Techie: YouTube/ BBC: video download

[fudgeflaps]

There's a lot of smart IT geezers on here, so I once again tap the infinite well of Techie knowledge that is The BGAFD OT Microsoft-Norton Help Centre incorporating the subsidiary company, Bill Gates Arse.

How do I download vids from YouTube and BBC to my PC? Is there a piece of software that can facilitate this?

I thank you in advance.

!wink!

[Toyboy001]

go to youtube, find the video you want copy it's url into the box on this site and it gives you download link. Sorry no idea about bbc.

[Steve R]

Of course, what will be downloaded will be a .flv file (Flash video) which can be played in VideoLan's free VLC player.

If you wish to convert it into an .avi file, for example, then there is no better software than the free SUPER by eRightSoft.

[Sam Slater]

Look through the Firefox extensions as well.

You're obviously browsing with Firefox..................right?

[middle_aged_dutchman]

Thanks for this info. I do not doubt that for Fudgeflaps this advice will work. But when a technophobe like me tries to follow your advice, he does get far, but just nor far enough. I downloaded Super and I downloaded two YouTube videos. Yes, I got that far! But how do I convert the .flv files to .avi files? That's where I am at a loss.

[fudgeflaps]

Thanks lads.

I'll try all of the above out tomorrow, as I am a bit knackered!

Any probs, I know where to come!

Looking forward to stockpiling my favourite vids and flicks onto near-endless 320Gb of virgin external HD space. Ah, The Smiths and 90s old-skool. Ooooooh, The Fast Show. Weeeeeee, snooker archives and rare Alex Higgins footage. Yee-haa, a cat being raped by a budgie.

*Homer Simpson* Wooooo-hooooooooo!!

[fudgeflaps]

Hi Sam,

Can you clarify the Firefox extensions thing for me as I am a computing philistine?

Is it in the 'Firefox and Mozilla Links' folder in favourites, and is it straightforward user-friendly stuff?

Anyhoo............... bed!

!wink!

[Sam Slater]

They're extensions for Firefox.

You never said if you browse the net with Firefox or IE so I'm unsure if you know what the extensions are/mean?

Anyway download Firefox if you haven't already.

If you already have firefox then check out the addons on their site....
Not used any video downloaders for ages so I can't comment on how good they are but here's a few I've found:







Remember that youtube/google video etc are flash video files and the downloaded files will be .flv extensions which will need a flv player or a converter to convert to .avi or .mpeg etc. Looks like this extension converts the files as well as downloads them. (just scanned the page though)

This is it:

The .NET magazine had the following extension in their top 50 Firefox Extension list:




Not too sure on flv players or any converters but others may be able to help in that. Something for you to read up on anyway kidda!

[Steve R]

Just open SUPER, drag and drop the .flv file into it and click on Encode (Active Files) - done.

[middle_aged_dutchman]

It worked. Thanks a lot.
I already use Firefox. No problems downloading the files. Just did not see a way to convert them.