[Question] HTTP 403 from GET /videoplayback

[GreNIX]

It seems like the problem described below has happened several times, so I didn't want to open a bug ticket. However, I don't see any open issues for this problem, so I wanted to get one going.

Describe the bug
Clicking any video results in the message "The media could not be loaded, either because the server or network failed or because the format is not supported." in the browser and 2024-12-15 02:48:50 UTC [info] 403 GET /videoplayback in the Invidious container log.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Start Invidious services
2. Navigate to Invidious in a browser
3. Click a video
4. Observe above-mentioned errors in browser and in container logs

Additional context

• Browser (if applicable): Firefox
• Container image version: quay.io/invidious/invidious:master-arm64 453d6343f22b

[unixfox]

You have to use potoken method and inv_sig_helper now. Check the installation guide.

[GreNIX]

I've had Invidous running in a docker compose configuration for months. I followed the instructions when creating my setup, which included generating the potoken using the sig helper. I pass the following into he container at run time, under the INVIDIOUS_CONFIG environment variable section:

visitor_data: <visitor data> 
po_token: <token>

This problem just started happening out of nowhere. My Invidous container worked two days ago. I then attempted to regenerate the visitor data and po token, just to ensure that it hadn't changed. I got the exact same values when they were generated the second time.

[unixfox]

Ok. Could be that your IP is banned by youtube servers if you have setup everything well.

Is your IP from a datacenter or it is from your home network?

[unixfox]

Hello, we have created a dedicated page for this new error: https://docs.invidious.io/youtube-errors-explained/#videoplayback-urls-that-returns-403-http-errors

[GreNIX]

I am routed through a VPN, maybe they just started blocking its IP...

Did some digging around and I see this error repeating on the sig helper container:

[2024-12-16T22:24:18Z INFO  inv_sig_helper_rust] Fetching player
[2024-12-16T22:24:19Z INFO  inv_sig_helper_rust::player] Fetching player JS URL: https://www.youtube.com/s/player/2f1832d2/player_ias.vflset/en_US/base.js
[2024-12-16T22:24:21Z WARN  inv_sig_helper_rust::player] nsig function ending did not work: =\s*function(\([\w]+\)\{\s*var\s+[\w\s]+=[\w\.\s]+?\.call\s*\([\w\s$]+?,[\(\)\",\s]+\)[\S\s]*?\}\s*return [\w\.\s$]+?\.call\s*\([\w\s$]+?\s*,[\(\)\",\s]+\)\s*\}\s*;)
thread 'main' panicked at src/player.rs:185:10:
called `Option::unwrap()` on a `None` value

[unixfox]

I am routed through a VPN, maybe they just started blocking its IP...

Did some digging around and I see this error repeating on the sig helper container:

[2024-12-16T22:24:18Z INFO  inv_sig_helper_rust] Fetching player
[2024-12-16T22:24:19Z INFO  inv_sig_helper_rust::player] Fetching player JS URL: https://www.youtube.com/s/player/2f1832d2/player_ias.vflset/en_US/base.js
[2024-12-16T22:24:21Z WARN  inv_sig_helper_rust::player] nsig function ending did not work: =\s*function(\([\w]+\)\{\s*var\s+[\w\s]+=[\w\.\s]+?\.call\s*\([\w\s$]+?,[\(\)\",\s]+\)[\S\s]*?\}\s*return [\w\.\s$]+?\.call\s*\([\w\s$]+?\s*,[\(\)\",\s]+\)\s*\}\s*;)
thread 'main' panicked at src/player.rs:185:10:
called `Option::unwrap()` on a `None` value

iv-org/inv_sig_helper#41

[unixfox]

I'm going to lock this issue as it has been solved: #5114 (comment) and this issue is not a "support center". Please do your searches or join our matrix for asking questions.