pywidevine+mp4dec used to work, not anymore

[xistresis]

So I used to be able to download and decrypt, but it was a year ago I wonder what changed and why it doesnt work anymore.

this was my process:

1. yt-dlp url/manifest.mpd --allow-unplayable-formats

2. pywidevine create-device -k private_key.pem -c client_id.bin -t ANDROID -l3 -o WVD\

3. found my keys with a browser extension which I don't remember anymore, but found now through pssh etc

4. Video ./mp4decrypt --show-progress --key kid:key video.mp4 output.mp4

5. Audio ./mp4decrypt --show-progress --key kid:key audio.m4a output.m4a

so it stops at 2.

I run the command on terminal, then when i type 4. I get the error

> ./mp4decrypt --show-progress --key a417defe027752a186cf5f9c34e18d21:aec64d99143b103b192cd2ba4f097068 video.mp4 output.mp4                
INFO:root:pywidevine version 1.8.0 Copyright (c) 2022-2025 rlaphoenix
INFO:root:https://github.com/devine-dl/pywidevine
Usage: pywidevine create-device [OPTIONS]
Try 'pywidevine create-device --help' for help.

Error: No such option: --show-progress

without --show-progress it says Error: Got unexpected extra arguments (video.mp4 output.mp4)

Before it was flawless.

Please help or direct me to a simpler updated way of doing this. MacOS

[Obo]

You only need to perform step 2 once. Once you have your wvd file, you'll simply reuse it.

But: there is no step in your list where you actually use a wvd file. It's for use in a script or with the browser extension you don't remember anymore (it probably is WidevineProxy2 - look at the stickies: https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/416316-%5BRelease%5D-WidevineProxy2-Extension-Bypa...s-Lic-wrapping)

If you already have your keys mp4decrypt should simply work as outlined in your steps 4 and 5.

The terminal output is kind of strange and at least incomplete. It seems you pasted the commands for step 2 and step 4 together, and --show-progress somehow got attached to the pywidevine command instead of mp4decrypt.

I'd suggest you use the browser extension (with the wvd file generated from step 2 and the N_m3u8DL-RE command). That should really be everything you need.

[stew]

judging by the output, your mp4decrypt is actually pywidevine. you've messed up your tools somehow. re-download/re-extract mp4decrypt