[grc] YouTube to mp4 - what is a safe converter?

Frieda Werden wings at wings.org
Thu Dec 24 18:09:53 PST 2020


Thanks, Spencer and all who have discussed my question.  After reading
about all of the options, complexities and risks, I ended up taking a line
out from the headphone jack to a digital field recorder.  Only for things I
have permission to use, of course!

On Thu, Dec 24, 2020 at 5:35 PM Spencer Graves via grc <
grc at maillist.peak.org> wrote:

> Hello, All:
>
>
>           Earlier today, I tried "youtube-dl", which seemed to work well
> for
> me:  I installed it and used it successfully to download a YouTube video
> and save it in WebM and m4a formats, then passed the m4a file to
> otter.ai and got a reasonable transcript, which I plan to use to extract
> about 6 minutes from a 60-minute YouTube video.
>
>
>           "YouTube-dl" seemed to be the best of 10 different options
> discussed
> in a Wikipedia article on "Comparison of YouTube downloaders".  Four of
> those 10 are free and open-source software.  Of those 4, only
> "youtube-dl" reportedly works with Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android.
>
>
>           It has one substantive deficiency:  It does NOT have a graphical
> user
> interface.  It also requires that you have Python and FFMPEG installed.
>   I invoked it successfully using "youtube-dl -k [url]" at a command
> prompt.
>
>
>           If you'd like to try "youtube-dl" but have trouble understanding
> how
> to install and use it, please let me know:  I will happily schedule a
> tutorial or a consulting session, depending on demand.  The Wikipedia
> article on "youtube-dl" says it "is one of the most starred projects on
> GitHub, with over 72,000 stars. ... On October 23, 2020, the Recording
> Industry Association of America (RIAA) issued a takedown notice to
> GitHub under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), requesting the
> removal of youtube-dl ... On November 16, 2020, GitHub publicly
> reinstated the repository, after the Electronic Frontier Foundation sent
> GitHub a document contesting the takedown notice".
>
>
>           The choice that seemed second best to me of the 10 in the
> Wikipedia
> "Comparison of YouTube downloaders" is "ClipGrab".  However, the
> Wikipedia article on "ClipGrab" says it's "loaded with crapware".  I
> decided I did not want that.
>
>
>           Best Wishes,
>           Spencer Graves
>
>
> On 2020-11-17 16:17, Robert Park via grc wrote:
> > I have Audacity set to record anything I hear on my computer, but I
> prefer
> > to download files from YouTube when I have permission to broadcast.
> >
> > On Tue, Nov 17, 2020 at 2:39 PM Michael Moon Bear via grc <
> > grc at maillist.peak.org> wrote:
> >
> >>      For those using a PC, I have used Total Recorder for years.  $20,
> >> records anything that you can hear on your computer, works like a charm.
> >>
> >>
> >> http://www.totalrecorder.com
> >>
> >> ---
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> >>
> >>          - Michael
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> >> Eating instructions: crack open shells, discard shells, enjoy the seeds!
> >>
> >>
> >> On 2020-11-17 13:48, Frieda Werden via grc wrote:
> >>
> >>> While all this discussion was taking place, I broke down and recorded
> the
> >>> nearly 2 hours in analogue with a line out to my Tascam recorder, which
> >> has
> >>> a digital card in it.  But I am very interested in the Audio Hijack
> idea
> >>> for use in recording direct to the computer - not only for me but for
> >> other
> >>> reporters I work with.
> >>>
> >>> Frieda Werden, Series Producer
> >>> WINGS: Women's International News Gathering Service www.wings.org [1]
> >>>
> >>> On Tue, Nov 17, 2020 at 11:31 AM Carl Etnier via grc <
> >> grc at maillist.peak.org>
> >>> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> While it has a lot of uses, Audio Hijack doesn't seem to meet Frieda's
> >>> needs. She said, "I have permission to use the audio, but would
> >>> prefer not to have to re-record in analogue in real time."
> >>>
> >>> As far as I know, Audio Hijack is a way to simplify the setup for
> >> recording
> >>> in real time. It would, however, eliminate the
> >> digital-to-analog-to-digital
> >>> conversion she was perhaps otherwise envisioning. The other methods
> >>> indicated allow downloading the files in a way that's much faster than
> >> real
> >>> time.
> >>>
> >>> --Carl
> >>>
> >>> On Tue, Nov 17, 2020 at 12:59 PM Simon Frech via grc <
> >>> grc at maillist.peak.org>
> >>> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> I su
> >>> ggested Audio Hijack to Frieda as well. I've been using it for many
> years
> >>> and it's a superb program for so many things. Record anything that
> makes
> >>> sound on your Mac.
> >>> Thanks for all the suggestions!
> >>>
> >>> Simon On Nov 16, 2020, at 6:59 PM, GREGG MCVICAR via grc <
> >> grc at maillist.peak.org> wrote:
> >>> There's always Audio Hijack if you have a Mac.
> >>>
> >>> Gregg McVicar
> >>>
> >>> https://rogueamoeba.com/audiohijack/ <
> >> https://rogueamoeba.com/audiohijack/>
> >>>
> >>> On Nov 16, 2020, at 6:39 PM, Tim Požár via grc <grc at maillist.peak.org
> >>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >>>> I found https://www.4kdownload.com/products/product-videodownloader
> >>   very handy.
> >>
> >>>> If you need to grab the audio portion of the video file, just use
> >>   Audacity to import the file.
> >>
> >>> Tim
> >>>
> >>> On 11/16/20 6:27 PM, Jeff Shaw via grc wrote: I do a lot of video work
> >> and sometimes Video Download Helper doesn't
> >>   work for me.   So, I sometimes use it, and sometimes use this:
> >>
> >>> https://www.yourvideofile.org/
> >>> I donated a small amount to that project and was sent a key for "Pro"
> >>   activation.    As opposed to Video Download Helper, which is appears
> as
> >> a
> >> plug-in on your browser, this one appears on the youtube page itself as
> >> a
> >> green button, and sometimes takes a slight bit longer.   But it works
> >> when
> >>
> >>> video download helper may not. Having said all of that, youtube may
> >> change their format or security,
> >>   and all of these options may have to adjust again.
> >>
> >>> good luck!
> >>> Jeff Shaw
> >>> Davis Media Access
> >>> On 11/16/20 3:19 PM, Ted Coe via grc wrote: Thanks!
> >>>
> >>> *Theodore Coe | KCSB AdvisorKCSB-FM 91.9o. 805.893.3921 |
> >>> e. advisor at kcsb.org <advisor at kcsb.org>*
> >>>
> >>> On Mon, Nov 16, 2020 at 3:13 PM Carl Etnier <
> >>   carl.etnier at goddard.edu>
> >>
> >>> wrote:
> >>> Video DownloadHelper extension for Firefox (and some other
> >>   browsers,
> >>
> >>> I believe).     Simple to use.
> >>> youtube-dl      Open source. No GUI; good for someone comfortable
> >>   with
> >>
> >>> command-line operations. Can also download subtitles/transcripts.
> >>>
> >>> On Mon, Nov 16, 2020 at 6:03 PM Ted Coe via grc <
> >>   grc at maillist.peak.org>
> >>
> >>> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Hi Frieda,
> >>>
> >>> Do you use Adblock with those Youtube to mp3 type of converters?
> >>>
> >>> I'm not sure if this is foolproof, but I've never had a detectable
> >>   issue.
> >>
> >>> Have been relying on Adblock + and alway click "no" when it says I
> >>   need to
> >>
> >>> update my Flash player...
> >>>
> >>> Cheers!
> >>> Ted Coe
> >>>
> >>> *Theodore Coe | KCSB AdvisorKCSB-FM 91.9o. 805.893.3921 |
> >>> e. advisor at kcsb.org <advisor at kcsb.org>*
> >>>
> >>> On Fri, Nov 13, 2020 at 8:01 PM Frieda Werden via grc <
> >>> grc at maillist.peak.org>
> >>> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> I used to use a YouTube to mp3 online converter years ago, but
> >> eventually it got corrupted with malware.  Wondering if anyone can
> recommend
> >>   a safe
> >>
> >>> way to get an mp4 copy.  I have permission to use the audio, but
> >>   would
> >>
> >>> prefer not to have to re-record in analogue in real time when my
> >>   new
> >>
> >>> version of Audacity is capable of opening mp4s.
> >>>
> >>> Frieda Werden, Series Producer
> >>> WINGS: Women's International News Gathering Service
> >>   www.wings.org [1]
> >>
> >>> _______________________________________________
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> >>>
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> >>
> >> --
> >> Carl Etnier carl.etnier at goddard.edu
> >> he/him/his
> >> 123 Pitkin Rd. | Plainfield, VT 05667
> >> 802.441.3337
> >> www.goddard.edu [2]
> >> www.wgdr.org [3]
> >>
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> >>
> >> --
> >> Carl Etnier carl.etnier at goddard.edu
> >> he/him/his
> >> 123 Pitkin Rd. | Plainfield, VT 05667
> >> 802.441.3337
> >> www.goddard.edu [2]
> >> www.wgdr.org [3]
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> grc mailing list
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> >>
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> >>
> >> Links:
> >> ------
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-- 
Frieda Werden, Series Producer
WINGS: Women's International News Gathering Service www.wings.org


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