Fails to download videos from certain URLs #399

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opened 2026-02-20 23:02:58 -05:00 by deekerman · 1 comment

deekerman commented

2026-02-20 23:02:58 -05:00

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Originally created by @niyazpk on GitHub (Nov 23, 2012).

Command:

youtube-dl -cit http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wB3R5Xk2gTY

Result:

[youtube] Setting language
[youtube] watch: Downloading video webpage
ERROR: unable to download video webpage: HTTP Error 404: Not Found
'v' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

This command is working though:

youtube-dl -cil http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wB3R5Xk2gTY

So I assume it has something to do with the URL params.

Originally created by @niyazpk on GitHub (Nov 23, 2012). Command: ``` youtube-dl -cit http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wB3R5Xk2gTY ``` Result: ``` [youtube] Setting language [youtube] watch: Downloading video webpage ERROR: unable to download video webpage: HTTP Error 404: Not Found 'v' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file. ``` This command is working though: ``` youtube-dl -cil http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wB3R5Xk2gTY ``` So I assume it has something to do with the URL params.

deekerman closed this issue

2026-02-20 23:03:00 -05:00

deekerman commented

2026-02-20 23:03:01 -05:00

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@Tailszefox commented on GitHub (Nov 24, 2012):

This is because of the ampersand in the URL of the video, as well as some other special characters depending on the shell you're using. Your second URL was simpler, that's why it worked with it. To solve that, simply quote your URL:

% youtube-dl -cit "http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wB3R5Xk2gTY"
[youtube] Setting language
[youtube] wB3R5Xk2gTY: Downloading video webpage
[youtube] wB3R5Xk2gTY: Downloading video info webpage
[youtube] wB3R5Xk2gTY: Extracting video information
[download] Destination: Elon Musk lecture at the Royal Aeronautical Society-wB3R5Xk2gTY.flv
[download]   1.1% of 227.59M at   21.59k/s ETA --:--

On Linux, I'd say it's better to use single quotes but given the error message, I assume you're using Windows, which seems to not take into account single quotes. Double quotes should still do the trick, though.

@Tailszefox commented on GitHub (Nov 24, 2012): This is because of the ampersand in the URL of the video, as well as some other special characters depending on the shell you're using. Your second URL was simpler, that's why it worked with it. To solve that, simply quote your URL: ``` % youtube-dl -cit "http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wB3R5Xk2gTY" [youtube] Setting language [youtube] wB3R5Xk2gTY: Downloading video webpage [youtube] wB3R5Xk2gTY: Downloading video info webpage [youtube] wB3R5Xk2gTY: Extracting video information [download] Destination: Elon Musk lecture at the Royal Aeronautical Society-wB3R5Xk2gTY.flv [download] 1.1% of 227.59M at 21.59k/s ETA --:-- ``` On Linux, I'd say it's better to use single quotes but given the error message, I assume you're using Windows, which seems to not take into account single quotes. Double quotes should still do the trick, though.

deekerman referenced this issue

2026-02-21 01:29:51 -05:00

Vine error #3643

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starred/youtube-dl-ytdl-org#399

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