Encode YouTube video to MPEG-2

[RL]

Is there a way to load a link to a YouTube file, or other way to do this?

[Case]

If you want to convert YouTube videos, you'll have to download them first.
YouTube videos are often in FLV or MP4 format.
To download a video from YouTube, it is easiest to use the Firefox browser, as that browser allows for a third party plugin (Add-on) that will help in downloading videos from video sites. The add-on of my choice is called Video Downloadhelper, but there are several add-ons that perform a similar function.

Videos on YouTube do differ in the codecs they use (H.263, H.264, VP6, etc.). Not all are compatible with the version of ffmpeg that is used in ffmpegX. You'll have to try to know.

[RL]

I have an .flv file downloaded on my Mac Desktop. It will not encode in ffmpegX. It will not play in anything I have. Do I need more software to encode it to a playable and convertible file?

I had thought when I downloaded the file from Firefox add on software it would encode it in the download.

Not so.

[RL]

Where is the download for videodownloader. I do not see it on the web site?

[Case]

I have an .flv file downloaded on my Mac Desktop. It will not encode in ffmpegX. It will not play in anything I have. Do I need more software to encode it to a playable and convertible file?

You may find Perian very useful. It is a QuickTime component that adds decoding capabilities to QuickTime Player, including handing of FLV files.

Where is the download for videodownloader. I do not see it on the web site?

There is an Install menu/button/link on the site that points back to the Firefox Add-on repository, item 3006. (Use Firefox to visit that page.)