I have two different forms of chrome-based browsers: Although one is Comodo Dragon, two others are another brand of chrome-based, different versions. The older version does not show the “Request the html5 Player” button, and WILL play nearly all YouTube videos. The newer version of the browser DOES show the “Request html5 Player” button when visiting the address page referenced, but will NOT play some/several YouTube videos.
For some time html5 has been used with Chrome whenever possible, and there has been no button to switch to Flash.
For the Chromium-based Opera however, Flash is still the default option, and there is a button for switching to html5.
The reason for the difference is that Chrome, but not most other Chromium-based browsers, supports AVC/H.264 and AAC. YouTube used to have all videos at all definitions encoded in VP8, but removed them last year (except 640×360, kept as a fallback) to replace them with VP9-encoded videos. The latter work is not yet finished.
One browser is Comodo Dragon version 33.1 (?) one version behind the latest. My other two chrome-based browsers are Superbird version 33.2 and version 33.1 - or whichever are the latest and the one before latest – I do not know exactly because I am on someone else’s computer right now.
YouTube works well for Comodo Dragon and for the one-step-back version of Superbird. Many videos on YouTube do not play in the current version of Superbird (at least, not on my machine).
The reason I am not too willing to try upgrade of Comodo Dragon is because I do not know if everything will work.
I am using portable installs of the three browsers I have just discussed.
The latest version of Dragon is 33.1. The latest version of Superbird is 33.0.1750.12.
I ran both (portable) on W7. Dragon and Superbird support the same codecs, they are based upon Chromium 33, and both browsers have “Chrome” in the user agent. Yet, they are treated differently by YouTube, and I can not see why.
I encountered no problem playing videos (using html5) with those browsers. Of course, when there is no VP9-version, videos are limited to 640×360 px. Also, Chromium 33 has a slower VP9-decoder (libvpx) than more recent versions, so playing a full HD-video on an old computer will result in frames being dropped. Probably ffvp9¹ is needed to properly fix that.
Exactly what will that button on the YouTube html5 page do if it appears and I click on it? Will YouTube play all videos that I try to play, or will something be downloaded for me to install or what?
By clicking on Request the HTML5 player, that is exactly what happens, you request that html5 be used whenever possible. No software to download and install. After all, that is what html5
Yes, good. The “Request” button works. Time to take a chance now on the newest C.D. update and see if any YouTube troubles or same remedy as just tried.
ADDED: v33.1 seems to work playing YouTube videos without trouble. No need to use the html5 page to click the “Request…” button.