Downloaded Matroska file does not play, conversion fails as well

[Alexander Leodolter]

License: alex...@leodolter.at

Today I encountered some problems when downloading Matroska files from YouTube.

I would kindly ask you to check. Thank you!

Source file: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=389cusuKOGs at 1080p

Conversion log:

Konvertieren von 'Was ist Theta Healing? - YouTube' fehlgeschlagen

ffmpeg version n4.1.5-vdhcoapp Copyright (c) 2000-2020 the FFmpeg developers
  built with gcc 9.3-win32 (GCC) 20200320
  configuration: --cross-prefix=x86_64-w64-mingw32- --sysroot=/usr/x86_64-w64-mingw32/ --extra-ldflags=-static-libgcc --target-os=mingw32 --arch=x86_64 --prefix=/home/mig/git/vdhcoapp/converter/src-build/win/64/converter-build --extra-version=vdhcoapp --extra-cflags=-I/home/mig/git/vdhcoapp/converter/src-build/win/64/deps/include --extra-ldflags='-static-libgcc -L/home/mig/git/vdhcoapp/converter/src-build/win/64/deps/lib -L/home/mig/git/vdhcoapp/converter/src-build/win/64/zlib' --extra-libs=-lpthread --pkg-config=/usr/bin/x86_64-w64-mingw32-pkg-config --enable-shared --enable-gpl --enable-pthreads --disable-w32threads --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libopus --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libwebp --enable-libx265 --enable-libxvid --enable-libx264 --enable-libaom --enable-avresample --disable-doc
  libavutil      56. 22.100 / 56. 22.100
  libavcodec     58. 35.100 / 58. 35.100
  libavformat    58. 20.100 / 58. 20.100
  libavdevice    58.  5.100 / 58.  5.100
  libavfilter     7. 40.101 /  7. 40.101
  libavresample   4.  0.  0 /  4.  0.  0
  libswscale      5.  3.100 /  5.  3.100
  libswresample   3.  3.100 /  3.  3.100
  libpostproc    55.  3.100 / 55.  3.100
[matroska,webm @ 0000029c3fe697c0] Could not find codec parameters for stream 1 (Video: h264, none, 1920x1080): unspecified pixel format
Consider increasing the value for the 'analyzeduration' and 'probesize' options
Input #0, matroska,webm, from 'C:\Users\ltf\AppData\Local\Temp\vdh-21836ljOxdrJpnCie.mkv':
  Metadata:
    ENCODER         : Lavf58.20.100
  Duration: 00:03:48.74, start: -0.007000, bitrate: 109 kb/s
    Stream #0:0(eng): Audio: opus, 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp (default)
    Metadata:
      DURATION        : 00:03:48.741000000
    Stream #0:1: Video: h264, none, 1920x1080, 1k tbr, 1k tbn, 2k tbc (default)
    Metadata:
      HANDLER_NAME    : ISO Media file produced by Google Inc. Created on: 06/04/2022.
      DURATION        : 00:00:00.000000000
Stream mapping:
  Stream #0:1 -> #0:0 (h264 (native) -> h264 (libx264))
  Stream #0:0 -> #0:1 (opus (native) -> aac (native))
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
[AVFilterGraph @ 0000029c418ca300] [Eval @ 000000f77d1fdd20] Undefined constant or missing '(' in 'auto'
[AVFilterGraph @ 0000029c418ca300] Unable to parse option value "auto"
Too many packets buffered for output stream 0:1.
[aac @ 0000029c4185c1c0] Qavg: 2050.422
[aac @ 0000029c4185c1c0] 2 frames left in the queue on closing
Conversion failed!

[Wild Willy]

I got the 1920x1080 video to download without errors. But then, I am using VDH 7.6.3a1
beta. There are newer betas but they are missing the livestream fixes Michel included in
this beta. So I am sticking with this beta until he ports his livestream fixes forward
to a newer beta. Hello Michel. Are you listening?

However, what I got in this alleged 1920x1080 video was audio without video. So I tried
the 854x480 variant. It was also audio without video. So then I tried the 640x360
variant. It had both video & audio.

In cases like this, it's not VDH's fault. This is what is there. YouTube does this
sometimes. Other users have encountered this in the past. It just happens. You may
want a nice hi-res video but you are just not going to get it. YouTube is tricking us
into thinking there is one there but there isn't. You have to be satisfied with the one
that works & move on to other things in life.

[Alexander Leodolter]

Thank you for your answer. Is there any way to compensate thus cases in VDH by e.g. correcting the stream? It seems that Easy Youtube Video Downloader has no problem with those videos.

However, I hope that Michel would be able to provide a solution :-)