PBS Download

[monkeyhouserodge]

Thanks for the help!

[n8tvm]

I am able to download these with Internet Download Manager. They are in FLV format

[MarkSawSust]

or you can download it directly from site just change hls-800k.m3u8 to mp4-800k.mp4

http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/cove2.0/woodwrights-shop/e7b30a81-e9b6-4679-b829-13ca12424bad/2013-08-20-150756/hd-mezzanine-16x9/wows330143-16x9-mp4-800k.mp4

credits: chapun67

update: 2500k is the best quality

This is a good tip.

Any ideas how to handle the addresses that have a different pattern? I have run across a couple of addresses that instead of:
...hls-800k.m3u8
contain:
...HD-16x9-hls-low.m3u8

Any knowledge on how to modify this pattern to receive high quality?

[CristianoA]

or you can download it directly from site just change hls-800k.m3u8 to mp4-800k.mp4

http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/cove2.0/woodwrights-shop/e7b30a81-e9b6-4679-b829-13ca12424bad/2013-08-20-150756/hd-mezzanine-16x9/wows330143-16x9-mp4-800k.mp4

credits: chapun67

update: 2500k is the best quality

This is a good tip.

Any ideas how to handle the addresses that have a different pattern? I have run across a couple of addresses that instead of:
...hls-800k.m3u8
contain:
...HD-16x9-hls-low.m3u8

Any knowledge on how to modify this pattern to receive high quality?

try

.HD-16x9-mp4-low.mp4
.HD-16x9-mp4-medium.mp4
.HD-16x9-mp4-high.mp4
.HD-16x9-mp4-2500k.mp4

[MarkSawSust]

try

.HD-16x9-mp4-low.mp4
.HD-16x9-mp4-medium.mp4
.HD-16x9-mp4-high.mp4
.HD-16x9-mp4-2500k.mp4

I had already tried one of your suggestions. The other suggestions failed too.

[denobisipsis]

Sorry for the inconveniences and the precaution. Here you can see the program getting a pbs link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF9RJcG-Au8&feature=youtu.be

If you like it download

http://www.mediafire.com/download/v8yb5p2zwfpevc4/a3toMP4v15.5.exe

[sandw1ch]

I had already tried one of your suggestions. The other suggestions failed too.

Typically, if you have a good URL for your video stream you can simply substitute bitrate values, e.g. , 2500k for 800k.

Otherwise, you might try the Encoding Names in the following chart (click on chart for source page at PBS.org):

[HDVid]

I'm trying RTMPExplorer for the first time. I'm trying to DL the 2500k version of the two part Frontline "United States of Secrets" here

http://video.pbs.org/video/2365245528/

and

http://video.pbs.org/video/2365251169/

I paste the URL into RTMPExplorer, the page loads but I got no video at all just the title of the video at the top of the page. In Firefox the title is under the video window. I have installed Adobe Flash player twice but I get no video. I have the same problem in Streamtransport. Is PBS denying the video to load in these types of programs?

[ponens]

I'm trying RTMPExplorer for the first time. I'm trying to DL the 2500k version of the two part Frontline "United States of Secrets"

Links to the videos

Part 1
http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/frontline/c08c5561-33e9-4d01-98ad-e05a67902696/132448/hd-mezzanine-16x9/4cf3cc36_00003211-16x9-mp4-2500k.mp4
Part 2
http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/frontline/4194daab-238a-4d9d-bf4c-8550d9478621/133602/hd-mezzanine-16x9/ad05cff1_00003212v2-16x9-mp4-2500k.mp4

Read this other thread for information about how to find the links yourself.

[HDVid]

I'm trying RTMPExplorer for the first time. I'm trying to DL the 2500k version of the two part Frontline "United States of Secrets"

Links to the videos

Part 1
http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/frontline/c08c5561-33e9-4d01-98ad-e05a67902696/132448/hd-mezzanine-16x9/4cf3cc36_00003211-16x9-mp4-2500k.mp4
Part 2
http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/frontline/4194daab-238a-4d9d-bf4c-8550d9478621/133602/hd-mezzanine-16x9/ad05cff1_00003212v2-16x9-mp4-2500k.mp4

Read this other thread for information about how to find the links yourself.

Thank you! It is much appreciated.

I'll read through the link to learn for myself.

Thank you once again ponens.

[HDVid]

I downloaded the second part of United States of Secrets 2500k. When I playback the file the audio is several seconds ahead of the video after the first minute or two. I downloaded it twice. I even tried a lower bit rate file and it is the same. PBS needs to fix the file.

[ponens]

I downloaded the second part of United States of Secrets 2500k. When I playback the file the audio is several seconds ahead of the video after the first minute or two. I downloaded it twice. I even tried a lower bit rate file and it is the same. PBS needs to fix the file.

Are you saying that this is happening for the file named ad05cff1_00003212v2-16x9-mp4-2500k.mp4?

Because that one seems ok to me. However, I did see the exact problem you mention on an earlier version of the Part 2 file (b3fc5ae0_00003212-16x9-mp4-2500k.mp4) that was only posted for one day after Part 2 originally aired.

But I don't see any such problem on the updated file (ad05cff1_00003212v2-16x9-mp4-2500k.mp4) which they posted about 2 days after Part 2 originally aired.

[HDVid]

I re-checked the file I downloaded. You are right it was the old file for some reason, I'm not sure what happened. I recopied the link you posted and the audio seems to be okay.

Thanks

[wb8nbs]

Season 34 of "The Woodwright's Shop" is going up on the PBS sites now. There are two episodes shown so far (Oct 15) and the m3u8 url hack is still working. I am now using wget to download the files as I can batch up a whole season of urls easily and download the files overnight.

My procedure (Ubuntu with firefox 33) is:

• access the PBS web site pbs.org or unctv.org find the download page
• start the network debugger from the firefox menu tools -> Web Developer -> Network
• click the desired video on the pbs page. the player will load but not start automatically
• wait till the network window stops scrolling
• click the forward button. The network window will scroll up maybe 10 lines. Some of those lines are the m3u8 urls for different resolutions.
• after a few seconds click the stop button on the player
• find one of the m3u8 lines in the network "File" column, click on it
• over on the right side of the network window, click "edit and resend" button
• You can now highlight and copy the m3u8 url from the GET edit box. example:
• http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/woodwrights-shop/46081c14-b9ee-4cf2-b4ad-c66b2708b8...-hls-800k.m3u8
• paste the line into a text file
• click the back button in firefox
• select the next video and repeat the process.

you do not have to close the network window, you only need the few lines you get when you start the player

When you have captured all the m3u8 urls you want, edit the text file change "hls" to "mp4", change "m3u8" to "mp4"
you can change the resolution number to 2500, 800, 400, 150, 64. the rest of the url remains the same.
wget the videos with something like wget -w 120 -i textfilename

The woodwrights shop files are about 160 megs for 800 resolution, 270 megs for 1200, 530 megs for 2500. It adds up real quick.

[wb8nbs]

Edit 10/23/2014
This works everywhere but in season 32 (2012-2013). The network window shows nothing at all. Not sure why the behavior is different only for this season.

[blimey]

Edit 10/23/2014
This works everywhere but in season 32 (2012-2013). The network window shows nothing at all. Not sure why the behavior is different only for this season.

What is the url to an example video where you're having trouble? Where does the redirect url in videoInfo lead?

[wb8nbs]

Edit 10/23/2014
This works everywhere but in season 32 (2012-2013). The network window shows nothing at all. Not sure why the behavior is different only for this season.

What is the url to an example video where you're having trouble? Where does the redirect url in videoInfo lead?

This URL (after load and starting the jwplayer) displays nothing in the firefox network window
http://video.unctv.org/video/2292091598/

This one is the next one up on the index page. It (and all others except season 32) generates a list of m3u8s in the network window.
http://video.unctv.org/video/2365021451/

not sure what you mean by videoInfo.

[blimey]

This URL (after load and starting the jwplayer) displays nothing in the firefox network window
http://video.unctv.org/video/2292091598/

You're right. There doesn't seem to be any mp4 source in 1200k/2500k qualities for the 2292091598 video. There is only "baseline" and "web" (web appears to be the same as 800k);

baseline;
http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/woodwrights-shop/f3b3fa16-e708-4362-a0f6-861671fa45ca/8875/hd-mezzanine-16x9/WOWS321343-mp4-baseline-16x9.mp4
web (800k);
http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/woodwrights-shop/f3b3fa16-e708-4362-a0f6-861671fa45ca/8875/hd-mezzanine-16x9/WOWS321343-web-16x9.mp4

There is 1200k/2500k for the 2292091598 video in hls (m3u8) that you could download with ffmpeg;

ffmpeg -i "http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/woodwrights-shop/f3b3fa16-e708-4362-a0f6-861671fa45ca/8875/hd-mezzanine-16x9/WOWS321343-16x9-hls-2500k.m3u8" -c:v copy -c:a copy -f mpegts WOWS321343-16x9-hls-2500k.ts

If you download the 2500k hls (m3u8) source, I recommend that you also download the "web" mp4 source and mux the audio from the "web" mp4 source with the video from the 2500k hls source, because the audio in the "web" mp4 source is better.

[wb8nbs]

This URL (after load and starting the jwplayer) displays nothing in the firefox network window
http://video.unctv.org/video/2292091598/

You're right. There doesn't seem to be any mp4 source in 1200k/2500k qualities for the 2292091598 video. There is only "baseline" and "web" (web appears to be the same as 800k);

baseline;
http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/woodwrights-shop/f3b3fa16-e708-4362-a0f6-861671fa45ca/8875/hd-mezzanine-16x9/WOWS321343-mp4-baseline-16x9.mp4
web (800k);
http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/woodwrights-shop/f3b3fa16-e708-4362-a0f6-861671fa45ca/8875/hd-mezzanine-16x9/WOWS321343-web-16x9.mp4

There is 1200k/2500k for the 2292091598 video in hls (m3u8) that you could download with ffmpeg;

ffmpeg -i "http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/woodwrights-shop/f3b3fa16-e708-4362-a0f6-861671fa45ca/8875/hd-mezzanine-16x9/WOWS321343-16x9-hls-2500k.m3u8" -c:v copy -c:a copy -f mpegts WOWS321343-16x9-hls-2500k.ts

If you download the 2500k hls (m3u8) source, I recommend that you also download the "web" mp4 source and mux the audio from the "web" mp4 source with the video from the 2500k hls source, because the audio in the "web" mp4 source is better.

Thanks for looking at this. I'm attempting to get the file with

avconv -i "http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/woodwrights-shop/f3b3fa16-e708-4362-a0f6-861671fa45ca/8875/hd-mezzanine-16x9/WOWS321343-16x9-hls-1200k.m3u8" -c:v copy -c:a copy -f mpegts WOWS321343-16x9-hls-1200k.ts

It appears to be working. How did you obtain the url of the m3u8, web, and baseline files? I didn't see that anywhere in the network debugger window.

[blimey]

It appears to be working. How did you obtain the url of the m3u8, web, and baseline files? I didn't see that anywhere in the network debugger window.

videoInfo almost always has the baseline url. It can also provide the others with header changes but it is usually easier and faster to just extrapolate the others from the baselline.

[aazerty]

Hi ,

My try . The quality is good when watching on my PC's screen .

===
in FF : clear the cache
===
in FF : paste the link
http://video.unctv.org/video/2292091598/
Stop the video after it has began
===
in FF : paste the link 'about:cache' !!! without quotes !!!
===
in FF : click on 'List Cache Entries' ( about:cache?storage=disk&context= )
===
in FF : search for
http://urs.pbs.org/redirect/ab9700bc11494f7da0aa606a381d3831/?format=jsonp&callback=jQuery183046393351945164885_1414174100127&_=1414174102706
Click on that link
==>
in FF : Save the file as 'urs.pbs.org.txt'
Openned the file for getting the rtmp link
==

===
rtmpdump -r "rtmp://sdwfchwqitj2v.cloudfront.net/cfx/st/mp4:videos/woodwrights-shop/f3b3fa16-e708-4362-a0f6-861671fa45ca/8875/hd-mezzanine-16x9/WOWS321343-web-16x9.mp4" -o "WOWS321343-web-16x9.mp4"

RTMPDump v2.4
(c) 2010 Andrej Stepanchuk, Howard Chu, The Flvstreamer Team; license: GPL
Connecting ...
WARNING: HandShake: client signature does not match!
INFO: Connected...
Starting download at: 0.000 kB
INFO: Metadata:
INFO:   duration              1607.23
INFO:   moovPosition          32.00
INFO:   width                 640.00
INFO:   height                360.00
INFO:   videocodecid          avc1
INFO:   audiocodecid          mp4a
INFO:   avcprofile            77.00
INFO:   avclevel              30.00
INFO:   aacaot                2.00
INFO:   videoframerate        29.97
INFO:   audiosamplerate       48000.00
INFO:   audiochannels         2.00
INFO: trackinfo:
INFO:   length                48213165.00
INFO:   timescale             30000.00
INFO:   language              und
INFO: sampledescription:
INFO:   sampletype            avc1
INFO:   length                77147136.00
INFO:   timescale             48000.00
INFO:   language              und
INFO: sampledescription:
INFO:   sampletype            mp4a
177944.273 kB / 1607.21 sec (99.9%)
Download complete
===

=== MediaInfo
Général
Nom complet                              : E:\1_Aides_Process\WOWS321343-web-16x9.mp4
Format                                   : Flash Video
Taille du fichier                        : 174 Mio
Durée                                    : 26mn 47s
Débit global moyen                       : 907 Kbps

Vidéo
Format                                   : AVC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec
Profil du format                         : Main@L3.0
Paramètres du format, CABAC              : Oui
Paramètres du format, RefFrames          : 3 images
Identifiant du codec                     : 7
Durée                                    : 26mn 47s
Largeur                                  : 640 pixels
Hauteur                                  : 360 pixels
Format à l'écran                         : 16/9
Type d'images/s                          : Constant
Images par seconde                       : 29,970 Im/s
Espace de couleurs                       : YUV
Sous-échantillonnage de la chrominance   : 4:2:0
Profondeur des couleurs                  : 8 bits
Type de balayage                         : Progressif
Bibliothèque utilisée                    : Zencoder Video Encoding System

Audio
Format                                   : AAC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Audio Codec
Profil du format                         : LC
Identifiant du codec                     : 10
Durée                                    : 26mn 47s
Canaux                                   : 2 canaux
Position des cannaux                     : Front: L R
Echantillonnage                          : 48,0 KHz
Mode de compression                      : Avec perte
===

Regards .

[wb8nbs]

It appears to be working. How did you obtain the url of the m3u8, web, and baseline files? I didn't see that anywhere in the network debugger window.

videoInfo almost always has the baseline url. It can also provide the others with header changes but it is usually easier and faster to just extrapolate the others from the baselline.

Thanks blimey, I read the videoInfo posts referenced, and looked at a couple of the pages. As I understand, we're looking for the "alternate encoding" line, feed that url to browser and see what it comes up with. The "recommended encoding" line will download an m3u8 file. I extracted all 13 m3u8 urls for the season 32 of Woodwright's, built a script with the ffmpeg (avconv) switches as suggested and ran that overnight. I now have all 13 season 32 files and they are the correct size about 270 megs. They play OK in vlc and in totem but throw a "corrupted file" error when accessed through firefox.

I hope the PBS people are working on something there and I will see a more consistant interface later in the year. This would be a busy time for them as all the new season files are going up.

[blimey]

See next message...

[wb8nbs]

Fixed the "corrupted file" error from Firefox (probably from flash plugin) by running the files through VLC convert/save with "keep original video track" and "keep original audio track" checked. Apparently VLC rebuilds the file headers correctly. Files are 20 megs smaller but seem identical when viewed.

aazerty - I could not get your cache entry method to work. Might be my SSD setup, I have most of the caching turned off.

[aazerty]

Hi wb8nbs ,

My (other) process under XP sp3 with 'Internet Explorer 8'.

---
Launch the link :
http://video.unctv.org/video/2292091598/
Stop the video after it has began
===
Open "EXPLORER"
---
In the directory "C:\Documents and Settings\USER\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files" ,

in the column 'internet address' search for
http://urs.pbs.org/redirect/ab9700bc11494f7da0aa606a381d3831/?format=jsonp&callback=jQuery183046393351945164885_1414174100127&_=1414174102706

On your left Double-click on that link '?format=jsonp...'
Say 'yes' => the file will be openned

Cheers .

[gahook]

Hi all, I've been trying to download this video:

http://video.pbs.org/video/2321564950/

I found what I thought was the correct name of:

http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/life-fire/38277e27-8239-450e-a77f-70db5ef15a00/1268...hls-2500k.m3u8

I've tried everything and keep getting an error that file isn't found when I change the hls and m3u8 to mp4.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

[jagabo]

ffmpeg downloaded it with this command line:

ffmpeg -i http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/life-fire/38277e27-8239-450e-a77f-70db5ef15a00/12687/hd-mezzanine-16x9/LIFI101_mezz16x9-16x9-hls-2500k.m3u8 -vcodec copy -acodec copy -bsf:a aac_adtstoasc pbsvideo.mp4

[gahook]

Worked perfectly, thanks.

[HDVid]

I've been trying to download "The Spy Factory".

http://video.pbs.org/video/1051968443/

I have tried several tools and I've tried looking for the video URL when I load the page using the Web Developer -> Network option in Firefox. I haven't been able to download it like I have other videos.

Does anyone know how to find the URL?

Thanks.

[biezom]

I've been trying to download "The Spy Factory".

http://video.pbs.org/video/1051968443/

I have tried several tools and I've tried looking for the video URL when I load the page using the Web Developer -> Network option in Firefox. I haven't been able to download it like I have other videos.

Does anyone know how to find the URL?

Thanks.

rtmpdump -r "rtmp://sdwfchwqitj2v.cloudfront.net/cfx/st/mp4:videos/nova/349bb068-9e0d-4e0f-aca2-a4cc6e585fc9/69428/hd-mezzanine-16x9/nova3602_44khz.mp4" -o nova3602.mp4