how-to videos

Play YouTube videos in VLC

VLC is an extremely useful application for watching, recording, and streaming audio and video. And if you didn't know, you can also use it to watch your favorite YouTube videos.

As the Digital Inspiration blog points out, there are lots of benefits to watching YouTube videos in VLC. For starters, you can skip any ads that might play before videos without needing to use a browser extension. Second, you can change the playback speed of videos, which can help if you're trying to learn something new, like a dance. Third, you can watch the video in … Read more

Adjust default settings for YouTube uploads

If you're sharing a lot of video content on the Web, YouTube is probably one of your primary hosting spots. Adding extra information to a video can help other people find your content, which means it's easier for you to reach a larger audience. When you have a copyright notice, or other lengthy information to tack on to your video, filling it out each time can become tiring.

Instead of spending your time filling out the form every time you want to upload a video, why not just adjust the default settings ahead of time? You may not … Read more

How to create animated GIFs on Android

Sharing movies while mobile can be fun, but generally will eat a lot of your monthly bandwidth allowance.

Instead of sharing the entire movie while you're out, why not share a quick animated GIF instead? With GIFDroid for Android, you can take a new or existing video and turn it into an animated GIF that you can send off in seconds to a friend or family member.

First you'll need to install GIFDroid from the Android Market, then open the app.

Step 1: Press either the Select Video or Record Video button. Select … Read more

How to find how-to videos specific to your car

Is one of your New Year's resolutions to take care of more stuff yourself?

Car repair isn't as tough as the pros would like us to believe, but finding reliable information that is also actually helpful can be a bit of a challenge. CarCareKiosk aims to fix that, by posting lots of great videos on everything from changing oil to diagnosing a check engine light. Here's how to use it.

Point your browser to CarCareKiosk. Enter your car's make, year, and model.

You should see quite a few videos listed under the "Maintenance & Repair&… Read more

How to share quick videos on Facebook and Twitter

Tout is an awesome 15-second video service that allows you to share moments, not movies.

By getting to the important part of your message (the 15 seconds), the video file is small enough to upload quickly to Tout's servers for sharing. The wide range of ways you can access its service makes it fun and easy to use, especially if you want a break from "wall" posts and 140-character tweets.This service can be used with: Webcams, file uploads, Android, and iOS. This How To will mainly focus on the mobile version of Tout.

Step 1: Create … Read more

How to use YouTube's video editor

Back in June, YouTube released an experimental tool that had been long asked for by its users: a browser-based video editor. The tool, which requires no additional software, or browser plug-ins (besides Adobe's Flash), lets users make minor edits to videos they've uploaded, as well as stitch several clips together into one.

While it lacks many basic features of modern day consumer video editing software (such as captioning, transitions, and image stabilization), it makes up for it in convenience. All your video files, and the rendering, is taken care of by YouTube's server farm, meaning you can … Read more

Howcast brings its how-to videos to the iPhone

Howcast, the how-to video host and platform, on Friday released its iPhone application, bringing its entire catalog of short-form informational videos to the popular device.

Much like YouTube's iPhone application, the Howcast app lets users search for videos, find them in a small selection of featured clips, or pick them by popularity or publication date.

It's wonderfully entertaining--including the option to shake the phone (or iPod Touch) and go to a random clip, no matter what part of the application you're using.

Where the mobile experience falls short of its Web counterpart is in lacking an integrated … Read more

How to convert video for the Zune

Microsoft struggled through two rounds of Zune before hitting the nail on the head with the third generation of the MP3 player, but the company got at least one thing right from the start. Even the first pass offered a larger-than-average screen, clocking in at 3 inches diagonally, and the latest version packs a video-worthy 3.2-inch screen. Of course, getting video content was a bit of a challenge at first, but the Zune Marketplace continues to expand its catalog, which now offers TV shows from several major networks such as NBC and Comedy Central.

However, that video content is going to cost you--about $2 per episode, to be exact--and the Marketplace currently does not offer movies to rent or buy (unlike iTunes). That's where this tutorial comes in: if you already have a collection of digital video content, this step-by-step guide will show you how to convert it for playback on the Zune. The software used in this how-to can convert from any of the following formats: MP4, 3GP, MPG, AVI, WMV, FLV, and SWF.

Note: Unfortunately, ripping most commercial DVDs is currently illegal in the United States, as it requires circumventing the copyright protection found on the DVDs. For unprotected DVDs, try Handbrake.… Read more

How to convert video for the iPod

A key draw of the iPod as a portable video player (PVP) is the fact that its complementing software, iTunes, offers a cheap, easy, and legal way to get content that will play on the device. But what if you already own the video files you'd like to watch, but they're in any variety of formats that aren't natively supported by the iPod? iTunes has a built-in converter, but then you'd be limited to the file types that QuickTime supports. If you want the capability to convert from the full gamut of video file types, check out the tip below.

A note before starting: There's quite a selection of free software programs available that convert from nearly every file type to an iPod-friendly format, but many of the ones I tried in the service of this tutorial had drawbacks, such as processor hang ups and unclear conversion progress monitoring. In testing, I found that Videora didn't choke up my system, and it's so clear on its own that you'll scarcely need to follow this tutorial. If nothing else, the walkthrough below will at least give you a feel for the interface--including the extensive ad placement that lets you enjoy the software for free.… Read more

Graspr syndicates how-to videos, raises $2.5 million

Graspr, a site for watching do-it-yourself videos on everything from how to make a homemade BB gun to how to break-dance, said Thursday it has raised $2.5 million in Series A funding from Draper Fisher Jurvetson, among other investors.

The Mountain View, Calif.-based company, which launched in September, is among a throng of how-to video start-ups that are nabbing millions from investors and seeking to become the next YouTube for instructional clips. Among its rivals are 5Min, ExpertVillage, Howcast, and VideoJug.

As part of its funding announcement, Graspr said that it has introduced technology to syndicate its more … Read more