Anybody want to crack the new code of WatchESPN streams (with 7 bars of quality)?

[BusterAvis]

Hello, I'm about to show you two screenshots below, shown at the bottom of this message. The top screenshot of the two images below represents the old (and current platform for most) ESPN streams. The bottom screenshot represents what ESPN is doing for some of their new streams, and all of their SEC streams for SEC+ sports programs live and on demand.

We already know how to download the old (current) method, for most WatchESPN videos (RTMP Dump Helper works, as does Replay Media Catcher). However, the 2nd of the two screenshots below, does not work for either RTMP Dump Helper or Replay Media Cather, at least it doesn't work when using the same procedure (maybe a different procedure will work?). Notice the difference between the two screenshots below. One has 4 bars, the other has 7 bars of quality. Several of the newer videos and the SEC+ videos on demand have 7 bars of quality and seem to be impossible to catch the stream and download it. But maybe someone can help. I'm not interested in recording off the screen (I already have Replay Video Capture, but prefer not to use that for ESPN streams, as I like catching and downloading the stream much better).

Take this video link from below for example (if you have WatchESPN, please feel free to check on this yourself) ....

Here's the link to an example of an ESPN3 video that can't be downloaded?:
http://espn.go.com/watchespn/player/_/id/2569576/

Notice how after clicking on that link above, there are now 7 bars of quality, instead of 4 bars. Now, I know a lot of the current ESPN3 (WatchESPN) videos still use 4 bars of quality. But I have a feeling that these new videos with 7 bars of quality will be the standard going forward at some point. That means it's possible for those out there (including myself) that download videos from ESPN3, well we might no longer be able to do so in the near future, unless we can crack this code for the 7 bar ones. So far, I've had no luck with these newer ESPN3 videos, which also include all the SEC (SEC+) videos. Can anyone help? Thanks.


Please reference the "blue" circle that is manually added to both screenshots below (it is hard to see at first), but you can see in the 2nd screenshot that there are 7 potential bars of quality in the blue circle. I don't even know if the quality is different, but the WatchESPN videos in which there are 7 bars of quality seem to be encrypted differently than the traditional 4 bar videos, and so far the 7 bar ones seem to be impossible to download. Maybe there's a way to download it going the m3u8 file route?

I have never failed to be able to catch and download the 4 bar ones. But I have never succeeded yet in getting any of the 7 bar ones. As always, please feel free to help. Thanks.


4 bars of Quality:




7 bars of Quality:



*Link* to 7 bars of Quality (example):
http://espn.go.com/watchespn/player/_/id/2569576/

[slim94]

i can't zoom in to make the images bigger to see what you're referring to.

[slim94]

I'm able to grab the 720p stream without issue...with livestreamer and the m3u8.

http://content.uplynk.com/ext/d09b16c953aa40c98dd8c513526aca5a/a18313959.m3u8?ad.kv=_fw_ae,d8b58f7bfce28eefcc1cdd5b95c3b663&exp=1433942138&rn=276675129&tc=1&oid=d09b16c953aa40c98dd8c513526aca5a&linearv=4&ad=secplus&ad.ulbd=1&ad.csid=watchespn:null:secplus&ad.caid=a18313959&eid=a18313959&euid=SEC_VDMS&ct=a&sig=0571c900f014c906255f0e9321f4059922cf4017c1313260627d80ac206d028a

livestreamer "hlsvariant://http://content.uplynk.com/ext/d09b16c
953aa40c98dd8c513526aca5a/a18313959.m3u8?ad.kv=_fw_ae,d8b58f7bfce28eefcc1cdd5b95
c3b663&exp=1433942138&rn=276675129&tc=1&oid=d09b16c953aa40c98dd8c513526aca5a&lin
earv=4&ad=secplus&ad.ulbd=1&ad.csid=watchespn:null:secplus&ad.caid=a18313959&eid
=a18313959&euid=SEC_VDMS&ct=a&sig=0571c900f014c906255f0e9321f4059922cf4017c13132
60627d80ac206d028a" best -o espn.mp4
[cli][info] Found matching plugin stream for URL hlsvariant://http://content.upl
ynk.com/ext/d09b16c953aa40c98dd8c513526aca5a/a18313959.m3u8?ad.kv=_fw_ae,d8b58f7
bfce28eefcc1cdd5b95c3b663&exp=1433942138&rn=276675129&tc=1&oid=d09b16c953aa40c98
dd8c513526aca5a&linearv=4&ad=secplus&ad.ulbd=1&ad.csid=watchespn:null:secplus&ad
.caid=a18313959&eid=a18313959&euid=SEC_VDMS&ct=a&sig=0571c900f014c906255f0e9321f
4059922cf4017c1313260627d80ac206d028a
[cli][info] Available streams: 180p (worst), 288p, 432p, 504p, 720p (best)
[cli][info] Opening stream: 720p (hls)

[BusterAvis]

Thanks slim94.
Where do I copy and paste this code at?
I tried it in command prompt after downloading livestreamer, and it didn't work.

Code:
livestreamer "hlsvariant://http://content.uplynk.com/ext/d09b16c
953aa40c98dd8c513526aca5a/a18313959.m3u8?ad.kv=_fw_ae,d8b58f7bfce28eefcc1cdd 5b95
c3b663&exp=1433942138&rn=276675129&tc=1&oid=d09b16 c953aa40c98dd8c513526aca5a&lin
earv=4&ad=secplus&ad.ulbd=1&ad.csid=watchespn:null :secplus&ad.caid=a18313959&eid
=a18313959&euid=SEC_VDMS&ct=a&sig=0571c900f014c906 255f0e9321f4059922cf4017c13132
60627d80ac206d028a" best -o espn.mp4
[cli][info] Found matching plugin stream for URL hlsvariant://http://content.upl
ynk.com/ext/d09b16c953aa40c98dd8c513526aca5a/a18313959.m3u8?ad.kv=_fw_ae,d8b58f7
bfce28eefcc1cdd5b95c3b663&exp=1433942138&rn=276675 129&tc=1&oid=d09b16c953aa40c98
dd8c513526aca5a&linearv=4&ad=secplus&ad.ulbd=1&ad. csid=watchespn:null:secplus&ad
.caid=a18313959&eid=a18313959&euid=SEC_VDMS&ct=a&s ig=0571c900f014c906255f0e9321f
4059922cf4017c1313260627d80ac206d028a
[cli][info] Available streams: 180p (worst), 288p, 432p, 504p, 720p (best)
[cli][info] Opening stream: 720p (hls)

[slim94]

Likely because the stream expired by the time you got to it. You'll need to sniff out the m3u8 yourself and try it

[BusterAvis]

Thanks. I must not be doing something right with Command Prompt.
I am able to sniff a new m3u8 source file, using Replay Media Catcher. Here's the new source code:



New Source Code:
http://content-ause2.uplynk.com/148e...8c0 2ef91367e



Here's what I attempted to type (exactly as verbatim) in Command Prompt:



Here's the output I get in Command Prompt after typing/pasting that code:




Here's the error from the output I get (circled in red below):

[joejones15]

you need to update your Livestreamer software

[BusterAvis]

I still can't get this to work for any of the WatchESPN (ESPN3) videos that are in this format. VLC is my default media player, and it isn't opening.

I am able to plug in the m3u8 file code within the proper code in command prompt, and it says available streams, up to 720p, and even says opening the 720p stream, but then it doesn't open and gives me an error that says failed to create decryptor (see image below).






WatchESPN Link:
http://espn.go.com/watchespn/player/_/id/2602908/

m3u8 code:
http://content.uplynk.com/ext/d09b16...767f3eb5eb6745

Code in command prompt:
livestreamer "hlsvariant://http://content.uplynk.com/ext/d09b16c953aa40c98dd8c513526aca5a/a18444787.m3u8?ad.kv=_fw_ae,&exp=1436671113&rn=632 372656&tc=1&oid=d09b16c953aa40c98dd8c513526aca5a&l inearv=4&ad=e3ads&ad.ulbd=1&ad.csid=watchespn:null :e3ads&ad.caid=a18444787&eid=a18444787&euid=ESPN3_ VDMS&ct=a&sig=846a0f449e65ee3321dddf9500643c6458a8 b314f4cc4315e5767f3eb5eb6745" best -o espn.mp4

[joejones15]

Originally Posted by BusterAvis

gives me an error that says failed to create decryptor

i think this cookie is involved:

EDIT: no worry about cookie, answer below in next post

[joejones15]

when sniffing the url, use "must contain" field to get a fast view of when the proper url/code shows up and close the browser player window the instant the code shows up, do not let browser keep playing video. Looks like this in URLsnooper:



then, as fast as you can (less than 10 seconds ideally) do livestreamer (red is exact copy/paste from urlsnooper above):

livestreamer "hlsvariant://http://content.uplynk.com/ext/d09b16c953aa40c98dd8c513526aca5a/a18444787.m3u8?ad.kv=_fw_ae,975cd70e2de25291acc0efc98a48935e&exp=1436716966&rn=903327098&tc=1&oid=d09b16c953aa40c98dd8c513526aca5a&linearv=4&ad=e3ads&ad.ulbd=1&ad.csid=watchespn:null:e3ads&ad.caid=a18444787&eid=a18444787&euid=ESPN3_VDMS&ct=a&sig=14cd3a9de9328960b79a8c1e6bc2d9f3c68477b2a5308dc2cd394c4dbfb6e66c" best -o espn.mp4

you will see this:



then open with video player like this: