Here is a program that I found on the internet about a month ago. It's fairly interesting and allows you to download any video from Youtube onto an iPod or other MP3 player. Just want the audio cuz that's all your MP3 player can handle? That's OK, cuz this program can also take any video you downloaded and convert it to just an MP3 file.

LINK: http://youtubedownload.altervista.org/

I'm fairly sure this is legal, because viewing YouTube videos at any time is completely free, artists put their own songs on there all the time, so you could listen to them at your pleasure for free, and you could probably download them anyway from firefox. I mainly use it to get free music for my iPod. I simply look up the music video, download it, and convert it to an MP3.

Anyway, here's how to use it:
You open the program, and copy+paste the YouTube video URL into the specified box. I suggest creating a separate folder before-hand to keep all the video files. Then, just press "OK" and wait for the download. Once this is done, you can click and drag the video file (MPEG-4) to your MP3 player's folder, or iTunes.

If you just want the audio, you go back to the YouTube Downloader and select the bubble that says "Convert video." Select what you want to convert it to (MP3), then click on the ... button to find your video. You will always have to do this manually, because even if it finds the video you last downloaded, its looking for a .flv file, when you saved it as a .mp4 file. Then, press "OK" and wait for a short period of time. Then, just click and drag the MP3 file to iTunes or your MP3 player's folder.

Viola! Free video from a free video site!

I just use the built in Firefox addon - DownloadHelper. It does the exact same thing.

Delta 47 wrote:I just use the built in Firefox addon - DownloadHelper. It does the exact same thing.

Agreed. Love that thing.

I figured it did, but some of us (maybe just me) don't have Firefox. My Dad's a little strict about our computer and he doesn't like me messing with settings and browsers and the like. So I'm stuck with IE.

Twilight_Warrior wrote:
I'm fairly sure this is legal........I mainly use it to get free music for my iPod. I simply look up the music video, download it, and convert it to an MP3.

Pretty sure that's where the legal stops.

Thire wrote:

Twilight_Warrior wrote:
I'm fairly sure this is legal........I mainly use it to get free music for my iPod. I simply look up the music video, download it, and convert it to an MP3.

Pretty sure that's where the legal stops.

Yup that is where the legality stops. Also, if those Vids are not posted by the record label or the artist, then Youtube can yank them at anytime, it also includes fanvids/AMVs. A DMCA takedown just has to be issued by the rights holder.

Soooo, would that make Firefox's addon illegal since

Delta 47 wrote:It does the exact same thing.

I only use the official music videos posted by the original artists, so I know they are legit and it doesn't go against Youtube's copyright stuff.

And, if someone were to use their iPhone, the have internet access anywhere, so couldn't they just listen to whatever music whenever they wanted for free anyway? Is that illegal, too? They're getting the exact same music using the exact same source I am, I just can't get it directly from the internet 24/7. It's not like I'm making 20 copies of it to sell to my friends. I'm just listening to already free Youtube videos without wasting battery by having the video showing on my screen.

So what law makes it illegal?

EDIT: I also found this:
Whenever you play a YouTube video you have downloaded it to your computer. If you don't believe me, in IE, delete your temp internet files (tools > delete browsing history > delete temp file), watch any YouTube video, then open your temporary internet folder (tools > internet options > under 'browsing history' click 'settings' then 'view files') and look for the flv file (it'll be the largest file). It'll be there and you can play it with any flv capable media player like VLC player, drag them to your desktop/save it, convert it whatever)


So Youtube has already given you the video. It just needs to be converted. Which is where this program comes into play.

Twilight_Warrior wrote:Soooo, would that make Firefox's addon illegal since

Delta 47 wrote:It does the exact same thing.

I only use the official music videos posted by the original artists, so I know they are legit and it doesn't go against Youtube's copyright stuff.

The problem is that this is one big grey area (or is at least perceived as one) because of a lack of enforcement. There are some things to consider when asking yourself whether you should be doing something.

Why do we have copyright laws? To protect the unique creative work of individuals or groups. Why are we protecting it? To ensure that the creators get what they're due ($$$) for making something. The consideration should boil down to: "Am I taking potential revenue away from the copyright holder?" If the answer is yes, you may be on shaky ground.

i'm pretty sure someone would pull the "fair use" copyright law. most people who download music don't resell it either, so that = legal.

Lord Bardar wrote:i'm pretty sure someone would pull the "fair use" copyright law. most people who download music don't resell it either, so that = legal.

You really have no idea what "fair use" means, do you? (Or at best you misunderstand it.)
http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_a ... 9/9-b.html
I don't mean to condescend but please, read that.

Twilight_Warrior wrote:
EDIT: I also found this:
Whenever you play a YouTube video you have downloaded it to your computer. If you don't believe me, in IE, delete your temp internet files (tools > delete browsing history > delete temp file), watch any YouTube video, then open your temporary internet folder (tools > internet options > under 'browsing history' click 'settings' then 'view files') and look for the flv file (it'll be the largest file). It'll be there and you can play it with any flv capable media player like VLC player, drag them to your desktop/save it, convert it whatever)


So Youtube has already given you the video. It just needs to be converted. Which is where this program comes into play.

Yes your computer downloads a .flv, that is how Flash Video works. That however does not give you ownership or usage rights. With its millions of videos, the youtube staff has no time to trackdown and remove all violations. Which is why they rely on DMCA takedown requests. Which many rights holders like large companies don't do because of the same time issue, after all it costs the company money to have a employee go through and flag stuff.

Maveritchell wrote:

Lord Bardar wrote:i'm pretty sure someone would pull the "fair use" copyright law. most people who download music don't resell it either, so that = legal.

You really have no idea what "fair use" means, do you? (Or at best you misunderstand it.)
http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_a ... 9/9-b.html
I don't mean to condescend but please, read that.

i was merely stating that someone else would use that in defense of keeping their video up. i understand the law, but these days companies care most about their income, and as long as that video is up on YouTube with no income for either YouTube or the person who posted their video, the company will back off for the most part. that, and people copy/paste the "fair use" article when submitting a plea to have their audio back. plus there are tons of videos about it, like so http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljCXcRuuI2A

Lord Bardar wrote:i was merely stating that someone else would use that in defense of keeping their video up. i understand the law, but these days companies care most about their income, and as long as that video is up on YouTube with no income for either YouTube or the person who posted their video, the company will back off for the most part. that, and people copy/paste the "fair use" article when submitting a plea to have their audio back. plus there are tons of videos about it, like so http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljCXcRuuI2A

I didn't take objection to anything you might have thought about video use, I took objection to:

most people who download music don't resell it either, so that = legal.

which seemed to be the thrust of your point. In context, downloading a Youtube video, stripping the audio, and using it on your Ipod is just as illegal as downloading music from Napster (okay technically I have no idea what Napster does now) or Pirateland or Piratewhatever.

Maveritchell wrote: or Pirateland or Piratewhatever.

Pirate bay. And I think it's gone straight now.

Point established?