Flash - Youtube Video Viewing

[Moto]

I did a forum search and could not find anything regarding this so....

My daughter naturally wanted to view some youtube stuff.

I need to download some kind of Flash player something-or-other.

I tried to follow directions from OLPC.wiki web site regarding using the "Terminal" and typing in some code for macromedia flash plugin doo-hickie.

I can get video to play now but it's very slow and choppy. Not fluid.

Can anybody help me?

I looked up Gnash too, which is supposedly included on the G1G1 and supposedly plays youtube type videos but I'm not feeling the warmth yet.

I would appreciate some help for a Linux novice.

Thank you.

[robby]

Just to let you know you're not alone... I've followed roughly the same route. Gnash isn't playing the youtube videos embedded on my own Web pages or at YouTube.com... I did see something in one of the wikis or forums about installing another Flash player, but didn't try it and won't have time to today.
Coincidentally, I've just discovered this site http://olpc.tv
... which uses Flash video to tell the olpc story.

[Moto]

If I was alone....it was just a matter of time. Youtube is huge huge huge......it was just a matter of time.

Thanks for joining the party though. Glad I'm no longer alone.

[Moto]

robby,

This might be our answer. Maybe?

http://www.olpchelp.org/forums/showthread.php?p=697&posted=1#post697 <-- click here

[Moto]

I tried this....does help a bit with youtube.....but it's still very slow and sketchy at best.

Webkinz did load for my daughter, but only after having to click on the "flash" word a few times.
Again, this was slow moving but better than nothing.

[fonsecat]

It isn't that hard to install the Macromedia flash player but you will need the termial activity installed first. After that you use the terminal to execute the commands as described at:
"wiki.laptop.org/go/Adobe_Flash"

Flash games work fairly well but youtube videos are still choppy and when you right click the browser crashes...

It is better than nothing but I would really like to see a smooth flash player on the xo - my Wii can do it.

[rola]

I know a tool called "PQ FLV Downloader" from http://www.pqdvd.com/download-youtube-videos-tool.html. which has very fast download speed. It can capture the youtube video url automatically.Google "PQ FLV Downloader", you can find it easily.I have downloaded it to try,Its trial version offers 14 days full privilege use. but still can be used after 14 days.

[tangomike]

I know a tool called "PQ FLV Downloader" from http://www.pqdvd.com/download-youtube-videos-tool.html. which has very fast download speed. It can capture the youtube video url automatically.Google "PQ FLV Downloader", you can find it easily.I have downloaded it to try,Its trial version offers 14 days full privilege use. but still can be used after 14 days.

Sorry. Only works in Microsoft. Won't work on the XO.

[franco]

You can improve the video by pausing it, letting it load (and maybe doing something else in another Activity), then starting it again. I did get a 95% good playback this way with the remaining 5% being choppiness in the music video I was playing.

[franco]

I take back what I said. The second video, which I let load completely before playing, had a lot more choppiness, making it much less pleasant to listen to.

[eclare99]

I did the download mentioned above, and then I rebooted and went to youtube, and was directed to install the macromedia fp plug-in, which I did, but I cannot get the video.just tells me to install macromedia, whichi can see in the file already....do I have to do something else? in terminal maybe? hope someone can help.......tia, Clare

[fonsecat]

Well its been a year and there has been no progress on this Has anyone who has installed Ubuntu linux on the OLPC tried using flash and specifically you tube videos? If so - would you please post a report on the performance of video playback?

Thanks - TF

[CheskaD]

Here are the steps that let you download and save your favorite videos for FREE.

1. Go to Youtube.com, select the video you want to download
2. Copy the url on the Address bar
3. Go to Grabthatvideo.com and paste the YouTube url to the box
4. Press the download button to start downloading your video.
5. Save the video to your desktop and you can change the filename.

IMPORTANT!

To view the flash video, you have to download flash player software which can be downloaded at Grabthatvideo.com also for FREE.

So, your daughter now can download YouTube videos by herself.

[Freemor]

The results of the above will almost certianly not be properly playable on the XO. Especially if you try to play it with Adobe's Flash player it is a resource hog and far to heavy for the XO. Your best bet is to convert the .flv file to a .oga (ogg/theora) video that the XO can play natively. There is a fast, easy, open source program called oggconvert that does this nicely.. you can convert a bunch and throw them and a thumbdrive and they'll be click to watch.. (The XO doesn't have to power to handle high def or high framerates so depending on the video you might want to run it through something like avidemux (another open source program for dealing with videos). You'll need to run oggconvert and avidemux on you main Desktop/laptop but you'll be able to make XO friendly videos quickly once you get the routime down.

There is also an XO friendly portal at http://olpc.dailymotion.com/ Which works on the XO out of the box. (no mucking about installing flash, etc)

Short of something like the above portal the answer is basically "NO the XO can not handle flash Video" even ubuntu on the XO has to download and convert the video and then play it in a non "adobe flash" player. It is simply a case of lack of horse power (on the XO side) and terrible use of resources (on the Flash side). That aside the XO is very capable of playing very watchable, in sync, fullscreen videos.

I watch the evening news (that I convert from a web) and many other videos on my XO so if anyone wants pointers feel free to ask.



Hope this helps
Freemor