Can SVD download AES-128 encrypted HLS streams?

Yes. If the encryption key is referenced in the playlist (EXT-X-KEY), SVD fetches the key along with the segments and decrypts on the fly. Widevine / FairPlay DRM streams are not supported — those require a licensed decryption key that only the official player holds.

Can SVD download HLS live streams (not just VOD)?

Yes. For live HLS streams (EXT-X-PLAYLIST-TYPE:EVENT or rolling-window playlists), SVD records in real time until you stop it or the stream ends. The output is a single MP4 of the captured duration.

How is this different from yt-dlp --hls-prefer-native?

SVD bundles yt-dlp + ffmpeg and provides a native GUI around them. It auto-updates the extractor, handles Referer/Origin headers for many sites automatically, and is code-signed so macOS Gatekeeper doesn't block it. Under the hood it's the same proven engine, just without the terminal.

Home › Guides › m3u8 / HLS

How to Download m3u8 / HLS Streams as MP4

A technical guide for downloading any HTTP Live Streaming playlist to a single local MP4 — including master playlists, AES-128 encrypted segments, and live HLS streams. No command line, no re-encoding.

TL;DR. Find the .m3u8 URL in DevTools, paste into SVD, pick a rendition, click download. SVD handles master playlists, encryption, and segment reassembly automatically.

What's an m3u8?

An .m3u8 file is an HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) playlist — a text file that references a sequence of short media segments. Most modern streaming services use HLS because it works over plain HTTP(S) and adapts to bandwidth.

A master playlist looks like this:

#EXTM3U
#EXT-X-STREAM-INF:BANDWIDTH=2600000,RESOLUTION=1280x720
720p/playlist.m3u8
#EXT-X-STREAM-INF:BANDWIDTH=1200000,RESOLUTION=854x480
480p/playlist.m3u8

And a media playlist (child) references the actual segments:

#EXTM3U
#EXT-X-VERSION:3
#EXT-X-TARGETDURATION:10
#EXTINF:10.0,
segment-001.ts
#EXTINF:10.0,
segment-002.ts
...
#EXT-X-ENDLIST

Find the m3u8 URL in 30 seconds

Open the video page in Chrome, Edge, or Safari
Open DevTools — ⌘⌥I (Mac) or F12 (Windows)
Go to the Network tab
In the filter box, type m3u8
Press play on the video
The master playlist request will appear — usually ending in master.m3u8, playlist.m3u8, or index.m3u8
Right-click → Copy → Copy link address

Download it with SVD in 4 steps

Install SVD

Mac or Windows build from the home page. Code-signed on macOS.

Paste the m3u8 URL

Switch to SVD and the clipboard URL is detected. You can also paste manually into the URL field.

Pick a rendition

SVD lists every rendition referenced by the master playlist. Same-resolution H.264 is preferred for broader device compatibility.

Download to single MP4

Every segment is fetched, decrypted if needed, concatenated, and remuxed to MP4 — no re-encoding, no quality loss.

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Encrypted HLS: AES-128 vs DRM

HLS supports two main encryption schemes:

AES-128 with key in playlist (EXT-X-KEY:METHOD=AES-128,URI="key.bin") — the key is served over HTTPS and accessible to any authenticated client. SVD supports this.
Widevine / FairPlay / PlayReady DRM — the key is released only to a licensed player with a secure hardware path. SVD does not support DRM-protected streams.

If the video plays in a browser that has the Widevine CDM and you're paying for a subscription, that doesn't mean SVD can grab it. Only non-DRM streams are downloadable — which is still the majority of the open web.

Headers, Referer, and authentication

Some servers reject requests that lack a specific Referer or Origin header. SVD's bundled yt-dlp sets these automatically for 1,800+ sites. For a standalone m3u8 URL from a custom site, you can provide cookies from your browser — SVD reads them locally on macOS (Chrome/Safari) and Windows (Edge).

Frequently asked questions

What is an m3u8 file?

It's an HLS playlist — a text file listing a sequence of video segments. Most streaming services use HLS to deliver video over HTTP.

Can SVD download AES-128 encrypted streams?

Yes — when the key is referenced in the playlist via EXT-X-KEY, SVD fetches it and decrypts on the fly. Widevine / FairPlay DRM streams are not supported.

Does SVD handle master playlists?

Yes. Paste the master URL and SVD enumerates every rendition for you.

Can SVD record HLS live streams?

Yes. For live event streams, SVD records in real time until you stop it or the stream ends.

How is this different from yt-dlp CLI?

SVD bundles yt-dlp + ffmpeg behind a native GUI. It auto-updates the extractor and is code-signed — no Gatekeeper warnings. Under the hood, same proven engine.

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