<blockquote>YouTube may be experimenting with different default players for different browsers and operating systems. <snip> <br /> By the way, "Ask to Activate" is working for me in both Firefox 35 and 36 .... I just have to reload the page sometimes, which was the workaround reported in [/questions/1042082]. </blockquote>
and then later posted <blockquote>I checked mozillazine and there's a similar topic where people have posted about YouTube changing the default player to HTML5 then, within the last two days, back to Flash, if you want to read through it: http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=2914601</blockquote>
Just to follow up now that Firefox 36 has been released. HTML5 is no longer used by default for YouTube videos in Firefox 36 (Flash is the default player).
P.S. HTML5 is now the default player for YouTube in Firefox 37 Beta (that's mentioned in the Fx37.0beta notes).
Just to follow up now that Firefox 36 has been released. HTML5 is no longer used by default for YouTube videos in Firefox 36 (Flash is the default player).
P.S. HTML5 is now the default player for YouTube in '''Firefox 37 Beta''' (that's mentioned in the [https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/37.0beta/releasenotes/ Fx37.0beta notes]).
