Hey everyone, I’m trying to use youtube-dl to download audio from YouTube videos as MP3 files. But for some reason, I’m ending up with FLV video files instead. Here’s the command I’m using:
$cmd = '/usr/local/bin/youtube-dl -o "%(title)s.%(ext)s" -x --audio-format mp3 -- '.escapeshellarg($url).'';
I thought this would do the trick, but it’s not working as expected. The -x flag should extract the audio, and --audio-format mp3 should convert it to MP3, right? But the output is still a video file.
Am I missing something obvious here? Maybe there’s an issue with how I’m escaping the arguments or specifying the output format? Any help would be appreciated. I’m running this on a Linux system, if that makes any difference.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions!
yo hazel, had this prob too. make sure ffmpeg’s installed right. try runnin youtube-dl -U to update it. if that don’t work, use --extract-audio --audio-format mp3 instead of -x. sometimes that does the trick. good luck!
I’ve encountered similar issues with youtube-dl in the past. One thing that might help is ensuring you have the latest version installed. Sometimes older versions can have quirks with format conversion. Additionally, try adding the ‘–prefer-ffmpeg’ flag to your command. This forces youtube-dl to use FFmpeg for conversions, which can be more reliable. If you’re still having trouble, you might want to check the verbose output using ‘-v’ to see if there are any specific errors during the conversion process. Lastly, make sure your system has enough free disk space, as lack of space can sometimes cause unexpected behavior during downloads and conversions.
I’ve been using youtube-dl for years, and this issue crops up occasionally. First, make sure you’re running the latest version of youtube-dl. Outdated versions can cause unexpected behavior.
One trick that’s worked for me is specifying the output template more explicitly. Try this command:
youtube-dl -x --audio-format mp3 --audio-quality 0 -o '%(title)s.%(ext)s' [URL]
The ‘–audio-quality 0’ flag ensures you get the best possible audio. Also, double-check that FFmpeg is properly installed and accessible in your system’s PATH.
If you’re still having trouble, consider switching to yt-dlp. It’s a more actively maintained fork of youtube-dl with better performance and fewer issues. The syntax is nearly identical, so it should be an easy transition.
I’ve encountered this issue before. It’s likely related to FFmpeg configuration. First, ensure FFmpeg is correctly installed and accessible in your system path. You can verify this by running ‘ffmpeg -version’ in your terminal.
If FFmpeg is properly set up, try modifying your command slightly:
youtube-dl -x --audio-format mp3 --audio-quality 0 --postprocessor-args "-acodec libmp3lame" -o "%(title)s.%(ext)s" [URL]
This explicitly specifies the MP3 codec and should force the conversion. If you’re still getting FLV files, check the verbose output with ‘-v’ flag to identify any conversion errors.
As a last resort, consider using yt-dlp, a more actively maintained fork of youtube-dl. It often handles these edge cases better and has improved performance overall.
hey hazel, i’ve run into this bug before. try adding --audio-quality 0. sometimes youtube-dl acts weird. also, double check ur ffmpeg install cause it’s needed for conversion. if issues persist, maybe try yt-dlp? good luck!