Add video codec selector and codec/quality columns in done list

Allow users to prefer a specific video codec (H.264, H.265, AV1, VP9)
when adding downloads. The selector filters available formats via
yt-dlp format strings, falling back to best available if the preferred
codec is not found. The completed downloads table now shows Quality
and Codec columns.

app/dl_formats.py

@@ -3,6 +3,13 @@ import copy
 AUDIO_FORMATS = ("m4a", "mp3", "opus", "wav", "flac")
 CAPTION_MODES = ("auto_only", "manual_only", "prefer_manual", "prefer_auto")
 
+CODEC_FILTER_MAP = {
+    'h264': "[vcodec~='^(h264|avc)']",
+    'h265': "[vcodec~='^(h265|hevc)']",
+    'av1':  "[vcodec~='^av0?1']",
+    'vp9':  "[vcodec~='^vp0?9']",
+}
+
 
 def _normalize_caption_mode(mode: str) -> str:
     mode = (mode or "").strip()
@@ -14,13 +21,14 @@ def _normalize_subtitle_language(language: str) -> str:
     return language or "en"
 
 
-def get_format(format: str, quality: str) -> str:
+def get_format(format: str, quality: str, video_codec: str = "auto") -> str:
     """
     Returns format for download
 
     Args:
       format (str): format selected
       quality (str): quality selected
+      video_codec (str): video codec filter (auto, h264, h265, av1, vp9)
 
     Raises:
       Exception: unknown quality, unknown format
@@ -52,6 +60,7 @@ def get_format(format: str, quality: str) -> str:
         vfmt, afmt = ("[ext=mp4]", "[ext=m4a]") if format == "mp4" else ("", "")
         vres = f"[height<={quality}]" if quality not in ("best", "best_ios", "worst") else ""
         vcombo = vres + vfmt
+        codec_filter = CODEC_FILTER_MAP.get(video_codec, "")
 
         if quality == "best_ios":
             # iOS has strict requirements for video files, requiring h264 or h265
@@ -61,6 +70,10 @@ def get_format(format: str, quality: str) -> str:
             # convert if needed), and falls back to getting the best available MP4
             # file.
             return f"bestvideo[vcodec~='^((he|a)vc|h26[45])']{vres}+bestaudio[acodec=aac]/bestvideo[vcodec~='^((he|a)vc|h26[45])']{vres}+bestaudio{afmt}/bestvideo{vcombo}+bestaudio{afmt}/best{vcombo}"
+
+        if codec_filter:
+            # Try codec-filtered first, fall back to unfiltered
+            return f"bestvideo{codec_filter}{vcombo}+bestaudio{afmt}/bestvideo{vcombo}+bestaudio{afmt}/best{vcombo}"
         return f"bestvideo{vcombo}+bestaudio{afmt}/best{vcombo}"
 
     raise Exception(f"Unkown format {format}")
@@ -73,6 +86,7 @@ def get_opts(
     subtitle_format: str = "srt",
     subtitle_language: str = "en",
     subtitle_mode: str = "prefer_manual",
+    video_codec: str = "auto",
 ) -> dict:
     """
     Returns extra download options

app/main.py

@@ -288,6 +288,7 @@ async def add(request):
     subtitle_format = post.get('subtitle_format')
     subtitle_language = post.get('subtitle_language')
     subtitle_mode = post.get('subtitle_mode')
+    video_codec = post.get('video_codec')
 
     if custom_name_prefix is None:
         custom_name_prefix = ''
@@ -319,6 +320,12 @@ async def add(request):
     if subtitle_mode not in VALID_SUBTITLE_MODES:
         raise web.HTTPBadRequest(reason=f'subtitle_mode must be one of {sorted(VALID_SUBTITLE_MODES)}')
 
+    if video_codec is None:
+        video_codec = 'auto'
+    video_codec = str(video_codec).strip().lower()
+    if video_codec not in ('auto', 'h264', 'h265', 'av1', 'vp9'):
+        raise web.HTTPBadRequest(reason="video_codec must be one of ['auto', 'h264', 'h265', 'av1', 'vp9']")
+
     playlist_item_limit = int(playlist_item_limit)
 
     status = await dqueue.add(
@@ -334,6 +341,7 @@ async def add(request):
         subtitle_format,
         subtitle_language,
         subtitle_mode,
+        video_codec=video_codec,
     )
     return web.Response(text=serializer.encode(status))
 

app/ytdl.py

@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ class DownloadInfo:
         subtitle_format="srt",
         subtitle_language="en",
         subtitle_mode="prefer_manual",
+        video_codec="auto",
     ):
         self.id = id if len(custom_name_prefix) == 0 else f'{custom_name_prefix}.{id}'
         self.title = title if len(custom_name_prefix) == 0 else f'{custom_name_prefix}.{title}'
@@ -184,6 +185,7 @@ class DownloadInfo:
         self.subtitle_language = subtitle_language
         self.subtitle_mode = subtitle_mode
         self.subtitle_files = []
+        self.video_codec = video_codec
 
 class Download:
     manager = None
@@ -194,7 +196,7 @@ class Download:
         self.output_template = output_template
         self.output_template_chapter = output_template_chapter
         self.info = info
-        self.format = get_format(format, quality)
+        self.format = get_format(format, quality, video_codec=getattr(info, 'video_codec', 'auto'))
         self.ytdl_opts = get_opts(
             format,
             quality,
@@ -202,6 +204,7 @@ class Download:
             subtitle_format=getattr(info, 'subtitle_format', 'srt'),
             subtitle_language=getattr(info, 'subtitle_language', 'en'),
             subtitle_mode=getattr(info, 'subtitle_mode', 'prefer_manual'),
+            video_codec=getattr(info, 'video_codec', 'auto'),
         )
         if "impersonate" in self.ytdl_opts:
             self.ytdl_opts["impersonate"] = yt_dlp.networking.impersonate.ImpersonateTarget.from_str(self.ytdl_opts["impersonate"])
@@ -687,6 +690,7 @@ class DownloadQueue:
         subtitle_mode,
         already,
         _add_gen=None,
+        video_codec="auto",
     ):
         if not entry:
             return {'status': 'error', 'msg': "Invalid/empty data was given."}
@@ -718,6 +722,7 @@ class DownloadQueue:
                 subtitle_mode,
                 already,
                 _add_gen,
+                video_codec,
             )
         elif etype == 'playlist' or etype == 'channel':
             log.debug(f'Processing as a {etype}')
@@ -757,6 +762,7 @@ class DownloadQueue:
                         subtitle_mode,
                         already,
                         _add_gen,
+                        video_codec,
                     )
                 )
             if any(res['status'] == 'error' for res in results):
@@ -785,6 +791,7 @@ class DownloadQueue:
                     subtitle_format,
                     subtitle_language,
                     subtitle_mode,
+                    video_codec,
                 )
                 await self.__add_download(dl, auto_start)
             return {'status': 'ok'}
@@ -806,11 +813,13 @@ class DownloadQueue:
         subtitle_mode="prefer_manual",
         already=None,
         _add_gen=None,
+        video_codec="auto",
     ):
         log.info(
             f'adding {url}: {quality=} {format=} {already=} {folder=} {custom_name_prefix=} '
             f'{playlist_item_limit=} {auto_start=} {split_by_chapters=} {chapter_template=} '
-            f'{subtitle_format=} {subtitle_language=} {subtitle_mode=}'
+            f'{subtitle_format=} {subtitle_language=} {subtitle_mode=} '
+            f'{video_codec=}'
         )
         if already is None:
             _add_gen = self._add_generation
@@ -840,6 +849,7 @@ class DownloadQueue:
             subtitle_mode,
             already,
             _add_gen,
+            video_codec,
         )
 
     async def start_pending(self, ids):