Software & AppsOperating SystemLinux

How To Fix Opera Browser’s Video Format Error on YouTube for HTML5

Ubuntu 7

If you’re an Opera browser user and have encountered the “Video format or MIME type is not supported” error while trying to play YouTube videos, you’re not alone. This issue is often due to Opera not recognizing the video formats available for HTML5. This article will guide you through several solutions to fix this issue.

Solution 1: Install the chromium-codecs-ffmpeg-extra package

The chromium-codecs-ffmpeg-extra package contains additional codecs for the Chromium browser, which Opera is based on. Installing this package can help Opera recognize more video formats.

To install the package, open your terminal and run the following command:

sudo apt-get install chromium-codecs-ffmpeg-extra

The sudo command is used to run the following command as a superuser, apt-get is the package handling utility in Ubuntu, and install is used to install a new package.

After installing the package, you need to create a symbolic link to the libffmpeg.so file. This can be done by running the following command:

sudo ln -sf /usr/lib/chromium-browser/libffmpeg.so /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/opera/libffmpeg.so

The ln -sf command creates a symbolic link to the file. The -s option tells it to create a symbolic link, and the -f option tells it to replace the existing destination file.

Once you’ve done this, restart Opera and check if the issue is resolved.

Solution 2: Reinstall Opera

If the first solution doesn’t work, you can try reinstalling Opera. To do this, first uninstall the current version of Opera by running the following command:

sudo apt-get remove --purge opera-stable

The remove command is used to remove the package, and the --purge option is used to remove configuration files as well.

Next, add the Opera stable sources by running the following command:

sudo sh -c 'echo "deb http://deb.opera.com/opera/ stable non-free" >> /etc/apt/sources.list.d/opera.list'

This command adds the Opera stable sources to your list of repositories.

Then, install the key for the repository by running the following command:

sudo sh -c 'wget -O - http://deb.opera.com/archive.key | apt-key add -'

This command downloads the key for the repository and adds it to your list of trusted keys.

After that, update the repository by running the following command:

sudo apt-get update

The update command is used to resynchronize the package index files from their sources.

Finally, install the latest Opera stable version by running the following command:

sudo apt-get install opera-stable

Once you’ve done this, restart Opera and check if the issue is resolved.

Solution 3: Download the libffmpeg.so file from the nwjs-ffmpeg-prebuilt releases

Another solution is to download the libffmpeg.so file from the nwjs-ffmpeg-prebuilt releases. After downloading and extracting the file, move the libffmpeg.so file to the /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/opera/lib_extra directory. Restart Opera and check if the issue is resolved.

Solution 4: Download the libffmpeg.so file from an earlier Ubuntu release

You can also try downloading the libffmpeg.so file from an earlier Ubuntu release, such as Ubuntu 18.04. After downloading and extracting the package, navigate to the data/usr/lib/chromium-browser directory, locate the libffmpeg.so file, and move it to the /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/opera/lib_extra directory. Restart Opera and check if the issue is resolved.

Solution 5: Use the opera_codec.sh script

Lastly, you can use the opera_codec.sh script, which can be downloaded from this link. After downloading the script, make it executable by running the following command:

chmod 755 opera_codec.sh

The chmod command is used to change the permissions of a file, and 755 gives the user read, write, and execute permissions.

Then, run the script by running the following command:

./opera_codec.sh

The ./ before the script name is used to execute the script.

Once you’ve done this, restart Opera and check if the issue is resolved.

If none of the above solutions work, there may be other underlying issues causing the problem. It is recommended to check for any Opera or system updates, ensure all video-related packages are up to date, and consider disabling any conflicting extensions or add-ons.

We hope this guide helps you resolve the “Video format or MIME type is not supported” error in Opera. If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to leave a comment below.

What is the “Video format or MIME type is not supported” error in Opera?

The "Video format or MIME type is not supported" error in Opera occurs when the browser is unable to recognize or play the video format used by YouTube for HTML5 videos.

Why does Opera encounter this error while playing YouTube videos?

Opera may encounter this error because it doesn’t have the necessary codecs or updates to properly handle the video formats used by YouTube for HTML5 videos.

How can I fix the “Video format or MIME type is not supported” error in Opera?

There are several solutions you can try to fix this error. These include installing the chromium-codecs-ffmpeg-extra package, reinstalling Opera, downloading the libffmpeg.so file from different sources, or using the opera_codec.sh script. You can find detailed instructions for each solution in the article above.

Will installing the `chromium-codecs-ffmpeg-extra` package affect other browsers?

No, installing the chromium-codecs-ffmpeg-extra package will not affect other browsers. It contains additional codecs specifically for the Chromium browser, which Opera is based on. Other browsers use their own set of codecs.

Do I need to restart Opera after applying the solutions?

Yes, it is recommended to restart Opera after applying any of the solutions mentioned in the article. This allows the changes to take effect and helps ensure that the issue is resolved.

What should I do if none of the solutions work?

If none of the solutions mentioned in the article work, there may be other underlying issues causing the problem. It is recommended to check for any Opera or system updates, ensure all video-related packages are up to date, and consider disabling any conflicting extensions or add-ons. If the issue persists, reaching out to Opera support or seeking assistance from technical forums may be helpful.

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