What do you use to download youtube?

I use the video downloader for firefox as it's the only one that i know that works at the moment. I'd prefer a plugin for safari or chrome as i hate firefox.

Then i just open the .flv in quicktime and convert to mp3 or appletv (for itunes) in there. An app that did the downloading and converting would be perfect but I think google changes youtube often enough that it breaks most programs and those horrible add-supported sites are too slow.

For just mp3s, use dirpy http://www.dirpy.com/

I open the activity window in safari and download the flash video file. Then I convert as necessary with quicktime pro.

http://keepvid.com/

How to download youtube videos from Safari browser in Mac OS

DavieBoy said:

I open the activity window in safari and download the flash video file. Then I convert as necessary with quicktime pro.

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Does that still work for you? If i open activity monitor it doesn't show the actual video file url with youtube on either flash or x264.

paddyhazard said:

Does that still work for you? If i open activity monitor it doesn't show the actual video file url with youtube on either flash or x264.

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Yes, it still works. You can locate the URL by the size of the file. Usually, it's the only file over 1MB. See the instructions in the 2nd link posted by spinnerlys.

GGJstudios said:

Yes, it still works. You can locate the URL by the size of the file. Usually, it's the only file over 1MB. See the instructions in the 2nd link posted by spinnerlys.

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The file size for some elements no longer shows up but there I've just looked and one of the urls had a link with v9cache or something similar in it which seems to download the video. I've just been trying and i think, if you set it up to the html5 beta, you can just right click on the video and download the x264 mp4 version but i doubt that will last long.

I just started to use this: http://www.wondershare.com/pro/mac-free-youtube-downloader.html

Seems to work pretty well and it will convert the file to an iPod/iPhone/iPad friendly format. Haven't really looked at what differentiates the paid version over the free one, but the free one works for me.

Edit: I stand corrected, the paid version allows you to convert to another format; I don't see why something like handbrake wouldn't be able to perform this same function.

paddyhazard said:

The file size for some elements no longer shows up but there I've just looked and one of the urls had a link with v9cache or something similar in it which seems to download the video. I've just been trying and i think, if you set it up to the html5 beta, you can just right click on the video and download the x264 mp4 version but i doubt that will last long.

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Can you post the link to the video in question?

Just for a few music videos. The one i just tried as a test was this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uelHwf8o7_U

On safari on the html5 beta i get an option on right click of download viedo and this downloads the 720 x264 version which works fine in itunes. On activity monitor i get a lot of elements under youtube but lots of them are missing filesizes and the large (video) filesize is missing.

On firefox, the downloader plugin comes up with a lot of flv files and two mp4 versions. The mp4 versions are 720 and 1080 and i'm guessing the flv files are all sizes 320 - 1080.

paddyhazard said:

Just for a few music videos. The one i just tried as a test was this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uelHwf8o7_U.

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From Window > Activity:

GGJstudios said:

From Window > Activity:

View attachment 256494​

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Yea it used to do that for me. I'm just saying that it no longer does that for me. It could be that i signed up for that html5 youtube beta or an add or flash blocker pluging that means i don't get that anymore.

This way though i can download the mp4 straight away and not bother with converting!

I did used to think that google were acting like myspace did years ago and make the music player not show up songs in activity monitor but its probably just a plugin or something on my computer.

paddyhazard said:

Yea it used to do that for me. I'm just saying that it no longer does that for me. It could be that i signed up for that html5 youtube beta or an add or flash blocker pluging that means i don't get that anymore.

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I tried with and without the HTML5 beta and it works the same way for me. If it was an ad-blocker or flash blocker responsible (I have both), that would mean you wouldn't be able to see the video. I'm not sure what would prevent you from seeing the link.

@GGJstudios tried on my mac at home and it works through activity monitor there. Must just be something on my work mac.

@kingmohd84 I think the easiest way is to just use the html5 beta http://www.youtube.com/html5 and just right click and download video downloads the highest quality mp4 file so no converting for itunes.

I use a Firefox add-on called Karbon.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/54453/

It downloads the video as an flv but its super simple.

You could use Vidora to convert the file to mp4 if you wanted.
http://www.videora.com/en-us/Converter/iPod/download.php

I used to use clipnabber it worked really well for more than just youtube but now I use the activity window.... is easier than opening a new tab and downloading. I usually just play everything in vlc or convert with handbrake. For just mp3's I use an app called iExtractMP3

is there anything that allows for batch downloading?
say, a whole channel/playlist etc...

Need to bump this thread after finding it though Google.

What do you guys use to download videos off of YouTube these days?

RichardF said:

Need to bump this thread after finding it though Google.

What do you guys use to download videos off of YouTube these days?

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I still use the same method, involving the Activity Window, or simply right click on the video to download it, using the ClicktoFlash extension.

I thought the Activity Window method no longer worked/ was possible in Safari 6 (I am using 6.0.5).

RichardF said:

I thought the Activity Window method no longer worked/ was possible in Safari 6 (I am using 6.0.5).

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There have been mixed reports on whether it works or not. If you try it and it doesn't work, use ClicktoFlash, which is actually easier.

OK, just spent some time trying with Safari alone and it works.

You need to enable the Developer menu in Safari > Settings > under the Advanced tab.

Hit option + command + U before you navigate to youtube.com to show the Source Console.

Once you proceed to Youtube and start playing a video, expand the "Other" folder in the left column in the console.
You are looking for the videoplayback string.

If you double-click it, it should open in a new tab and you can highlight all in the address field and press option + enter to get it download. It will be in your Downloads folder.

But I found that some videos have several videoplayback strings. Haven't figured out this part.

Best app so far!

http://www.speedtao.net/

I've always had good luck with a free program called Convert Files http://www.convertfiles.com