Download Flash Video from PBS

[Oscram]

I'm attempting to download the Ken Burns Civil War series from PBS. I was able to download an MP4 of the first episode using Flash Video Downloader following the instructions here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfZPH_HGGbg

It isn't high quality, but I can view it.

Now I can't download the remaining episodes. The remaining episodes are broken up.

This is the video I'm currently attempting to download:

http://video.pbs.org/video/2365558007/

I've searched the forum and read some of the threads on downloading. I'm not sure which advice applies to flash video. To be honest, I got lost in some of those threads. I know the problem is on my end as far that goes.

I've tried disabling Flash and checking Developer>Network. I don't see anything there to download.

I'm using Firefox and Windows 7.

Does anyone have any advice? I'm open to formats besides MP4 if necessary. This is for my own use, btw. I don't know if I'll get a chance to watch before they are removed. Thanks for any help.

[Oscram]

I was just able to download the above video. An MP4 for the full video (episodes 2 and 3) finally showed up in the downloader dropdown. I clicked on my above link and got it. Before, I was right clicking on the video and opening in a new window or tab and only seeing multi small files. I'll come back later and try to figure out what exactly I did differently. I might just need to copy and paste the link rather than opening in a new window.

[biezom]

you can use youtube-dl

youtube-dl -g  "http://video.pbs.org/video/2365558007/"

>>>>

http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/civil-war/ae06c0c3-2576-4329-a614-84ae883fc8ab/200120/hd-1080p-mezzanine-16x9/0a307fd3_civw01023_stack_remastered_1080p_mezz-16x9-hls-2500k.m3u8

hls >>>> mp4 m3u8 >>>> mp4


so you have the direct link

http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/civil-war/ae06c0c3-2576-4329-a614-84ae883fc8ab/200120/hd-1080p-mezzanine-16x9/0a307fd3_civw01023_stack_remastered_1080p_mezz-16x9-mp4-2500k.mp4

[Oscram]

Thanks biezom. It looks like I'll be using Python. I'll have to try it later.

I was able to get all of the episodes using the Flash Video downloader. I had to disable Flash Video and then enable again each time for some reason.

I still want to try youtube-dl and get higher quality. I'll post back after I try it.

[Oscram]

I downloaded youtube-dl.exe and have Python 3.5 installed.

I get this message from the command line.
"youtube-dl is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file."

I've tried youtube-dl -help and others.

I am in the same directory where I placed youtube-dl.exe.

Am I missing a file? Any suggestions? Thanks.

[biezom]

I downloaded youtube-dl.exe and have Python 3.5 installed.

I get this message from the command line.
"youtube-dl is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file."

I've tried youtube-dl -help and others.

I am in the same directory where I placed youtube-dl.exe.

Am I missing a file? Any suggestions? Thanks.

if you use youtube-dl.exe on windows no need python because it is already include python


for example if youtube-dl is in C:\tools\downloader\

open command prompt

cd C:\tools\downloader\

an run your code

if it doesn't work try with administrator command prompt

[Oscram]

Thanks. I was already running as administrator.

I finally got it to work with this:

youtube-dl-2015.09.09.exe -g "http://video.pbs.org/video/2365558007/"

I tried it with another video and was able to get it.

Apparently I'm misunderstanding something obvious. I thought running youtube-dl-2015.09.09.exe as administrator would configure it so I could just use youtube-dl at the command prompt. I'm definitely in the correct directory. I've tried it in different directories including C:\.

I am able to run this and the other video in a browser:

http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/civil-war/ae06c0c3-2576-4329-a614-84ae883fc8ab/200120/hd-1080p-mezzanine-16x9/0a307fd3_civw01023_stack_remastered_1080p_mezz-16x9-mp4-2500k.mp4

Is there another recommended downloader that would preserve the quality to use at this point to make it more portable? Again, I know I'm missing something obvious.

Thanks for all the help.

[biezom]

Thanks. I was already running as administrator.

I finally got it to work with this:

youtube-dl-2015.09.09.exe -g "http://video.pbs.org/video/2365558007/"

I tried it with another video and was able to get it.

Apparently I'm misunderstanding something obvious. I thought running youtube-dl-2015.09.09.exe as administrator would configure it so I could just use youtube-dl at the command prompt. I'm definitely in the correct directory. I've tried it in different directories including C:\.

I am able to run this and the other video in a browser:

http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/civil-war/ae06c0c3-2576-4329-a614-84ae883fc8ab/200120/hd-1080p-mezzanine-16x9/0a307fd3_civw01023_stack_remastered_1080p_mezz-16x9-mp4-2500k.mp4

Is there another recommended downloader that would preserve the quality to use at this point to make it more portable? Again, I know I'm missing something obvious.

Thanks for all the help.

youtube-dl "http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/civil-war/ae06c0c3-2576-4329-a614-84ae883fc8ab/200120/hd-1080p-mezzanine-16x9/0a307fd3_civw01023_stack_remastered_1080p_mezz-16x9-mp4-2500k.mp4" -o video.mp4

livestreamer "httpstream://http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/civil-war/ae06c0c3-2576-4329-a614-84ae883fc8ab/200120/hd-1080p-mezzanine-16x9/0a307fd3_civw01023_stack_remastered_1080p_mezz-16x9-mp4-2500k.mp4" best -o video.mp4

[MovingParts]

another way was to download the add-on for firefox called "video downloader professional" (or video download helper, but the latter has crapped out on me recently). You have to enable flash for firefox though, of course.

[Oscram]

This code:

youtube-dl-2015.09.09.exe "http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/civil-war/ae06
c0c3-2576-4329-a614-84ae883fc8ab/200120/hd-1080p-mezzanine-16x9/0a307fd3_civw010
23_stack_remastered_1080p_mezz-16x9-mp4-2500k.mp4" -o video.mp4

... gets the message:
"[generic] 0a307fd3_civw01023_stack_remastered_1080p_mezz-16x9-mp4-2500k: Request
ing header
[download] Destination: video.mp4
[download] 27.9% of 2.50GiB at 119.16KiB/s ETA 04:24:32ERROR: content too short
(expected 2684533469 bytes and served 747676168)"

I did get this file:
video.mp4.part

I'm trying livestreamer now.
Be back later. Thanks.

[Oscram]

Thanks, MovingParts. I just noticed your reply. When I use video download helper I get mp4s that are just a few kb and don't play. I've used it before and will try to figure out later what I'm doing wrong. It looks like I can record mpeg while streaming.

I did get it with livestreamer. Thanks, biezom.

[MovingParts]

Ah, right I forgot. There are some rare cases, where it can not download the video, but will instead create useless small pieces. I know this from a channel called ZDF, I think those tv channels use something that prevents it. All other TV channels I needed this on worked so far.

[MovingParts]

This code:

youtube-dl-2015.09.09.exe "http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/civil-war/ae06
c0c3-2576-4329-a614-84ae883fc8ab/200120/hd-1080p-mezzanine-16x9/0a307fd3_civw010
23_stack_remastered_1080p_mezz-16x9-mp4-2500k.mp4" -o video.mp4

... gets the message:
"[generic] 0a307fd3_civw01023_stack_remastered_1080p_mezz-16x9-mp4-2500k: Request
ing header
[download] Destination: video.mp4
[download] 27.9% of 2.50GiB at 119.16KiB/s ETA 04:24:32ERROR: content too short
(expected 2684533469 bytes and served 747676168)"

I did get this file:
video.mp4.part

I'm trying livestreamer now.
Be back later. Thanks.

The thing I described above is one thing, where the website has a sneaky little tool to prevent it. But when it is named video.mp4.part, that means it is still downloading. the .part will disappear when it is ready (you should see a progress bar in your downloads, not?)

[Oscram]

The thing I described above is one thing, where the website has a sneaky little tool to prevent it. But when it is named video.mp4.part, that means it is still downloading. the .part will disappear when it is ready (you should see a progress bar in your downloads, not?)

I was running from the command prompt when I got the file video.mp4.part.

youtube-dl-2015.09.09.exe "http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/civil-war/ae06
c0c3-2576-4329-a614-84ae883fc8ab/200120/hd-1080p-mezzanine-16x9/0a307fd3_civw010
23_stack_remastered_1080p_mezz-16x9-mp4-2500k.mp4" -o video.mp4

I didn't really see a progress bar, but could view the progress watching the numbers increasing. It stopped loading and gave the error message: ERROR: content too short (expected 2684533469 bytes and served 747676168)"
I was able to download the files with other code. But I'm still curious about why the above didn't work. I'll come back to it later.

With Video Download Helper I did see the progress bar and got the message that it had completed. That file didn't have ".part" attached. It was small and wouldn't play. I've previously used that software for youtube without any problems.

I was able to get everything I wanted with the suggested livestreamer code:

livestreamer "httpstream://http://ga.video.cdn.pbs.org/videos/civil-war/ae06c0c3-2576-4329-a614-84ae883fc8ab/200120/hd-1080p-mezzanine-16x9/0a307fd3_civw01023_stack_remastered_1080p_mezz-16x9-mp4-2500k.mp4" best -o video.mp4

Thanks for all the comments and assistance.