Prefer ffmpeg HLS decoder for v.redd.it

[stewartadam]

Make sure you are using the latest version: run youtube-dl --version and ensure your version is 2017.11.15. If it's not, read this FAQ entry and update. Issues with outdated version will be rejected.

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• Bug report (encountered problems with youtube-dl)
• Site support request (request for adding support for a new site)
• Feature request (request for a new functionality)
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Description of your issue, suggested solution and other information

Site v.reddit.com should prefer ffmpeg HLS downloader instead of native. Using the native downloader results in some video corruption and artifacting, e.g. visible within the first few seconds of this source: youtube-dl https://v.redd.it/poqkxthgcpxz

[romellem]

Just a note for anyone wonder how to use the ffmpeg HLS downloader, add the --hls-prefer-ffmpeg flag to your command.

So using OP's sample URL, to get rid of the video corruption / artifacts, you'd run

youtube-dl --hls-prefer-ffmpeg https://v.redd.it/poqkxthgcpxz

[alext69]

--hls-prefer-ffmpeg give a worse result in my case, which I had glitches.
youtube-dl --hls-prefer-ffmpeg https://v.redd.it/5k899ezasdp31
The result is a completely broken video. The only way to download this video, without glitches, is through ripsave.com

[FichteFoll]

For me, the native downloader yields playable results (generally and for the example linked by @alext69), while videos downloaded with the ffmpeg downloader have video glitches, desynced audio and usually only play video for a few seconds after which only audio can be heard. Specifically, I can get the downloaded video to play in mpv but not the URL directly.

$ mpv https://v.redd.it/5k899ezasdp31 --ytdl-raw-options=hls-prefer-native=     

youtube-dl 2020.01.15
mpv 0.30.0

[kyleratti]

@alext69 @FichteFoll I can also confirm that --hls-prefer-ffmpeg causes the audio desync/audio-only after X seconds issue.

Seems you have to choose between video artifacts every 6 seconds or broken video + desynced audio.

[James-E-A]

This is definitely still present on

• youtube-dl version 2020.05.29
• Python version 3.8.2 (CPython)
• Fedora 32
• ffmpeg 4.2.3-static, ffprobe 4.2.3-static

stderr
stdout

[kyleratti]

Thank you @dstftw and @tsia!