Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

New Mac with BigSur...Video Downloader advice

K

Kenpanglao

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 26, 2020
9
1
New Mac with BigSur....

Can anyone suggest a good 'free' video downloader for me. FB, Youtube, web clips....etc.

Thanks,
Ken
 
Euroamerican

Euroamerican

macrumors 6502
May 27, 2010
468
346
Boise
The last one I used that was free apparently gets neutered quickly by youtube's countermeasures. I'm starting to think I'm going to have to get a pay-for youtube ripper. Not that I would break the law or anything. It's just for testing purposes.
 
K

Kenpanglao

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 26, 2020
9
1
Euroamerican said:
The last one I used that was free apparently gets neutered quickly by youtube's countermeasures. I'm starting to think I'm going to have to get a pay-for youtube ripper. Not that I would break the law or anything. It's just for testing purposes.
Click to expand...
Thanks for responding...if I find a good one I'll post it here for you.
 
Del Martes

Del Martes

macrumors regular
Nov 10, 2020
131
68
Euroamerican said:
The last one I used that was free apparently gets neutered quickly by youtube's countermeasures. I'm starting to think I'm going to have to get a pay-for youtube ripper. Not that I would break the law or anything. It's just for testing purposes.
Click to expand...
4K Video Downloader and VLC can both download Youtube videos. At least, for the few Youtube videos I've tried, both have done the job. ATM, I'm trying to download a few Taiji videos from some Chinese websites. Neither does the job, so I'm forced to give the recommended Downie+Permute a try. I'll let you guys know after the try.
 
P

planteater

Cancelled
Feb 11, 2020
892
1,681
I used to use VLC, but it was broken for the longest time. I'm now using Parallels Toolbox. It's paid, but can be trusted not to have malware often found in the free downloaders.
 
Del Martes

Del Martes

macrumors regular
Nov 10, 2020
131
68
I'm trying Downie now. The first video downloaded relatively fast, especially at the beginning. Overall, it was like 2 to 3 mbs. The second and third are kinda slow--120 kbs each. They are being downloaded simultaneously.

The download speed might have to do with the site from which the downloads are initiated, so I cannot knock on Downie. I like the ease of use, so at the end of 14 days, I might purchase a license for it. Thanks to mikzn for recommending it! Never heard of it before.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mikzn and Apple_Robert
Apple_Robert

Apple_Robert

Contributor
Sep 21, 2012
35,587
52,328
In a van down by the river
Del Martes said:
I'm trying Downie now. The first video downloaded relatively fast, especially at the beginning. Overall, it was like 2 to 3 mbs. The second and third are kinda slow--120 kbs each. They are being downloaded simultaneously.

The download speed might have to do with the site from which the downloads are initiated, so I cannot knock on Downie. I like the ease of use, so at the end of 14 days, I might purchase a license for it. Thanks to mikzn for recommending it! Never heard of it before.
Click to expand...
I have had as many as 20 downloads going at once with Downie. Like you said, it depends on the source site.

The developer is always adding new site support and he does try and add sites people request, so long as they are legal sites and not trying to bypass protocol etc. He has always been good about answering mail.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Del Martes
K

KaliYoni

macrumors 68000
Feb 19, 2016
1,787
3,931
I am another (very) satisfied user of Downie. It is easy to use, reliable, and regularly updated. The developer is also responsive to questions and bug reports.

For download speeds, I think the source site and your ISP are two big factors. For example, downloading videos from Brightcove is consistently super fast for me while YouTube appears to have its top speed capped by somebody (Google? Comcast?).
 
  • Like
Reactions: Del Martes and Apple_Robert
Del Martes

Del Martes

macrumors regular
Nov 10, 2020
131
68
Apple_Robert said:
I have had as many as 20 downloads going at once with Downie. Like you said, it depends on the source site.

The developer is always adding new site support. And does try and add sites people request, so long as they are legal sites and not trying to bypass protocol etc. He has always been good about answering mail.
Click to expand...
It also depends on your connection. I am on Visible now, a subsidiary of Verizon. Theoretically, the download speed on the tethered device--I'm downloading on my M1 MBA--is capped at 5 mbs, but I've never reached that speed in my neck of the woods. The best I've got is around 2 mbs.

A side note: I am downloading a few Taiji videos from a Chinese website called bilibili.
 
mikzn

mikzn

macrumors 68040
Sep 2, 2013
3,005
2,293
North Vancouver
Del Martes said:
I'm trying Downie now. The first video downloaded relatively fast, especially at the beginning. Overall, it was like 2 to 3 mbs. The second and third are kinda slow--120 kbs each. They are being downloaded simultaneously.

The download speed might have to do with the site from which the downloads are initiated, so I cannot knock on Downie. I like the ease of use, so at the end of 14 days, I might purchase a license for it. Thanks to mikzn for recommending it! Never heard of it before.
Click to expand...
It is really good value (for me) - I tried many other "free apps" and a lot of them take a lot of CPU and overheat the Mac or don't work for many different sites., formats etc - Downie is easy to use and just works with everything I have thrown at it - so far

Downie and Permute are a great pair of apps. I use permute a lot to convert files such as flac and some video formats - which is great since they connect and can be configured to work together - worth considering the bundled pair for a solution that can convert almost any type of file - IMHO
 
  • Like
Reactions: Del Martes
Del Martes

Del Martes

macrumors regular
Nov 10, 2020
131
68
mikzn said:
It is really good value (for me) - I tried many other "free apps" and a lot of them take a lot of CPU and overheat the Mac or don't work for many different sites., formats etc - Downie is easy to use and just works with everything I have thrown at it - so far

Downie and Permute are a great pair of apps. I use permute a lot to convert files such as flac and some video formats - which is great since they connect and can be configured to work together - worth considering the bundled pair for a solution that can convert almost any type of file - IMHO
Click to expand...
I will almost certainly purchase a license for Downie at the end of the 14-day trial. If I could find a coupon somewhere, that would make it even sweeter. :)

Now regarding Permute, I am not so sure I need it. I have VLC media player. From what I understand, it can pretty much play any video and audio format. I only play the video and audio on my M1 MBA. I don't have an external DVD or audio player, so the conversion to a particular video or audio format is probably not necessary for me--unless, of course, you can prove me wrong.

And I want to thank you again for dropping the name of Downie. Otherwise, I would not have known. It was not a name that popped up when I Googled for best video downloaders. VideoDuke was one.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mikzn
K

KaliYoni

macrumors 68000
Feb 19, 2016
1,787
3,931
Del Martes said:
conversion to a particular video or audio format
Click to expand...
Check out Handbrake before you decide on a paid option. It is free and is handy (ha ha) in case you ever do need to make a conversion to various Apple file formats.

I didn't know about Downie until last year. I became aware of the developer because it (or maybe he, their brand image is of a small business run by a man named Charlie) had its developer credentials cancelled by Apple without any way to appeal. There was a fair amount of media coverage because Apple came close to destroying Charlie's company even though Charlie hadn't done anything wrong. Apple, most likely due to all the negative publicity, ended up restoring the credentials...and that's when I became a Downie user.

Before Downie, I had a cobbled together workflow for downloading and processing video streams that was time consuming and cumbersome. I like Downie a lot because all the stuff I used to do in single steps is now integrated into a fast and easy process.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Del Martes
Del Martes

Del Martes

macrumors regular
Nov 10, 2020
131
68
sgtaylor5 said:
I‘ve used Softorino Video Downloader successfully for some time now. $20. Regularly updated and fast to download.
Click to expand...
In my poor sight, it somehow appeared as "softporno"! :)

It also seems to be for YouTube videos downloading only.

I'm downloading some TaiChi videos from some Chinese websites. It won't pass muster.
 
mikzn

mikzn

macrumors 68040
Sep 2, 2013
3,005
2,293
North Vancouver
Del Martes said:
Now regarding Permute, I am not so sure I need it. I have VLC media player. From what I understand, it can pretty much play any video and audio format. I only play the video and audio on my M1 MBA. I don't have an external DVD or audio player, so the conversion to a particular video or audio format is probably not necessary for me--unless, of course, you can prove me wrong.
Click to expand...

I felt the same way when I first purchased them both a couple years ago - but for an extra $7 I figured, at the time, it was worth getting permute too - great for converting any audio file and most video files into other formats ( AVI, MKV, flac, M4V, MOV, )

I have other audio and video converters - but since purchasing "Permute and Downie" - I don't use any other conversion software (it does it all) and you can configure them to work together and convert while the files is being downloaded - eliminating the step of downloading and then converting in a 2 step process, not a bad deal for $7 extra
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom