[ard] video download results in 404 / Unable to download JSON metadata #26815

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opened 2026-02-21 14:29:56 -05:00 by deekerman · 6 comments
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Originally created by @lnw on GitHub (Feb 24, 2024).

  • [x ] I'm reporting a broken site support
  • [ x] I've verified that I'm running youtube-dl version 2021.12.17
    --> I'm running master / HEAD, but the version packaged in debian/testing has the same output
  • [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 issues including closed ones
    --> lots of broken URLs, but I'm fairly sure mine is correct.

Verbose log

$ youtube-dl --verbose https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/Y3JpZDovL3N3ci5kZS9hZXgvbzIwMDQ0NjI
[debug] System config: []
[debug] User config: []
[debug] Custom config: []
[debug] Command-line args: ['--verbose', 'https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/Y3JpZDovL3N3ci5kZS9hZXgvbzIwMDQ0NjI']
[debug] Encodings: locale UTF-8, fs utf-8, out utf-8, pref UTF-8
[debug] youtube-dl version 2021.12.17
[debug] Git HEAD: 40bd5c181
[debug] Python 3.11.8 (CPython x86_64 64bit) - Linux-6.6.13-amd64-x86_64-with-glibc2.37 - OpenSSL 3.1.5 30 Jan 2024 - glibc 2.37
[debug] exe versions: ffmpeg 6.1.1, ffprobe 6.1.1, rtmpdump 2.4
[debug] Proxy map: {}
[debug] Using fake IP 53.140.55.78 (DE) as X-Forwarded-For.
[ARDBetaMediathek] Y3JpZDovL3N3ci5kZS9hZXgvbzIwMDQ0NjI: Downloading JSON metadata
ERROR: : HTTP Error 404: Not Found (caused by <HTTPError 404: 'Not Found'>); please report this issue on https://yt-dl.org/bug . Make sure you are using the latest version; see https://yt-dl.org/update on how to update. Be sure to call youtube-dl with the --verbose flag and include its complete output.
File "xxx/youtube-dl/youtube_dl/extractor/common.py", line 678, in _request_webpage
return self._downloader.urlopen(url_or_request)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "xxx/youtube-dl/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py", line 2461, in urlopen
return self._opener.open(req, timeout=self._socket_timeout)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib/python3.11/urllib/request.py", line 525, in open
response = meth(req, response)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib/python3.11/urllib/request.py", line 634, in http_response
response = self.parent.error(
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib/python3.11/urllib/request.py", line 563, in error
return self._call_chain(*args)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib/python3.11/urllib/request.py", line 496, in _call_chain
result = func(*args)
^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib/python3.11/urllib/request.py", line 643, in http_error_default
raise HTTPError(req.full_url, code, msg, hdrs, fp)

Description

I can't describe much more than what is written above. I'm not located in Germany, but I get the same error with a slightly older ytdl version from a machine that is located in D, so I don't think this is a geoblocking issue.

Originally created by @lnw on GitHub (Feb 24, 2024). - [x ] I'm reporting a broken site support - [ x] I've verified that I'm running youtube-dl version **2021.12.17** --> I'm running master / HEAD, but the version packaged in debian/testing has the same output - [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 issues including closed ones --> lots of broken URLs, but I'm fairly sure mine is correct. ## Verbose log >$ youtube-dl --verbose https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/Y3JpZDovL3N3ci5kZS9hZXgvbzIwMDQ0NjI [debug] System config: [] [debug] User config: [] [debug] Custom config: [] [debug] Command-line args: ['--verbose', 'https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/Y3JpZDovL3N3ci5kZS9hZXgvbzIwMDQ0NjI'] [debug] Encodings: locale UTF-8, fs utf-8, out utf-8, pref UTF-8 [debug] youtube-dl version 2021.12.17 [debug] Git HEAD: 40bd5c181 [debug] Python 3.11.8 (CPython x86_64 64bit) - Linux-6.6.13-amd64-x86_64-with-glibc2.37 - OpenSSL 3.1.5 30 Jan 2024 - glibc 2.37 [debug] exe versions: ffmpeg 6.1.1, ffprobe 6.1.1, rtmpdump 2.4 [debug] Proxy map: {} [debug] Using fake IP 53.140.55.78 (DE) as X-Forwarded-For. [ARDBetaMediathek] Y3JpZDovL3N3ci5kZS9hZXgvbzIwMDQ0NjI: Downloading JSON metadata ERROR: : HTTP Error 404: Not Found (caused by <HTTPError 404: 'Not Found'>); please report this issue on https://yt-dl.org/bug . Make sure you are using the latest version; see https://yt-dl.org/update on how to update. Be sure to call youtube-dl with the --verbose flag and include its complete output. File "xxx/youtube-dl/youtube_dl/extractor/common.py", line 678, in _request_webpage return self._downloader.urlopen(url_or_request) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ File "xxx/youtube-dl/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py", line 2461, in urlopen return self._opener.open(req, timeout=self._socket_timeout) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ File "/usr/lib/python3.11/urllib/request.py", line 525, in open response = meth(req, response) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ File "/usr/lib/python3.11/urllib/request.py", line 634, in http_response response = self.parent.error( ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ File "/usr/lib/python3.11/urllib/request.py", line 563, in error return self._call_chain(*args) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ File "/usr/lib/python3.11/urllib/request.py", line 496, in _call_chain result = func(*args) ^^^^^^^^^^^ File "/usr/lib/python3.11/urllib/request.py", line 643, in http_error_default raise HTTPError(req.full_url, code, msg, hdrs, fp) ## Description I can't describe much more than what is written above. I'm not located in Germany, but I get the same error with a slightly older ytdl version from a machine that is located in D, so I don't think this is a geoblocking issue.
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Owner

@dirkf commented on GitHub (Feb 24, 2024):

I suspect that this is https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/7666, but the withdrawn API is now getting 404 (no idea what you mean) instead of 410 (used to know this but not any longer).

@dirkf commented on GitHub (Feb 24, 2024): I suspect that this is https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/7666, but the withdrawn API is now getting 404 (no idea what you mean) instead of 410 (used to know this but not any longer).
Author
Owner

@lnw commented on GitHub (Feb 24, 2024):

Could be. There are some differences and I don't know the underlying structure enough to say whether it is the same underlying issue.

@lnw commented on GitHub (Feb 24, 2024): Could be. There are some differences and I don't know the underlying structure enough to say whether it is the same underlying issue.
Author
Owner

@dirkf commented on GitHub (Feb 24, 2024):

Whichever issue at yt-dlp it was, back-porting the latest master fixes the problem:

$ python -m youtube_dl -vF 'https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/Y3JpZDovL3N3ci5kZS9hZXgvbzIwMDQ0NjI'
[debug] System config: []
[debug] User config: []
[debug] Custom config: []
[debug] Command-line args: [u'-vF', u'https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/Y3JpZDovL3N3ci5kZS9hZXgvbzIwMDQ0NjI']
[debug] Encodings: locale UTF-8, fs UTF-8, out UTF-8, pref UTF-8
[debug] youtube-dl version 2021.12.17
[debug] Git HEAD: 625736974
[debug] Python 2.7.15 (CPython i686 32bit) - Linux-6.1.0-18-686-pae-i686-with-debian-12.5 - OpenSSL 1.1.1a  20 Nov 2018 - glibc 2.1.3
[debug] exe versions: ffmpeg 5.1.4-0, ffprobe 5.1.4-0
[debug] Proxy map: {}
[debug] Using fake IP 53.85.116.57 (DE) as X-Forwarded-For.
[ARD:mediathek] Y3JpZDovL3N3ci5kZS9hZXgvbzIwMDQ0NjI: Downloading JSON metadata
[ARD:mediathek] 13159047: Downloading m3u8 information
[info] Available formats for 13159047:
format code    extension  resolution note
http-main-0    mp4        unknown    [deu] SD , H.264
http-main-1    mp4        unknown    [deu] Full HD , H.264
hls-main-378   m3u8       480x270    [deu]  378k , avc1.4d401e, 50.0fps, mp4a.40.2
hls-main-570   m3u8       640x360    [deu]  570k , avc1.4d401f, 50.0fps, mp4a.40.2
hls-main-906   m3u8       960x540    [deu]  906k , avc1.4d401f, 50.0fps, mp4a.40.2
hls-main-1567  m3u8       1280x720   [deu] 1567k , avc1.640020, 50.0fps, mp4a.40.2
hls-main-2796  m3u8       1920x1080  [deu] 2796k , avc1.64002a, 50.0fps, mp4a.40.2
http-main-2    mp4        unknown    [deu] HD Ready , H.264
http-main-3    mp4        unknown    [deu] SD 480p , H.264 (best)
$ 
@dirkf commented on GitHub (Feb 24, 2024): Whichever issue at yt-dlp it was, back-porting the latest master fixes the problem: ```console $ python -m youtube_dl -vF 'https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/Y3JpZDovL3N3ci5kZS9hZXgvbzIwMDQ0NjI' [debug] System config: [] [debug] User config: [] [debug] Custom config: [] [debug] Command-line args: [u'-vF', u'https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/Y3JpZDovL3N3ci5kZS9hZXgvbzIwMDQ0NjI'] [debug] Encodings: locale UTF-8, fs UTF-8, out UTF-8, pref UTF-8 [debug] youtube-dl version 2021.12.17 [debug] Git HEAD: 625736974 [debug] Python 2.7.15 (CPython i686 32bit) - Linux-6.1.0-18-686-pae-i686-with-debian-12.5 - OpenSSL 1.1.1a 20 Nov 2018 - glibc 2.1.3 [debug] exe versions: ffmpeg 5.1.4-0, ffprobe 5.1.4-0 [debug] Proxy map: {} [debug] Using fake IP 53.85.116.57 (DE) as X-Forwarded-For. [ARD:mediathek] Y3JpZDovL3N3ci5kZS9hZXgvbzIwMDQ0NjI: Downloading JSON metadata [ARD:mediathek] 13159047: Downloading m3u8 information [info] Available formats for 13159047: format code extension resolution note http-main-0 mp4 unknown [deu] SD , H.264 http-main-1 mp4 unknown [deu] Full HD , H.264 hls-main-378 m3u8 480x270 [deu] 378k , avc1.4d401e, 50.0fps, mp4a.40.2 hls-main-570 m3u8 640x360 [deu] 570k , avc1.4d401f, 50.0fps, mp4a.40.2 hls-main-906 m3u8 960x540 [deu] 906k , avc1.4d401f, 50.0fps, mp4a.40.2 hls-main-1567 m3u8 1280x720 [deu] 1567k , avc1.640020, 50.0fps, mp4a.40.2 hls-main-2796 m3u8 1920x1080 [deu] 2796k , avc1.64002a, 50.0fps, mp4a.40.2 http-main-2 mp4 unknown [deu] HD Ready , H.264 http-main-3 mp4 unknown [deu] SD 480p , H.264 (best) $ ```
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@lnw commented on GitHub (Feb 25, 2024):

Indeed, the yt-dlp master (069b2aeda) works!

@lnw commented on GitHub (Feb 25, 2024): Indeed, the yt-dlp master (069b2aeda) works!
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@JonDevOps commented on GitHub (Nov 19, 2025):

im getting the same error on soundcloud

Image
@JonDevOps commented on GitHub (Nov 19, 2025): im getting the same error on soundcloud <img width="1920" height="1080" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/7ad3095d-660a-4d5f-b0cd-0fb7de1cf56f" />
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@dirkf commented on GitHub (Nov 19, 2025):

Soundcloud is not ARD. Please open a new issue following #30839. Paste the log rather than a screenshot.

@dirkf commented on GitHub (Nov 19, 2025): Soundcloud is not ARD. Please open a new issue following #30839. Paste the log rather than a screenshot.
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starred/youtube-dl-ytdl-org#26815
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