Problem downloading video from cspan.

[dethrophes]

Please follow the guide below

• You will be asked some questions and requested to provide some information, please read them carefully and answer honestly
• Put an x into all the boxes [ ] relevant to your issue (like that [x])
• Use Preview tab to see how your issue will actually look like

---

Make sure you are using the latest version: run youtube-dl --version and ensure your version is 2016.12.22. If it's not read this FAQ entry and update. Issues with outdated version will be rejected.

• [ x] I've verified and I assure that I'm running youtube-dl 2016.12.22

Before submitting an issue make sure you have:

• [ x] At least skimmed through README and most notably FAQ and BUGS sections
• [ x] Searched the bugtracker for similar issues including closed ones

What is the purpose of your issue?

• [x ] Bug report (encountered problems with youtube-dl)
• Site support request (request for adding support for a new site)
• Feature request (request for a new functionality)
• Question
• Other

---

The following sections concretize particular purposed issues, you can erase any section (the contents between triple ---) not applicable to your issue

---

youtube-dl -U --verbose https://www.c-span.org/video/\?114917-1/armed-services
[debug] System config: []
[debug] User config: []
[debug] Command-line args: [u'-U', u'--verbose', u'https://www.c-span.org/video/?114917-1/armed-services']
[debug] Encodings: locale ANSI_X3.4-1968, fs ANSI_X3.4-1968, out ANSI_X3.4-1968, pref ANSI_X3.4-1968
[debug] youtube-dl version 2016.12.22
[debug] Python version 2.7.9 - Linux-3.16.0-4-amd64-x86_64-with-debian-8.6
[debug] exe versions: avconv 11.8-6, avprobe 11.8-6
[debug] Proxy map: {}
youtube-dl is up-to-date (2016.12.22)
[CSpan] 114917: Downloading webpage
ERROR: unable to find video id and type; please report this issue on https://yt-dl.org/bug . Make sure you are using the latest version; type youtube-dl -U to update. Be sure to call youtube-dl with the --verbose flag and include its complete output.
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/home/dethrophes/scripts/python/youtube-dl/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py", line 694, in extract_info
ie_result = ie.extract(url)
File "/home/dethrophes/scripts/python/youtube-dl/youtube_dl/extractor/common.py", line 358, in extract
return self._real_extract(url)
File "/home/dethrophes/scripts/python/youtube-dl/youtube_dl/extractor/cspan.py", line 85, in _real_extract
raise ExtractorError('unable to find video id and type')
ExtractorError: unable to find video id and type; please report this issue on https://yt-dl.org/bug . Make sure you are using the latest version; type youtube-dl -U to update. Be sure to call youtube-dl with the --verbose flag and include its complete output.

[mpatel501]

I can't seem to access this video from browser. Have you tried another link on their website?

[dethrophes]

I seem to not have a great time with the cspan website, I'm not sure if there aren't some georetrictions or something.

Anyway If I open https://www.c-span.org/video/?114917-1/armed-services it doesn't show a video.
However if I look at the source and use the iframe link it works.
<iframe src='http://www.ustream.tv/embed/recorded/58428542' width='100%' frameborder='0' id='video-iframe'>

e.g. http://www.ustream.tv/embed/recorded/58428542

From what I can piece together, they have different sources for congressional/house hearings, they direct link to the congress videos when they are available.
It looks like the congress ay have switched sources, at some point, they now self host the videos, it looks like they previously used ustream to host them.

Or something like that.

so from what I can see, youtube_dl

is working on cspan self hosted videos e.g. https://www.c-span.org/video/?402947-1/hearing-naval-base-support

Doesn't seem to be working with the inlined videos hosted on the senate site. e.g.https://www.c-span.org/video/?419435-1/emerging-us-defense-challenges-worldwide-threats
which is an iframe link to http://www.senate.gov/isvp/?comm=armed&type=arch&stt=&filename=armedA120616&auto_play=false&poster=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Earmed-services%2Esenate%2Egov%2Fthemes%2Farmed-services%2Fimages%2Fvideo-poster-flash-fit%2Epng
Now in this case I can't seem to view those videos at all.. Not matter how I try. I think they may be geo locked to the us somehow.... or something, I haven't figured it out yet.

Or on the the inlined links to the older senate videos e.g. https://www.c-span.org/video/\?114917-1/armed-services frame to http://www.ustream.tv/embed/recorded/58428542

These videos seem to be working, if you grab the link from the source.

[yan12125]

Thanks for the report. Ustream videos on C-Span will be supported in the next version.

[yan12125]

Doesn't seem to be working with the inlined videos hosted on the senate site. e.g.https://www.c-span.org/video/?419435-1/emerging-us-defense-challenges-worldwide-threats

Apparently this video has been gone