How can I download a Mythbusters clip from YouTube?

November 13, 2010 11:26 AM

Where can I get a clip from a specific Mythbusters episode to use for a third grade class on the scientific method?

I'm teaching a class on the scientific method on Tuesday and I want to use a clip from the Mythbusters hot water heater episode. I need to bring it on a flash drive (I'm a student teacher and my cooperating teacher says she has Windows Media Player in case that's relevant) and I'd like to be able to edit it down just to certain sections (they're third graders and the class isn't as long as I'd like, plus I want them to do most of the thinking on their own and just show the actual experiment).

I can find bits of the episode on YouTube but I don't know how to download them, and I can't find the whole thing I want on the Discovery Channel website. Is there a simple way to download the clips from YouTube? Is there a different place I can find them and download them? Is it possible to edit whatever clips I get without fancy software or equipment?

Since this is for educational purposes I'm pretty sure that making and editing this copy would not be in violation of copyright, but if it would be a problem I'd like to know that as well. Thanks in advance!

posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl to technology (8 answers total)

This one?
posted by goblinbox at 11:36 AM on November 13, 2010

Goblinbox, I hadn't seen that but it's a great resource -- I will definitely keep it in mind for the future!
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 11:44 AM on November 13, 2010

Have you checked "HULU.com"?
posted by JayRwv at 11:54 AM on November 13, 2010

There are dozens of plugins and userscripts for web browsers that will let you download youtube videos, but it might be easiest to use a website like this one or this one to get the clips.

If this is the kind of clip you are looking for, then you can use the website to download it in flv format. However I don't know if Windows media player can play flv format, so you may want to convert the video to wmv format using this website.

As for editing the video, if you have a Mac you can use iMovie, and if you have a Windows machine you could use something like Movie Maker. Or you can use an online option such as this. How easy you will find this software really depends on how comfortable you are using a computer, but going from not knowing how to download youtube videos to editing them on software you're unfamiliar with may be a bit of a stretch, as any software no matter how simple wil have a bit of a learning curve.
posted by Spamfactor at 12:01 PM on November 13, 2010

KeepVid is an easy way to download youtube videos. Just enter the URL.
posted by kdern at 12:02 PM on November 13, 2010

I'm not a lawyer, but you should be fine downloading and displaying the video in class.
posted by schmod at 1:06 PM on November 13, 2010

Discovery sells a classroom DVD of that episode. Granted, it's $60 (!), but it should be fairly pain free, and it's definitely above board.
posted by jedicus at 3:36 PM on November 13, 2010

Thank you so much! Downloading it with KeepVid and editing it with JayCut worked really well.
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 2:44 PM on November 14, 2010