Youtube Loads Black Screen

[rhanajoy]

Hi, Rhana from AdBlock here. We've had a rash of reports over the past several months that YouTube videos show a black screen but the audio plays normally. I spent a few days researching this, and all the solutions I found are in our KB article:

Code: Select all

https://help.getadblock.com/solution/articles/6000137829-youtube-videos-show-a-black-screen-but-i-hear-the-audio

The one common thread through all the reports I've seen (either reported to us or found on other forums) is that this only happens when either AdBlock or ABP is running. Pausing AdBlock or ABP and refreshing the page gets the video to play normally. None of us at AdBlock have been able to reproduce this issue. Links users have sent us as examples where this always happens play fine when we try them. Please note, we started getting these reports well before we migrated to ABP's core, yet both AdBlock and ABP have been repeatedly identified as the cause.

One of our users did some pretty extensive troubleshooting recently. He found that while the problem happens consistently with both AdBlock and ABP, it does not happen with uBlock. Here's what he reported to us:

Black screen with audio is being caused by adblock (tested)

As I mentioned briefly, the black screen bug is being caused by adblock. I have tested this multiple times through youtube and after removing the extension and replacing it with another adblock(not this adblock or the plus) it seems to be working fine. However when I tested your adblock once more after I disabled the one that seems to be working fine, I have come to a conclusion that this adblock is the cause of the black screen bug. Also this is happening with my other computers that contain this adblock. Most solutions is to disable hardware acceleration to prevent this bug, but the problem is that it causes videos to become more choppy and is needed when using a 4k monitor. The problem also seems to be recent as when I updated chrome which was around July 6th, it started to happen a lot. Strangely enough the bug seems to be more frequent at night around 12 am eastern.

Also i would like to note that I did test disabling hardware acceleration, but it only lessened the issue with the cost of choppy videos. Not only that, chrome and adblock is up to date.

The adblock that I installed that ceases this issue is uBlock. I did test both adblocks [AdBlock and ABP] at the same video but unfortunately [only] uBlock was successful in negating the issue.

Here is the video that had the issue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwCUqKdZ9xA

Brent has been looking into this on our side, but not being able to reproduce the issue is blocking further progress. We're hoping that if ABP isn't already investigating as well, putting more minds on this can only help!

Thanks so much!

[lewisje]

I just read that AdBlock has migrated to ABP's core

I guess now I should stop unfavorably comparing it to ABP.

[crytek]

Happens to me as well.

Using "Adblock Plus" on Firefox. I get 5-10 seconds of black screen before each pre-roll video. It started happening within the last week or so.
On Chrome with "Adblock" everything works perfectly. No black screen.

Somebody please do something about this. It is driving me insane!

[hulivar]

This isn't an adblock problem because when using Chrome this problem doesn't rear it's ugly head.

Also this started happening to me a few weeks back as well....So it was for sure caused by a Firefox Update. Again, this isn't adblocks fault you guys.

It couldn't hurt though for adblock to try and get to the bottom of this shit.....

Obviously it's something Firefox changed/did, but it is possible for Adblock to figure out what the conflict/problem is, and change something on their end to fix the issue. Just because adblock didn't cause this problem, doesn't mean they can't fix it

[JustAShadow]

This isn't an adblock problem because when using Chrome this problem doesn't rear it's ugly head.

Also this started happening to me a few weeks back as well....So it was for sure caused by a Firefox Update. Again, this isn't adblocks fault you guys.

It couldn't hurt though for adblock to try and get to the bottom of this shit.....

Obviously it's something Firefox changed/did, but it is possible for Adblock to figure out what the conflict/problem is, and change something on their end to fix the issue. Just because adblock didn't cause this problem, doesn't mean they can't fix it

Actually, this doesn't just happen with Firefox. Chrome is also having playback issues, and disabling Adblock Plus solved that. Since videos weren't loading on Firefox, I tried Chrome, and it was equally as bad. I don't "blame" Adblock, though. I think YouTube made an update that changed the way ads run. This is primarily on YouTube, and it happens on multiple browsers, so the problem is either Adblock or YouTube.

[mapx]

could someone try this filter ?

Code: Select all

@@||youtube.com^$xmlhttprequest

[hulivar]

well i wonder why it only happens on firefox with me?

I've tried multiple videos that give me the problem on firefox and then i try them in chrome and I don't get the black screen...they play fine.

So I'm not sure how you explain that?

And believe me, I've tested it quite a bit...literally about 50 videos that went black screen on firefox...on chrome they worked fine.

And just for shits, I opened youtube in chrome and just started clicking tons of videos and I never saw the black screen.

I'm a little suspicious of your claims that it's doing it in both your browsers....cause if it's only doing it in firefox for me and not chrome then what could be happening in your case I wonder?

And what do you mean by "equally as bad"? That doesn't seem right. It's not a problem that has any variation...it's just a black screen for 15 seconds every single time. There is no variation. Maybe you are having the same problem I am in firefox, but a completely different problem on chrome?

So basically firefox/chrome should have the exact same problem...1 shouldn't be different from the other in the slightest...when you say "equally as bad" it makes me think you are having a different problem on chrome than on firefox.

[beasty]

could someone try this filter ?

Code: Select all

@@||youtube.com^$xmlhttprequest

I tried this however ads play and theres no way to skip them.

It is a firefox problem for me also, on random videos it will black screen with the buffer icon for 15 seconds before playing.

In chrome however everything works fine with no ads or black screens.

[hulivar]

So this problem is fixed for me now guys. I'm not sure if it's something I did or what. I didn't change anything really though, so I doubt it...it either magically fixed itself or youtube/adblock fixed it.

So hopefully no one has this issue anymore.

I posted a new thread saying it was fixed because I figured people were sick of checking this thread because there were no solutions...the mods didn't agree though and locked the post and probably removed it...

So hear I am, posting it again on this thread that the problem is fixed for me and I'm assuming that means it's fixed for everyone else.

If you still have the problem let me know and I will try to remember if I changed/uninstalled anything.

Also if you don't restart your computer that often, you could try that. I'm not sure if that is what fixed it for me. These days lots of people never restart their cpu because you don't really need to that often with how good computers are these days. They don't get all sluggish as easily over time.

So ya, try a restart if you still have this problem lol.

[beasty]

This problem fixed itself for me too.

I haven't changed anything, it just starting working like normal again.

[mapx]

a user reported:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xveDEFe0aMU
http://i.imgur.com/aWK1Ijj.png
Mozilla Firefox
Greasemonkey
Adblock Plus
EasyList + AakList + Adblock Warning Removal List

it doesnt matter which video i watch. they're all black when watching them. the sound works, the thumbnails in the timeline displays. just the image of the video doesnt. if i disable the script in greasemonkey the video works fine again and there's no blackscreen.

[maswartz]

It fixed itself with the last update but the most recent update to firefox just broke it again!

[hulivar]

yup, it fixed itself and now the most recent update fucked it up again...god fucken damint all to hell!!!

[maswartz]

Apparently the recent Firefox update made it so Ublock Origin has a similar issue to this where ads are getting through.

[GodforSaken]

Hi,

I have the same issues now with YouTube on my FF (latest version), does anybody have a reliable fix for this ? or we need to wait for a new ad-block release?
thanks,
Gfs