Is freetube broken again?
from countrypunk@slrpnk.net to privacy@lemmy.ml on 24 Mar 2025 18:12
https://slrpnk.net/post/19926827
from countrypunk@slrpnk.net to privacy@lemmy.ml on 24 Mar 2025 18:12
https://slrpnk.net/post/19926827
Using mullvad VPN. Keeps giving me the bad https status 403 message no matter which server I switch to. Anybody else having this issue or has workarounds?
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Yeah the Google captcha keeps getting in the way. I use GrayJay as an alternative.
I’ll look into it. Thanks.
Edit: it’s not on f-droid :/
It’s on aurora store or you can directly download it from their GitHub.
It is in Futo’s own F-Droid repo. But there have been license issues so that it is not actually open-source, and I prefer Newpipe (or, rather, Tubular now, because Sponsorblock) anyway.
I completely forgot about repositories in F-Droid. This is very helpful, thank you.
Works fine for me over Tor.
I am having this issue. I am watching this thread then
Same, although I use a personal VPS rather than a VPN.
I’m curious, why do you use that over a VPN?
Less likely to be blocked, both by the censors and by the target websites. Actual flexibility in what obfuscation method to use. Can be a convenient proxy rather than a full-device VPN. Can host other things there, or use it as a static IP to access things hosted at home.
I’ve been running into this all morning: [BAD_HTTP_STATUS: 403] Potential causes: IP block, streaming URL deciphering failed or music video geo-block
Switching VPN servers doesn’t resolve.
edit: Keep an eye on this Github Issue It looks like they are aware of the problem, will likely see a fix for it in the coming hours/days.
Same. Seems like YouTube is back on their anti VPN and frontend spree which will inevitability have a workaround and then they’ll be at it again. It’s cyclical at this point.
It gives me exactly the same message but I’m not using a VPN. When I use the external viewer option with mpv using yt-dlp I only get video without audio. I can download the video fine using yt-dlp and then watch it with mpv, but if I try to stream to mpv while downloading to watch it real-time it gives an ffmpeg error: can’t recognize format… weird.
I’m seeing the same, not even using a VPN.
This has been, and will probably continue to be, and ongoing issue. Google is working hard to block VPN and Data Center IPs at a network level when using their API. Usually we get patches within days when an episode like this flairs up, but some times that also triggers even more action from Google to change their methods. Usually it’s an issue with the underlying libraries being used like yt-dlp, youtube.js, or invidious API; meaning all YT circumvention apps get affected at the same time (e.g., FreeTube uses Invidious API).
Constant cat and mouse game. I usually try FreeTube first, if that fails I’ll try 2 Invidious instances that usually work well (one self-hosted, the other inv.nadeko.net), then I try Grayjay, and failing all of that I’m just not watching the video right now.
ETA: nadeko added a note about it to the top of their site, so FT is definitely broken because of Invidious/Google
Their note:
ETA2: lmao, another public invidious instance shows this and doesn’t even load the app:
Same here, whether I’m using VPN or not.
Same here without vpn. Getting by using embedded yt player, but not optimal. Seems that freetube users could win if we had a common cache like ipfs where watched videos are stored. If one user gets the whole video, everyone have access to it via ipfs. There would still be trouble with rare videos/first view, but YT would probably not block an ip if most of the yt videos where loaded from ipfs instead ?
Just a quick thought.
That might be a big scope increase compared to the type of software it is currently, but what a great idea. Maybe file a feature request in their github project?
Time to promote peertube
Yup, I guess it’s happening again… I tried to watch different videos, but I kept getting the http error. As usual, YouTube does shitty and inhumane things.
It’s happening to me, too. No VPN. They always fix issues like this pretty quickly (couple days or so). It’s always a constant battle to handle youtube’s ongoing attempts to block them.
FreeTube is not working for me either. For now though, I can get the preview and then copy the URL for videos I really want to watch. Then I grab them with Open Video Downloader and watch it in VLC.
github.com/StefanLobbenmeier/youtube-dl-gui
external player (haruna in my case) invoked from freetube works fine.
I have found this thread on Endevaour OS forums where the OP looks for viable options: https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/privacy-focused-youtube-workflow/69414/17
Did you try to switch to another instance?
And could Grayjay be another alternative to freetube?
(Edited, typo)
Yea It’s been pretty annoying so I’ve just been using Grayjay with “Provide YouTube activity” disabled(that may be by default?)
App’s still in Alpha but it’s been stable actually, unlike the first two time I tried it, rather convenient all things considered.
Funnily enough PipePipe still works for me on mobile. Idk about NewPipe however. Worse come to worse I’d just download something with Cobalt.tools set to tunnel files for me.
As of March 29, Version 0.23.3 seems to have fixed things again, if anyone finds this thread now.
freetubeapp.io/#download