Is it just me, or VLC can't play YouTube anymore?

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

Well I disagree, but you're welcome to prove me wrong with a patch that illustrates how it's a different issue.

[kymoh]

If nobody is making a new patch, then is it possible to learn how to do it myself? Where to get started?

[CineMan]

Have lua from 8 June, won't work

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

If nobody is making a new patch, then is it possible to learn how to do it myself? Where to get started?

Figure out if/how it works in some other program? If people knew an easy way to fix the issue, they would have done so already.

[Silver Dabbler]

I found a workaround solution with a Firefox add-on until this gets fixed by VLC. I only installed it today and the free version works in a miserable 360p resolution. But it works. If you want greater resolution you have to get the Pro version (make a donation).

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefo ... -download/

WARNING. Comments I read suggested the Pro access may be revoked at any time. With a business model like that I have not given them anything, so can not verify it works. But while still using the free version, one video I tried at 1080p was apparently already in their cache, so that worked for me. (A popup message explains that if a PRO user downloads a video it stays in their cache for 24 hours and free users can access it).

As the developers of the add-on appear to have overcome the Youtube change, hopefully someone will work out how to do it with VLC.

[Lotesdelere]

The workaround is there and it's free:
https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.ph ... 15#p495615

Where of course, you have to replace youtube-dl.exe with yt-dlp.exe and to set the correct path to VLC.exe.

[Silver Dabbler]

Thanks for that. I got it working to some extent but after spending a couple of hours understanding the batch file, looking for options in the huge documentation file on yt-dlp, then testing a few times, I have not got a satisfactory result. It looks like great software to tailor exactly what you want, but it's wealth of powerful features and required learning curve make it too complex for my purposes.

So I "donated" $10 for the Pro version of the Firefox add-on and can now download 1080p with two clicks.

[Lacalum]

No news about whether you are working on the patch?

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

I'm not sure who you is supposed to be. If Silver Dabbler just paid $10 to use another tool, it seems safe to assume that they, of all people, are not working on a fix. I don't think anyone is working on a fix.

[vlcmo]

Any update?

[vlcmo]

So I guess it's done for VLC and streaming YouTube videos.

Okay guys, find something else.

[Steamywee]

Hey guys, Patience!
Anyone would think you were paying for VLC!
Wait until the clever guys sort it out!!

[vlcmo]

Just realized Vimeo and other video sites don't work either.

VLC's streaming ability is officially over guys. Try elsewhere.

[fazzii]

We are all suffering the same issue - cannot stream from YouTube any more.
ifr a patch is released by VideoLan, how can we get notification?

[ArtView]

"A Stitch In Time, Saves Nine": A Viable Working VLC Alternative That Is Up & Running...

If this very same VLC alternative has been previously posted somewhere on the forums, please forgive me. "To err is human, to forgive is divine."

Please allow me to preface this Viable Working VLC Alternative solution, by saying in all humility and honesty, if I can download YouTube videos with this "Little Gem" anyone and everyone on this forum can do it.

Here we go...

Recently a YouTube Video was posted June 19, 2024, titled, How To Run Yt-Dlp on Windows, which is
4 minutes and 8 seconds in length, that shows how to download YouTube videos easily and efficiently, at no cost, no daily limits, no trial period, that involves the following basic procedure:
1. Download two simple files, from two different websites. The links are in the Video Description.
2. Creating a new folder on your Windows desktop.
3. Placing both simple files (.exe) in the new folder.
4. Naming the folder "yt-dlp" (without the quotes).
5. Creating a path, any path you want, to any drive (C or D or E or...) you want, and placing the "yt-dlp" folder at the end of the path.

Today, Thursday, August 29, 2024, I watched the YouTube video, followed the instructions presented in the video, and EUREKA!!!! The world is beautiful again, because I am downloading YouTube videos to my desktop computer, once again, like I did with VLC, since the dinosaurs were roaming the earth.

There are a few caveats to remember that will eliminate any potential frustration during this process:
1. Make sure you copy the YouTube URL correctly there should be no "=" or "&" or other strange characters at the end of the YouTube URL.
2. IF the Windows cmd command prompt window is open, during the this process, make sure to close the cmd command prompt window, then re-open the cmd command prompt window and copy and post the YouTube video URL at the end of the path you created with the yt-dlp folder.
3. When you copy and past the YouTube video URL, on the path that you created, make sure to leave a space between the ytp-dlp and the "https" of the YouTube video URL. (as shown in the video).
4. As stated in the video at timemark 2:55, "yt-dlp is capable of copying content available in 1080 Enhance Bitrate which is a quality choice only available to YouTube Premium Users."

To put this "Little Gem" through the acid test, after I performed the above procedure, I downloaded the "Little Gem" itself, "How To Run Yt-Dlp on Windows" and the video dowloaded easily and efficiently, making the world beautiful again. The downloaded YouTube video plays identical, both the video and the audio, as the original YouTube video that was posted on YouTube. Verbatim!

As an added bonus, the downloaded YouTube video does play on the VLC player.

In the event that the venerable VLC will be returning in the very distant future, if at all, a heartfelt "Thank You" to the developers (some with a 20+ year run with VLC) and all the posters that contributed to the success of VLC, throughout the years.

Here is the link that will bring you blue skies and green lights, allowing you to download YouTube videos once again. IT WORKS!!!

Happy YouTube video downloading to all... and to all a good night!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzqCEsip77U
How To Run Yt-Dlp on Windows
BARA-TONE

[Steamywee]

@ArtView Good spot!
I'll give it a try.
Seems to be much like "get_iplayer" which is another Godsend.
I too "know nothing" and am guided by and thankful for the wisdom of others who are adept in this, and possibly other "black arts"!

[Steamywee]

@ArtView, or anyone who can understand this instruction set!
I have followed the "basic procedure" up to but not including step 5:-
5. Creating a path, any path you want, to any drive (C or D or E or...) you want, and placing the "yt-dlp" folder at the end of the path.
At this point, I get totally lost, both with this instruction and trying to follow the steps in the video.
If as shown in the video, I move the yt-dlp folder to "C:\" then using "Advanced System Settings", adding the path to it, Command Prompt makes all kinds of excuses why it can't understand any commands involving that path!
What have I done wrong?

[Steamywee]

@ArtView, Still struggling!
Found this https://www.reddit.com/r/youtubedl/comm ... on_making/ from 3 years ago, it's archived but still useful info.
It varies from your tutorial in that it advises to put the new path into the "User variables Path" and not the "System variables Path.
Could that be why Cmd spits it out??
I'm afraid I don't know enough to even attempt to reason it out!

[Lotesdelere]

I already posted it but it looks like no one has noticed it so I post it again.
The workaround for VLC is there and it's free:
https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.ph ... 15#p495615

Where of course, you have to replace youtube-dl.exe with yt-dlp.exe and to set the correct path to VLC.exe.

[Steamywee]

@lotesdelere clear as mud!
only serves to confuse the already bewildered!

[vlcmo]

Do the yt-dlp people know something that the VLC people don't?
If it works for them, why can't it work for VLC?

[Steamywee]

Fed up with this thread, no one replies to anyone else's comments.
Just everyone complaining rather that attempting to solve their own problem regardless of how much or little (in my case) knowledge they have.
I've struggled to install and run "yt-dlp" but at least I now have acceptable output, despite knowing that my install is probably totally wrong.
That will probably come back some day to bite me on the bum!
It's not as simple as the streaming facility of VLC was, but it achieves the goal.
May be VLC's own facility will return one day, who knows.

[Silver Dabbler]

Do the yt-dlp people know something that the VLC people don't?
If it works for them, why can't it work for VLC?

It takes development work. Volunteers do that. Perhaps there is not enough appreciation for what they do to bother. Do you appreciate what they do?

[Edited by mod]