N_m3u8DL-CLI is a cross-platform .NET command-line interface designed for extracting and recording adaptive video streams. It functions as an HLS and DASH downloader that retrieves media from m3u8 and DASH playlist files, including the ability to capture ongoing live broadcasts with automatic duration limits.
The tool includes a dedicated AES-128-CBC stream decryptor to handle protected video segments using provided keys and initialization vectors. To optimize transfer speeds, it utilizes a multi-threaded download model and supports custom HTTP header management to bypass server restrictions.
The project covers broad media operations including batch acquisition of multiple streams, external audio and subtitle track retrieval, and the binary merging of media segments. It also provides utilities for partial video downloading based on specific timecodes, metadata embedding for titles and imagery, and the ability to resume interrupted transfers.
A graphical download interface is available to automate parameter generation and trigger downloads from stream addresses.