What causes "This video is %s." in ytdl-org/youtube-dl?

Check the interpolated value: 'subscription'/'rental' means payment-gated content - it is not downloadable without entitlement.

ytdl-org/youtube-dl · error · ExtractorError

This video is %s.

Error message

This video is %s.

What it means

Raised by the Ruutu extractor when no formats were extracted, there is no DRM element, but the PassthroughVariables variable ns_st_cds is not 'free' - the value (e.g. 'ad', 'subscription', 'rental') is interpolated: 'This video is <ns_st_cds>.'. Expected=True. It distinguishes non-free-but-not-DRM content from DRM content.

Source

Thrown at youtube_dl/extractor/ruutu.py:208

                            'tbr': tbr,
                            'preference': preference,
                        })

        extract_formats(video_xml.find('./Clip'))

        def pv(name):
            node = find_xpath_attr(
                video_xml, './Clip/PassthroughVariables/variable', 'name', name)
            if node is not None:
                return node.get('value')

        if not formats:
            drm = xpath_text(video_xml, './Clip/DRM', default=None)
            if drm:
                raise ExtractorError('This video is DRM protected.', expected=True)
            ns_st_cds = pv('ns_st_cds')
            if ns_st_cds != 'free':
                raise ExtractorError('This video is %s.' % ns_st_cds, expected=True)

        self._sort_formats(formats)

        themes = pv('themes')

        return {
            'id': video_id,
            'title': xpath_attr(video_xml, './/Behavior/Program', 'program_name', 'title', fatal=True),
            'description': xpath_attr(video_xml, './/Behavior/Program', 'description', 'description'),
            'thumbnail': xpath_attr(video_xml, './/Behavior/Startpicture', 'href', 'thumbnail'),
            'duration': int_or_none(xpath_text(video_xml, './/Runtime', 'duration')) or int_or_none(pv('runtime')),
            'age_limit': int_or_none(xpath_text(video_xml, './/AgeLimit', 'age limit')),
            'upload_date': unified_strdate(pv('date_start')),
            'series': pv('series_name'),
            'season_number': int_or_none(pv('season_number')),
            'episode_number': int_or_none(pv('episode_number')),
            'categories': themes.split(',') if themes else [],
            'formats': formats,

View on GitHub (pinned to 956b8c5855)

Solutions

Check the interpolated value: 'subscription'/'rental' means payment-gated content - it is not downloadable without entitlement.
Log in with an account that has the entitlement if the extractor version supports credentials.
If the clip is visibly free on the site, the ns_st_cds flag is stale - update youtube-dl or the check.

Defensive patterns

Strategy: try-catch

Try / catch

try:
    ydl.extract_info(url)
except ExtractorError as e:
    if str(e).startswith('This video is ') and str(e).endswith('.'):
        tier = str(e)[len('This video is '):-1]
        if tier in ('subscription', 'rental'):
            skip_permanently(video_id)
        else:
            investigate(tier)
    else:
        raise

Prevention

Check the interpolated ns_st_cds tier to know whether payment (not a bug) is the blocker.
Authenticate with an entitled account if your youtube-dl version supports it.
Do not retry paywalled clips without credentials - the outcome cannot change.

When it happens

Trigger: Extracting a ruutu.fi clip whose ns_st_cds passthrough variable is e.g. 'subscription' or 'rental' - content gated behind payment but not DRM-wrapped.

Common situations: Non-subscribers hitting paywalled Ruutu clips; content whose free window expired.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of ytdl-org/youtube-dl@956b8c5855 (2026-08-14). Data as JSON: /api/errors/4ef5954bbdffee34. Report an issue: GitHub.