Youtube-dl 720 YouTube Video Problem

[Tom Saurus]

I have been using YouTube-dl exclusively to download YouTube videos. I usually just go with "18" as I content with 360p. Well anyway once a week I go with best because I like to have the 720p version of a video so I either use "22" or "best". Today it didn't work for me, youtube-dl seemed to get the video but when you play the video it is all black and the sound is fine. However when I chose "18" the 360p video downloaded just perfect with picture and sound.

Here is the video:

https://youtu.be/fdp_sp4gJjU

I used to use video download helper to download Youtube videos but it has been months since it was able to do so. I certainly can live without the 720p version, I was just curious as to why it didn't work.

[butterw]

for 720p (avc + aac): youtube-dl -f 136+140 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdp_sp4gJjU

[Tom Saurus]

butterw: Thank you that worked for me. However I am confused in the youtube-dl -F which lists all the video and audio parameters, when it shows the final line "22" it seems to show that it is a video and audio file both. This new way you showed me is similar to how to download from CBC where you find the audio and add it with the video and then it gets merged. I learned the CBC method from jagabo and always I put the numbers within quotations marks, I tried it with this video with and without and it worked both ways. Once again thank you and if someone knows about "22" it would seem it must be just audio now and before it seemed to be both. I know I just got the solution and I am grateful and content with that but I would like to understand it better.

[butterw]

You are correct, there was a typo in my command.
-f 22 gives you the low bitrate youtube 720p h264. its also "best".
-f 136+140 gives you normal bitrate 720p h264

I don't know why it didn't work for you the first time round.

[Tom Saurus]

Specs of the file that will play with "audio + video numbers":

General
Complete name : C:\Users\\dwhelper\Current Shows\Even More Living Big In A Tiny House Videos\Living Big In A Tiny House Ep212 You’ve Never Seen A Tiny House Like This Before.mp4
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media
Codec ID : isom
File size : 78.5 MiB
Duration : 16mn 44s
Overall bit rate : 656 Kbps
Writing application : Lavf58.49.100

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Main@L3.1
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 3 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 16mn 44s
Bit rate : 522 Kbps
Width : 1 280 pixels
Height : 720 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 25.000 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.023
Stream size : 62.5 MiB (80%)
Title : ISO Media file produced by Google Inc.
Writing library : x264 core 155 r2901 7d0ff22
Color primaries : BT.709-5, BT.1361, IEC 61966-2-4, SMPTE RP177
Transfer characteristics : BT.709-5, BT.1361
Matrix coefficients : BT.709-5, BT.1361, IEC 61966-2-4 709, SMPTE RP177

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile : LC
Codec ID : 40
Duration : 16mn 44s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 128 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 44.1 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Delay relative to video : -512ms
Stream size : 15.3 MiB (20%)
Title : ISO Media file produced by Google Inc. Created on: 10/16/2020.
Language : English


Specs of the file that you only hear the audio downloaded with just "22" plus the url:

General
CompleteName : C:\Users\\Desktop\youtube-dl 2020 07 28\You’ve Never Seen A Tiny House Like This Before.mp4
Format : MPEG-4
Format_Profile : Base Media / Version 2
CodecID : mp42
FileSize/String : 78.5 MiB
Duration/String : 16mn 44s
OverallBitRate_Mode/String : Variable
OverallBitRate/String : 656 Kbps
Encoded_Date : UTC 2020-10-16 12:17:06
Tagged_Date : UTC 2020-10-16 12:17:06
gsst : 0
gstd : 1004054

Video
ID/String : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format_Profile : Main@L3.1
Format_Settings_CABAC/String : Yes
Format_Settings_RefFrames/String : 3 frames
CodecID : avc1
CodecID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration/String : 16mn 44s
BitRate_Mode/String : Variable
BitRate/String : 522 Kbps
Width/String : 1 280 pixels
Height/String : 720 pixels
DisplayAspectRatio/String : 16:9
FrameRate_Mode/String : Constant
FrameRate/String : 25.000 fps
ColorSpace : YUV
ChromaSubsampling : 4:2:0
BitDepth/String : 8 bits
ScanType/String : Progressive
Bits-(Pixel*Frame) : 0.023
StreamSize/String : 62.5 MiB (80%)
Title : ISO Media file produced by Google Inc. Created on: 10/16/2020.
Encoded_Date : UTC 2020-10-16 12:17:06
Tagged_Date : UTC 2020-10-16 12:17:06
Color primaries : BT.709-5, BT.1361, IEC 61966-2-4, SMPTE RP177
Transfer characteristics : BT.709-5, BT.1361
Matrix coefficients : BT.709-5, BT.1361, IEC 61966-2-4 709, SMPTE RP177

Audio
ID/String : 2
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format_Profile : LC
CodecID : 40
Duration/String : 16mn 44s
BitRate_Mode/String : Variable
BitRate/String : 128 Kbps
Channel(s)/String : 2 channels
ChannelPositions : Front: L R
SamplingRate/String : 44.1 KHz
Compression_Mode/String : Lossy
Video_Delay/String : -40ms
StreamSize/String : 15.3 MiB (20%)
Title : ISO Media file produced by Google Inc. Created on: 10/16/2020.
Language/String : English
Encoded_Date : UTC 2020-10-16 12:17:06
Tagged_Date : UTC 2020-10-16 12:17:06


I thought perhaps it was because I have not upgraded by version of VLC but MPC-BC won't even play the audio and videoredo won't open the file. The "22" method or "best" method I usually use when I look at my archives would sometimes have the larger bitrates for 720p and other times the lower rates. I notice the word "string" quite often in the specs for the file that doesn't play correctly.

[butterw]

Corrupt files do happen.

youtube-dl -F reports the info as made available:
140 m4a audio only tiny 131k , m4a_dash container, mp4a.40.2@128k (44100Hz), 15.50MiB
136 mp4 1280x720 720p 1380k , avc1.4d401f, 25fps, video only, 62.77MiB
22 mp4 1280x720 720p 656k , avc1.64001F, 25fps, mp4a.40.2@192k (44100Hz) (best)

However it often isn't accurate with regard to actual bitrates. Here: Video is 522kbps, audio is 128kbps.

[Tom Saurus]

butterw: Thank you for this additional information.