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BigBIg5

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 16, 2017
15
2
I have an Mac G5 20" iSight with Leopard installed. How can I play YouTube in HD like 720p?
 

Hrududu

macrumors 68020
Jul 25, 2008
2,306
657
Central US
The 20" iSight G5 is an odd bird. Its a fast (by PPC standards) 2.1GHz but its a single CPU. Unfortunately I don't have access to any single G5 systems anymore, so I really don't know how it would handle YouTube these days. I still use Leopard Webkit and this modified version of Flash player 10 to play 720p video on my G5 PowerMacs. Couldn't hurt to try. Obviously this isn't a modern release of flash and security updates have not been applied. As others would say, use at your own risk.
 
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BigBIg5

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 16, 2017
15
2
The 20" iSight G5 is an odd bird. Its a fast (by PPC standards) 2.1GHz but its a single CPU. Unfortunately I don't have access to any single G5 systems anymore, so I really don't know how it would handle YouTube these days. I still use Leopard Webkit and this modified version of Flash player 10 to play 720p video on my G5 PowerMacs. Couldn't hurt to try. Obviously this isn't a modern release of flash and security updates have not been applied. As others would say, use at your own risk.
YouTube doesn't support Flash anymore.
 
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CooperBox

macrumors 68000
Sell it, and buy an Intel Mac.

As there was no 'tongue-in-cheek' smiley with the above quote, I assume this was a serious suggestion.
What a sad, sad world it would be if we here had the same defeated, pessimistic approach as MagicBoy. There would be ppc fanboys hanging from trees with nooses around their necks, or preparing to leap from the nearest high building.
In reality there is lots of life left in our ppc loved ones. I for one can vouch that YouTube is still very, VERY useable - especially under Leopard (with a suitable amount of RAM memory) using Dronecatchers customized scripts posted HERE. I use it frequently and highly recommend.
I suggest at least that Dronecatcher, myself and others who watch YouTube on ppc's, maintain their current username. One other member here may be advised to change his forum name to 'TheMagicIsGoneBoy'........:(
 

Dronecatcher

macrumors 603
Jun 17, 2014
5,244
7,880
Lincolnshire, UK
As there was no 'tongue-in-cheek smiley with the above quote, I assume this was a serious suggestion.

I see it as valid if you were lookng to buy a PPC for Youtube...but in this case, the OP already has the machine.
Youtube is a mudfight in treacle in a standard browser unless you're on dual G5s but the mini-browser solutions still work fine - hell, even my G3 iBook is still in the game just using a mobile user agent in Omniweb!
 
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1042686

Cancelled
Sep 3, 2016
1,575
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Being serious for a moment (it’s difficult for me) I read through the earlier linked page about getting HD playback in mini browsers using some dark mysterious voodoo magic and the outlined process just looked like a huge pita time sucking back hole to me so I have yet to commit the time to it.

I too watch YT 360p on my Ppc macs all the time in-browser & it works well enough for my needs but for a layman enthusiast like myself, there is no straightforward understandable way to make the OPs request of HD playback happen. There is a decently steep learning curve in regards to verbiage, apps used, configuration etc. (not to mention the time required to figure it all out) that just doesn’t work out for the average user/enthusiast. So kudos to y’all wizards that can make it happen but for me, HD on ppc is not happening. If I want HD playback I did in fact buy some intel macs to get it.

Just them apples I suppose :D
 
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MagicBoy

macrumors 68040
May 28, 2006
3,954
1,033
Manchester, UK
I was being mildly serious, with a soupçon of harsh reality.

On a personal level I frankly can't be bothered with the elaborate workarounds. Some people in here see it as a badge of honour I guess. I'll use the Quicktime Enabler on TFF it's relatively simple and works most of the time for SD content. Anything more intensive then I'll find a more modern bit of kit.
 

1042686

Cancelled
Sep 3, 2016
1,575
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QTE is what I use as well for regular content on ppc. I think it’s quite impressive what ingenious folks here can do with ppc & y’all take great steps to document & record it here for everyone. Right now I have neither the time nor need for HD content so yanno it’s not a priority. Besides, I have my intel boxes if I did.

TBH I imagine at some point I’ll be bored & empty scheduled enough to chase that HD rabbit down its ppc hole.

Just not right now :D
 
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Dronecatcher

macrumors 603
Jun 17, 2014
5,244
7,880
Lincolnshire, UK
Saying it's a bit of a chore to get Youtube working baffles me....
This is a PPC forum dedicated to their upkeep...but if we extended that notion - why bother installing that SSD? TFF tweaks - nah, uMatrix - too complicated, optimising Leopard - use Intel instead, Leopard Rebirth? Nah, use Sierra on the real thing, OSX on a 4400 - duh, running virtual OS in Qemu - get a life.
You get the idea.

My own endeavors to get Youtube working aren't even about HD really, just comfortable playback of SD, which is even a struggle now in browser on a 1.67Ghz Powerbook. For me QTE has a 80% plus fail rate so alternatives are needed and it's not just the playback that's the issue but browsing is a huge bottleneck.

Another thing, fun - remember that :)
 

CooperBox

macrumors 68000
I was being mildly serious, with a soupçon of harsh reality.

On a personal level I frankly can't be bothered with the elaborate workarounds. Some people in here see it as a badge of honour I guess. I'll use the Quicktime Enabler on TFF it's relatively simple and works most of the time for SD content. Anything more intensive then I'll find a more modern bit of kit.

Ok, I'll concede. You may retain the 'MagicBoy' username.
(With a soupçon of irony)........;)
 
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z970

macrumors 68040
Jun 2, 2017
3,589
4,541
Get TenFourFox. Open about:config. Make a new integer. Name it "tenfourfox.media.decode_delay". Set the value to 10, 20, or 30.

Now the machine will have extra time to buffer before playing a video to reduce choppiness.

@eyoungren's TFF tweaks are also recommended.

Also, install uBlock Origin, it kills thread-wasting ads. This is all what I use on my PowerBook G4 12", which runs like a champ.

You're welcome.
 
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eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
29,603
28,365
Also, install uBlock Origin, it kills thread-wasting ads. This is all what I use on my PowerBook G4 12", which runs like a champ.
I would recommend uMatrix over uBlock Origin. Same concept, same maker but also allows blocking of third party sites, javascript, etc.

For ad blocking I'd go with BluHell Firewall. No settings, lightweight, but does the jobs. Only site I have not seen it work on was Facebook.

Just recommendations, use what works for you.
 
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Dronecatcher

macrumors 603
Jun 17, 2014
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Lincolnshire, UK
Now the machine will have extra time to buffer before playing a video to reduce choppiness.

Even if I set mine to 90, both my 1.67Ghz 17" and 1.5Ghz 12" Powerbooks never achieve smooth video - even after it's fully buffered. Plus the CPU is chugging away at 100% the whole time. Each machine has every tweak, Bluhell, NoScript and an advert stripping Hosts file to help things along.
 

z970

macrumors 68040
Jun 2, 2017
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Even if I set mine to 90, both my 1.67Ghz 17" and 1.5Ghz 12" Powerbooks never achieve smooth video - even after it's fully buffered. Plus the CPU is chugging away at 100% the whole time. Each machine has every tweak, Bluhell, NoScript and an advert stripping Hosts file to help things along.

Funny. My same 12" G4 runs a video fine after a few initial seconds of chop at 20. On 360p.
[doublepost=1511905161][/doublepost]
I would recommend uMatrix over uBlock Origin. Same concept, same maker but also allows blocking of third party sites, javascript, etc.

For ad blocking I'd go with BluHell Firewall. No settings, lightweight, but does the jobs. Only site I have not seen it work on was Facebook.

Just recommendations, use what works for you.

uBlock Origin is designed to be lightweight, and personally, I only want to block ads.
 

eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
29,603
28,365
uBlock Origin is designed to be lightweight, and personally, I only want to block ads.
Totally get that. But you still have to set it yourself (just like with uMatrix).

BluHell is install and forget about it. There are no settings, no dealing with filters or lists or anything.

All I'm saying.
 
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Dronecatcher

macrumors 603
Jun 17, 2014
5,244
7,880
Lincolnshire, UK
A quick compare and contrast - launch browser, go to Youtube, paste in a video search, click on video.
Timing of video starting to play and timing of video to smooth play:
SMTube (with mplayer) 17 seconds - 17 seconds CPU 40%
TFF 75 seconds - 118 seconds (still missing frames) CPU 100%

EDIT: On 1.5Ghz Powerbook 12"
 
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BigBIg5

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 16, 2017
15
2
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z970

macrumors 68040
Jun 2, 2017
3,589
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Totally get that. But you still have to set it yourself (just like with uMatrix).

BluHell is install and forget about it. There are no settings, no dealing with filters or lists or anything.

All I'm saying.

Every time I set up a new Firefox profile, I install uBlock Origin and forget about it. All I ever do is enable colorblind mode (I keep hoping it's going to turn the icon gray, because it matches the rest of the browser.), and disable the number of blocked requests on the icon. That's it. Does its job wonderfully. All the settings are there for is the ability to customize it, much like Firefox itself.

Just saying.

Ah yes, and it doesn't work on Facecrook because Facecrook is so scummy, it's got ads fused into its source code. :p
 
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