There are some great videos on You Tube along with some that would be inappropriate to be shown in schools, which is why the site is probably blocked in your school. To get around this I have been experimenting with three options to download useful videos at home so I can then use them in school.
I bought Quivic from Wide Angle Software about a year ago for £10.11 (or $20!) and have been very pleased with it. However, I have recently been investigating some free options. The first is Real Player. If you download the latest version (version 11) you can select the option to ’enable the browser download button’ which roughly translated means you can then use it to download videos. There is a detailed helpsheet for doing this on the KentEd site. Alternatively, you could try Splandoo or Zamzar which both offer free online file downloading. To use Zamzar, paste the URL of the video clip you want into the first box, choose the file format you require in the second and then add your email address this neat little website will convert the video and deliver to your inbox. If you choose the file format .flv you will then be able to import the video into a Smart notebook file.
Video clips are also available from BBC Learning Zone, Schools Tube and the SWGfL Media Gallery. Hopefully these aren’t blocked in school.
9 July 2008 at 7:54 pm |
For users of Firefox there is downloadhelper.
Basically if you use firefox then head for http://www.downloadhelper.net/
Click the download button and it will install into firefox without any fuss. From then on you browse the net as normal and when you reach a site with video content the icon becomes coloured and animated, clicking it allows you to download.
I don’t know if there is an alternative for Internet Explorer.
I’ve also used VideoGet (http://nuclear-coffee.com/php/products.php) and it seems to work well – this also allows instant conversion to a range of different file types. It costs about £10 again.