Downloading and watching YouTube movies on your computer

YouTube has a large collection of movies. Some of these movies are excellent to augment a training. However, not always there is a (reliable) internet connection during the training. This Blog will show you a very easy and reliable way to download and play YouTube movies from your computer.

on your

Good to know
There are many tools, both online and installable, that can convert YouTube movies into one or more of the standard formats that can be played with Windows Media Player. Then again, it takes additional time and effort. Usually the files are significantly larger and sometimes the quality is compromised.

Objective
Be able to easily play YouTube movies (incl. from within PowerPoint)

Steps to do

1. Being able to play YouTube movies in Windows Media Player
2. Being able to easily download YouTube movies
3. Being able to watch FLV-movies in PowerPoint
4. Instructions how to download and play YouTube movies

1. Being able to play YouTube movies in Windows Media Player
What must be done is to install a codec (coding-decoding) that allows Windows Media Player to play the YouTube movies.
If you have time and know your stuff, you may want to fine-tune the installation of the following Codec-pack. If you're like me, you use the standard approach:

• Download the codec-pack K-lite Codec Pack 5.7.0 BASIC
• Install by using click next without checking/unchecking anything (although make sure that everything is associated with Windows Media Player)

2. Being able to easily download YouTube movies
In Google Chrome

UPDATE March 12th

• KeepVid.com doesn't seem to work anymore
• Paste the line below in your browser:
  javascript:document.location='http://youtubedownload.nl/?url='+escape(window.location);
• Add to Favorites
• Give it a nice name, like YouTube It!

UPDATE April 14th

• Keep Vid.com works again
• Goto Vid.com and drag the botton (see instructions in the button), or
• Paste the line below in your browser:
  javascript:document.location='http://keepvid.com/?url='+escape(window.location);
• Add to Favorits
• Give it a nice name, like: Keep It!

3 Being able to add FLV-movies to PowerPoint
Skip this if you don't plan to use FLV-format in PowerPoint; you can always do it later!
Some movies can't be downloaded in MP4 format and therefore can't be viewed using Windows Media Player in PowerPoint. Even though you're now already able to watch FLV-movies with Windows Media Player ...a Microsoft Office thing. The following will make it easy to watch FLV-movies as well in PowerPoint. It is a bit of work, but it makes live much easier when you need to add downloaded YouTube movies in FLV-format.

• Download and install VLC
  Unless you want VLC as a default for some formats, make sure VLC is not associated with anything
• Download the PowerPoint file VLC add-in
• Open the Powerpoint file
• Click the Office Button and press Save As PowerPoint Presentation
• Save as type: PowerPoint Add-in
• Press Save
• Click the Office Button
• Click PowerPoint Options (below)
• Click Add-ins
• Next to Manage: choose PowerPoint Add-Ins then click Go
• Click Add New and browse to VLC add-in
• A new Add-ins tab appears. Click it to see your toolbar buttons.

You have now two additional button in the Add-ins ribbons:

• To insert a FLV-movie (a Presenterscreen icon)
• To change the properties of the FLV-movie (a Hammer Spanner icon)

4 Instructions how to download YouTube movies and play them
In general

• Goto YouTube
• Find the video you like (it must be played from within YouTube domain)
• Press Keep it! on your favorites bar
• Press YouTube It! on your favorites bar (or the name you gave it in step 2)
• Select one of the links that is presented to you (some, very few, movies are protected from being downloaded)  ...preferably the MP4 high quality (usually slightly larger, but easier to handle in PowerPoint)
• Download the movie where you want to
• In case you want to use it in a PowerPoint, it is good practise to put and keep the movie in the same folder as the PowerPoint presentation
• Double-click and Windows Media Player will play the movie from your computer; both MP4 and FLV formats

Powerpoint

• If it is a MP4 movie
• Insert the movie using Insert Movie
• The native controls of PowerPoint allow you to do anything you want
• If it is a FLV movie
• Press Add-ins on the ribbon
• Press the Presentor Screen icon (if you hover over it: VLC add-in: Add FLV)
• Select the movie
• You will see a traphic cone; you can't see the movie now. When in presenting mode the movie will play.
• You can resize the movie like any other shape
• To change the properties, select the Hammer & Spanner icon (if you hover over it: VLC add-in: Properties FLV).
• Do not unselect AUTOPLAY
• The next update of the VLC add-in will have the possibility to pause/play, adjust volume,replay