Release 2026.02.04

Created by: bashonly

:ci skip all

Changelog.md

@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@
 # To create a release, dispatch the https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/actions/workflows/release.yml workflow on master
 -->
 
+### 2026.02.04
+
+#### Extractor changes
+- **unsupported**: [Update unsupported URLs](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/commit/c677d866d41eb4075b0a5e0c944a6543fc13f15d) ([#15812](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/15812)) by [doe1080](https://github.com/doe1080)
+- **youtube**: [Default to `tv` player JS variant](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/commit/1a895c18aaaf00f557aa8cbacb21faa638842431) ([#15818](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/15818)) by [bashonly](https://github.com/bashonly)
+
 ### 2026.01.31
 
 #### Extractor changes

README.md

@@ -1864,7 +1864,7 @@ The following extractors use this feature:
 * `player_skip`: Skip some network requests that are generally needed for robust extraction. One or more of `configs` (skip client configs), `webpage` (skip initial webpage), `js` (skip js player), `initial_data` (skip initial data/next ep request). While these options can help reduce the number of requests needed or avoid some rate-limiting, they could cause issues such as missing formats or metadata.  See [#860](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/pull/860) and [#12826](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/12826) for more details
 * `webpage_skip`: Skip extraction of embedded webpage data. One or both of `player_response`, `initial_data`. These options are for testing purposes and don't skip any network requests
 * `player_params`: YouTube player parameters to use for player requests. Will overwrite any default ones set by yt-dlp.
-* `player_js_variant`: The player javascript variant to use for n/sig deciphering. The known variants are: `main`, `tcc`, `tce`, `es5`, `es6`, `tv`, `tv_es6`, `phone`, `tablet`. The default is `main`, and the others are for debugging purposes. You can use `actual` to go with what is prescribed by the site
+* `player_js_variant`: The player javascript variant to use for n/sig deciphering. The known variants are: `main`, `tcc`, `tce`, `es5`, `es6`, `tv`, `tv_es6`, `phone`. The default is `tv`, and the others are for debugging purposes. You can use `actual` to go with what is prescribed by the site
 * `player_js_version`: The player javascript version to use for n/sig deciphering, in the format of `signature_timestamp@hash` (e.g. `20348@0004de42`). The default is to use what is prescribed by the site, and can be selected with `actual`
 * `comment_sort`: `top` or `new` (default) - choose comment sorting mode (on YouTube's side)
 * `max_comments`: Limit the amount of comments to gather. Comma-separated list of integers representing `max-comments,max-parents,max-replies,max-replies-per-thread,max-depth`. Default is `all,all,all,all,all`

yt_dlp/extractor/unsupported.py

@@ -67,6 +67,10 @@ class KnownDRMIE(UnsupportedInfoExtractor):
         r'plus\.rtl\.de(?!/podcast/)',
         r'mediasetinfinity\.es',
         r'tv5mondeplus\.com',
+        r'tv\.rakuten\.co\.jp',
+        r'watch\.telusoriginals\.com',
+        r'video\.unext\.jp',
+        r'www\.web\.nhk',
     )
 
     _TESTS = [{
@@ -231,6 +235,23 @@ class KnownDRMIE(UnsupportedInfoExtractor):
         # https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/14743
         'url': 'https://www.tv5mondeplus.com/',
         'only_matching': True,
+    }, {
+        # https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/8821
+        'url': 'https://tv.rakuten.co.jp/content/519554/',
+        'only_matching': True,
+    }, {
+        # https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/9851
+        'url': 'https://watch.telusoriginals.com/play?assetID=fruit-is-ripe',
+        'only_matching': True,
+    }, {
+        # https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/13220
+        # https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/14564
+        'url': 'https://video.unext.jp/play/SID0062010/ED00337407',
+        'only_matching': True,
+    }, {
+        # https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/14620
+        'url': 'https://www.web.nhk/tv/an/72hours/pl/series-tep-W3W8WRN8M3/ep/QW8ZY6146V',
+        'only_matching': True,
     }]
 
     def _real_extract(self, url):

yt_dlp/extractor/youtube/_video.py

@@ -1879,7 +1879,7 @@ class YoutubeIE(YoutubeBaseInfoExtractor):
     }]
 
     _DEFAULT_PLAYER_JS_VERSION = 'actual'
-    _DEFAULT_PLAYER_JS_VARIANT = 'main'
+    _DEFAULT_PLAYER_JS_VARIANT = 'tv'
     _PLAYER_JS_VARIANT_MAP = {
         'main': 'player_ias.vflset/en_US/base.js',
         'tcc': 'player_ias_tcc.vflset/en_US/base.js',

yt_dlp/version.py

@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # Autogenerated by devscripts/update-version.py
 
-__version__ = '2026.01.31'
+__version__ = '2026.02.04'
 
-RELEASE_GIT_HEAD = '9a9a6b6fe44a30458c1754ef064f354f04a84004'
+RELEASE_GIT_HEAD = 'c677d866d41eb4075b0a5e0c944a6543fc13f15d'
 
 VARIANT = None
 
@@ -12,4 +12,4 @@ CHANNEL = 'stable'
 
 ORIGIN = 'yt-dlp/yt-dlp'
 
-_pkg_version = '2026.01.31'
+_pkg_version = '2026.02.04'