How to Download Videos from Websites Like Google Video, YouTube, MySpace, and Others

Youtube. MySpace, Facebook, Videos

If you’re like anyone else browsing the internet today, you have found that the number of videos that are made available for your viewing pleasure have been increasing at an explosive rate. You will also find that there are a ton of these videos that you would like to keep on your computer so that you can view them offline or on your media player (Zune, iPod, etc) when away from home.

The guide below will show you how to do just that. I have listed some of the programs and services available for you to download videos from different sources all over the internet, this includes YouTube, Google Video, MySpace, Facebook, and others.

If you have any tips or suggestions on other ways to download videos from the internet, please post them below and I will do my best to incorporate them in this article.

Note: The number of applications and services to download videos from the internet is constantly changing so I will do my best to update this article as often as possible.

Site #1 - iDesktop.tv

idesktoptv

You can download any video on YouTube using iDesktop.tv, you simply go to the site and click on the download link. You are given the option to download that video in multiple formats, MPEG, MOV, AVI, and many others.

idesktoptv

Site review and links can be found here


Site#2 - Vixy.net

vixynet Similar but not as powerful as iDesktop.tv, Vixy allows you to save the videos by simply entering the URL(YouTube and other FLV files)for a specific video, please see the example below. vixynet Conversion started… vixynet Done! vixynet The two samples above illustrate ways of getting those videos downloaded using a website to process and encode those files. If you want to go the other route and download the FLV files and convert them yourself, you can use the software listed below to accomplish this, as well as the original article I wrote.


Program #1 - Video DownloadHelper 2.6.1 (Firefox Add-on)

vixynet

“DownloadHelper is a tool for web content extraction. Its purpose is to capture video and image files from many sites.
Just surf the Web as you are used to, when DownloadHelper detects it can do something for you, the icon gets animated and a menu allows you to download files by simply clicking an item.”

Download

Via Mozilla

Program #2 - Free FLV Downloader

Moyea FLV Downloader is a freeware to download FLV (Flash video) from all video sharing sites at great speed. This program is a one-stop solution to download, manage, play back and convert downloaded videos for Ipod, Iphone, PSP, Cell Phone, Windows Media, XVid and MP3.”

Download

Via FLV Soft

Original Article - Published July 10th, 2006

View Tutorial This simple tutorial will show you how to download videos from the internet (MySpace, YouTube, Google Video, etc) and save them to your computer. The reason you have to through this process to download the videos is due to the fact that content providers use special formats that do not allow playback in traditional media players as such this method allows you to save the video files to a universal .avi video file that you can play back almost anywhere. As always comments/suggestions are welcome.

1. Download & install Firefox (You need firefox for the extension to work)

2. Download & install the Video Downloader extension for Firefox (The video downloader extension allows you to save videos from popular websites like Myspace, YouTube, Google, and others.)

3. Download & install Media Coder (This encoder converts the video you download into .avi files which allow you to view and store them at your won discretion)

4. Find the video you wish to save. Once you are on the page click the Video Downloader Button in the bottom right part of your Firefox Browser window.

5. A window will pop-up. Click the button that says Download Link

6. When prompted select Save to Disk and then click OK

>>>>>Please note that if the file you download does not have the extension .flv, then rename the file and end the name with .flv <<<<<

7. Start up MediaCoder

8. Click on the I agree radio button and on the Skip Setup Wizard button, then close the window that appears after that.

9. Drag and drop the .flv files you downloaded into the large white area in Media Coder

10. Click on the Video tab in the lower left-hand section on the window and select XviD in the Format drop-down menu.

11. Click the large Start buttonon the top toolbar window to start transcoding your video.

12. When completed a window will propmt you saying that transcoding is completed, go your file’s original location and an .AVI file shoudl be there with the same file name. Now you can play it with Windows Media or your favorite media player.

Original tutorial found at DVD Help Forums

Note: You should not download/copy/distribute videos which you have no rights to.

Article posted on 07 10th, 2006

Related & Suggested Posts

  1. How to Download Videos from YouTube and View Them On Your iPod
  2. How to Download Videos Using DownloadHelper
  3. Why Use YouTube When There Are Better Ways to Watch & Download Videos Online?
  4. Another Way to Download Youtube, Gooogle, and other Videos
  5. Convert Videos for Your iPod, iPhone, Pre, and Other Mobile Devices


19 Responses to “How to Download Videos from Websites Like Google Video, YouTube, MySpace, and Others”

  1. SUSAN says:

    Glad I stumbled into this article! Finally, got what I was looking for to put on my school report

  2. jenny says:

    Awesome! I have read a lot on this topic, but you definitely give it a good vibe. This is a great post. Will be back to read more!If you got time, If you got time please check out my blog Chicago Business Directory.

  3. Arji says:

    OMB YOU ARE THE BEST. i had to dowmload some movies for eglish and evryone has a mac except 4 me. so kep downloading it in flv, but i needed it to go into a powerpoint presentation. thankyou so much, you saved my final yr 12 assesment, and hence my future career

  4. Getvideo says:

    this would be another solutin to download youtube video. no installation needed.
    http://getvideo.comxa.com/

  5. It’s really good to see how download Youtube video and can see them offline in my computer. it was really a new thing for me and I will use this to download video now to onward
    Thanks

  6. carantarang says:

    i like this program, is it the best program in the year

  7. blueangle says:

    nice sharing.
    I often use Wondershare Streaming Video Recorder to download google videos.

    http://www.download-streaming-video.com/streaming-video-recorder/#137

  8. Marco says:

    There are sites that I can only see videos online, How do I save videos to my computer to see them offline?

  9. Gil says:

    @Marco: Have you read this post?

    http://www.gilsmethod.com/how-to-download-videos-using-downloadhelper

    It will walk you through the simple process of being able to do just what you are asking for. Hope it helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.

  10. jessy says:

    There are so many tutorials about downloading vids from google video, utube etc.

    “How to download and convert YouTube video(FLV) to PSP, Zune, ipod,iphone 3gs…”
    http://www.flash-on-tv.com/resource/flv-to-psp-converter.html#135

  11. Youtube says:

    You missed one of the top Firefox youtube downloader, the easiest and fastest of all -

    https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/10137/

  12. Shreyansh Mishra says:

    Hi. I try to get download only window media plyaer MPEG on youtube

  13. @Shreyansh Mishra: I think you are saying that you want to download MPEG files from Youtube to play on Media Player? Please elaborate. Thanks.

  14. Angelo says:

    you can watch and download youtube videos from http://www.divxhere.com. To use this site find the video you want and you can download it in 4 different type ranging from low defination to high defination.

  15. yayat says:

    just use real player 11 to download video

  16. shariq says:

    Wow gr8 Program #2 - Free FLV Downloader is working like magic. I was able to download videos from Youtube but this software can download from any site with gr8 speed. Thx for the info.

  17. nirudyogi says:

    VDownloader is a computer software that helps you download and save videos from the Internet. Download videos from YouTube, MySpace, iFilm, DailyMotion, Metacafe and much more. You can also convert videos using VDownloader. VDownloader comes packed with features you cannot afford to miss. VDownloader will help you keep those great video clips you always wanted to keep. Its free..get it from http://www.vdownloader.com/

  18. Cindy says:

    Hi

    I’m trying to view training videos off the web but they keep stalling and a counter goes to 100 in the middle of the video. It is driving me batty! Is there a piece of software I need or what? My system is about 18 months old with over 1 gig of RAM. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

    thanks Cindy

  19. @Cindy - What counter are you referring to? What website are you accessing the videos from? What connection do you have? Let me know so that I can help you. Thanks.

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My Name is Gilberto J Perera and I'm the editor behind Gil's Method. I started this blog to help relatives with computer questions. Since then the blog has grown to the collection of articles you see today, I hope that you find this blog useful and that you come back again.
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