YouTube is a video streaming service that is fully packed with millions of videos about every subject under the sun. Whether you are looking for user generated content about niche subject matter or commercial sports and television shows, there is sure to be something out there that is right for you. YouTube is the most popular online video streaming website in the world, with a history that goes back to February 2005.

During this relatively short time frame, it has grown to become one of the most important video distribution channels in the entire world. However, one potential negative with YouTube is the lack of any in-built ability to download content, with YouTube instead preferring users to watch content again over the Internet. Despite the fact that you have to break the terms of service agreement however, it is possible to download videos from youtube.

In order to rip video content from YouTube, it is important to have access to a YouTube downloading solution. There are a number of alternatives when it comes to saving YouTube content, with both free and commercial solutions, and both stand alone programs and Internet based solutions. Most of the applications that can rip YouTube content do so by grabbing the native FLV files from the YouTube website. In order to play back these files, users either need to have a media player that can play this file format or have access to a piece of software that can convert these files to a more accessible format. Many of the commercial solutions come with either dedicated conversion tools or file players for their customers to use.

YouTube is a huge website, with new videos being uploaded to their archives every minute of every day. While many people are more than happy to visit the YouTube URL every time that they want to watch some content, other people are looking for a different kind of solution. Having access to some videos on your own computer can offer a number of advantages, as it allows you to watch content time and time again without having to use up valuable bandwidth and Internet time. For people who want to download and save YouTube content on their own personal computers, there are a number of solutions out there that may work for you.