x.com videos no longer playing - Sandbox Utility Generic decoder rejects requested type video/hevc /avc /av1
Hi,
two days ago, video embeds on Twitter stopped working in Firefox. Please help me troubleshoot the issue, so that I can either fix it myself, or present enough evidence to file a proper bug report.
Affected version: FF 140 ESR. I had some 140.7 installed when the error first happened, but have upgraded to firefox-esr_140.10.1esr-1_amd64 since. Didn't fix the problem. *Not* a snap package, regular .deb!
Affected OS: Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, not a fresh install but upgraded from 24.04 instead (which itself was upgraded from 22.04).
Symptoms: Videos on X (and Facebook) no longer play, the preview image is there for a split second, then an error appears. Video on for example Youtube is fine, though. Local players like VLC also do work as expected. Video on X worked under 26.04 before this happened.
The issue likely started when removing surplus packages and metapackages from the upgrade. According to synaptics, this is the complete list of packages removed: augeas-lenses bomber bovo clevis clevis-luks db-util db5.3-util dolphin-dev gir1.2-freedesktop-dev gir1.2-glib-2.0-dev girepository-tools gostsum granatier guestfish guestfs-tools guestmount icu-devtools jose kapman katomic kblackbox kblocks kbounce kbreakout kdegames kdegames-mahjongg-data-kf6 kdiamond kfourinline kgeography kgeography-data kgoldrunner kigo killbots kiriki kjumpingcube klickety klines kmahjongg knavalbattle knetwalk knights kolf kollision konquest kreversi kshisen ksirk ksnakeduel kspaceduel ksquares ktuberling ktuberling-data kubrick kubuntu-web-shortcuts ldmtool libaom-dev libarchive-tools libaugeas0 libblkid-dev libconfig11 libdbus-1-dev libdlt3 libffi-dev libfmt-dev libfontconfig1-dev libfribidi-dev libgd-perl libgio-2.0-dev libgio-2.0-dev-bin libglib2.0-dev libglib2.0-dev-bin libgraphite2-dev libguestfs-perl libguestfs-tools libguestfs0t64 libharfbuzz-cairo0 libharfbuzz-dev libhivex0 libicu-dev libjose0 libjson-glib-dev libjxr-tools libjxr0t64 libkdegames6private6 libkmahjongg6 libldm-1.0-0t64 libmosquitto1 libmount-dev libosinfo-1.0-0 libosinfo-l10n libpcre2-dev libpixman-1-dev libpolkit-gobject-1-dev libpsl-dev libpwquality-tools libpython3-dev libpython3.14-dev libselinux-dev libsepol-dev libspdlog-dev libsqlite3-dev libssh-dev libstd-rust-dev libstring-shellquote-perl libsys-virt-perl libsysprof-capture-4-dev libsystemd-dev libtirpc-dev libusb-0.1-4 libusb-1.0-0-dev libusb-1.0-doc libusb-dev libvirt-common libvirt0 libwebsockets19t64 libwhoopsie-preferences0 libwhoopsie0 libwin-hivex-perl libx265-dev libxdo-dev libxdo3 libxft-dev libxkbcommon-dev libxrender-dev libyara10 lskat lskat-data mosquitto mosquitto-clients native-architecture osinfo-db palapeli palapeli-data picmi qml6-module-org-kde-games-core skladnik supermin whoopsie whoopsie-preferences I don't think they are related (libx265 and libaom are only the -dev packages), but this is the only system-wide change on that day that I can remember. I of course tried re-installing these, but this also doesn't fix the problem.
On my journey of fixing this myself, I also asked the all-hallucinating knowledge randomizer frontend of OpenAI, which made me check a couple generic spots on my system and in FF itself.
ffmpeg -codecs | grep -E "h264|hevc|vp9|av1" ffmpeg version 8.0.1-3ubuntu2 Copyright (c) 2000-2025 the FFmpeg developers
built with gcc 15 (Ubuntu 15.2.0-13ubuntu3) configuration: --prefix=/usr --extra-version=3ubuntu2 --toolchain=hardened --libdir=/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu --incdir=/usr/include/x86_64-linux-gnu --arch=amd64 --enable-gpl --disable-stripping --disable-pocketsphinx --disable-libcaca --disable-libmfx --disable-omx --enable-gnutls --enable-libaom --enable-libass --enable-libbs2b --enable-libcdio --enable-libcodec2 --enable-libdav1d --enable-libflite --enable-libfontconfig --enable-libfreetype --enable-libfribidi --enable-libglslang --enable-libgme --enable-libgsm --enable-libharfbuzz --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libmysofa --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libopenmpt --enable-libopus --enable-librubberband --enable-libshine --enable-libsnappy --enable-libsoxr --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libtwolame --enable-libvidstab --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libwebp --enable-libx265 --enable-libxml2 --enable-libxvid --enable-libzimg --enable-openal --enable-opencl --enable-opengl --disable-sndio --enable-libvpl --enable-libdc1394 --enable-libdrm --enable-libiec61883 --enable-chromaprint --enable-frei0r --enable-ladspa --enable-libbluray --enable-libdvdnav --enable-libdvdread --enable-libjack --enable-libjxl --enable-libpulse --enable-librabbitmq --enable-librist --enable-libsrt --enable-libssh --enable-libsvtav1 --enable-libx264 --enable-libzmq --enable-libzvbi --enable-lv2 --enable-sdl2 --enable-libplacebo --enable-librav1e --enable-librsvg --enable-shared WARNING: library configuration mismatch avcodec configuration: --prefix=/usr --extra-version=3ubuntu2 --toolchain=hardened --libdir=/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu --incdir=/usr/include/x86_64-linux-gnu --arch=amd64 --enable-gpl --disable-stripping --disable-pocketsphinx --disable-libcaca --disable-libmfx --disable-omx --enable-gnutls --enable-libaom --enable-libass --enable-libbs2b --enable-libcdio --enable-libcodec2 --enable-libdav1d --enable-libflite --enable-libfontconfig --enable-libfreetype --enable-libfribidi --enable-libglslang --enable-libgme --enable-libgsm --enable-libharfbuzz --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libmysofa --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libopenmpt --enable-libopus --enable-librubberband --enable-libshine --enable-libsnappy --enable-libsoxr --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libtwolame --enable-libvidstab --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libwebp --enable-libx265 --enable-libxml2 --enable-libxvid --enable-libzimg --enable-openal --enable-opencl --enable-opengl --disable-sndio --enable-libvpl --enable-libdc1394 --enable-libdrm --enable-libiec61883 --enable-chromaprint --enable-frei0r --enable-ladspa --enable-libbluray --enable-libdvdnav --enable-libdvdread --enable-libjack --enable-libjxl --enable-libpulse --enable-librabbitmq --enable-librist --enable-libsrt --enable-libssh --enable-libsvtav1 --enable-libx264 --enable-libzmq --enable-libzvbi --enable-lv2 --enable-sdl2 --enable-libplacebo --enable-librav1e --enable-librsvg --enable-shared --enable-version3 --disable-doc --disable-programs --disable-static --enable-libaribb24 --enable-libopencore_amrnb --enable-libopencore_amrwb --enable-libtesseract --enable-libvo_amrwbenc --enable-libsmbclient libavutil 60. 8.100 / 60. 8.100 libavcodec 62. 11.100 / 62. 11.100 libavformat 62. 3.100 / 62. 3.100 libavdevice 62. 1.100 / 62. 1.100 libavfilter 11. 4.100 / 11. 4.100 libswscale 9. 1.100 / 9. 1.100 libswresample 6. 1.100 / 6. 1.100 DEV.L. av1 Alliance for Open Media AV1 (decoders: libdav1d libaom-av1 av1 av1_cuvid av1_qsv) (encoders: libaom-av1 librav1e libsvtav1 av1_nvenc av1_qsv av1_vaapi av1_vulkan) DEV.LS h264 H.264 / AVC / MPEG-4 AVC / MPEG-4 part 10 (decoders: h264 h264_v4l2m2m h264_qsv h264_cuvid) (encoders: libx264 libx264rgb h264_nvenc h264_qsv h264_v4l2m2m h264_vaapi h264_vulkan) DEV.L. hevc H.265 / HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding) (decoders: hevc hevc_qsv hevc_v4l2m2m hevc_cuvid) (encoders: libx265 hevc_nvenc hevc_qsv hevc_v4l2m2m hevc_vaapi hevc_vulkan) DEV.L. vp9 Google VP9 (decoders: vp9 vp9_v4l2m2m libvpx-vp9 vp9_cuvid vp9_qsv) (encoders: libvpx-vp9 vp9_vaapi vp9_qsv) DEAIL. wmav1 Windows Media Audio 1
-> ffmpeg is installed, version 8, av1 and hevc support seems present. The sparse advice from google results (similar thing in a Gentoo forum I think) on installating ffmpeg4.4 is no longer viable. --- apt list --installed | grep libavcodec
libavcodec-dev/resolute,now 7:8.0.1-3ubuntu2 amd64 [installed] libavcodec-extra62/resolute,now 7:8.0.1-3ubuntu2 amd64 [installed,automatic] libavcodec-extra/resolute,now 7:8.0.1-3ubuntu2 amd64 [installed]
(libavcodec62 non-extra was installed before, didn't change anything) --- apt list --installed | grep libaom*
libao-common/resolute,resolute,now 1.2.2+20180113-1.2ubuntu2 all [installed,automatic] libao4/resolute,now 1.2.2+20180113-1.2ubuntu2 amd64 [installed,automatic] libaom3/resolute,now 3.13.1-2 amd64 [installed,automatic] --- FF about:support in the codec section says this: Codec Support Information Codec Name Software Decoding Hardware Decoding H264 Unsupported Supported VP9 Supported Supported VP8 Supported Supported AV1 Supported Unsupported HEVC Unsupported Supported AAC Unsupported Unsupported MP3 Supported Unsupported Opus Supported Unsupported Vorbis Supported Unsupported FLAC Supported Unsupported Wave Supported Unsupported --- vainfo Trying display: wayland libva info: VA-API version 1.23.0 libva info: Trying to open /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/dri/iHD_drv_video.so libva info: Found init function __vaDriverInit_1_22 libva info: va_openDriver() returns 0 vainfo: VA-API version: 1.23 (libva 2.22.0) vainfo: Driver version: Intel iHD driver for Intel(R) Gen Graphics - 26.1.2 () vainfo: Supported profile and entrypoints
VAProfileMPEG2Simple : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileMPEG2Main : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileH264Main : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileH264Main : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP
VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP
VAProfileJPEGBaseline : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileJPEGBaseline : VAEntrypointEncPicture
VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline: VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline: VAEntrypointEncSliceLP
VAProfileVP8Version0_3 : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileHEVCMain : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileHEVCMain10 : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileVP9Profile0 : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileVP9Profile2 : VAEntrypointVLD
--- running with MOZ_DISABLE_HW_DECODE=1 firefox -> no change --- A fresh profile shows the same issues, so this should not be config-related in terms of Firefox --- Safe mode on my standard profile also doesn't change anything --- running with MOZ_LOG="PlatformDecoderModule:5" firefox -> also no change, but now on every try to play a video, these three lines are spammed: [Child 2326924: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule Sandbox Utility Generic decoder rejects requested type video/avc [Child 2326924: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule Sandbox Utility Generic decoder rejects requested type video/av1 [Child 2326924: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule Sandbox Utility Generic decoder rejects requested type video/hevc
On other websites, the occasional [Child 2330726: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule Sandbox Utility Generic decoder rejects requested type audio/mp4a-latm or [Child 2331802: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule Sandbox Utility Generic decoder rejects requested type video/vp8
is added.
Some time close to starting FF, this block is presented: [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule PDMInitializer, Init PDMs in Utility process [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule FFMPEG: version: 0x200, macro: 62, micro: 101, isFFMpeg: yes [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule FFVPX: Link result: Success [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule FFmpeg decoder rejects requested type 'video/avc' [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule Agnostic decoder rejects requested type 'video/avc' [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule FFmpeg decoder supports requested type 'video/vp9' [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule FFmpeg decoder supports requested type 'video/vp9' [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule FFmpeg decoder supports requested type 'video/vp8' [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule FFmpeg decoder supports requested type 'video/vp8' [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule FFmpeg decoder supports requested type 'video/av1' [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule FFmpeg decoder supports requested type 'video/av1' [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule FFmpeg decoder rejects requested type 'video/hevc' [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule Agnostic decoder rejects requested type 'video/hevc' [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule FFmpeg decoder rejects requested type 'audio/mp4a-latm' [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule Agnostic decoder rejects requested type 'audio/mp4a-latm' [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule FFmpeg decoder supports requested type 'audio/mpeg' [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule FFmpeg decoder supports requested type 'audio/mpeg' [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule FFmpeg decoder supports requested type 'audio/opus' [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule FFmpeg decoder supports requested type 'audio/opus' [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule FFmpeg decoder supports requested type 'audio/vorbis' [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule FFmpeg decoder supports requested type 'audio/vorbis' [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule FFmpeg decoder supports requested type 'audio/flac' [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule FFmpeg decoder supports requested type 'audio/flac' [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule FFmpeg decoder supports requested type 'audio/x-wav' [Utility 2331783: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule FFmpeg decoder supports requested type 'audio/x-wav' [Parent 2331581: Main Thread]: D/PlatformDecoderModule Broadcast support from 'Utility Generic', support=H264 NONE VP9 SW VP8 SW AV1 SW HEVC NONE AAC NONE MP3 SW Opus SW Vorbis SW FLAC SW Wave SW
Back in FF 140.7, I also got these lines, but they're no longer present in 140.10 or flags have changed, I don't know: [Child 2238921, MediaDecoderStateMachine #1] WARNING: Decoder=7329b02ba900 state=DECODING_METADATA Decode metadata failed, shutting down decoder: file ./dom/media/MediaDecoderStateMachine.cpp:371 [Child 2238921, MediaDecoderStateMachine #1] WARNING: Decoder=7329b02ba900 Decode error: NS_ERROR_DOM_MEDIA_METADATA_ERR (0x806e0006): file ./dom/media/MediaDecoderStateMachineBase.cpp:168
--- The troubleshooting info below this text box says this somewhere:
"name": "AV1_HW_DECODE",
"description": "AV1 hardware decoding",
"status": "blocklisted",
"log": [
{
"type": "default",
"status": "available"
},
{
"type": "env",
"status": "blocklisted",
"failureId": "FEATURE_FAILURE_VIDEO_DECODING_MISSING",
"message": "#BLOCKLIST_FEATURE_FAILURE_VIDEO_DECODING_MISSING"
}
Open to suggestions on where to dig deeper next...thank you!
All Replies (3)
Enhanced Tracking Protection is a collection of Firefox features that protects your privacy by blocking trackers that follow you online to collect information about your browsing habits and interests. It also includes protection against harmful scripts.
If a site seems broken, you can try turning off Enhanced Tracking Protection for that website:
- Click the shield
icon at the left of the address bar.
- At the top of the panel, toggle off the Enhanced Tracking Protection switch
. The site will be added to your Enhanced Tracking Protection exception list, allowing trackers on it, and the page will reload automatically.
-
This will allow trackers to load on that website while keeping you protected on other sites. To learn more, see Enhanced Tracking Protection in Firefox for desktop.
ETP off does not solve the problem, unfortunately. Neither does disabling my Pi-hole entirely, nor both at the same time.
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