bug(YouTube - Spoof streaming data): Can't play videos on `Android TV` and `iOS TV`

[FishAndFire]

Type

Error at runtime

Tools used

RVX Manager

Application

YouTube v19.05.26 & v19.07.40

Bug description

Opening any video and then opening the "stats for nerds" shows that the video and audio are loading through "Android Studio" client even when the spoof client option is turned on and spoofed to iOS-TV (or any other client)
The side effect is that some videos are getting capped at 720p (This is not happening with random video but rather all videos from random channels like ThioJoe, Sambucha) and NO HDR (happening with all HDR Videos) either. It does not look like youtube is targeting specific Gmail accounts because no matter what G-Mail account I switch to, the problem persists.
Some screenshots :-

Error logs

Solution

This is temporary and NOT a Proper Solution but it seems that using/turning on Incognito restores the AndroidVR Client and video play in all available qualities and HDR is working as well but since Incognito means you are sign out of your profile, you can't do most things.

Additional context

Already tried on 2 different devices with the same 2 accounts but switching between accounts and devices also doesn't work.

Device Environment

Android 13 OneUI 5.1
&
Android 14 OneUI 6.1

Acknowledgements

• This issue does not reproduce on unpatched YouTube or YT Music.
• This issue is not a duplicate of an existing bug report.
• I did not use any settings marked as Experimental Flags.
• I have patched the APK according to the documentation.
• I have chosen an appropriate title.
• All requested information has been provided properly.
• I have written the title and contents in English.

[inotia00]

This is a duplicate issue with #3137.

Nevertheless, as this issue is continuously being reported, I will no longer close this issue as Duplicated.

Android TV and iOS TV no longer work (like iOS), so they will be removed in the next release.

[federicogith]

I use "iOS TV" and it works flawlessly for me
Why remove it?

[inotia00]

While it may work for you right now, Android TV and iOS TV are gradually becoming unavailable to all users.

It would be better to remove Android TV and iOS TV and make multi-audio tracks available to Android VR clients.

[inotia00]

RVX already offers TV (TVHTML5), TV Simply (TVHTML5 SIMPLY), and Mobile Web.

TV (TVHTML5) and TV Simply (TVHTML5 SIMPLY) can play all types of video, including Kids videos, Music videos, Age-restricted videos, and Paid videos.

They also support Multi-AudioTracks and Stable volume.

[inotia00]

TVHTML5 is the name used in YouTube's internal code, commonly referred to as TV.

For example:

Friendly name: Android VR
YouTube internal code: ANDROID_VR

Friendly name: Android TV
YouTube internal code: ANDROID_UNPLUGGED

Friendly name: iOS TV
YouTube internal code: IOS_UNPLUGGED

Friendly name: TV
YouTube internal code: TVHTML5

Friendly name: Mobile Web
YouTube internal code: MWEB

...

See also: #3048.

[error-reporting]

@inotia00

if this issues is about android tv and ios tv stopped working then why the forced fallback to android studio affects android vr selection too

[inotia00]

How about Android VR (No Auth) and Disable AV1 codec

[error-reporting]

it works but standard android vr is not

[inotia00]

Unlike Android TV or iOS TV, Android VR can be used with No Auth or Disable AV1 codec, so there is no need to remove it.

[error-reporting]

Unlike Android TV or iOS TV, Android VR can be used with No Auth or Disable AV1 codec, so there is no need to remove it.

so the restrictions so far is about the authentication header as android vr only fails for non no auth variant and other auth-required non-javascript client like android tv fails