Download videos from vimeo, wayback machine etc at lower quality

[alesi]

I was googling on how to download videos from wayback machine with a similar question to OP in this thread.

I found the following quote and this post in particular.

Press F12 in your browser to bring up Developer Tools. Go to the Network tab. (Re)load the page. Look for video links.

With thanks to Jagabo, using his method I was able to download several videos where usual youtube-type download websites/services don't work. For example, I can now download videos here by finding the appropriate links using developer tools: http://abc.net.au/news/programs/the-business/. I had tried many ways to do that previously but did not find anything that worked other than screen-recording.

With this new way of downloading videos, I have one more question if anyone can assist:

Is there any way to download videos at lower quality?

For example I'm currently downloading this: https://player.vimeo.com/video/512763473

But it's 8gb (I presume I'm downloading the 1080p version). The original website and embedded player here (might update within 24 hours) has options to change quality between 240p-1080p.

For example, when selecting 720p I can see this reflected in developer tools here:


[Attachment 57475 - Click to enlarge]

I'm wondering if there is a way I can download that particular lower-quality stream (to save bandwidth, download time and post-processing time)?

[october262]

try youtube-dl -F https://player.vimeo.com/video/512763473
to list the available formats

[jagabo]

Yes, the -F switch will get you a list of available streams like this:

C:\Youtube-dl>youtube-dl -F "https://player.vimeo.com/video/512763473"
[vimeo] 512763473: Downloading webpage
[vimeo] 512763473: Extracting information
[vimeo] 512763473: Downloading JSON metadata
WARNING: Unable to download JSON metadata: HTTP Error 404: Not Found
[vimeo] 512763473: Downloading akfire_interconnect_quic m3u8 information
[vimeo] 512763473: Downloading akfire_interconnect_quic m3u8 information
[vimeo] 512763473: Downloading fastly_skyfire m3u8 information
[vimeo] 512763473: Downloading fastly_skyfire m3u8 information
[vimeo] 512763473: Downloading akfire_interconnect_quic MPD information
[vimeo] 512763473: Downloading akfire_interconnect_quic MPD information
[vimeo] 512763473: Downloading fastly_skyfire MPD information
[vimeo] 512763473: Downloading fastly_skyfire MPD information
[info] Available formats for 512763473:
format code                                          extension  resolution note
hls-akfire_interconnect_quic_sep-audio-high-audio    mp4        audio only
hls-akfire_interconnect_quic_sep-audio-medium-audio  mp4        audio only
hls-fastly_skyfire_sep-audio-high-audio              mp4        audio only
hls-fastly_skyfire_sep-audio-medium-audio            mp4        audio only
dash-akfire_interconnect_quic_sep-audio-f060bb6b     m4a        audio only DASH audio   64k , m4a_dash container, mp4a.40.2 (24000Hz)
dash-fastly_skyfire_sep-audio-f060bb6b               m4a        audio only DASH audio   64k , m4a_dash container, mp4a.40.2 (24000Hz)
dash-akfire_interconnect_quic_sep-audio-8c386eb6     m4a        audio only DASH audio   86k , m4a_dash container, opus  (48000Hz)
dash-fastly_skyfire_sep-audio-8c386eb6               m4a        audio only DASH audio   86k , m4a_dash container, opus  (48000Hz)
dash-akfire_interconnect_quic_sep-audio-9ce1b597     m4a        audio only DASH audio  128k , m4a_dash container, mp4a.40.2 (48000Hz)
dash-fastly_skyfire_sep-audio-9ce1b597               m4a        audio only DASH audio  128k , m4a_dash container, mp4a.40.2 (48000Hz)
dash-akfire_interconnect_quic_sep-audio-ed431d71     m4a        audio only DASH audio  140k , m4a_dash container, opus  (48000Hz)
dash-fastly_skyfire_sep-audio-ed431d71               m4a        audio only DASH audio  140k , m4a_dash container, opus  (48000Hz)
dash-akfire_interconnect_quic_sep-audio-bf8946ae     m4a        audio only DASH audio  255k , m4a_dash container, mp4a.40.2 (48000Hz)
dash-fastly_skyfire_sep-audio-bf8946ae               m4a        audio only DASH audio  255k , m4a_dash container, mp4a.40.2 (48000Hz)
hls-akfire_interconnect_quic_sep-276                 mp4        426x240     276k , avc1.640015, 30.0fps, video only
hls-fastly_skyfire_sep-276                           mp4        426x240     276k , avc1.640015, 30.0fps, video only
dash-akfire_interconnect_quic_sep-video-f060bb6b     mp4        426x240    DASH video  341k , mp4_dash container, avc1.640015, 30fps, video only
dash-fastly_skyfire_sep-video-f060bb6b               mp4        426x240    DASH video  341k , mp4_dash container, avc1.640015, 30fps, video only
hls-akfire_interconnect_quic_sep-431                 mp4        640x360     431k , avc1.64001E, 30.0fps, video only
hls-fastly_skyfire_sep-431                           mp4        640x360     431k , avc1.64001E, 30.0fps, video only
dash-akfire_interconnect_quic_sep-video-9ce1b597     mp4        640x360    DASH video  564k , mp4_dash container, avc1.64001E, 30fps, video only
dash-fastly_skyfire_sep-video-9ce1b597               mp4        640x360    DASH video  564k , mp4_dash container, avc1.64001E, 30fps, video only
hls-akfire_interconnect_quic_sep-785                 mp4        960x540     785k , avc1.64001F, 30.0fps, video only
hls-fastly_skyfire_sep-785                           mp4        960x540     785k , avc1.64001F, 30.0fps, video only
dash-akfire_interconnect_quic_sep-video-bf8946ae     mp4        960x540    DASH video 1666k , mp4_dash container, avc1.64001F, 30fps, video only
dash-fastly_skyfire_sep-video-bf8946ae               mp4        960x540    DASH video 1666k , mp4_dash container, avc1.64001F, 30fps, video only
hls-akfire_interconnect_quic_sep-1264                mp4        1280x720   1264k , avc1.640020, 30.0fps, video only
hls-fastly_skyfire_sep-1264                          mp4        1280x720   1264k , avc1.640020, 30.0fps, video only
dash-akfire_interconnect_quic_sep-video-76a00a66     mp4        1280x720   DASH video 2875k , mp4_dash container, avc1.640020, 30fps, video only
dash-fastly_skyfire_sep-video-76a00a66               mp4        1280x720   DASH video 2875k , mp4_dash container, avc1.640020, 30fps, video only
hls-akfire_interconnect_quic_sep-2845                mp4        1920x1080  2845k , avc1.640028, 30.0fps, video only
hls-fastly_skyfire_sep-2845                          mp4        1920x1080  2845k , avc1.640028, 30.0fps, video only
dash-akfire_interconnect_quic_sep-video-5944e854     mp4        1920x1080  DASH video 5432k , mp4_dash container, avc1.640028, 30fps, video only
dash-fastly_skyfire_sep-video-5944e854               mp4        1920x1080  DASH video 5432k , mp4_dash container, avc1.640028, 30fps, video only
http-240p                                            mp4        426x240    30fps
hls-akfire_interconnect_quic-214                     mp4        426x240     214k , avc1.640015, 30.0fps, mp4a.40.2
hls-fastly_skyfire-214                               mp4        426x240     214k , avc1.640015, 30.0fps, mp4a.40.2
dash-akfire_interconnect_quic-video-f060bb6b         mp4        426x240    DASH video  405k , mp4_dash container, avc1.640015, 30fps, mp4a.40.2 (24000Hz)
dash-fastly_skyfire-video-f060bb6b                   mp4        426x240    DASH video  405k , mp4_dash container, avc1.640015, 30fps, mp4a.40.2 (24000Hz)
http-360p                                            mp4        640x360    30fps
hls-akfire_interconnect_quic-432                     mp4        640x360     432k , avc1.64001E, 30.0fps, mp4a.40.2
hls-fastly_skyfire-432                               mp4        640x360     432k , avc1.64001E, 30.0fps, mp4a.40.2
dash-akfire_interconnect_quic-video-9ce1b597         mp4        640x360    DASH video  691k , mp4_dash container, avc1.64001E, 30fps, mp4a.40.2 (48000Hz)
dash-fastly_skyfire-video-9ce1b597                   mp4        640x360    DASH video  691k , mp4_dash container, avc1.64001E, 30fps, mp4a.40.2 (48000Hz)
http-540p                                            mp4        960x540    30fps
hls-akfire_interconnect_quic-913                     mp4        960x540     913k , avc1.64001F, 30.0fps, mp4a.40.2
hls-fastly_skyfire-913                               mp4        960x540     913k , avc1.64001F, 30.0fps, mp4a.40.2
dash-akfire_interconnect_quic-video-bf8946ae         mp4        960x540    DASH video 1921k , mp4_dash container, avc1.64001F, 30fps, mp4a.40.2 (48000Hz)
dash-fastly_skyfire-video-bf8946ae                   mp4        960x540    DASH video 1921k , mp4_dash container, avc1.64001F, 30fps, mp4a.40.2 (48000Hz)
http-720p                                            mp4        1280x720   30fps
hls-akfire_interconnect_quic-1265                    mp4        1280x720   1265k , avc1.640020, 30.0fps, mp4a.40.2
hls-fastly_skyfire-1265                              mp4        1280x720   1265k , avc1.640020, 30.0fps, mp4a.40.2
dash-akfire_interconnect_quic-video-76a00a66         mp4        1280x720   DASH video 3130k , mp4_dash container, avc1.640020, 30fps, mp4a.40.2 (48000Hz)
dash-fastly_skyfire-video-76a00a66                   mp4        1280x720   DASH video 3130k , mp4_dash container, avc1.640020, 30fps, mp4a.40.2 (48000Hz)
http-1080p                                           mp4        1920x1080  30fps
hls-akfire_interconnect_quic-2845                    mp4        1920x1080  2845k , avc1.640028, 30.0fps, mp4a.40.2
hls-fastly_skyfire-2845                              mp4        1920x1080  2845k , avc1.640028, 30.0fps, mp4a.40.2
dash-akfire_interconnect_quic-video-5944e854         mp4        1920x1080  DASH video 5687k , mp4_dash container, avc1.640028, 30fps, mp4a.40.2 (48000Hz)
dash-fastly_skyfire-video-5944e854                   mp4        1920x1080  DASH video 5687k , mp4_dash container, avc1.640028, 30fps, mp4a.40.2 (48000Hz) (best)

Then you pick the streams you want and specify them by name (the string at the left) with the -f switch. So to get the hls-akfire_interconnect_quic_sep-276 video and hls-fastly_skyfire_sep-audio-high-audio audio:

youtube-dl -f hls-akfire_interconnect_quic_sep-276+hls-fastly_skyfire_sep-audio-high-audio "https://player.vimeo.com/video/512763473"