February 19, 2007

HowTo: Make DVDs out of YouTube videos How can you watch those visually stunning YouTube videos away from the pesky Intertubes? Just follow the instructions, and it's a snap!* * Is not a snap. Involves downloading and installing two or more separate (but free) programs and reading some or all of the instructions. And the video quality on your television isn't all that great anyway but hey there you go. Do not take thread comments internally. Not for sale to minors. Free drinks until 5 p.m. for the Ladies. via Lifesmacker

Note: YouTube files are small and your TV is big, so the pictures will be pretty fuzzy and stuff. But - The Upshot seems to be to (a) Download software to pull the video file (.flv) you want out of YouTube. (The iTube software linked herein did that nicely for me, although part of the download was an 8 jillion f*ckabyte Micro$oft .NET package. Meh.) (b) Take the .flv files you got from the previous step and burn them to DVD via some handy software called DVD Flick. Which I haven't tried yet. But looks neat. So I was just wondering about this the other day, and thought maybe you (yes you) might also be interested in this fackskinatin' how-to. This is in no way related to HDTV pr0n, so don't even try it or superbad things will happen to your, like, soundcard or something.

posted by petebest 17 years ago
  • I'm totally naming one of my files flavor.flv!
  • visually stunning Chock-full of jerky, smudgy QVGA goodness. Then again, on-demand Little Superstar. Hard call.
  • There's an utility called iSquint (on OSX) that converts FLVs to quicktime movie format, and has some options for optimizing file for iPod/TV viewing. Of course, original pixel size caveat applies, GIGO.
  • iSquint, ha! I love it. To replace step a) above use keepvid.com to convert the Youtubeity to a .flv file, because there is no unpleasant downloading and installation of software. I've started using keepvid.com regularly now to grab videos before YouTube takes them down.
  • Thanks, petebest! I'd been wondering how to do this so I could show my students clips in class!
  • See also this this methodshop article which offers ways of doing it without 3rd party software ... some are complicated, some not ... iSquint is the baby!
  • Ahh, yes, that was mean. But funny. And still, there was a mashup of actual C&H panels outlining that very same idea, long before the RC clip.
  • Courtesy of teh howie, a fascinating article on your favorite tube stars: The Prisoners of YouTube.
  • Flagpole, they're heere...
  • Yow. Good article MCT, thanks.