In this comprehensive guide, we will explore how to download everything from a YouTube video using two powerful tools: youtube-dl and ffmpeg. This includes the video, audio, subtitles, and more.
To download everything from a YouTube video, including the video, audio, subtitles, and more, you can use the powerful combination of youtube-dl and ffmpeg. By using specific commands with youtube-dl, you can download all the associated files, and ffmpeg will handle merging the video and audio into a single file.
Introduction to youtube-dl and ffmpeg
youtube-dl is a command-line program that lets you download videos from YouTube.com and several other video hosting sites. It requires the Python interpreter, and it’s not platform-specific. ffmpeg is a complete, cross-platform solution to record, convert and stream audio and video. It’s an incredibly powerful tool for handling video and audio files.
Prerequisites
Before we begin, ensure you have the following installed:
Downloading a YouTube Video
To download a YouTube video, you can use the following command:
youtube-dl [video_url]Replace [video_url] with the URL of the video you want to download. This will download the video in the highest available quality.
Downloading Everything from a YouTube Video
To download everything from a YouTube video, including subtitles, auto-generated subtitles, info JSON file, video description, thumbnail image, annotations, and metadata, use the following command:
youtube-dl --write-sub --write-auto-sub --write-info-json --write-description --write-thumbnail --write-annotations --add-metadata --embed-subs --format bestvideo+bestaudio/best --merge-output-format mkv [video_url]Let’s break down what each option does:
--write-sub: Downloads all available subtitles for the video.--write-auto-sub: Downloads auto-generated subtitles for the video.--write-info-json: Writes video metadata to a JSON file.--write-description: Writes video description to a text file.--write-thumbnail: Downloads the thumbnail of the video.--write-annotations: Downloads annotations for the video.--add-metadata: Adds metadata to the video file.--embed-subs: Embeds subtitles into the video.--format bestvideo+bestaudio/best: Downloads the best available video and audio formats.--merge-output-format mkv: Merges the video and audio into a single MKV file.
Replace [video_url] with the URL of the video you want to download. This command will download the video and all associated files in the highest available quality.
Using ffmpeg with youtube-dl
If you have ffmpeg installed, youtube-dl will automatically use it for merging the video and audio files into the final MKV file. You don’t need to link it with youtube-dl.
Conclusion
In this guide, we’ve shown you how to use youtube-dl and ffmpeg to download everything from a YouTube video. Remember to always respect copyright and only download videos for personal use. Happy downloading!
youtube-dl is a command-line program that allows you to download videos from YouTube.com and other video hosting sites. It is written in Python and is compatible with multiple platforms.
ffmpeg is a powerful tool for handling audio and video files. It can be used to record, convert, and stream audio and video content. It is a cross-platform solution and supports various formats.
To install Python, you can visit the official Python website at python.org/downloads and download the installer for your operating system. Follow the installation instructions provided on the website.
To install youtube-dl, you can visit the official GitHub repository at github.com/ytdl-org/youtube-dl#installation and follow the installation instructions provided. The installation process may vary depending on your operating system.
To install ffmpeg, you can visit the official ffmpeg website at ffmpeg.org/download.html and download the appropriate version for your operating system. Follow the installation instructions provided on the website.
To download a YouTube video, you can use the command youtube-dl [video_url], replacing [video_url] with the URL of the video you want to download. This will download the video in the highest available quality.
The --write-sub option in youtube-dl downloads all available subtitles for the video. This allows you to have access to subtitles in different languages if they are available for the video.
Yes, you can download auto-generated subtitles using the --write-auto-sub option in youtube-dl. Auto-generated subtitles are machine-generated and may not be as accurate as manually created subtitles.
The --format bestvideo+bestaudio/best option in youtube-dl downloads the best available video and audio formats for the video. This ensures that you get the highest quality video and audio files.
Yes, if you have ffmpeg installed, youtube-dl will automatically use it for merging the video and audio files into the final MKV file. You don’t need to link it separately with youtube-dl.
