Downloading videos from Youtube

[Spearmint Rhino]

Can anyone recommend some decent free software for nicking videos off Youtube and simultaneously converting them from FLVs to either AVIs or MPGs (preferably automatically so I don't have to select that option each time)?

I want something that's simple to use, and completely free (not on a trial basis, not something that's gonna ask me for money after a fortnight).

I was doing alright with save2pc until my Norton decided it was a threat and killed it. Something similar to that would be ideal.

[Taylor]

Downloading videos from Youtube

Video Download Helper, which I think you can get from the Firefox add-ons (in "Tools"), works pretty well. Not sure about the conversion bit, as I either use separate software for that or I just leave them as .flv files, but I think it can do that too.

If it's not in the add-ons menu, you can get it from their site, anyway.

[Ginger Yellow]

Downloading videos from Youtube

It is, and it works with Firefox too. I don't think it converts them, though. I could be wrong.

[Spearmint Rhino]

Downloading videos from Youtube

Realplayer have removed that option, and I don't use Firefox...

[Ginger Yellow]

Downloading videos from Youtube

They haven't removed the downloading option - I used it yesterday. Not on YouTube though.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Downloading videos from Youtube

The realplayer thingy only works with slightly older versions of firefox. There's a bit of a lag in developing the add-on.

[Neiljag]

Downloading videos from Youtube

A really nifty way to do it is to use the bookmark as described in this blog entry. When your'e on a youtube page, click on the bookmark you've made and a download link will appear below the url and embed boxes on the right hand side of the page. Easy peasy!

Edit: this'll give you them as mp4s, rather than avis, or mpegs.

[Spearmint Rhino]

Downloading videos from Youtube

A thing called Youtube Downloader from downloads.com is the suggestion I'm having the most joy with at the moment.