How to download videos off certain websites?

[dbanimal]

Hi all, I apologize in advance if this is in the wrong forum but I was wondering if you know of a good video downloader for sites like G4TV. Since this site will be shutting down soon and changed to the Esquire network I wanted to grab some of the old videos from the site. I tried www.videoripper.me but many of the videos come back saying a link to the video can't be found which is bizarre as some of the links that look identical work fine. Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.

Also, I've been trying to download some of the Dirty Jobs behind the scenes videos from the Discovery Channel, Ex: http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/dirty-jobs/videos/a-disappointing-sign.htm As you can see the link is a .htm and the actual file looks like it's an Adobe Flash Player file. Any help there would be great too. This was a great show that I was very sad to see canceled.

Thanks in advance for the help!

[Baldrick]

I'm moving you to our video streaming/capturing section. The capturing is only for analog video.


https://www.videohelp.com/tools/sections/video-streaming-recording

No, I havent tried record anythung from discovery so I can't say what you should try first.

[dbanimal]

Alright, thank you!

[bat999]

... link to the video can't be found...

Thanks in advance for the help!

Which video do you want to download?

[dbanimal]

Lots of videos. : )

Since all the videos could be lost forever I would like to try and get as many as I can. There's a site called www.g4rewind.com and they're trying to get videos posted on their site but I don't suspect they will get many.

I obviously have access to all the videos on G4 it's just videoripper is being picky on what links it likes that's why I was wondering if there's another software available to do the same job?

[jagabo]

Firefox + Download Helper

[zzyzx2]

If they are DRM protected Adobe streams, I find Stream Transport can download almost all of them. Download helper only works for youtube type sites.

[jagabo]

Download helper only works for youtube type sites.

It worked for the video he linked to.

[dbanimal]

Thanks, I'll give this all a try!!

[zzyzx2]

Download helper only works for youtube type sites.

It worked for the video he linked to.

Then it must be DRM protected. Try Download helper on this link:

http://rtl-now.rtl.de/alarm-fuer-cobra-11/geld-regiert-die-welt.php?container_id=11981...er=1&season=22

[bat999]

Lots of videos. : )
if there's another software available to do the same job?

Lots of software.

[jagabo]

Try Download helper on this link:

http://rtl-now.rtl.de/alarm-fuer-cobra-11/geld-regiert-die-welt.php?container_id=11981...er=1&season=22

I know it doesn't work on RTMPE sites. He asked about a specific site (as well as general videos) and I gave him an answer for that specific site that involves free, easy to use programs.

[classfour]

Jagabo is correct.

[classfour]

Dirty Jobs can be grabbed as well, you just have to wait past the commercial - it's the mp4

[dbanimal]

Lots of videos. : )
if there's another software available to do the same job?

Lots of software.

Thanks, I figured as much, I just wanted to know what others are using - tried and tested!

[dbanimal]

If they are DRM protected Adobe streams, I find Stream Transport can download almost all of them. Download helper only works for youtube type sites.

Both of these seem to work great, thank you. One thing I noticed though is that using videoripper (when it accepts the link) downloads the file immediately as an mp4 and it looks great versus Downloadhelper allows you to convert to mp4 from flv but it looks like crap. Any reason why you think this is? Stream Transport works great as well but I don't see any way to convert from flv. Am I missing something?

Thanks!

[jagabo]

Downloadhelper allows you to convert to mp4 from flv but it looks like crap.

I always just download the file. I don't bother converting. Any conversion is going to lower the quality. Are you saying the downloaded FLV looks fine but the MP4 looks bad?

[dbanimal]

Downloadhelper allows you to convert to mp4 from flv but it looks like crap.

Are you saying the downloaded FLV looks fine but the MP4 looks bad?

Yes exactly, the conversion to mp4 looks bad yet videoripper immediately downloads as mp4 and looks great. The problem with FLV format is that it can't be played back on some devices (my PS3 for example). I wish videoripper was more dependable!

[deepangel]

Usually you would get downloaders letting you download from only very popular sites. sometimes there are technological constraints also which prevents from downloaders being written for certain type of sites

[Budman1]

Just a little more 2 cents worth.... I usually use Real Media downloader or Free Download Manager since they pop a download button at the top of screen on cursor over when the video plays.


The "Other" method is to use VideoCacheView and right click the file in temporary memory and save. You will have to wait until the complete movie is downloaded with this method however.


Both sites downloaded for me with Real Media downloader or Free Download Manager

[dbanimal]

Thanks everyone! Just a quick question to Budman1, does the Real Media downloader and Download Manager allow you to download as an mp4 or is it flv (in the Dirty Jobs example)?

[Budman1]

I believe it downoads as is on the site. The temp cacheview also shows it is received as an flv during normal playing. I know for sure that free download manager downloads whatever it is from the link , mp4 or flv. Without recoding.

[Budman1]

I believe it downoads as is on the site. The temp cacheview also shows it is received as an flv during normal playing. I know for sure that free download manager downloads whatever it is from the link , mp4 or flv. Without recoding.

You could probably use xmedia recode if you needed to batch convert.