Hi.
Since there are so many great music videos out there on YouTube, I thought it might be a good idea to post some details of how to download them and play them on your PC. Someone else can deal with MACS!
The simplest method I've found is to download the flv file (Flash Video) and then install a free FLV player.
One way of doing this is to go to the page for the video you want to download:
This takes you to a website which allows you to download the flv file. Make sure you rename it and end the filename with .flv
All you need now is a player. Applian do a nice free one which you can download here: http://applian.com/downloads.php
When installing it, it will ask you do you want to install two additional trial programs.; unless you really want to, choose "No".
Once you start the player up, you can simply drag and drop the flv file on top of the player to play it, and you can re-size the window. Job's a good'un!
An easier way is to find the video you want on You Tube, copy the URL from the address bar and then go to www.vixy.net . Paste the URL, choose the format in which you want the video (mpg, avi, avi for iPod, etc.) and let the website do its magic: in a few minutes, it converts the video and downloads it to yor computer, so that you can watch it on a regular video program, burn it and watch it on a DVD player, transfer it to an iPod... it doesn't get easier than this!
The other way is to use Mozilla Firefox, it has a plug in that will let you download youtube flvs at the click of a mouse. The free Riva player software is good and also includes a flv convertor which allows you to convert to mpeg which can off course be witten to Cd and played on windows mediaplayer.
I've got the plugin for firefox to download .flv files.
The trouble starts when you want to show them to others via DVD-player.
I downloaded free software called SUPER which converts just about any video format into any other. So I tried converting .flv to .avi but you lose so much quality that you won't want to watch the video.
Any bright ideas?
Close, I think it's Norwegian - it was part of a show on Norwegian TV, anyway. I've got another version dubbed in Dutch with subtitles in English and Norwegian which manage to obscure rather a lot of the screen, and that version misses out the final few seconds (the killer punchline, which I'm not going to spoil by revealing). The whole sketch is an absolute comedy classic, no matter which version you see.
The basic problem with converting from one video format to another is that almost all of them are lossy, so every time you convert from one to the other you'll lose quality. So even high quality video loaded up to YouTube or the like is going to get degraded when they convert it to FLV format. And when you download the FLV file and reconvert it to some other format, you're likely to lose more quality. It's something we have to live with - at the domestic level, anyway.
Much the same applies to audio. Most formats other than WAV are lossy to some extent, the only exception I can think of being a non-lossy version of WMA.
I think there was a thread here a while back regarding this topic and the website called Zamzar. I have been using it for a while now and it's great. Almost any format to any format (incl. Youtube)
Bliss, on my computer I have a number of music videos I've downloaded from the internet. I, and other members of my family, like to view these videos on occasion and to swap about between them. Try doing that if you've got to go to the internet each time!
First, you've got to find the video again - which is easier said than done with the rate at which new stuff gets uploaded. (OK, perhaps I may have a link to that video - that makes it a little easier - or perhaps not if the video has been deleted). Then, having located it, I've got to wait for it to play - and then perhaps discover that the link is now very slow and the video stops and stutters for several minutes before it's done and can be viewed smoothly. Repeat all this for a couple of dozen other music videos. That's when you realise that life is short and that there is sense in downloading data and storing it on one's computer.
Downloading YouTube videos
Downloading YouTube videos
Hi.
Since there are so many great music videos out there on YouTube, I thought it might be a good idea to post some details of how to download them and play them on your PC. Someone else can deal with MACS!
The simplest method I've found is to download the flv file (Flash Video) and then install a free FLV player.
One way of doing this is to go to the page for the video you want to download:
e.g. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhJjJ5JfDOI
and then put the word "kiss" in front of Youtube in the URL!
http://www.kissyoutube.com/watch?v=PhJjJ5JfDOI
This takes you to a website which allows you to download the flv file. Make sure you rename it and end the filename with .flv
All you need now is a player. Applian do a nice free one which you can download here: http://applian.com/downloads.php
When installing it, it will ask you do you want to install two additional trial programs.; unless you really want to, choose "No".
Once you start the player up, you can simply drag and drop the flv file on top of the player to play it, and you can re-size the window. Job's a good'un!
Any more hints and tips, much appreciated!
Cheers
# Posted on May 24th 2007 by Conán McDonnell
Re: Downloading YouTube videos
An easier way is to find the video you want on You Tube, copy the URL from the address bar and then go to www.vixy.net . Paste the URL, choose the format in which you want the video (mpg, avi, avi for iPod, etc.) and let the website do its magic: in a few minutes, it converts the video and downloads it to yor computer, so that you can watch it on a regular video program, burn it and watch it on a DVD player, transfer it to an iPod... it doesn't get easier than this!
# Posted on May 24th 2007 by Pablofromargentina
Re: Downloading YouTube videos
Really? Is it free? Do they attach any weird spyware files to the download or anything like that? (my natural suspicion showing here...)
# Posted on May 24th 2007 by kennedy
Re: Downloading YouTube videos
Good on yeh, Conan! Thanks! I've been wanting to do this.
Here's one you may want to download:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHAM42ziJqw
I like it, anyway...
# Posted on May 24th 2007 by grymater
Re: Downloading YouTube videos
Pablo, that site looks brilliant. Thanks, nice one!
Gry cheers for the link; that kid is a natural.
# Posted on May 24th 2007 by Conán McDonnell
Re: Downloading YouTube videos
The other way is to use Mozilla Firefox, it has a plug in that will let you download youtube flvs at the click of a mouse. The free Riva player software is good and also includes a flv convertor which allows you to convert to mpeg which can off course be witten to Cd and played on windows mediaplayer.
# Posted on May 24th 2007 by Davetnova
Re: Downloading YouTube videos
And for all you computer geeks (and non-geeks) out there you can't do much better than this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQHX-SjgQvQ
# Posted on May 24th 2007 by lazyhound
Re: Downloading YouTube videos
I liked the helpdesk video. Swedish, was it?
I've got the plugin for firefox to download .flv files.
The trouble starts when you want to show them to others via DVD-player.
I downloaded free software called SUPER which converts just about any video format into any other. So I tried converting .flv to .avi but you lose so much quality that you won't want to watch the video.
Any bright ideas?
# Posted on May 24th 2007 by kuec
Re: Downloading YouTube videos
Close, I think it's Norwegian - it was part of a show on Norwegian TV, anyway. I've got another version dubbed in Dutch with subtitles in English and Norwegian which manage to obscure rather a lot of the screen, and that version misses out the final few seconds (the killer punchline, which I'm not going to spoil by revealing). The whole sketch is an absolute comedy classic, no matter which version you see.
The basic problem with converting from one video format to another is that almost all of them are lossy, so every time you convert from one to the other you'll lose quality. So even high quality video loaded up to YouTube or the like is going to get degraded when they convert it to FLV format. And when you download the FLV file and reconvert it to some other format, you're likely to lose more quality. It's something we have to live with - at the domestic level, anyway.
Much the same applies to audio. Most formats other than WAV are lossy to some extent, the only exception I can think of being a non-lossy version of WMA.
# Posted on May 25th 2007 by lazyhound
Re: Downloading YouTube videos
I think there was a thread here a while back regarding this topic and the website called Zamzar. I have been using it for a while now and it's great. Almost any format to any format (incl. Youtube)
Heres the link http://www.zamzar.com/
They send you an email usully after about a minute and you can download the file. Works great.
# Posted on May 25th 2007 by tctelboy
Re: Downloading YouTube videos
Why would you want to download a file onto your computer, when it is already there, on Youtube?
# Posted on May 26th 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: Downloading YouTube videos
Bliss, on my computer I have a number of music videos I've downloaded from the internet. I, and other members of my family, like to view these videos on occasion and to swap about between them. Try doing that if you've got to go to the internet each time!
First, you've got to find the video again - which is easier said than done with the rate at which new stuff gets uploaded. (OK, perhaps I may have a link to that video - that makes it a little easier - or perhaps not if the video has been deleted). Then, having located it, I've got to wait for it to play - and then perhaps discover that the link is now very slow and the video stops and stutters for several minutes before it's done and can be viewed smoothly. Repeat all this for a couple of dozen other music videos. That's when you realise that life is short and that there is sense in downloading data and storing it on one's computer.
# Posted on May 26th 2007 by lazyhound
Re: Downloading YouTube videos
Or add to favourites?
# Posted on May 26th 2007 by bodhran bliss