Exclusive LG phones only from AT&T
- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7
- Date added: August 29, 2010
- Total Downloads: 44,696,925
- Downloads last week: 724,614
- Product Ranking: #1 in Download Managers
- See full specifications
- CNET Community
- This product is on 21 member lists. Add to my list Add to my Watch List
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 1793 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Seth Rosenblatt on November 07, 2008
This simple freeware application works pretty well, given how basic the interface is. It has two main features: to download FLV files from YouTube, and to convert them to most major formats. If there's a YouTube URL in your clipboard, it will automatically paste it for you when you click on the dialog box. From there, just hit OK and the downloading will commence. One more left-click is all it takes to load the file in the converter, which supports iPhone, iPod, PSP, cell phone, AVI, MP3, WMV, and Xvid. Surprisingly, there's also a basic video editor for cropping videos by time stamp. You can also cut out the sound when converting.
This is one of the lightest editors around, but the simplistic interface belies its functionality and it performs exactly as advertised. We'd like to see support in future editions for hunting down missing codecs, and version 2.1.5 and earlier won't work because of embed code changes on YouTube itself. Still, the YouTube Downloader is proof that not only is video-making accessible to everyone, so is video downloading and editing.
Watch the CNET video review of YouTube Downloader:
Publisher's description
From Biennesoft:It's software that allows you to download videos from YouTube, including HD and HQ videos, and many others and convert them to other video formats. The program is easy to use, just specify the URL for the video you want to download and click the Ok. It also allows you to convert downloaded videos for iPod, iPhone, PSP, Cell Phone, Windows Media, XVid and MP3. Allows you to access YouTube videos for which you need to be 18+ years of age. Now, plays videos downloaded.
What's new in this version:
Version 2.6.1 fixes video downloading from Facebook and Vevo.More popular Download Managers downloads
- 724,614 downloads 1. YouTube Downloader
- 147,275 downloads 2. Internet Download Manager
- 50,480 downloads 3. 1-Click YouTube Downloader
- 40,230 downloads 4. Orbit Downloader
- 39,313 downloads 5. Download Accelerator Plus
- See all Download Managers downloads
User reviews
- All versions: 3.8 starsout of 1793 votes
- 5 stars
- 4 stars
- 3 stars
- 2 stars
- 1 stars
- Current version: 3.6 starsout of 26 votes
- 5 stars
- 4 stars
- 3 stars
- 2 stars
- 1 stars
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
-
1 stars
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful
Version: YouTube Downloader 2.6.1
"ADWARE INSTALL- Toolbar is spyware"
Pros: Nothing of value in this install
Cons: Adware (toolbar) installs automatically, changes search providers
Summary: Shame on CNET for recommending this on the daily downloads page. Do you test applications before making them available?
-
2 stars
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Version: YouTube Downloader 2.6.1
"I used to love it but now"
Pros: it works good
Cons: hate the new look and toolbar not to mention the crappy way it changes your settings.
Summary: I was thinking about finding anotherr downloader for youtube but this had always worked tho I'm unsure now how likey I'll contunie to use it
also this "spyware" as everyonee calls it is most likey nothing but flase-positive OR flase hope that Norton/AVG are actually protecting your computer from anything other than yourself. (not a joke either) -
1 stars
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful
Version: YouTube Downloader 2.6.1
"Good program - "adware" toolbar included as a "opt-out""
Pros: Program works as it should and always has - see below for deliberately hidden fish hooks
Cons: UNINSTALL THE SO-CALLED "YouTube Downloader" TOOLBAR - it is a 3rd-party, user-tracking, aggregating, revenue tool for Spigot Inc - deliberately misnamed as "YouTube Downloader Toolbar". Read the toolbar "Terms of Use" . Shame on Biennesoft for this
Summary: Spigot Toolbar Terms of Use Section 1.1 Rights You Grant to Spigot.
By installing the Toolbar on your computer, you expressly authorize and request Spigot to:
a) act as your search agent to conduct inquiries on your behalf using Spigot's search engine and technologies and partners' sites, and collect relevant information and display it to you;
b) take actions Spigot deems appropriate to provide the Toolbar to you and to act on your behalf in obtaining information from partners and displaying that to you;
c) read and interpret your search requests and results on certain sites and use this information to conduct searches on your behalf, offer alternative results and to personalize The Toolbar for you;
d) collect information in accordance with our privacy policy;
e) start the Toolbar automatically when you start your computer, and to appear as a toolbar in your Microsoft Internet Explorer and/or Mozilla Firefox browser. You may change how the Toolbar starts and appears using the respective application options;
f) modify your Microsoft Internet Explorer and/or Mozilla Firefox browser settings for the default search engine, address bar search, "DNS error" page, "404 error" page, and new tab page to facilitate more informative responses as determined by The Toolbar;
g)communicate with Spigot servers from time to time to check for available software updates such as bug fixes, patches, enhanced functions and new versions (collectively, "Updates"). By installing The Toolbar, you agree to automatically request and receive Updates.
One of the worst features is 1.1(f) - see what Lavasoft's Ad-Aware had to say about this "foistware, opt-out" toolbar at: http://www.lavasoftsupport.com/index.php?showtopic=29860&view=findpost&p=122195
This is not the kind of behaviour (in the name of extra revenue) that long-time users have come to expect from the program's creators, Biennesoft.
Worst of all, how many of you installed the toolbar without realising that it is not a part of the "YouTube Downloader" program...? -
2 stars
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Version: YouTube Downloader 2.6.1
"program OK - TOOLBAR IS SPYWARE - DONT INSTALL"
Pros: still easy to use, though downloads seem slower than before
Program is safe to use if the toolbar is not installedCons: TOOLBAR IS SPYWARE dont instal it, makes changes to your system and your browsers without telling you
NOT PART OF the program at all - deliberate misleading nameSummary: Because of toolbar, the program is now being detected as spyware/malware by Norton & AVG & Ad-Aware
@ vgames on September 2, 2010 - they are not a false positive, just protecting the user and doing there job -
5 stars
Version: YouTube Downloader 2.6.1
"Easy to use and effective."
Pros: Download videos free of charge and convert files.
Cons: none...just don't install toolbar.
Summary: Great product. 5 stars.
-
5 stars
Version: YouTube Downloader 2.6.1
"Great. Does just what its supposed to."
Pros: Very simple and easy to use. Can download from loads of other sites not just Youtube.
Cons: None.......
Summary: Great, essential freeware
-
4 stars
Version: YouTube Downloader 2.6.1
"Software working properly as I want it go"
Pros: as usual download what i want, all link work, no disconnect problem
Cons: the speed of download slightly slow now, but still running even the connection is bad. Openning too a bit slow compare to previous version
Summary: There is no malware or spyware in this software, and please for new user, never install toolbar, uncheck it, than will have no problem, if cant uncheck or toolbar still install without your permission, mostly your com has spyware, so do check. So far programme working properly.
-
3 stars
Version: YouTube Downloader 2.6.1
"I use it for convert only~"
Pros: -download
-convert
-easyCons: -download only one site~
-lately i cant convert a video file (flv) which is can b4~Summary: -just dont download the tollbar wtr~
-I use this only fer convert~
-can't convert any video that downloaded from downloadhelper? -
4 stars
Version: YouTube Downloader 2.6.1
"1341800039038"
Pros: 1341800039048
Cons: 1341800039048
Summary: 1341800039048
-
1 stars
Version: YouTube Downloader 2.6.1
"Unable to get it to work"
Pros: It would not work as advertised. Would not download video to any drive or device.
Cons: Would not download videos to any device or drive making it useless.
Summary: If the program had worked it appeared to be a great way to download videos. although it appeared to download them to a particular drive there was never a video there when that drive was accessed.
- Write review
Submit your review
- See more CNET content tagged:
- MP3,
- YouTube,
- YouTube Downloader,
- cell phone,
- video
Previous Versions:
