[YouTube] Itag 18 not loading anymore

[geroale]

ytdl is not able to download itag 18 any more of certain videos, like this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fk2prKnYnI. Format 18 is returned by both the API and the webpage, but the URL inside of it is not playable (even after deciphering the signature and n-sig) and returns 404. other formats are working.

[4rvx]

When you do ytdl.chooseFormat() can you play the .url in ur browser?

[geroale]

No, the url is not playable from the API, nor from the webpage (after deciphering). It is possible to reproduce the issue with this videoId 4fk2prKnYnI, but there are many others.

[4rvx]

@geroale i think it is something to do with youtube then if it's not playing in the browser too

ytdl-core cannnot download it, if even the browser can't play it

[geroale]

@4rvii Youtube may starting to remove this format. If that is the case, the problem may be very serious because itag 18 is the only format (or at least commonly returned by youtube) that has both audio and video. So if that gradually gets deprecated, it may be a very serious issue for ytdl.

[4rvx]

@geroale Or you can just use format to select one that has both audio and video

format.hasAudio == true && format.hasVideo == true

[geroale]

I think we can close this issue as in the end it seems that it was a temporary issue on the youtube end.

[a26364177]

same here
https://youtu.be/J5Z7tIq7bco?si=7giorci63vYSGokg
can't play itag 18 url