Download video from Vimeo (chopped m4s files)

vimeo-downloader.js

// 1. Open the browser developper console on the network tab
// 2. Start the video
// 3. In the dev tab, locate the load of the "master.json" file, copy its full URL
// 4. Run: node vimeo-downloader.js "<URL>"
// 5. Combine the m4v and m4a files with mkvmerge

const fs = require('fs');
const url = require('url');
const https = require('https');

let masterUrl = process.argv[2];
if (!masterUrl.endsWith('?base64_init=1')) {
  masterUrl+= '?base64_init=1';
}

getJson(masterUrl, (err, json) => {
  if (err) {
    throw err;
  }
  
  const videoData = json.video.pop();
  const audioData = json.audio.pop();
  
  const videoBaseUrl = url.resolve(url.resolve(masterUrl, json.base_url), videoData.base_url);
  const audioBaseUrl = url.resolve(url.resolve(masterUrl, json.base_url), audioData.base_url);
  
  processFile('video', videoBaseUrl, videoData.init_segment, videoData.segments, json.clip_id + '.m4v', (err) => {
    if (err) {
      throw err;
    }
    
    processFile('audio', audioBaseUrl, audioData.init_segment, audioData.segments, json.clip_id + '.m4a', (err) => {
      if (err) {
        throw err;
      }
    });
  });
});

function processFile(type, baseUrl, initData, segments, filename, cb) {
  if (fs.existsSync(filename)) {
    console.log(`${type} already exists`);
    return cb();
  }
  
  const segmentsUrl = segments.map((seg) => baseUrl + seg.url);
  
  const initBuffer = Buffer.from(initData, 'base64');
  fs.writeFileSync(filename, initBuffer);
  
  const output = fs.createWriteStream(filename, {flags: 'a'});
  
  combineSegments(type, 0, segmentsUrl, output, (err) => {
    if (err) {
      return cb(err);
    }
    
    output.end();
    cb();
  });
}

function combineSegments(type, i, segmentsUrl, output, cb) {
  if (i >= segmentsUrl.length) {
    console.log(`${type} done`);
    return cb();
  }
  
  console.log(`Download ${type} segment ${i}`);
  
  https.get(segmentsUrl[i], (res) => {
    res.on('data', (d) => output.write(d));
    
    res.on('end', () => combineSegments(type, i+1, segmentsUrl, output, cb));
    
  }).on('error', (e) => {
    cb(e);
  });
}

function getJson(url, cb) {
  let data = '';
  
  https.get(url, (res) => {
    res.on('data', (d) => data+= d);
    
    res.on('end', () => cb(null, JSON.parse(data)));

  }).on('error', (e) => {
    cb(e);
  });
}

Easier, if you have youtube-dl installed:

1. copy the master.json URL
2. replace .json?base64_init=1 with .mpd
3. provide it to youtube-dl: youtube-dl EDITED_URL

yt-dl will download the best quality available :)

It's amazing! And just add ffmpeg.exe for automerge mp4 and m4a

@abdus, thanks. I have no idea, that Vimeo has URL to the Manifest file, that Youtube-DL can understand.

You are a hero Sir, thank you SO much. The script works.

this is amazing, thanks for this script

@abdus I have successfully downloaded the video. But why is there no sound?

WARNING: [generic] Falling back on generic information extractor.
[generic] master: Downloading webpage
[generic] master: Extracting information
[info] master: Downloading 1 format(s): video-cf3328cc+audio-4a1f853e
[dashsegments] Total fragments: 27
[download] Destination: master [master].fvideo-cf3328cc.mp4
[download] 100% of 39.83MiB in 00:24
ERROR: unable to download video data: HTTP Error 403: Forbidden

@anggapw fixed in repo
Tusko/vimeo-private-downloader#35

Easier, if you have youtube-dl installed:

1. copy the `master.json` URL

2. replace `.json?base64_init=1` with `.mpd`

3. provide it to `youtube-dl`: `youtube-dl EDITED_URL`

yt-dl will download the best quality available :)

If you have the Vimeo Video ID with you (which was the case for me), you can also provide website URL and Video ID based URL to youtube-dl: youtube-dl --referer 'Website URL for Video Page' player.vimeo.com/video/<video-id>

This can save the effort of manually finding master.json URL.

How do I make this work for HTTP?

Easier, if you have youtube-dl installed:

1. copy the master.json URL
2. replace .json?base64_init=1 with .mpd
3. provide it to youtube-dl: youtube-dl EDITED_URL

yt-dl will download the best quality available :)

It's amazing! And just add ffmpeg.exe for automerge mp4 and m4a

This works as well like a charm :)

Hi guys ! How can I download this .mpd

https://manifests.v2.api.xxxxxxxxxxx.com/dash.mpd?f.audioTrack=en-US%7Cprogram&f.audioTrack=es-419%7Cprogram&f.audioTrack=pt-BR%7Cprogram&f.textTrack=en-US&f.textTrack=es-419&f.textTrack=pt-BR&r.duration=666.874512&r.host=https%3A%2F%2Fcmaf.cf.latam.xxxxxxxxxxxcdn.com&r.keymod=2&r.main=0&r.manifest=videos%2FGYMr2VAoIoVAhwgEAAAAO%2F2%2Fadb413%2F2.mpd&r.origin=cmaf

I've tried with youtube-dl but it dont worked too.

thanks

Easier, if you have youtube-dl installed:

1. copy the master.json URL
2. replace .json?base64_init=1 with .mpd
3. provide it to youtube-dl: youtube-dl EDITED_URL

yt-dl will download the best quality available :)

It's amazing! And just add ffmpeg.exe for automerge mp4 and m4a

thanks for the ffmpeg-hint

Hi folks, not a very experienced one. Where am Im supposed to input the master.json url? Also it will work just running the script in visual studio code or is it necessary to set up a project in a dedicated IDE?

Hi folks, not a very experienced one. Where am Im supposed to input the master.json url? Also it will work just running the script in visual studio code or is it necessary to set up a project in a dedicated IDE?

In the Terminal.

youtube-dl....

This works! I just need to run
ffmpeg -i video_file -i audio_file -c:v copy -c:a copy out_file.mp4 to merge the files after the download then it is a proper mp4 with audio!!

Hi there, thanks for your script! Might I suggest modifying the code to use multi-threading to speed up the download? thank you.

What if there is no master.json? The only json files available are a manifest.json and a playlist.json

@MikeBlueberry it's impossible. please provide the screenshot

@MikeBlueberry it's impossible. please provide the screenshot

This is a protected Vimeo video, Edge Dev Tools (F12) > Network tab:

Hi have the same situation as @MikeBlueberry. Any chance this can still be downloaded? Or should I just resort to screen recording it?