diff --git a/downloader.py b/downloader.py
index b846359..7dab0bc 100644
--- a/downloader.py
+++ b/downloader.py
@@ -2,15 +2,16 @@
 # Downloads the video/audio as a stream from a provided link using yt-dlp
 # does not save the file, only the most recent fragment is held. Thus, this is
 # ideal for devices with little memory
-# TODO gather video metadata before download
 #
 
+import ffmpeg
 import tempfile
 import sys
 import subprocess
 import os
 import pip
 import signal
+import json
 from logger import logger
 from threading import Thread, main_thread
 from time import sleep
@@ -26,39 +27,71 @@ dirpath = tempfile.mkdtemp()
 sys.path.append(dirpath)
 updateYtdlp()
 
-class Downloader(Thread, StreamSource):
+baseOpts = [
+  "-f", "bestaudio/best", # select for best audio
+  # "--audio-format", "mp3", "-x", # cannot do because it requires a tmp file to re-encode
+  "--prefer-ffmpeg",
+  "--no-mark-watched",
+  "--geo-bypass",
+  "--no-playlist",
+  "--retries", "100",
+  "--extractor-retries", "100",
+#      "--throttled-rate", "100K", # get around youtube throttling; probably not needed anymore
+  "--no-call-home",
+  "--sponsorblock-remove", "sponsor,intro,selfpromo,interaction,preview,music_offtopic",
+]
 
+def runYtdlp(opts):
+  # update yt-dlp
+  # TODO: do this only every once in a while
+  # updateYtdlp()
+
+  env = dict(os.environ)
+  env["PYTHONPATH"] = dirpath
+  cmd = [
+    sys.executable,
+    dirpath + "/bin/yt-dlp"
+  ] + baseOpts + opts
+  popen = subprocess.Popen(cmd, env=env, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, preexec_fn=os.setsid)
+  logger.add(popen.stderr, "yt-dlp.log")
+  return popen
+
+def getVideoInfo(url):
+  popen = runYtdlp([
+    "-j", # dump all metadata as json
+    url
+  ])
+
+  j = popen.communicate()[0]
+
+  # make sure the ytdlp instance is closed
+  if popen.poll() is None: # is alive?
+    os.killpg(os.getpgid(popen.pid), signal.SIGTERM) # kill
+  popen.stdout.close()
+
+  # keys of interest (but not always present)
+  # title, direct, extractor, upload_date
+  # format_id (machine readable)
+  # view_count, uploader, duration, view_count, average_rating
+  # age_limit, like_count, dislike_count, thumbnail,
+
+  try:
+    return json.loads(j)
+  except:
+    return None
+
+# Downloads using yt-dlp
+class YtdlpDownloader(Thread, StreamSource):
   def __init__(self, url, cb):
     Thread.__init__(self)
 
-    # update yt-dlp
-    # TODO: do this only every once in a while
-    # updateYtdlp()
-
     self.cb = cb
     self.exit = False
 
-    env = dict(os.environ)
-    env["PYTHONPATH"] = dirpath
-    cmd = [
-      sys.executable,
-      dirpath + "/bin/yt-dlp",
+    self.popen = runYtdlp([
       "-o", "-", # output stream to stdout
-      "-f", "bestaudio/best", # select for best audio
-      # "--audio-format", "mp3", "-x", # cannot do because it requires a tmp file to re-encode
-      "--prefer-ffmpeg",
-      "--no-mark-watched",
-      "--geo-bypass",
-      "--no-playlist",
-      "--retries", "100",
-      "--extractor-retries", "100",
-#      "--throttled-rate", "100K", # get around youtube throttling; probably not needed anymore
-      "--no-call-home",
-      "--sponsorblock-remove", "sponsor,intro,selfpromo,interaction,preview,music_offtopic",
       url
-    ]
-    self.popen = subprocess.Popen(cmd, env=env, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, preexec_fn=os.setsid)
-    logger.add(self.popen.stderr, "yt-dlp.log")
+    ])
     self.start()
 
   def isAlive(self):
@@ -79,4 +112,40 @@ class Downloader(Thread, StreamSource):
       sleep(0.1)
 
   def getStream(self):
-    return self.popen.stdout
\ No newline at end of file
+    return self.popen.stdout
+
+# Downloads the file and plays it (must be a direct URL, ex: cannot be a yt link)
+class DirectDownloader(Thread, StreamSource):
+  def __init__(self, url, cb):
+    Thread.__init__(self)
+
+    self.cb = cb
+    self.exit = False
+
+    self.process = ( ffmpeg
+      .input(url)
+      .output('pipe:', format='mp3')
+      .run_async(pipe_stdout=True, pipe_stderr=True)
+    )
+    logger.add(self.process.stderr, "direct-downloader.log")
+
+    self.start()
+
+  def isAlive(self):
+    return self.process.poll() is None
+
+  # checks to see if the current download has finished
+  # if yes, cleans up and fires callback
+  def run(self):
+    while main_thread().is_alive() and not self.exit:
+      if not self.isAlive():
+        self.cb()
+      sleep(0.1)
+
+  def stop(self):
+    self.process.stdout.close()
+    self.process.stderr.close()
+    self.exit = True
+
+  def getStream(self):
+    return self.process.stdout
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/radio.py b/radio.py
index 4d24c91..04c1332 100644
--- a/radio.py
+++ b/radio.py
@@ -26,7 +26,13 @@ class Radio(object):
   # plays the next song in the queue 
   def play(self):
     self.playingUrl = self.queue.get()
-    self.downloader = downloader.Downloader(self.playingUrl, self.downloadFinished)
+    info = downloader.getVideoInfo(self.playingUrl)
+    if info is None:
+      return self.play()
+    elif "direct" in info and info["direct"] == True:
+      self.downloader = downloader.DirectDownloader(self.playingUrl, self.downloadFinished)
+    else:
+      self.downloader = downloader.YtdlpDownloader(self.playingUrl, self.downloadFinished)
     self.transcoder = transcoder.Transcoder(self.downloader)
     self.buffer = buffer.Buffer(self.transcoder)
     self.uploader.setUpstream(self.buffer)
diff --git a/transcoder.py b/transcoder.py
index 391d274..21becaf 100644
--- a/transcoder.py
+++ b/transcoder.py
@@ -4,36 +4,29 @@ from stream_listener import StreamListener
 from stream import StreamSource
 import os
 
-fifoFile = 'transcode-fifo'
-
 # converts the stream to mp3 before sending to the long-lasting mp3 connection
 # write to a fifo file instead of directly via stdin to fool ffmpeg into thinking it has seekable input
 # https://lists.libav.org/pipermail/ffmpeg-user/2007-May/008917.html
 class Transcoder(StreamSource):
 
   def __init__(self, upstream):
-    if os.path.exists(fifoFile):
-      os.remove(fifoFile)
-    os.mkfifo(fifoFile)
     self.process = ( ffmpeg
-      .input(fifoFile)
+      .input('pipe:')
       .output('pipe:', format='mp3')
-      .run_async(pipe_stdout=True, pipe_stderr=True)
+      .run_async(pipe_stdin=True, pipe_stdout=True, pipe_stderr=True)
     )
     logger.add(self.process.stderr, "transcoder.log")
     self.listener = StreamListener(upstream, self)
     self.listener.start()
-    self.file = open(fifoFile, 'wb')
 
   def stop(self):
-    self.file.close()
     self.listener.stop()
+    self.process.stdin.close()
     self.process.stdout.close()
     self.process.stderr.close()
-    os.remove(fifoFile)
 
   def getStream(self):
     return self.process.stdout
 
   def write(self, chunk):
-    self.file.write(chunk)
\ No newline at end of file
+    self.process.stdin.write(chunk)
\ No newline at end of file