Welcome to > downloading videos from the internet (and putting them on your iPod) Click on the links below to see how to: 1. Download Videos from the Internet to play offline 2. Put Maths videos from YouTube onto your iPod to revise on the move! 1. Downloading Videos from the Internet If you wish to play videos from YouTube, or similar websites, on your interactive whiteboard or laptop computer for your class to see, but either: (a) your classroom does not have access to the internet, or (b) your school network has banned websites like YouTube, then this little guide will hopefully help you get around this problem. If you follow the steps below, you will be able to download any video from YouTube, save it as you would any other file, and then play it back on a computer or a whiteboard, even if you are not connected to the internet. Basically, there are two ways of doing this: Option 1: Use the latest version of Real Player Option 2: Use a file converting website Personally, I prefer the first option. Whilst it takes longer the first time around as you have to install the software, once you have done one video you can do others in a matter of seconds. Also, because you are downloading the videos using Real Player, you can obviously play them in Real Player as well. However, the second option has the advantage that you don't need to download any software, but you might be online for a little longer and get hit by the occasional advert. Give them both a go and see what you prefer! Option 1: Using Real Player 1. Download (for free) the latest version of Real Player Now, Real Player is just a simple media playing software, but with the added advantage that the latest version allows you to download videos from the internet. You can get the software directly off the website by clicking here, but if you download it as part of the excellent free Google Pack by clicking on the link below, then you will help support this website, and I will be eternally grateful. Also, doing it this way will mean that you will be automatically informed of any updates. Please Note: Whichever way you choose, please make sure you choose Real Player Basic, or you will need to pay! 2. Go on the internet and select the video you want to download It doesn't matter where you access this video from (school, or home), so long as the computer you are accessing it on has the latest version of Real Player 3. Click on the "download this video" message on the top of the screen It should look something like this: This will automatically download the whole video to your Real Player Library Potential Problem: I don't see the download this video option!!!! Don't fear. This is usually caused by the fact that you need to update Real Player (and I know this sounds stupid as you have just downloaded it, but that's computers for you!) Follow these steps: 1. Make sure you are connected to the internet 2. Open Real Player 3. Select Tools from the top menu 4. Select Check for Update from the drop down menu 5. Tick the box that says Real Player 11 underneath Critical Updates, and select Install 6. This will install the latest version onto your computer and remove the other one. Phew! And (hopefully) whenever you now view videos on YouTube you will get the download this video option! 4. Open up Real Player and select My Library from the top, and then Downloads and Recordings from the left. Fingers crossed, the name of your downloaded video clip should appear on the screen. 5. Select the name of the video clip and then press your right mouse button 6. Select Locate File from the drop-down menu 7. You should now be able to see the actual file of your video You can now copy and paste this file (either to another location on your computer, or to your USB stick) just like you would do any other file 8. You can now play this file on your computer even if you are not on the internet, or better still you can transfer it onto another computer (for example, the one attached to your interactive whiteboard), and watch the video without being blocked by your school network! Please Note: The computer you watch it on must also have the Real Player software installed, or a versatile file player such as VLC Media Player Please Also Note: If your computer does not recognise the file, just select "choose program from list" and then select Real Player from there Option 2: File Converting Website These are quite a free websites which automatically convert videos into files which you can download, save and then view offline. The one I am going to use is ZamZar, but KeepVid is another good one. Here are the steps you need to follow: 1. Click on the website address (url) of the page on which you are viewing your chosen video, right-click and then select copy from the menu For example: 2. Visit the website ZamZar 3. Click on the Download Videos tab 4. Delete the http:// that is already in the box and paste the entire website address in there. 5. Select the type of file you want to convert to in Step 2 avi should play on Windows Media Player flv should play on Real Player But a good idea is to download the free VLC Media Player as this can pretty much handle any type of file. 6. Enter in your email address and click on Convert In a couple of minutes (depending on how big the file is and how busy the website is), a link to the downloaded file should now be sitting in your inbox. Follow the link and save the converted file somewhere on your computer. Now you can save that file on a USB pen (flash drive) or simply play the file on your computer even though you might be off-line! I hope this helps! 2. Putting Videos onto your iPod If you have found a really good video on-line and you wish to watch it on your Video iPod or another portable video playing device, then follow these steps and you should be able to. Option 1: Use Real Player and then download a free file convertor Option 2: Use an online file convertor Once again, I have to say I prefer Option 1. Whilst it undoubtedly takes longer the first time around (you must install two pieces of software), once that is set-up you will be flying. You already have the software installed on your computer, and so you are not relying on internet sites all the time. Option 2 can be much quicker, but in my experience files can take up to an hour to arrive in your inbox, which is not ideal if you are in a rush. Anyway, give them both a go and see which one is best for you. Option 1: Use Real Player and then download a free file convertor. 1. Follow the steps in Option 1 at the top of this page (click here). Once you have done this you should have a flv video file saved somewhere on your computer 2. Download the free Cocoon Quick Media Convertor Click here to download it It is quite a large file (20Mbs), so it might take a while, and it arrives in a zipped folder which you must extract. 3. Install it onto your computer and open it up. It should look a bit like this: Note: This is a French piece of software, so if your French is as limited as mine (I can count to 10 and give directions to the Office de Tourisme), then make sure you change the language at the top. 3. Now, if you want to convert the file to be able to watch it on your iPod, then follow these steps: (1) Select the output file to be MP4 iPod screen format But I don't have an iPod, I have something else!!! Do not fear... just find out what type of video files your player plays and covert them to that format instead! (2) Either drag and drop your video file in, or browse for it using the button on the left (3) Choose where you would like your video to be saved (I always choose Desktop so I can easily find it) (4) Start the conversion (5) Transfer your converted file to your iTunes library, synchronise with your iPod, and voila! - you can have maths videos with you wherever you go! Option 2: Use and on-line file convertor Once again, my website of choice is ZamZar 1. Click on the website address (url) of the page on which you are viewing your chosen video, right-click and then select copy from the menu For example: 2. Visit the website ZamZar 3. Click on the Download Videos tab 4. Delete the http:// that is already in the box and paste the entire website address in there. 5. Select the type of file you want to convert to in Step 2 Select ipod if you have a video playing iPod If you have another video player, then something like mov or mp4 might be needed 6. Enter in your email address and click on Convert In a couple of minutes (depending on how big the file is and how busy the website is), a link to the downloaded file should now be sitting in your inbox. Save the converted file somewhere on your computer. 7. Transfer your file to your iTunes library, synchronise with your iPod, and voila! - you can have maths videos with you wherever you go! I hope this helps! Back to Podcasts Back to Fun Maths on YouTube Back Home