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Well, literally any video. I used developer tools/network to monitor requests and all video fragments for video ads are coming from the same domain as main vide

Well, literally any video. I used developer tools/network to monitor requests and all video fragments for video ads are coming from the same domain as main video. Actual blocking is implemented by modifying some REST responses from youtube backend.

1vuio0pswjnm7 5y ago
It cant be "any video" because I am able to watch many videos without any ads in the browser, even with Javascript enabled. I think it is only some videos. Can you provide a single example. Which itag do you use. I want to test.
- vbezhenar 5y ago
  Youtube puts ads in any video for me. I don't know any exceptions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqBn6ts-Srk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqBn6ts-Srk is just one random video from my suggestions which i opened and was immediately met with grammarly ad.
  - 1vuio0pswjnm7 5y ago
    I tried this example; it played without any ads. Screen recording as proof: https://ufile.io/8upqzbci https://ufile.io/8upqzbci
    - bdowling 5y ago
      Youtube only plays an ad if (1) Youtube decides to offer an ad slot and (2) a buyer buys the ad slot. This happens in a fraction of a second based on what the ad buyers have programmed that they want to buy. Ad buyers usually want ads targeted to users in certain countries and with certain demographics (age, income level, etc.). If your location or demographics aren't what Youtube can sell to an ad buyer, you won't see an ad.
      - 1vuio0pswjnm7 5y ago
        Just tried same video delegating DNS to Google's open resolver, aka 8.8.8.8, and within first 15 seconds I had a popup ad. What you say is accurate but that's not an explanation of why I see no ads. I use a local proxy in a unique, customised configuration that improves my UX. If I use third party DNS such as Google and stop using a proxy, I too will see those annoying Grammarly ads. Thats why I come up with workarounds.
        NavinF 5y ago
        I guess your local proxy (why?) sufficiently confused Google so they decided not to show you ads. You're definitely not blocking the ad domains via DNS because those domains don't exist
        OJFord 5y ago
        > I guess your local proxy (why?) Not GP, but if it reliably blocks YouTube ads I think a lot of people would be interested in doing that? As you say it's not possible via DNS; so can only be achieved in the browser, and in browsers with uBO. (I.e. not mobile apps, Android TV app, mobile browsers other than FF on Android, desktop browsers other than FF/Chrome/derivatives.)
        1vuio0pswjnm7 5y ago
        How does uBO accomplish this. Perhaps certain requests are necessary for ads. If true, then one way to avoid the ads is not to make the requests. This a guess: When we MITM our own traffic on our own network using a root certificate we make ourselves with openssl, the graphical browser may try to annoy us and makes us "click-through" a warning. It may effectively block a request. If the request is for an ad, then ... TBH, I am not convinced that I have a solution that works on every video. This is why I ask for examples. However I never see ads with the videos I watch, so it does work on some. I generally do not watch stuff that is heavily commercialised. Also I normally download the entire video before watching; I dislike so-called "streaming" and Javascript video players. I need more examples I can test. All the videos submitted to HN seem to work. I need other examples.

1vuio0pswjnm7 5y ago

It cant be "any video" because I am able to watch many videos without any ads in the browser, even with Javascript enabled. I think it is only some videos. Can you provide a single example. Which itag do you use. I want to test.

vbezhenar 5y ago
Youtube puts ads in any video for me. I don't know any exceptions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqBn6ts-Srk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqBn6ts-Srk is just one random video from my suggestions which i opened and was immediately met with grammarly ad.
- 1vuio0pswjnm7 5y ago
  I tried this example; it played without any ads. Screen recording as proof: https://ufile.io/8upqzbci https://ufile.io/8upqzbci
  - bdowling 5y ago
    Youtube only plays an ad if (1) Youtube decides to offer an ad slot and (2) a buyer buys the ad slot. This happens in a fraction of a second based on what the ad buyers have programmed that they want to buy. Ad buyers usually want ads targeted to users in certain countries and with certain demographics (age, income level, etc.). If your location or demographics aren't what Youtube can sell to an ad buyer, you won't see an ad.
    - 1vuio0pswjnm7 5y ago
      Just tried same video delegating DNS to Google's open resolver, aka 8.8.8.8, and within first 15 seconds I had a popup ad. What you say is accurate but that's not an explanation of why I see no ads. I use a local proxy in a unique, customised configuration that improves my UX. If I use third party DNS such as Google and stop using a proxy, I too will see those annoying Grammarly ads. Thats why I come up with workarounds.
      - NavinF 5y ago
        I guess your local proxy (why?) sufficiently confused Google so they decided not to show you ads. You're definitely not blocking the ad domains via DNS because those domains don't exist
        OJFord 5y ago
        > I guess your local proxy (why?) Not GP, but if it reliably blocks YouTube ads I think a lot of people would be interested in doing that? As you say it's not possible via DNS; so can only be achieved in the browser, and in browsers with uBO. (I.e. not mobile apps, Android TV app, mobile browsers other than FF on Android, desktop browsers other than FF/Chrome/derivatives.)
        1vuio0pswjnm7 5y ago
        How does uBO accomplish this. Perhaps certain requests are necessary for ads. If true, then one way to avoid the ads is not to make the requests. This a guess: When we MITM our own traffic on our own network using a root certificate we make ourselves with openssl, the graphical browser may try to annoy us and makes us "click-through" a warning. It may effectively block a request. If the request is for an ad, then ... TBH, I am not convinced that I have a solution that works on every video. This is why I ask for examples. However I never see ads with the videos I watch, so it does work on some. I generally do not watch stuff that is heavily commercialised. Also I normally download the entire video before watching; I dislike so-called "streaming" and Javascript video players. I need more examples I can test. All the videos submitted to HN seem to work. I need other examples.