Why YouTube buffers: The secret deals that make and break online video.

[TheProfosist]

Why does online video have such problems? People may assume there are perfectly innocent causes related to their computers or to the mysterious workings of the Internet. Often, they're correct.

But cynical types who suspect their Internet Service Providers (ISPs) intentionally degrade streaming video may be right as well.

http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/07/why-youtube-buffers-the-secret-deals-that-make-and-break-online-video/

A friend said "Probably the best explanation I've read of the structure of the internet and the arguments on both sides of Net Neutrality (but it IS Ars Technica, so don't expect COMPLETELY unbiased). It's a bit long, but definitely worth a read." and I have to agree with him, so I thought I would post it here. What do you all think?

I did my best to check if this was a dupe but didnt find another post. If it still is please kindly let me know

[asickduckie]

That's why I use a special extension on Chrome that makes youtube automatically buffer the whole video no matter what just like in the good old days (usually it buffers just a couple dozen seconds in front of you and then waits for you to catch up)

[TheProfosist]

That's why I use a special extension on Chrome that makes youtube automatically buffer the whole video no matter what just like in the good old days (usually it buffers just a couple dozen seconds in front of you and then waits for you to catch up)

Any idea if there is on for FF that will do that as well as always set it to 1080p?

[dlf]

Or Greasemonkey script.

[pcexplosion]

That's why I use a special extension on Chrome that makes youtube automatically buffer the whole video no matter what just like in the good old days (usually it buffers just a couple dozen seconds in front of you and then waits for you to catch up)

Which extension is it youtube center?

[asickduckie]

Any idea if there is on for FF that will do that as well as always set it to 1080p?

yeah my extension also automatically changes the youtube video to large size and to 1080p. All that stuff is in the options of the extension. It's called smartvideo for youtube.

 

Here's the link for firefox, but I have to warn you from the reviews for the ff version, that they apparently update it less than the chrome version: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/smartvideo-for-youtube-mytube/

[asickduckie]

Which extension is it youtube center?

smartvideo for youtube. I tried a couple other extensions but I like this one most because I can set it to buffer the whole entire video as soon as I start playing it. That way, I can just open a couple videos, then go in the middle of nowhere with no internet and still watch them (as if I had downloaded them)

[TheProfosist]

yeah my extension also automatically changes the youtube video to large size and to 1080p. All that stuff is in the options of the extension. It's called smartvideo for youtube.

 

Here's the link for firefox, but I have to warn you from the reviews for the ff version, that they apparently update it less than the chrome version: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/smartvideo-for-youtube-mytube/

Thanks ill take a look. Heads up once again though guys this covers a lot and is in depth but I think its a good read if your interested in this stuff.

[LinusTech]

good read. enjoyed it.

[Excon]

Magic Actions for Youtube does all the thing s you guys need:

-center video

-always 1080p

-full buffer

 

Plus stuff like night view and cinema mode.

[Jade]

Any idea if there is on for FF that will do that as well as always set it to 1080p?

Magic Actions does this.

[TheProfosist]

Magic Actions for Youtube does all the thing s you guys need:

-center video

-always 1080p

-full buffer

 

Plus stuff like night view and cinema mode.

I will be looking into it. I have turn of the lights but it rarely self activates as it should and when it manually activates it doesnt change the video to 1080p.

I would prefer to fix the root of the problem than do things like this though, woiuldnt you?

[Khraft]

Personally I use Youtube Center, it has more youtube features than you could ever think possible, and is customizable in every aspect.  You'll want to get the userscript version for Greasemonkey (Firefox) or Tampermonkey (Chrome) because the extension versions are very outdated.

[deviant88]

@Khraft YouTube Center was market as unsafe by chrome and it now auto disables it.

 

As for Magic Actions for YT its awesome and works very good thanks for the share,i cant download videos no more but i use 4k Video downloader for that so no prob.

 

What i wonder is wheres logic in Google/Youtube development ? why dont they do themselves a favor,with their fat bank account,buy Magic Actions and implement it at core level for youtube for native support of the features and better performance??? 

[needmorewood]

Any idea if there is on for FF that will do that as well as always set it to 1080p?

magic actions for youtube

[Khraft]

@Khraft YouTube Center was market as unsafe by chrome and it now auto disables it.

 

As for Magic Actions for YT its awesome and works very good thanks for the share,i cant download videos no more but i use 4k Video downloader for that so no prob.

 

What i wonder is wheres logic in Google/Youtube development ? why dont they do themselves a favor,with their fat bank account,buy Magic Actions and implement it at core level for youtube for native support of the features and better performance??? 

 

The Userscript for Tampermonkey or the plugin on the chrome store?  There was never an official chrome store release of Youtube Center btw, which is why the one on the chrome store is seriously outdated.

[Snickerzz]

That's why I use a special extension on Chrome that makes youtube automatically buffer the whole video no matter what just like in the good old days (usually it buffers just a couple dozen seconds in front of you and then waits for you to catch up)

that has nothing to do with your isp throttling youtube though, thats just disabling dash playback

[Misanthrope]

That's why I use a special extension on Chrome that makes youtube automatically buffer the whole video no matter what just like in the good old days (usually it buffers just a couple dozen seconds in front of you and then waits for you to catch up)

 

As soon as you get the new youtube update the control center plugin will break the entire layout. See this is why this isn't a real solution: We have to constantly wait for the plugin authors to update to the new redesigns, if Youtube had enough sense not to break things intentionally we wouldn't have to deal with this. As much as it might hurt guys I do enjoy watching like Linus they're seriously pissing me off to the point that I will probably visit less and less.

Case and point: Since Linus videos are so high in my priority they are on the first row, which is unclickable on youtube right now until control center plugin gets updated. So for the time being, I actually have to watch the embedded video on the forum thread whenever he posts a new video. 

[Misanthrope]

that has nothing to do with your isp throttling youtube though, thats just disabling dash playback

 

That doesn't means that one can't experience both things simultaneously: Dash difficulties on top of my ISP throttling youtube and other sites on high traffic hours (i.e. friday evenings)

[Snickerzz]

That doesn't means that one can't experience both things simultaneously: Dash difficulties on top of my ISP throttling youtube and other sites on high traffic hours (i.e. friday evenings)

yea but duckie made it sound like disabling dash would fix the isp issue