www.babycenter.com - video doesn't play

[armenzg]

URL: http://www.babycenter.com/2_how-to-cut-your-newborns-nails_10405048.bc?scid=mbtw_baby_post6w&pe=MlVGMHpaMXwyMDE2MDQyMA..
Browser / Version: Firefox Mobile 48.0
Operating System: Android 5.1.1
Problem type: Video doesn't play

Steps to Reproduce

1. Navigate to: http://www.babycenter.com/2_how-to-cut-your-newborns-nails_10405048.bc?scid=mbtw_baby_post6w&pe=MlVGMHpaMXwyMDE2MDQyMA..

Expected Behavior:

• video should play

Actual Behavior:

• video does not play

The desktop version on my phone can play the video but the audio is choppy.

From webcompat.com with ❤️

[adamopenweb]

Fun stuff, thanks for reporting @armenzg. Looks like they are using Brightcove for the video. So let's get into it.

In desktop Firefox version 48, when we spoof the user agent to match Firefox Android 48, the same 'video is unavailable or not supported' error occurs.
"Mozilla/5.0 (Android 5.0.1; Mobile; rv:48.0) Gecko/48.0 Firefox/48.0"

On a Nexus 6 in Firefox 48, when we spoof the user agent to mobile Chrome, mobile Safari or Firefox desktop, the video will load and play.

I know @hallvors has done some work on another Brightcove bug. Maybe he can provide some more insight.

[karlcow]

On Firefox Android Nightly 48.0a1 (2016-03-18 and 2016-04-20) / Android 4.4.4 The video is working without a glitch. It just takes a bit of time to start. I'm connected on WIFI.

[karlcow]

worksforme? Or maybe it is just related to Android 5.0.1 ?

[karlcow]

Ah that's it.
Stealing the words of @hallvors in an email.

However, the new Brighcove player will rewrite the browser's own
canPlayType() method if it detects a modern Android version:

D.patchCanPlayType = function() {
    if (u.ANDROID_VERSION >= 4) {
        if (!F) {
            F = D.TEST_VID.constructor.prototype.canPlayType
        }
        D.TEST_VID.constructor.prototype.canPlayType = function(a) {
            if (a && G.test(a)) {
                return "maybe"
            }
            return
            F.call(this, a)
        }
    }

This means we'll fail on videos where M3U8 is one of the types because the modified canPlayType will return "maybe" for M3U8.

[karlcow]

And the answer from BrightCove was along:

Currently, we do not officially support Firefox for Android as a browser with our players.

but the feedback was passed on developers.

[karlcow]

So basically this needs to be closed as a duplicate of a Brighcove bug. Asking @hallvors if one is opened.

[hallvors]

See https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1194662

I guess any other browser that run on Android 5 but do not support HLS / M3U8 - based video streaming would also be affected. Not sure if such browsers exist.