ytdl-org/youtube-dl · error · ExtractorError

This video is only available via cable service provider subs

Error message

This video is only available via cable service provider subscription that is not currently supported. You may want to use --cookies.

What it means

Error "This video is only available via cable service provider subscription that is not currently supported. You may want to use --cookies." thrown in ytdl-org/youtube-dl.

Source

Thrown at youtube_dl/extractor/discovery.py:112

                display_id, 'Downloading content JSON metadata',
                headers=headers, query={
                    'embed': 'show.name',
                    'fields': 'authenticated,description.detailed,duration,episodeNumber,id,name,parental.rating,season.number,show,tags',
                    'slug': display_id,
                    'show_slug': show_slug,
                })[0]
            video_id = video['id']
            stream = self._download_json(
                self._API_BASE_URL + 'streaming/video/' + video_id,
                display_id, 'Downloading streaming JSON metadata', headers=headers)
        except ExtractorError as e:
            if isinstance(e.cause, compat_HTTPError) and e.cause.code in (401, 403):
                e_description = self._parse_json(
                    e.cause.read().decode(), display_id)['description']
                if 'resource not available for country' in e_description:
                    self.raise_geo_restricted(countries=self._GEO_COUNTRIES)
                if 'Authorized Networks' in e_description:
                    raise ExtractorError(
                        'This video is only available via cable service provider subscription that'
                        ' is not currently supported. You may want to use --cookies.', expected=True)
                raise ExtractorError(e_description)
            raise

        return self._extract_video_info(video, stream, display_id)

View on GitHub (pinned to 956b8c5855)

Solutions

1. Pass browser cookies with --cookies after logging in with a supported cable provider.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at youtube_dl/extractor/discovery.py:112 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of ytdl-org/youtube-dl@956b8c5855 (2026-08-14). Data as JSON: /api/errors/f792dde523d1c5ed. Report an issue: GitHub.