Unable to extract Initial JS player signature function name

[Maxxer]

ERROR: Signature extraction failed: Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/youtube_dl/extractor/youtube.py", line 479, in _decrypt_signature
    video_id, player_url, s
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/youtube_dl/extractor/youtube.py", line 383, in _extract_signature_function
    res = self._parse_sig_js(code)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/youtube_dl/extractor/youtube.py", line 454, in _parse_sig_js
    u'Initial JS player signature function name')
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/youtube_dl/extractor/common.py", line 391, in _search_regex
    raise RegexNotFoundError(u'Unable to extract %s' % _name)
RegexNotFoundError: Unable to extract Initial JS player signature function name; please report this issue on https://yt-dl.org/bug . Be sure to call youtube-dl with the --verbose flag and include its complete output. Make sure you are using the latest version; type youtube-dl -U to update.
; please report this issue on https://yt-dl.org/bug . Be sure to call youtube-dl with the --verbose flag and include its complete output. Make sure you are using the latest version; type youtube-dl -U to update.

Latest version downloaded from upstream works

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.10
Package: youtube-dl 2014.08.05-1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.16.0-25.33-generic 3.16.7
Uname: Linux 3.16.0-25-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.14.7-0ubuntu8
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Fri Nov 14 17:49:11 2014
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-10-23 (22 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.10 "Utopic Unicorn" - Alpha amd64 (20140923)
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: youtube-dl
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Volodya (volodya)]

Hi, i think you've forgotten to provide the command that you used to get this.

[Maxxer (lorenzo-milesi)]

Actually any video download didn't work, no special option. And since after updating it worked I thought it was clear being the script out of date...

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Sundaravenkataraman (ssvr-nyl)]

sundaravenkataraman@sundararaman-desktop:/media/sundaravenkataraman/98EF-3A77/craft$ youtube-dl --title https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hATI4_yGqg
[youtube] Setting language
[youtube] 7hATI4_yGqg: Downloading webpage
[youtube] 7hATI4_yGqg: Downloading video info webpage
[youtube] 7hATI4_yGqg: Extracting video information
[youtube] 7hATI4_yGqg: Encrypted signatures detected.
[youtube] 7hATI4_yGqg: Downloading js player vflZvrDTQ
ERROR: Signature extraction failed: Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/youtube_dl/extractor/youtube.py", line 479, in _decrypt_signature
    video_id, player_url, s
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/youtube_dl/extractor/youtube.py", line 383, in _extract_signature_function
    res = self._parse_sig_js(code)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/youtube_dl/extractor/youtube.py", line 454, in _parse_sig_js
    u'Initial JS player signature function name')
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/youtube_dl/extractor/common.py", line 391, in _search_regex
    raise RegexNotFoundError(u'Unable to extract %s' % _name)
RegexNotFoundError: Unable to extract Initial JS player signature function name; please report this issue on https://yt-dl.org/bug . Be sure to call youtube-dl with the --verbose flag and include its complete output. Make sure you are using the latest version; type youtube-dl -U to update.
; please report this issue on https://yt-dl.org/bug . Be sure to call youtube-dl with the --verbose flag and include its complete output. Make sure you are using the latest version; type youtube-dl -U to update.
sundaravenkataraman@sundararaman-desktop:/media/sundaravenkataraman/98EF-3A77/craft$ youtube-dl --version
2014.08.05
sundaravenkataraman@sundararaman-desktop:/media/sundaravenkataraman/98EF-3A77/craft$ sudo youtube-dl -U
[sudo] password for sundaravenkataraman:
Sorry, try again.
[sudo] password for sundaravenkataraman:
It looks like you installed youtube-dl with a package manager, pip, setup.py or a tarball. Please use that to update.
sundaravenkataraman@sundararaman-desktop:/media/sundaravenkataraman/98EF-3A77/craft$

[Mathieu Marquer (slasher-fun)]

This is fixed in upstream version 2015.02.18.1

[Rolf Leggewie (r0lf)]

does this ever occur in trusty or later?

works fine for me in trusty.

$ youtube-dl --version
2014.12.01
$ youtube-dl --title https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hATI4_yGqg
[youtube] 7hATI4_yGqg: Downloading webpage
[youtube] 7hATI4_yGqg: Extracting video information
[youtube] 7hATI4_yGqg: Downloading DASH manifest
[download] Destination: How To Make Your Own DIY Lamp Made From Plastic Spoons-7hATI4_yGqg.mp4
[download] 22.5% of 28.95MiB at 79.03KiB/s ETA 04:50

[Graeme Hewson (ghewson)]

It fails for me in Kubuntu 14.10 Utopic, but the latest version in Universe is 2014.08.05-1.

$ wajig detail youtube-dl
Package: youtube-dl
State: installed
Automatically installed: no
Version: 2014.08.05-1
Priority: extra
Section: universe/web
Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers <email address hidden>
Architecture: all
Uncompressed Size: 1,504 k
Depends: python-pkg-resources, python (>= 2.7), python (< 2.8)
Recommends: libav-tools | ffmpeg, libav-tools | ffmpeg (>= 4:0.6) | ffprobe, mplayer2 | mplayer, rtmpdump
Description: downloader of videos from YouTube and other sites
 youtube-dl is a small command-line program to download videos from YouTube.com and other sites that don't provide
 direct links to the videos served.

[Tim Ritberg (xpert-reactos)]

Still not working in 17.04