Capturing video from the Web and then incorporating it into our projects presents certain challenges most as a result of different file formats being compatible with different software applications. Windows Media Maker only accepts certain video formats, the most popular of those being #.avi. Most videos that appear online, however, are Flash-based. Furthermore, the applications that we have been introduced to so far—Jing and the Firefox Plugin, Download Helper—save files in a Flash-based format. That is, the online videos that are saved to our computer are not compatible with the software application we are using to make the movies.
There are, however, software applications that will convert video from Flash-based (*.flv)to *.avi so that we can use it in Windows Media Maker, and *.flv to MPEG-4 so it can be used in iMovie.
PC and Mac Users
A free, online application called Zamzar will allow you to convert all YouTube (and other online) videos to many other file formats. (You also have the ability to convert image, doc, and music files, as well.) The process is easy:
- Upload or link to a video
- Choose a file format to convert into (PC users, use avi or wmv; Mac users mp4)
- Enter your email address and they will email you a link to the converted movie for you to download
The main benefit of the site is the ease of use and variety of formats one cam convert files to. The drawback is that the conversion happens off your computer. That is, you are at the mercy of the conversion queue. Turn around times are good but paying customers receive priority file conversion times.
(HT @briancroxall for pointing to Zamzar.)
PC Users
One software application with a free, unlimited trial that works with YouTube is Replay Media Capture 3.1. This software allows users to save any YouTube video to their computer and then convert that video to *.avi format:
After converting the movie to the proper format, you will be able import the video into Movie Maker and then crop it down so you are only using the portions you wish to use.
Mac Users
There are few, if any, effective free converters for the Mac. I have, however, purchased several licenses of Wondershare YouTube Downloader which includes a converter. The application works exactly the same way as the PC software discussed above: open the application, go to the YouTube movie, it will download it automatically, and then you select the converter button to convert. There are MANY conversion options. Please select MPEG-4, which is about halfway down the list.
Before you use the software you must register the product. Please mail Dr. Wolff for the registration code.
Please contact me with any and all questions!!
