Downloading 720 instead of 1080 even with ffmpeg installed

[TarekSalama]

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Add the -v flag to your command line you run youtube-dl with (youtube-dl -v <your command line>), copy the whole output and insert it here. It should look similar to one below (replace it with your log inserted between triple ```):

[debug] System config: [u'--no-overwrites', u'--no-cache-dir', u'--ignore-errors', u'--batch-file', u'/Users/tareksalama/Desktop/batchvideos.txt', u'-o', u'/Users/tareksalama/Desktop/Youtube/downloads/%(uploader)s/%(title)s_%(uploader)s_%(id)s.%(ext)s', u'-f', u'best', u'-v']
[debug] User config: []
[debug] Custom config: []
[debug] Command-line args: [u'-U']
[debug] Batch file urls: [u'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p80Kqj6rV50s']
[debug] Encodings: locale UTF-8, fs utf-8, out UTF-8, pref UTF-8
[debug] youtube-dl version 2017.12.31
[debug] Python version 2.7.10 - Darwin-17.3.0-x86_64-i386-64bit
[debug] exe versions: ffmpeg 3.4, ffprobe 3.4
[debug] Proxy map: {}
...
<end of log>

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Description of your issue, suggested solution and other information

I have been getting most if not all of my downloads in 720 instead of 1080 even though - as far as I know ffmpeg needs to be installed for 1080 + best audio - ffmpeg is indeed installed.

Am I doing something wrong or is it a bug?

[dstftw]

Post the verbose log clearly demonstrating the problem.

[Hrxn]

From your system config:

[debug] System config: ((...)), u'-f', u'best', u'-v']

-f best chooses best available format as a single file, for 1080p use -f bestvideo+bestaudio (or just the default format setting)

[TarekSalama]

@Hrxn Is there a way to specify 1080 + best audio and perhaps mp4 instead of mkv?

[Hrxn]

Sure, maybe try something like -f 'bestvideo[ext=mp4]+bestaudio[ext=m4a]'

[TarekSalama]

@Hrxn Thanks for the reply. One last question, some videos/websites don't support mp4. Is there a way to make youtube-dl fallback to the regular video settings?

[Hrxn]

Sure, try something like this:
-f '(bestvideo[ext=mp4]/bestvideo)+(bestaudio[ext=m4a]/bestaudio)/best'

[TarekSalama]

Thanks a lot @Hrxn Really helped :)