www.channel4.com: Using Rtmpdump for downloading 4OD videos

www.channel4.com: Using Rtmpdump for downloading 4OD videos

 

Hello

I'm trying to use rtmpdump to save streams from 4OD (channel 4 UK) .
The video I'm trying is at URL snooper gives me rtmpe://ak.securestream.channel4.com/4oD/mp4:assets/CH4_08_02_16_48115001001003_001.mp4
and When I use rtmpdump it gives me an error telling me to use --swfVfy
I've downloaded the 4odplayer-4.37.swf player and put it in the same folder as the rtmpdump but I don't really know what string to use for this or even if I needed to do this.

Any help on how to form the correct command for rtmpdump would be great .

Thanks

Re: www.channel4.com: Using Rtmpdump for downloading 4OD videos

 

I'm also trying to record a stream at 4od via this method and failing miserably. Is it even possible with 4od?

Re: www.channel4.com: Using Rtmpdump for downloading 4OD videos

 

You don't need to download the SWF file yourself.

I can't doublecheck this since I'm not in the UK and they're denying access based on IP addresses. But something like this ought to work:

Re: www.channel4.com: Using Rtmpdump for downloading 4OD videos

 

Hi,

That command doesn't quite seem to do the trick - although it does get you quite some way there. The output is:

DEBUG: HandShake: Genuine Adobe Flash Media Server
DEBUG: HandShake: Handshaking finished....
DEBUG: RTMP_Connect1, handshaked
DEBUG: Invoking connect
INFO: Connected...
DEBUG: RTMP_ClientPacket, received: invoke 134 bytes
DEBUG: (object begin)
DEBUG: Property: NULL
DEBUG: (object begin)
DEBUG: Property: <Name: level, STRING: error>
DEBUG: Property: <Name: code, STRING: NetConnection.Co
nnect.Rejected>
DEBUG: Property: <Name: description, STRING: [ AccessManager.
Reject ] : Access denied!>
DEBUG: (object end)
DEBUG: (object end)
DEBUG: HandleInvoke, server invoking <_error>
ERROR: rtmp server sent error
DEBUG: RTMP_ClientPacket, received: invoke 18 bytes
DEBUG: (object begin)
DEBUG: Property: NULL
DEBUG: (object end)
DEBUG: HandleInvoke, server invoking <close>
ERROR: rtmp server requested close
DEBUG: Closing connection.

Does that help in getting there?

Re: www.channel4.com: Using Rtmpdump for downloading 4OD videos

 

Try adding -p and the URL of the web page.

Re: www.channel4.com: Using Rtmpdump for downloading 4OD videos

 

you know what's funny? Using a windows XP machine, I used Any FLV Downloader and it worked great. no intricate commands or anything, it picked up the stream and you click the download button. Totally didn't work on my Windows 7 machine. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

Re: www.channel4.com: Using Rtmpdump for downloading 4OD videos

 

Hello thanks for the answer
I had a go with the code you suggested and it didn't work
here is the debug info
I used a different video form the site as well as the original i posted a link to

Re: www.channel4.com: Using Rtmpdump for downloading 4OD videos

 

Download rtmpdump 2.2. Read the manual page. Read the error message you got. Post back again after you've done all that.

Re: www.channel4.com: Using Rtmpdump for downloading 4OD videos

 

Without -a 4oD, this error vanishes but the stream still does not play. It says:

Any ideas?

Re: www.channel4.com: Using Rtmpdump for downloading 4OD videos

 

I've read the man page, but I still can't figure it out, would you mind explaining? I'm not even interested in the 4oD content, I just want to figure this out!

Thanks.

Re: www.channel4.com: Using Rtmpdump for downloading 4OD videos

 

It's really not hard, you guys are all not reading carefully enough.

The manpage says quite plainly, a valid RTMP URL is of the form
rtmp://server/app/playpath

When the paths are simple, rtmpdump can parse them itself. Otherwise, you have to give them explicitly.

Your RTMP URL is rtmpe://ll.securestream.channel4.com/a4174/e1/blahblahblah.

Obviously the app in this case is a4174/e1, not 4oD.

That's why the server responds with

Pay attention to what's in front of you.

Re: www.channel4.com: Using Rtmpdump for downloading 4OD videos

 

Thanks for that hyc. I feel stupid now. ;)

Re: www.channel4.com: Using Rtmpdump for downloading 4OD videos

 

Has anyone successfully downloaded a 4od stream using rtmpdump?

I have been able to by using rtmpsrv and the using the rtmpdump command line that rtmpsrv generates... I am trying to write my own code which parses the xml file and will automatically create the command line for rtmpdump, but I'm having a problem understanding the '&h=' parameter in the following command line:

rtmpdump -r "rtmpe://ll.securestream.channel4.com:1935/a4174/e1/?ovpfv=1.1&e=1270744609&ip=83.170.109.88&h=1eb4f5ac0e052ec07529dc08502c2451" -a "a4174/e1/?ovpfv=1.1&e=1270744609&ip=83.170.109.88&h=1eb4f5a c0e052ec07529dc08502c2451" -f "WIN 10,0,45,2" -W "http://www.channel4.com/static/programmes/asset/flash/swf/4odplayer-4.37.1.swf" -p "http://www.channel4.com/programmes/how-the-other-half-live/4od#3026478" -C Z: -y "mp4:xcuassets/CH4_08_02_16_46004003001001_002.mp4?e=1270744609&i p=83.170.109.88&h=1eb4f5ac0e052ec07529dc08502c2451 " -o CH4_08_02_16_46004003001001_002.mp4

I think it may be generated automatically (by the 4od swf?) as it is not included anywhere in the xml file.

Any help or comment would be appreciated.

Regards,

stumk

Re: www.channel4.com: Using Rtmpdump for downloading 4OD videos

 

Looks like an md5 hash to me, 'h' standing for hash and md5 because it's 128 bit

Re: www.channel4.com: Using Rtmpdump for downloading 4OD videos

 

You could try to scan all traffic for this hash, e.g. using ngrep or Wireshark. I'm sure the hash is received from their servers. That's what BBC does at least.

Re: www.channel4.com: Using Rtmpdump for downloading 4OD videos

 

This implements 4oD downloading (get-flash-videos / 4od.pm):

http://github.com/monsieurvideo/get-...eo/Site/4od.pm

See
http://www.yuri.org.uk/~murble/rtmpdump/ch4.txt
and
http://www.yuri.org.uk/~murble/rtmpdump/ch4.xml

for an explanation what the parameters represent/how they are composed.

Re: www.channel4.com: Using Rtmpdump for downloading 4OD videos

 

Has anyone got the get-flash-videos program with the 4od.pm and channel4.pm plugins to work as elch has posted above?

I don't think they currently work as the URL scheme has changed. Looking at those two plugins and an copy of get_iplayer that has channel4 functionality they all seem to be looking for a URL that ends with /catch-up# but it seems the new URLs end in /4od# . Also they reference this URL: _http://www.channel4.com/services/catchup-availability/asset-info/

Which as far as I can tell, having no programming knowledge, get_iplayer says should be followed by #(program number), without the parenthesis. Doing that you get an error page not the metadata in XML format for the asset number as mentioned in the previous post.

Does anyone know the URL for the XML metadata? I cannot seem to find where the XML files are located. The fact that both stumk and elch seem to have found them means I must missing something.

Perhaps if it is known then the code can be changed to reflect both where it is located and the 4od# vs catch-up# issue. I am sure that is overly simplified but with no programming knowledge I can not comment knowledgeably about it.

Also I am curious if anyone has been able to use RTMPDUMP successfully with a command similar to that posted by elch here
_http://www.yuri.org.uk/~murble/rtmpdump/ch4.txt

I tried and did not have success.

Also curious if anyone know what the -C Z: in stumk's rtmpdump command refers to. I don't quite understand what null data is being passed and if it is supposed to refer to secure token data, which I have tried using the -T parameter, also with no success.

With the verbose mode I can get it to connect but it seems to fail at the sending play part. And it seems no matter what play path I put it always fails. Does it stop for others at this point also?

Or am I the only one for whom RTMPDUMP does not work with channel4? At this point I wouldn't doubt it.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

Re: www.channel4.com: Using Rtmpdump for downloading 4OD videos

 

Hi nonna,

to retrieve XML data for this program:

_http://www.channel4.com/programmes/time-team/4od#2928286

use the following:

_http://www.channel4.com/programmes/time-team/4od/asset/2928286?1598247633

The '-C Z:' parameter in my rtmpdump command was as a result of using rtmpsrv.

I was able to successfully download a programme using the parameters provided by rtmpsrv, but was unable to generate parameters automatically from the xml file. I was unable to generate the '&h' parameter. As elch & non77 indicated, the &h is a hash of some form, but I think it is generated dynamically by the 4od player .swf file. I could not find it anywhere in any of the network activity. I'd be very interested if you are able to do this....

stumk

Re: www.channel4.com: Using Rtmpdump for downloading 4OD videos

 

Thanks Stumk

Good to know you got RTMPDUMP to work but just confirms for me that somehow I am the problem.

After looking at my temporary internet files folder for IE I did find the XML URLs. If having the -C Z: worked for you then I have to rule it out as a potential problem.

Sometimes I get URLs in the format that your command has and that elch posted other times I get one in the format
That one with never works or connects for me.

The ones in the form you posted at least connect but always fail here:
Any ideas on this aspect?

I am using a proxy to get past the geo-location check. I am starting to think this is causing a problem both with trying to use RTMPDUMP and StreamTransport

I don't think what I have is a Socks4 Proxy so it doesn't work with the -S parameter. Besides I connect and download using RTMPDUMP from other geo-restricted sites without using a proxy just fine.

If I were to guess in regards to generating parameters automatically from the xml file, I would say look at the channel4.pm plugin for get_flash_videos and a get_iplayer version with channel4 capabilities. Looking at them they both seem to be getting info from the XML file. They are out-dated but might give some info, it does not seem as though the &h is mentioned so I don't know if it is new or it was never needed in the old channel4.pm or get_iplayer implimentation.
When using get_flash_videos it never tried to use channel4.pm as it is out-dated. I changed it so now at least it says it is using it but as I have no programming knowledge I am unable to change the rest of it so that it works. Now it just dies and pegs perl.exe at 100% CPU usage and I have to kill the process. Anyway good luck with what your working on.

As for me I just have no idea, it seems everything works for everyone else but me. I can only figure there is some sort of issue using the proxy. I have the same format commands, etc. it just doesn't work. If you could shine any light onto a resolution for my problems that would be great.

Thanks

Re: www.channel4.com: Using Rtmpdump for downloading 4OD videos

 

Please can anyone help me to rip this?

I honestly haven't got a clue how to do this but really would like this programme. thanks

Re: www.channel4.com: Using Rtmpdump for downloading 4OD videos

 

Hi,

I've used rtmpsrv to grab the following command:

When I try this command I get the following output:

What am I doing wrong (rtmpdump 2.2d, WinXP)?