Skip to main content

YouTube Trials Downloads

Youtube
Image used with permission by copyright holder

YouTube streams videos. We all know that. You can’t download them. We know that too. But that knowledge is about to be turned on its head.

The company has said it’s going to trial a system allowing people to download the videos to watch. On the site blog , Thai Tran, YouTube product manager, wrote:

“We’ve started working with a few partners who want their videos shared universally and even enjoyed away from an internet connection.”

Users who partner with the site will be allowed to offer their videos for download under the Creative Commons license, with those downloading paying a fee in order to have a permanent copy of the video.

“Partners could choose to offer their video downloads for free or for a small fee paid through Google Checkout,” Tran added.

Google, which owns YouTube, hasn’t revealed how much it will take from each transaction. The videos will be in the DRM-free MP4 format, so they can easily be transferred to portable devices.

Of course, there are programs that let people grab YouTube videos, but this move will make the content available to everyone.

Initially, YouTube is trialing the new services with the universities – Stanford, Duke, and the University of California. When it’s fully up and running, only approved users will be able to offer their content for download, in order to avoid piracy, according to Vnunet.

Editors' Recommendations

Dan Gaul
Dan Gaul is the co-founder and Chief Technical Officer (CTO) for Digital Trends Media Group, a Portland, Oregon-based…
Mending the Line is Netflix’s most-watched movie right now. Here’s why you should watch it
Brian Cox, Sinqua Walls, and Perry Mattfeld in Mending the Line.

There's a new No. 1 film on top of the list of the most popular movies on Netflix. And it's not a thriller like Mel Gibson's Over the Line, or an action fantasy like Damsel. Instead, this week's most popular film on Netflix is Mending the Line, a low-budget film that stands apart from the standard streaming movies. And its budget doesn't get in the way of telling an extremely moving and emotional story.

Mending the Line had so little fanfare compared to other movies that it's genuinely surprising how quickly it found the type of audience on Netflix that eluded the film during its initial release in 2022. If you're looking to pick out something to see on your next movie night, these are the three reasons why you should watch Mending the Line on Netflix. You may even decide to take up fly fishing afterward.
Mending the Line has a fantastic cast

Read more
Don’t miss these 5 movies leaving Max in March that you have to watch right now
Gene Wilder standing and tilting his head slightly in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

March is winding down as we head into spring. But as the end of the month draws near, Max is set to lose some of its very best movies. Fortunately, March is also one of the months that has 31 days, so that's going to give you extra time to catch some of your favorite movies before they depart.

Our choices for the five movies leaving Max in March that you have to watch right now include three classic films that rank among the all-time greats, a ghostly romance, and an unlikely toy movie adaptation.
A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Read more
76ers vs Kings live stream: Can you watch for free?
De'Aaron Martez for the Sacramento Kings

Both fighting for seeding in next month's playoffs, the Sacramento Kings host the Philadelphia 76ers in an important NBA matchup tonight.

The game is starting very shortly, at 10:00 p.m. ET, and will be televised on NBC Sports Philadelphia (76ers markets only), NBC Sports California (Kings markets) and NBA TV (everywhere in the US). If you're looking for a live stream, there a lot of different ways you can find one. Here's a rundown of all your options.
The Best Way to Watch the 76ers vs Kings Live Stream

Read more