youtube-dl download autotranslate subs

Question

I would like to download auto-generated subtitles with youtube-dl as follows

$ youtube-dl --write-auto-sub \
             --skip-download \
             https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbLEf4HR74E

It downloads file The habits of happiness _ Matthieu Ricard-vbLEf4HR74E.en.vtt which is not auto-generated subtitles, it contains the word coke box instead of Coca-Cola tins.

How to download the right file?

Solution

youtube-dl --write-sub \
           --skip-download \
           --sub-lang=en \
           "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbLEf4HR74E"

does something looking OK on version 2017.05.18.1-1.

youtube-dl says Couldn't find automatic captions for vbLEf4HR74E with --write-auto-sub but --write-sub with a selected language --sub-lang=en seems to work.

Comments

[Jaleks]

which version do you use?

[xralf]

@Jaleks 2018.06.14

[Jaleks]

youtube-dl **--write-sub** --skip-download _--sub-lang=en_ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbLEf4HR74E" does something looking OK for my version 2017.05.18.1-1. youtube-dl tells me "Couldn't find automatic captions for vbLEf4HR74E" for --write-auto-sub

[Jaleks]

Different versions - different results. I get "Coca-cola tins"…

[xralf]

I'm sorry you're right. I should use --write-sub instead of --write-auto-sub. It works now.

[xralf]

Yes, sometimes works --write-sub and sometimes works --write-auto-sub (when human-translated subtitles are missing)