Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls

Subject: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: Stower
Date: 30 Aug 14 - 06:56 AM

I know there has been a previous thread on this, but YouTube downloaders quickly go out of date and cease to work. I have Firefox with its built-in downloader but, for some reason, the quality of any downloads using it a seriously poor (no matter what settings I use), so that isn't the answer. There are so many good folk and early music videos on YT, many of them just private individuals recording themselves, which can disappear over time and I'd like to keep them.

My current YT downloader has ceased to function and I seem unable to find a replacement that isn't packaged with the adware / spyware / malware Open Candy. Some claim not to have it, then it turns out they do.

So do Mudcatters have any recommendations, without Open Candy or anything similar? I really don't mind paying, as long as it's good and it works.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 30 Aug 14 - 07:08 AM

I have been using DownloadHelper with Firefox for years, never had a problem with that. You would assume all add-ons on the firefox site to be free of malware, maybe I am mistaken there.

Are you sure you malware problem doesn't reside in your own machine?

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 30 Aug 14 - 07:44 AM

I don't know about standalone software, as I've always gone with web based stuff.

I have generally used

keepvid.com

but it has been a bit temperamental in recent weeks, so I've started using

clipconverter.cc

which works well.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: Stower
Date: 30 Aug 14 - 11:08 AM

Thanks, Peter and Ed.

Peter, I think you're misunderstanding: with all the YT downloaders I can find, Open Candy, which is widely seen as malware, is packaged with and integral to the downloader, so that's my issue. I have no issue with Firefox in terms of malware, just in terms of the quality of the film once downloaded, as the picture is much degraded in comparison to the original, even on the highest setting.

Ed, I'll have a look at keepvid.com and clipconverter.cc, thank you.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: Larry The Radio Guy
Date: 30 Aug 14 - 11:14 AM

I've used something called Fox4.1...been using it for a couple years, and I love it. Occasionally it stops working, but then they fix it, and it's fine.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 30 Aug 14 - 11:29 AM

I use this occasionally, it works quite effectively:

Freemake Video Downloader

"Download videos from 10,000 sites - YouTube, Vimeo, Vevo, Dailymotion, etc. Convert any online video to MP3, AVI, MKV, WMV, iPhone, iPod, PSP, Android."

I've not tried the new updated version which was released in May 2014.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 30 Aug 14 - 11:33 AM

'Peter, I think you're misunderstanding: with all the YT downloaders I can find, Open Candy, which is widely seen as malware, is packaged with and integral to the downloader'

I didn't think I was misunderstanding. Non of the anti-malware software I run (several programs) has ever indicated anything malicious with the downloader I use or the one I used previously. And I didn't think it was likely Firefox would allow add-ons that run malware on their site. But never mind..

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: Newport Boy
Date: 30 Aug 14 - 12:04 PM

If you're OK using a command-line tool, try youtube-dl . I use it in Linux with very good results, but there's also a Windows executable. You need to find the video you want on YouTube, copy the link and use it in the command. For best results, update frequently - YT keep changing their format.

Phil

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: GUEST,DaveRo
Date: 30 Aug 14 - 12:04 PM

Stower: "I have Firefox with its built-in downloader..."
Does Firefox have a built-in YouTube downloader? How do you access it?
I thought you had to use an addon, of which there are several:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/search/?q=youtube

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 30 Aug 14 - 12:23 PM

Does Firefox have a built-in YouTube downloader?

It actually doesn't. It must be an add-on the OP is referring to. And that was the reason I referred to Mozilla not allowing add-ons containing malware on their site. I was not thinking of stand-alone youtube download software.

Open Candy offers an option to install software or taskbars it recommends. This is indeed packaged with a lot of free software, albeit with the option to opt out of anything it offers. I don't think I have ever come across a Firefox add-on that included this.

DownloadHelper (and probably other add-ons as well) offers an option to set the quality of the video download.

Early august youtube made some changes that caused some downloaders to fail.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Aug 14 - 12:36 PM

Another vote for KeepVid, but I haven't used it lately so I don't know if it is acting up as mentioned above.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: GUEST,DaveRo
Date: 30 Aug 14 - 12:50 PM

Peter: "It actually doesn't. It must be an add-on the OP is referring to." I thought not.

And your assumption that Mozilla would not permit anything malicious is true - anything on https://addons.mozilla.org (AMO) is subject to review - the policies are on AMO.

YouTube will stream videos in two formats - Flash and 'HTML5' - and some are available in HD - so that could account for apparant differences in quality between viewed and vownloaded videos.

You can set which format you view here
https://www.youtube.com/html5

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: Nick
Date: 30 Aug 14 - 01:46 PM

I use atubeCatcher which is adware free to my knowledge and does lots of useful stuff. Older versions also had an mp3 searcher which would return an mp3 back of (I think) all the stuff on Youtube in a search. Have some excellent things off it I didn't know existed!

Offers the ability to download videos at a range of resolutions etc

Haven't found the need to find anything else since I found it

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Aug 14 - 02:25 PM

For another aspect of this activity, a coworker recently introduced me to Handbrake. It allows you to rip large files to be used on smaller devices. It is what we have used at our university library to compress DVD films that are requested by faculty to use in the library reserves for course use. Distance ed students can stream these videos through Blackboard and other classroom formats.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: Stower
Date: 30 Aug 14 - 07:58 PM

Ed, I couldn't get keepvid.com to work; but clipconverter.cc is exactly what I'm looking for, but without having to download anything. Superb. Than you, Ed.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: GUEST,.gargoylre
Date: 30 Aug 14 - 08:50 PM

THERE are perhaps 200 plus sources for the info you seek.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Try ... "chilling effects" ''''it is like an open Buffett line.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: Stower
Date: 18 Sep 14 - 06:07 PM

Really, gargoylre/Gargoyle? All I could find was the problem I started this thread with, that all downloadable programmes are stuffed with Open Candy, which is why I posted. I wouldn't be in the habit of ever lazily posting to find out something I could find for myself. I had no idea you could avoid downloading a programme by using a website. Not knowing that, I couldn't have searched for it. I know now, thanks to Ed.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 18 Sep 14 - 06:17 PM

I've just updated to the latest version of "Freemake Video Downloader"
and comfirm it works fine with youtube.

It did however try to install Open Candy
which was detected and quarantined by Malwarebytes [paid version] active protection.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: Andrez
Date: 18 Sep 14 - 07:50 PM

Hi there, for what its worth I've been using YouTube Video Grabber for quite a few years with no probs re adware etc. Its a MacOSX product that may not suit all users but if you have a Mac as well it should do the job without the adjunk extras. Ive pasted a little from the Read Me file that describes it and provides info re the download link.

Hope this helps someone,

Cheers,

Andrez

……………………………………..
YouTube Video Grabber
Version 3.0
(Universal)

YouTube Video Grabber is a Shareware Mac OS X application that can be used to download YouTube flash video files and convert them to different video formats (including Quicktime).

To use the application, simply enter a YouTube video web page URL into the "YouTube URL" text entry field and a preview of the video will be displayed. To download the video's flash file to hard disk, press the "Download FLV" button. To convert the video's flash file to a different format, adjust the conversion settings as desired and press the "Convert FLV" button.

YouTube Video Grabber's video conversion settings include Audio Frequency (Hz), Audio Bitrate (k), Audio Channels (Mono or Stereo), Video Aspect Ratio (x:y), Video Bitrate (k) and Video Frame Rate (fps).

If you like the application or use it frequently and would like to register it, use the "Help" menu to access the NiteOwl Software Online Store.

System requirements: Mac OS X v10.7 or higher.

The current version of YouTube Video Grabber is version 3.0 and may always be downloaded at:

http://public.me.com/niteowl69/

This application may be freely distributed and published.

Questions, comments, bugs?
Email: [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 19 Sep 14 - 04:50 PM

You can process the flv files downloaded from youtube using ffmpeg, a freeware dos command line programme!

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: GUEST,DaveRo
Date: 19 Sep 14 - 07:28 PM

... and VLC (free, opensource, Windows, Linux, Android and probably Mac but certainly not iStuff) will play flv files.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: GUEST,DaveRo
Date: 19 Sep 14 - 07:37 PM

... ooops. I see you can in fact get VLC on iOS.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: GUEST,billie morgan
Date: 13 Nov 17 - 03:29 AM

I use the tubemate app to download youtube videos. You can download the tubemate here: https://tubemateyoutubedownloaderapps.com/

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 13 Nov 17 - 06:07 AM

It would be useful to know how to capture a facebook live webstream.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: DaveRo
Date: 13 Nov 17 - 06:56 AM

This Firefox addon seems to work OK - and is compatible with the new addon standard in Firefox 57:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/easy-youtube-video-download/

There's a Chrome version too, but I haven't used it.

Subject: RE: Tech: YouTube downloader (without adware), pls
From: Vashta Nerada
Date: 13 Nov 17 - 02:14 PM

I use KeepVid. It lets you determine the file type, the size, etc. There are both free and fee versions. There are some environments like educational institutions where KeepVid is blocked if they fear file sharing or download.