You Tube High Def Code at DVinfo.net

John Hudson · March 24th, 2008, 07:31 PM

There is a character string you can use at the end of any YouTube url that turns it into High Def, albeit YouTube quality HD.

&fmt=18

I posted it on my blog.

http://www.cineobscure.com/?p=15

Ben Winter · March 25th, 2008, 09:07 AM

Not any. Just a select few that were uploaded recently, and in a certain initial format (wmv I think, among a few others)

Jack Zhang · March 25th, 2008, 12:54 PM

It's not 720 or 1080 HD but it is high-quality AVC video and AAC audio.

Even more recent videos get STEREO sound!

Chris Harris · March 25th, 2008, 01:30 PM

I think the resolution is something like 480x360. Not exactly HD. Not even SD!

Robert Martens · March 25th, 2008, 01:34 PM

This technique is only necessary for certain videos; those that are not automatically provided in high and low quality format (you'll see a text link immediately underneath the player to either "Watch this video in higher quality" or "Watch this video in lower quality for faster playback" depending on your settings) may very well exist in HQ, and can be viewed with the addition of the aforementioned string. I don't think it can rightly be called "HD", though, as it's only 480x360. It is a drastic improvement, of course, so it may very well seem high def by contrast.

With respect, Ben, I have not found the date of upload to make much difference. This video, for example, of comedian Ricky Gervais: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_EXqdJ4L7I Uploaded in May of 2006, it's available in high quality automatically. Not the newer MP4 format, but I believe that's due to what was provided initially. It's delivered in a standard Spark format FLV file, but it's 448x336, which makes a noticeable difference, so it seems they're offering other types of improvements for some kinds of material. MPEG 4 files apparently benefit the most since new high quality files are now delivered as 480x360 MP4 files with H.264 video and 44.1Khz mono AAC audio (there are two tracks, but it's dual mono, so everything's dead center). The lower quality is still a 320x240 FLV with a 22Khz MP3 soundtrack.

They recommend providing 640x480 MP4 video with MP3 audio, the results of which you can see in two of my videos. Content quality notwithstanding, they look very nice with the format eighteen business tacked on the end. I'd made a post about this over in the DVC forum, but avoided directly linking to the high quality versions thanks to some strange Youtube issues. They've since sorted themselves out, so take a look: No Other and That Wouldn't Happen. Even my most recent DVC entry, "The Chump", was converted, though it didn't benefit nearly as much. That was provided in XviD format at a strange resolution thanks to my rush to finish the challenge; the other two videos went up a short while later, after I'd had some time to experiment with ffmpeg encoding.

John Hudson · April 2nd, 2008, 10:14 PM

Exactly.

My use of the word Kind Of in the title was tongue in cheek. Thanks Robert for the detail.

March 24th, 2008, 07:31 PM	#1
John Hudson Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: 32° 44' N 117° 10' W Posts: 820	You Tube High Def Code There is a character string you can use at the end of any YouTube url that turns it into High Def, albeit YouTube quality HD. &fmt=18 I posted it on my blog. http://www.cineobscure.com/?p=15

March 25th, 2008, 09:07 AM	#2
Ben Winter Trustee Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hollywood, CA Posts: 1,675 Images: 1	Not any. Just a select few that were uploaded recently, and in a certain initial format (wmv I think, among a few others) __________________ BenWinter.com

March 25th, 2008, 12:54 PM	#3
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	It's not 720 or 1080 HD but it is high-quality AVC video and AAC audio. Even more recent videos get STEREO sound!

March 25th, 2008, 01:30 PM	#4
Chris Harris Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Francisco, California Posts: 487	I think the resolution is something like 480x360. Not exactly HD. Not even SD!

March 25th, 2008, 01:34 PM	#5
Robert Martens Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Miller Place, NY Posts: 820	This technique is only necessary for certain videos; those that are not automatically provided in high and low quality format (you'll see a text link immediately underneath the player to either "Watch this video in higher quality" or "Watch this video in lower quality for faster playback" depending on your settings) may very well exist in HQ, and can be viewed with the addition of the aforementioned string. I don't think it can rightly be called "HD", though, as it's only 480x360. It is a drastic improvement, of course, so it may very well seem high def by contrast. With respect, Ben, I have not found the date of upload to make much difference. This video, for example, of comedian Ricky Gervais: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_EXqdJ4L7I Uploaded in May of 2006, it's available in high quality automatically. Not the newer MP4 format, but I believe that's due to what was provided initially. It's delivered in a standard Spark format FLV file, but it's 448x336, which makes a noticeable difference, so it seems they're offering other types of improvements for some kinds of material. MPEG 4 files apparently benefit the most since new high quality files are now delivered as 480x360 MP4 files with H.264 video and 44.1Khz mono AAC audio (there are two tracks, but it's dual mono, so everything's dead center). The lower quality is still a 320x240 FLV with a 22Khz MP3 soundtrack. They recommend providing 640x480 MP4 video with MP3 audio, the results of which you can see in two of my videos. Content quality notwithstanding, they look very nice with the format eighteen business tacked on the end. I'd made a post about this over in the DVC forum, but avoided directly linking to the high quality versions thanks to some strange Youtube issues. They've since sorted themselves out, so take a look: No Other and That Wouldn't Happen. Even my most recent DVC entry, "The Chump", was converted, though it didn't benefit nearly as much. That was provided in XviD format at a strange resolution thanks to my rush to finish the challenge; the other two videos went up a short while later, after I'd had some time to experiment with ffmpeg encoding.

April 2nd, 2008, 10:14 PM	#6
John Hudson Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: 32° 44' N 117° 10' W Posts: 820	Exactly. My use of the word Kind Of in the title was tongue in cheek. Thanks Robert for the detail.