[Bug]: [BAD_HTTP_STATUS: 403] Potential causes: IP block or streaming URL deciphering failed

[Targren]

Guidelines

• I have encountered this bug in the latest release of FreeTube.
• I have encountered this bug in the official downloads of FreeTube.
• I have searched the issue tracker for open and closed issues that are similar to the bug report I want to file, without success.
• I have searched the documentation for information that matches the description of the bug I want to file, without success.
• This issue contains only one bug.

Describe the bug

Followup to #6701, which is locked. After the fix update came out, some videos still give the error on the first attempt, but backing out and then reopening them work. (e.g. https://youtu.be/-CBGK2Xujs8). I'm not sure what the factor is that make some videos still affected and most of the others not, and sorry for the obvious dupe, but the existing thread is locked and hoped the link to an example video might be helpful.

Expected Behavior

The video plays

Issue Labels

inconsistent behavior

FreeTube Version

v0.23.2 Beta

Operating System Version

Windows 10 2H22

Installation Method

.exe

Primary API used

Local API

Last Known Working FreeTube Version (If Any)

No response

Additional Information

No response

Nightly Build

• I have encountered this bug in the latest nightly build.

[phenty]

I'm experiencing the same - this bug is not fixed. It's improved as videos will play after retrying, but the error still occurs frequently enough to be annoying.

[absidue]

Just to clarify what is probably going on, the other issue was fixed but now something else is causing problems. The error message you are getting is the same because YouTube just returns a 403 status code when something goes wrong but they don't specify what went wrong, so all we can show you is "something went wrong, we can't tell you what exactly but here are some things that have been known to cause it in the past, it could also be something else".

[efb4f5ff-1298-471a-8973-3d47447115dc]

@Targren @phenty please provide the following info:

• Do you use a VPN?
• Do you use a Proxy?
• Do you use the Local API?
• Is the following setting enabled or disabled: Settings -> Player -> Proxy through Invidious?
• What is the default video format that you're using: Settings -> Player -> Default video format?

[phenty]

@Targren @phenty please provide the following info:

VPN is turned off. When it's on I get a different message (YouTube has blocked your IP address).
No proxy
Using Local API
Proxy through invidious is off (and greyed out)
Default video format is DASH

[rjc3rd]

[BAD_HTTP_STATUS: 403] Potential causes: IP block or streaming URL deciphering failed

I use a VPN. Sometimes all I have to do is change location, but lately all locations still get the error. Even my local ISP IP address gets the message.

Work arounds that have worked for me until recently.

1. Add a Celluloid as external player and open video in external player, works every time even IP that seems to break internal player.
2. I also exported my subscriptions list. Install Feedbro - Advanced RSS Feed Reader in my browser (Librewolf) and import those subscriptions into Feedbro. Of course I also use uBlock Origin and SponsorBlock in my browser along with using a VPN.

I appreciate what you do, I hope this can be resolved.

[Targren]

• Do you use a VPN?
  No

• Do you use a Proxy?
  No

• Do you use the Local API?
  Yes

• Is the following setting enabled or disabled: Settings -> Player -> Proxy through Invidious?
  Turned off (setting seems to be disabled/grayed out)

• What is the default video format that you're using: Settings -> Player -> Default video format?
  DASH Formats

[awesome769]

This issue has already been discussed in #6701 they released a hotfix for in 23.2 i couldent use freetube untill jsuta few days ago for days ago if i remeber correctly. mpv didnt work neither the public invidious instances except for one and my self hosted invidious instance i figured out that mpv was a issue on my end where installing yt-dlp fixed it as for my invidious instance it was very outdated and wasnt storing dash formats in the settings. im not on the latest version of freetube but i no longer get this error messege they fixed it on 0.23.2 and yet i can use it fine on 0.23.1 it must be a error on your end and probbaly a separate error entirely

[JohnTheGit1]

I had the same issue. I was running FreeTube on the Flatpak. I uninstalled the Flatpak along with user settings, reinstalled it from base, and the issue seems resolved for me. Not sure what happens on the backend, but I hope this provides some useful info, esp if this fix can be replicated with other users.

[exekutive]

I'm still getting the error after the 0.23.2 hotfix that was supposed to solve it. No VPN.

[nartahn]

30 videos in I had the same error. On reload the video played ok.
Debian 12 installed via deb package. No VPN

[galure]

Something very strange on my end. Because I'm using the Flatpak version the update wasn't pushed until today (or yesterday, I didn't check). So I'm still on v0.23.1, ready to update and then... Freetube is now working flawlessly. Without me updating.

v0.23.1
No reload, no fallback to Invidious, it just works.
I'm using a VPN, Local API, DASH formats, no Proxy.

(Sending a bug report when things work is a bit odd, I know, but a bug that resolves itself is a rare thing. Does that help in any way?)