Downloading Web Content (YouTube and Other Sites)
- If you'd like to acquire an online video to use in your project, you will need to convert it into an usable video format first. Firefox has an easy to use plug-in that you can download called FlashGot. It will capture all Flash content on a page, even ads, and download them to a folder. Once the add-on is installed, there will be an icon on the top right of the Firefox window that will be a button that downloads the media from the webpage. It will download YouTube content as well as many other sites with Flash-based content.
- KeepVid is another site that will let you download and convert streaming/flash video into a variety of formats. Copy and paste the URL of the video into KeepVid, select the file format you want to convert it to, and it will download onto your desktop. Please click on the "download" link right beside the address bar in the page. Otherwise you will be prompted to download a program. This is actually an ad. KeepVid does not require a separate download. If may also choose to install the bookmarklet at the top of the page to help with downloading other content.
- Another option is ClipCoverter - another website that works just as well as KeepVid.
- Zamzar is a useful online utility to convert files up to a certain size. If you have a large file or you convert files regularly, download the program Adapter.
*Please be aware that sites do not let content to be downloaded for various reasons. Circumventing this is generally allowed per Fair Use.
