You Tube Video converter

[Gil T.Azell]

I had been using IDesktoptv for this but lately it been screwing up big time. and to doing the job, is there another way to convert YouTube video to usable stuff such as wmv's etc.?

Thanks in advance, Bill.

 

[marksound]

The Realplayer Downloader and Converter work pretty well for me.

 

[scotpens]

I use Freemake Video Downloader. Works like a charm on YouTube videos and lets you save them in a wide variety of formats.

 

[Gil T.Azell]

I use Freemake Video Downloader. Works like a charm on YouTube videos and lets you save them in a wide variety of formats.

I tried to down load that one and got a whole bunch of other shit I wasn't expecting like a browser that looks like Google spelled oople?.
I'm just getting that crap cleaned up now.

 

[trekkiedane]

I use DownloadHelper in Firefox - but I don't know the built-in conversion-features as I usually use Super© those few times I really need to convert.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Freecorder is good. The latest version also likes to try & add extra crap during the installation process, but my eset app is set up to ask if I'd like to allow or deny certain connections.

Then I uninstalled one or two of the things that got installed during all that and everything's good.

 

[spinnerlys]

What do you mean with usable? Do .mp4 or .flv files do not play back with VLC Player or Windows Media Player? I just ask, as .wmv is quite a horrible format.

Anyway, for easy downloading, you could use ClipGrab.

 

[scotpens]

I use Freemake Video Downloader. Works like a charm on YouTube videos and lets you save them in a wide variety of formats.

I tried to down load that one and got a whole bunch of other shit I wasn't expecting like a browser that looks like Google spelled oople?.
I'm just getting that crap cleaned up now.

Yeah, they're always trying to get you to install the Babylon toolbar or some web browser or search engine you've never heard of. When downloading and installing any piece of freeware, I'm always VERY careful about which items are checked and unchecked.

 

[Amaris]

I use VideoDownloadHelper in Firefox, then Anvsoft Any Video Converter to change it to whatever I want.

Both free.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Like the others, I use VideoDownloadHelper in Firefox to download the videos and Format Factory to covert them. Although, just doing a quick check on Format Factory in Google, it appears that they have started bundling a bunch of extra adware that you can't opt out of now, so you probably want to avoid it. Shame, because it's a great program, and I didn't have to deal with all that crap when I downloaded it way back when (and I don't update it).

 

[RJDiogenes]

That's a shame. Format Factory is the most incredible converter I've ever seen. I guess I won't be updating it.

 

[Gary Mitchell]

I've never used it, but I found an older version of Format Factory on Cnet. version 2.6 from Dec. 2010.

 

[JustAFriend]

www.keepvid.com

Just dont click on the big ad buttons to download software.
Paste the youtube url in the box and click the small button on the right.
Let the Java script run and right-click on the list to download the format you want.

Super easy and you dont have to install anything on your machine.

 

[farmkid]

I haven't tried most of the programs mentioned here, but my experience with such programs is that they usually push adware pretty hard. For a totally ad-free experience, you can use VLC. Although usually known as a media player, it also has the ability to stream and convert videos from websites. Just choose "open network stream" from the Media menu (or Ctrl-N), paste the url of the desired video, click the arrow next to the play button and choose "convert", then choose the desired container, codec, and other options. One annoying thing, however, is that it seems to always use the .ps container by default unless you type a different extension onto the file name.

It's not as intuitive as some other programs, but in my experience it works well, no adware at all, and you probably already have the program.

 

[spinnerlys]

I haven't tried most of the programs mentioned here, but my experience with such programs is that they usually push adware pretty hard. For a totally ad-free experience, you can use VLC. Although usually known as a media player, it also has the ability to stream and convert videos from websites. Just choose "open network stream" from the Media menu (or Ctrl-N), paste the url of the desired video, click the arrow next to the play button and choose "convert", then choose the desired container, codec, and other options. One annoying thing, however, is that it seems to always use the .ps container by default unless you type a different extension onto the file name.

It's not as intuitive as some other programs, but in my experience it works well, no adware at all, and you probably already have the program.

ClipGrab is ad-free and does not install any other adware, only in Windows it seems to want to install a toolbar, which can be selected not to be installed.

Below are screenshots from ClipGrab in Mac OS X (it automatically pastes the copied video URL) and Windows (I do not have experience with ClipGrab and Windows, an installing every little piece of software in Windows is stupid):

 

[Sector 7]

Ant Video Downloader does what it says... for YouTube videos and most any other online videos I want to keep. It has IE, Firefox versions and a stand-alone YouTube video downloader from which to choose.

I do not know what converters to use, since I do not need to convert the videos I download... merely watch them.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

I use Zillatube. No freeware but excellent customer service and good performance. A smal and quick programme that doesn't use many resources.
http://www.zillasoftwares.com/zt.html