--audio-format FORMAT ignored to download opus audio. Could not write header for output file #0 #19064

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opened 2026-02-21 10:24:55 -05:00 by deekerman · 0 comments

deekerman commented

2026-02-21 10:24:55 -05:00

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Originally created by @Foxtrod89 on GitHub (Jan 8, 2020).

Checklist

I'm reporting a broken site support issue
I've verified that I'm running youtube-dl version 2020.01.01
I've checked that all provided URLs are alive and playable in a browser
I've checked that all URLs and arguments with special characters are properly quoted or escaped
I've searched the bugtracker for similar bug reports including closed ones
I've read bugs section in FAQ

Verbose log

youtube-dl --list-formats https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BDq_22PfWU&t=628s
[youtube] 4BDq_22PfWU: Downloading webpage
[youtube] 4BDq_22PfWU: Downloading video info webpage
[info] Available formats for 4BDq_22PfWU:
format code  extension  resolution note
249          webm       audio only tiny   51k , opus @ 50k (48000Hz), 31.25MiB
250          webm       audio only tiny   81k , opus @ 70k (48000Hz), 44.20MiB
251          webm       audio only tiny  133k , opus @160k (48000Hz), 74.26MiB
140          m4a        audio only tiny  135k , m4a_dash container, mp4a.40.2@128k (44100Hz), 87.77MiB
278          webm       256x144    144p   96k , webm container, vp9, 30fps, video only, 47.91MiB
160          mp4        256x144    144p  113k , avc1.4d400c, 30fps, video only, 40.44MiB
242          webm       426x240    240p  211k , vp9, 30fps, video only, 69.92MiB
133          mp4        426x240    240p  256k , avc1.4d4015, 30fps, video only, 94.52MiB
243          webm       640x360    360p  379k , vp9, 30fps, video only, 131.62MiB
134          mp4        640x360    360p  502k , avc1.4d401e, 30fps, video only, 183.92MiB
244          webm       854x480    480p  680k , vp9, 30fps, video only, 213.12MiB
135          mp4        854x480    480p  898k , avc1.4d401f, 30fps, video only, 333.53MiB
247          webm       1280x720   720p 1255k , vp9, 30fps, video only, 436.30MiB
136          mp4        1280x720   720p 1810k , avc1.4d401f, 30fps, video only, 686.32MiB
248          webm       1920x1080  1080p 2250k , vp9, 30fps, video only, 712.87MiB
137          mp4        1920x1080  1080p 3311k , avc1.640028, 30fps, video only, 1.29GiB
43           webm       640x360    360p , vp8.0, vorbis@128k, 400.22MiB
18           mp4        640x360    360p  393k , avc1.42001E, mp4a.40.2@ 96k (44100Hz), 266.68MiB
22           mp4        1280x720   720p 1140k , avc1.64001F, mp4a.40.2@192k (44100Hz) (best)

Description

I want to extract best OPUS based audio from Youtube.
For that i'm using:
--no-check-certificate --prefer-insecure --audio-format opus --extract-audio --postprocessor-args "-acodec libopus -b:a 64K" --external-downloader aria2c --external-downloader-args "-x16 -s16 -k1M"
It does work sometimes when you have m4a container as "best" audio stream, does work if you manually specify -format 251 which is overkill.
It doesn't work with for m4a_dash container as best possible audio stream.
I'm assuming because there is no way to demux opus from m4a_dash. Reported as bug due to switch --audio-format opus which will force youtubedl to get opus stream(best/worst???)

ENVIRONMENTS : Windows 7 x64, ffmpeg version N-71192-g3c91239, youtube-dl.exe
2020.01.01
OBSERVED RESULT: will not getting opus stream even with --audio-format opus
Could not write header for output file #0 - error pops up.
EXPECTED RESULT: will get opus stream.

Originally created by @Foxtrod89 on GitHub (Jan 8, 2020).  ## Checklist  - [x] I'm reporting a broken site support issue - [x] I've verified that I'm running youtube-dl version **2020.01.01** - [x] I've checked that all provided URLs are alive and playable in a browser - [x] I've checked that all URLs and arguments with special characters are properly quoted or escaped - [x] I've searched the bugtracker for similar bug reports including closed ones - [x] I've read bugs section in FAQ ## Verbose log  ``` youtube-dl --list-formats https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BDq_22PfWU&t=628s [youtube] 4BDq_22PfWU: Downloading webpage [youtube] 4BDq_22PfWU: Downloading video info webpage [info] Available formats for 4BDq_22PfWU: format code extension resolution note 249 webm audio only tiny 51k , opus @ 50k (48000Hz), 31.25MiB 250 webm audio only tiny 81k , opus @ 70k (48000Hz), 44.20MiB 251 webm audio only tiny 133k , opus @160k (48000Hz), 74.26MiB 140 m4a audio only tiny 135k , m4a_dash container, mp4a.40.2@128k (44100Hz), 87.77MiB 278 webm 256x144 144p 96k , webm container, vp9, 30fps, video only, 47.91MiB 160 mp4 256x144 144p 113k , avc1.4d400c, 30fps, video only, 40.44MiB 242 webm 426x240 240p 211k , vp9, 30fps, video only, 69.92MiB 133 mp4 426x240 240p 256k , avc1.4d4015, 30fps, video only, 94.52MiB 243 webm 640x360 360p 379k , vp9, 30fps, video only, 131.62MiB 134 mp4 640x360 360p 502k , avc1.4d401e, 30fps, video only, 183.92MiB 244 webm 854x480 480p 680k , vp9, 30fps, video only, 213.12MiB 135 mp4 854x480 480p 898k , avc1.4d401f, 30fps, video only, 333.53MiB 247 webm 1280x720 720p 1255k , vp9, 30fps, video only, 436.30MiB 136 mp4 1280x720 720p 1810k , avc1.4d401f, 30fps, video only, 686.32MiB 248 webm 1920x1080 1080p 2250k , vp9, 30fps, video only, 712.87MiB 137 mp4 1920x1080 1080p 3311k , avc1.640028, 30fps, video only, 1.29GiB 43 webm 640x360 360p , vp8.0, vorbis@128k, 400.22MiB 18 mp4 640x360 360p 393k , avc1.42001E, mp4a.40.2@ 96k (44100Hz), 266.68MiB 22 mp4 1280x720 720p 1140k , avc1.64001F, mp4a.40.2@192k (44100Hz) (best) ``` ## Description  I want to extract best OPUS based audio from Youtube. For that i'm using: `--no-check-certificate --prefer-insecure --audio-format opus --extract-audio --postprocessor-args "-acodec libopus -b:a 64K" --external-downloader aria2c --external-downloader-args "-x16 -s16 -k1M"` It does work sometimes when you have **m4a** container as "best" audio stream, does work if you manually specify -format 251 which is overkill. It doesn't work with for **m4a_dash** container as best possible audio stream. I'm assuming because there is no way to demux opus from m4a_dash. Reported as bug due to switch *--audio-format opus* which will force youtubedl to get opus stream(best/worst???) ENVIRONMENTS : Windows 7 x64, ffmpeg version N-71192-g3c91239, youtube-dl.exe 2020.01.01 OBSERVED RESULT: will not getting opus stream even with --audio-format opus Could not write header for output file #0 - error pops up. EXPECTED RESULT: will get opus stream.

deekerman

2026-02-21 10:24:55 -05:00

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starred/youtube-dl-ytdl-org#19064

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