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(From wwww.download.com
http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-11327_7-6555399-1.html?tag=tnav
Three ways to save video from the Internet
Tip 1: Capture with Web sites
Tip 2: Capture with a Firefox extension
Tip 3: Capture with commercial programs
Submitted by:
Troy Dreier
Freelance Writer
If you're a regular YouTube viewer, you've probably experienced the frustration of trying to save your favorite videos. The movies are presented in the Flash Video (FLV) format and can't be downloaded with a simple right-click. Flash Video makes highly-compressed streaming video possible, and many Web sites use it because it displays well in most browsers.
One of the easiest ways to capture videos is with KeepVid a download-helper site. It's completely browser-based, so there's no software to download. After you've found a video you want to save, enter that video's URL at KeepVid, then select its originating site from a pop-up list. KeepVid works with a wide variety of video sites. You can reuse its sites list to discover new places to surf for videos.
When you enter your video URLs, KeepVid prompts you to change the suffix of the downloaded file (so that instead of Video.htm, you download Video.flv). The only problem with the site is it leaves FLV files in their original format, so downloading alone isn't enough. To view your file, you'll need to either download a FLV viewer such as FLV Player, or convert your file into a more usable format (for conversion help, see Tip 2).
Another good site for saving online video is YouTube Downloader, a simpler option that only works with YouTube. In this site, you enter the URL of the page with your chosen video and click "Get Download URL." You'll then create a URL for the video itself. Click that new link to download the video file. You shouldn't need to add a FLV suffix, but it's a possible fix if you have problems. Again, you'll either need to convert this file or download a FLV viewer to play it.
Capture with a Firefox extension
here are many reasons why Mozilla Firefox is our favorite Web browser, and one is because it makes grabbing online videos so easy. This tip for Firefox works with both the Windows and Mac versions.
Adding new features and customizing Firefox is simple to do with extensions. Extensions are typically created by other users and are simple to search for and add. To see your browser's list of extensions, select Extensions from the Tools pull-down menu or hit the Ctrl+Shift+E key combination. You can then click "Install" to add extensions you've downloaded locally.
A fantastic extension called Video Downloader makes it easy to download and store video from more than 60 streaming-video sites. After installing Video Downloader, you'll see a new icon in the bottom-right corner of your browser interface; click it when you have a video page open to save that video. The resulting pop-up window directs you to right-click a download link, then change the suffix to FLV. That works, but in our testing so did left-clicking the link. Plus, if we left-clicked, we didn't have to change the suffix.
Once you've saved your file, you'll need a way to view it. Mac users are in luck, because there's a great donation-ware video-conversion program called iSquint all ready for you. It's not time-limited, so you can use it indefinitely without paying, but if you like it, you should throw the programmer a couple bucks.
To use iSquint, open it and drag your downloaded file into the work area. You can choose the quality of your final video, the format (standard MPEG-4 or the H.264 codec), and optimize it to play on a video iPod. Nice. We love the program's opinionated progress messages. Don't miss the Help menu, which is clever, although not actually helpful.
We haven't found a similar free video-conversion application for Windows (if you know of one, tell us), but CinemaForge is a good, inexpensive tool (free to try; $24.95 to buy). Windows users also can download a FLV viewer, such as the aforementioned FLV Player, a donation-supported free program.
When it comes to inexpensive video capture, two programs rule the arena: SnagIt for Windows and SnapzPro X 2 for Macs. These programs cost more than the other solutions here, but they're also much more versatile and are good buys if you want to capture more than just Web site videos. SnagIt, put out by TechSmith, costs $39 and provides a simple way to capture anything that finds its way onto your screen. To grab video, select the Record Screen Video option from the main screen and click the microphone icon in the Options box to grab the audio, as well. When you've got your chosen video in place, click SnagIt's big, red record button. The SnagIt interface then disappears and you're prompted to drag a rectangle across the area you want to save. Press the Start button in the pop-up window and then start your video. When you're done, finish recording by pressing the program's hot key (PrintScreen, by default). You'll then return to the SnagIt interface where the program prompts you to save your creation.
Ambrosia Software offers two versions of SnapzPro X 2, but you'll need the more expensive $69 version for movie capture. The controls can be a bit confusing at first, but read through the included PDF manual and you'll have it in no time. SnapzPro is set to launch at start-up and run in the background by default. You can activate it by pressing the default hot-key combination, which is Ctrl+Shift+3, unless you change it. Click the video button, place the outlined capture square over your video, and then customize the video settings. Be sure to select Mac Audio Track if you want to include the sound. Double-click within the video-capture area to start recording, then press play on the video. When you're done, press the hot keys again to stop recording.
You'll be prompted to set the audio- and video-compression information before the program creates your video. We like the degree of options, although we wish the program allowed users to name the file at this point. As is, it creates a default name based on the program it captures from.
For tips on converting video for your MP3 player, check out our Insider Secrets feature on video conversion.
Although Archos models such as the AV500 and the Gmini 402 can play a variety of video files (including AVI and MPEG-4), some of your movies will need to be converted to the proper resolution and/or format. Before you start down that road, however, try using Windows Media Player 10 (WMP 10, available only to Windows XP users) to copy your files. You may be surprised by how many files will play on your Archos without any conversion.
MPEG4 Translator, which ships with Archos players, is a utilitarian and effective tool.
The process is the same as copying music: Select the desired movies, add them to your Sync list, then click Start Sync. In most cases, WMP will simply copy the files to your player, though it may try to convert some if necessary.
If you don't have Windows XP or WMP 10 or you've encountered some files that won't play properly on your Archos, you'll need to call in the big guns: MPEG4 Translator and Virtual Dub, which ship with Archos players. These utilities work in tandem to convert most kinds of videos to a format suitable for your player.
Here's how to make it happen:
1. Download the free DivX codec and install it on your PC.
2. Connect your Archos player to your PC, then navigate to its Data folder using Windows Explorer. From there, venture into the Installation Software folder (this may vary somewhat depending on your model).
3. Install Virtual Dub, which actually requires nothing more than unzipping the program into a folder on your hard drive.
4. Install and run MPEG4 Translator. You'll be asked to provide a path to Virtual Dub; navigate to the folder on your hard drive where you unzipped it, then select the Virtual Dub program and click Open.
5. With MPEG4 Translator running, click Select Source File to choose the video you want to convert, then click Set Destination File to specify where the converted file should end up. If you want, you can send it straight to the Video folder on your Archos.
6. In the Target drop-down menu, select your Archos model. If it's not listed, choose Archos Default.
7. Click Start--and be prepared to wait. As with all video conversions, these can take time.
8. Once the file is complete, copy it over to your Archos PVP and see if it plays.
Using Creative's bundled Media Explorer, you can convert just about any kind of video file (AVI, DivX, MPEG, WMV, and so on) for viewing on your Zen Vision or Zen Vision:M. Of course, because the Zens have native support for such a broad range of formats, it's possible that some files won't require conversion at all. That's the beauty of Media Explorer's Convert Video utility: it will tell you which of your selected movies require conversion and just direct-copy those that don't.
Video conversion novices will find Creative's Media Source software a breeze to use.
1. Start Media Explorer and click Convert Video.
2. Click the Add button and choose the files you want to convert.
3. Click Next, then adjust the quality settings as desired. For example, if you want your videos to look their best and you have space to spare on your Zen, choose Best Quality.
4. In the same dialog box, select an output folder for the converted files, then click Next.
5. Review the selected files to see which ones require conversion and which ones don't. You shouldn't have to make any changes here, as the utility won't bother converting videos the Zen can already play.
6. Check the box marked "Transfer converted files to this player after conversion," then click Next. Now go get a cup of coffee while the utility works its magic and copies the reformatted movies to your player.
Convert Media Center shows
If you have a Windows XP Media Center 2005 PC, plug in your Zen and wait for the Sync option to appear. Choose the Add More option, then choose Recorded TV. Select the shows you want to copy to the Zen, then start the process. Note that you may want to remove (by highlighting and clicking the X) all the other sync selections that are listed by default, otherwise you could be in for a long wait.
If you want more control over what you copy to your Zen (the Media Center interface limits you to recorded TV shows and forces you to take three episodes at a time), you can use Windows Media Player 10 to manually select and sync TV shows, movies, photos, and the like.
Although iTunes 6 promises to convert some kinds of video for iPod viewing, it supports only QuickTime formats (MPEG-4 and MOV). You could pay $30 for QuickTime Pro 7.0.3, which includes a convenient Movie To iPod mode, but even that limits the kinds of movies you can convert.
A better solution is Videora's iPod Converter ($30, free trial).This 6MB utility makes simple work of transcoding your movies into iPod-compatible MPEG-4 files. It supports all the popular video codecs, including AVI (DivX), MPEG, QuickTime, and WMV. Even more impressive, it can convert VOB and TiVo To Go files, great for ripped DVD movies and TiVo recordings, respectively.
Here's how to use iPod Converter to put your movies in your pocket:
1. Download, install, and run the program.
2. Click Setup, then find the Output Videos To field. Choose a folder (My Videos, for instance) where you'll be able to easily find your converted movies.
3. Click Convert, then click the One-Click Transcode button. Navigate to the folder containing your videos and select one or more (hold down the Ctrl key while clicking if you want to choose multiple files).
4. Click Open, and iPod Converter gets right to work. Now be prepared to wait, as transcoding can take time--often as long as the movie itself.
5. When your videos are done converting, fire up iTunes (you need version 6.0.2 or later). Import the new files, then drag them to your iPod.
iPod Converter is, amazingly, a freebie, but the developers encourage donations--and so do we.
About the only format iPod Converter doesn't support is DVR-MS, which is used by Media Center PCs for recorded shows. Thankfully, you can stock your iPod with Lost, Desperate Housewives, or pretty much anything else without paying Apple $1.99 for the privilege. All you need is Proxure's $29.95 MyTV ToGo 3 (www.mytvtogo.com), which automatically converts recordings and copies them to your iPod. This simple Media Center add-in can be operated using nothing more than your remote, so you don't even have to get off the couch.
Get with the right program
If you're going by the book, the "official" way to get videos onto a Memory Stick Duo (and by extension, your Sony PSP) is to go to Sony's Web site and purchase Image Converter 2.0 for $20.
Originally designed for use with Sony's CLIE handhelds and Handycam camcorders, Image Converter 2.0 performs the basic function of converting movies into the proprietary MP4 format used by Sony's gaming system. But because it wasn't designed for use with the PSP, Image Converter 2.0 won't detect your hardware when you've plugged it in via USB, and it won't know to create the right folders on your Memory Stick Duo so that the PSP will recognize your media. It also doesn't support conversion into wide-screen formats, thus wasting what may be the PSP's most compelling feature as a video playback device. Finally, it'll set you back $20, when there are better options (we'll show you the best one) available on the Web for free. In the final analysis, this is a case where it doesn't pay to follow the company line.
In the wake of Image Converter 2.0's inadequacy, it didn't take long for a slate of freeware PSP video programs to crop up for download. In terms of video quality, customizability, and overall ease of use, the best of the breed is Videora Labs' PSP Video 9.0, available for download here.
Watch the video to see this software in action.
PSP Video 9.0 supports a wide variety of source formats, including MPEG, AVI, MOV, and WMV (if your source video is coming from the Internet or a digital video recorder) as well as VOB (if your source video has been ripped from a DVD). We leave it up to you to ensure that your source videos are attained through legal means.
Unfortunately, PSP Video 9.0 is currently a Windows-only program; if you're a Mac user, you'll want to check out PSPWare ($15) or iPSP ($20, and also available for Windows). Both programs offer conversion and syncing features similar to those of PSP Video 9.0. If you want to preview your converted videos before transferring them to your PSP, you'll also need the latest version of Apple's QuickTime player, available on Apple's Web site. Once you have all the necessary software installed, connect your PSP to your computer via USB, wait until your computer detects the new device, then start up PSP Video 9.0, which should detect your handheld automatically. You're ready to convert your first video!
Find the video-quality sweet spot
In most cases, formatting a video for use on your PSP can be as simple as loading it up and running it through PSP Video 9.0's default conversion profile. But if you go with the defaults, you'll be stuck with a 320x240 video that may not be optimal for the PSP's wide 480x272 screen; besides, if we wanted to go for the default, this wouldn't be much of an Insider Secret.
The first step in achieving optimal PSP video quality is determining the aspect ratio of your source video. In all likelihood, this will be one of the following (aspect ratios are listed in increasing order of how many steps it will take to achieve optimal quality):
1. Standard 4:3 format (screenshot)
2. Wide-screen 16:9 format (screenshot)
3. Letterboxed 4:3 format (screenshot)
Due to limitations in the PSP's firmware, the maximum standard resolution recognized by the PSP is 320x240, and the maximum wide-screen resolution is 368x208. PSP Video 9.0 comes equipped with several preset conversion profiles at both of these resolutions, and so if your video falls under No. 1 or 2 above, all you'll need to do before converting is choose your desired and audio quality setting, by going to Setup > Profiles and choosing an Existing Quality Profile.
Higher bit rates such as 1,500Kbps will look better on the screen but will also take up more space; lower bit rates won't look as good but will allow you to fit more movies on your Memory Stick. Variable bit rates, denoted in the profiles dialog box as "QBnumber," can be more efficient than static bit rates because they analyze your source video to determine when higher bit rates are necessary and when a lower one will do. When setting a variable bit rate, the overall quality and size of your output will be inversely proportional to your QB number; for instance, 4 yields a large but high-quality file, while 10 results in a lower-quality file that takes up less space. Quick tip: Check the properties of your source video to determine its bit rate, and don't go any higher when converting; this will save on file size without affecting overall quality, since there's no benefit to exceeding your source bit rate. When you've chosen your quality profile, hit Apply, navigate back to the Convert menu, and skip the next paragraph.
Watch the video to see these steps.
If you have a letterboxed source video, you have some cropping to do. In PSP Video 9.0, head to the Setup menu and navigate to the Profiles tab. Choose an existing 368x208 profile, since you'll want your output to be wide-screen, then click the New Profile button. Enter a new profile name and check the "Crop Input Video (by pixel)" box. To determine how many pixels to lop off the top and bottom of your source file, we recommend taking a screen capture from the video (using Alt + print screen) and measuring the length of the black bars on either side of the frame using Photoshop or a comparable image-editing program. Once that's done, hit the Apply button, head back to the Settings tab, and set your newly created profile to be the default. Now, you're finally ready to convert your first video.
This is the easy part: click the Convert button at the top of the program's interface, then click the Convert New Video button. If your desired source video isn't showing up, you may need to expand the Files Of Type field to include All Files. And that's it! While your movie's being processed, you can queue up other movies that you'd like to convert. When the process is finished, it's time to transfer your newly minted videos onto your PSP.
Rename your files
One of Sony's many brilliant moves in crippling the PSP's video functionality was to insist on an opaque and inflexible file system for movies on the Memory Stick; if a video file isn't named "M4V1000number.mp4" and located in the \MP_ROOT\100MNV01 directory, your PSP will pretend it doesn't exist. Luckily, PSP Video 9.0 allows you to customize the titles of your converted movies, so you can tell them apart without worrying about sifting through a sea of random letters and numbers.
Watch the video to see the renaming happen.
customize and copy your movies over to your PSP, make sure your device is connected, then click the Copy button on the top menu bar. In the left field, select the file that you'd like to rename, then on the bottom of the screen, click the File Info tab. Then, edit the Title field to your specifications and click the Apply button. Once that's done, simply drag the video from the left field into the right field, wait for the transfer to finish...and you're done. Unlink your PSP and start enjoying video!
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| Taptrick |
good info.
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