Free YouTube to MP3 Converter no longer free?

As I got asked on why the Free YouTube to MP3 Converter got so slow and is filled with Premium requests... I had to check myself and indeed: The free version is no longer as it was before.

I actually did not notice it myself since I was still using version 4.1.28 and the current version with that big change is 4.1.60 or even older. The included mp4 download is still free and working, but any other format needs now a premium version or is slowed down - no matter if you use the Free YouTube to MP3 Converter or the Free YouTube Downloader.

For years DVDVideoSoft offered these features for free and recently they changed the way of the usage of premium features.

In their forum this very question was asked and the answer is that this step was necessary in order to maintain the quality of the software. Surely understandable, but it will definitely shrink the numbers of users.

For now there's still a way out: Remove the latest version and look for an older version like I had before with 4.1.28. After the test I no longer had a proper installation file of that, but but found 4.1.1 which is still enough for me.

As long as the update does not run automatically (and if, you need to stop it) it seems that you can still continue using the older version - for now...

The YouTube Editor is gone - what now?

Google decided to remove the YouTube Editor from its platform - a tool which I used quite often and now is unfortunately another way needed. Let's see what's possible now!

Usually my main purpose to use the YT Editor was to put footage from my GoPro together to cut it correctly afterwards. Therefore I could easily just upload everything to YouTube, set the videos to 'private' and then put them together as I needed them. After the new clips were created, the uploads could be removed.

It helped me to avoid long rendering processes with Sony Vegas and using YouTube for that saved me lots of time! Now I need to find a way to do it offline in a similar less time consuming way...

So I tried combining these mp4 files via command:

copy/b V1.mp4 +V2.mp4

The size of the file changed, but it did not actually append the second file - although it worked with other files before, maybe the GoPro file is too big.

Following that I was looking for another tool which could do that and I found 'MP4 Joiner'. With that tool I could put the mp4 files together which was done in a few minutes before I can upload the new created file to YouTube.

Luckily it's still possible to cut single videos on YouTube by going to 'Video Manager', 'Videos', select the video, dropdown 'Enhancements' and then use 'Trim' as seen in screenshot above.

So to summarize: Create a big video file and cut in on YouTube - but of course only if it's for files which should just be on YouTube in raw format. 

That's the workaround which works for me. If you have a better idea, just leave a comment and let me know :) 

Repair damaged videos from your Android phone

I was recording a few videos recently and during the recording I could no longer press 'Stop'. Video wasn't saved properly and couldn't be played at all. But there was a *.tmp file left...

Using my old Galaxy S3 mini my recording ended up with having no more space on the internal SD card and that's why the video couldn't be finalized and the phone also started rebooting afterwards.

At first, I couldn't really see if there was a temporary file or not, but the phone indeed created a 'mp4.tmp' file. From that point on I was sure I could save the video...

Some research...

At first I tried putting the file into video editing software, but no chance! Using Internet search engines you'll find a lot of software with that feature. I tested an app in Google PlayStore called 'MP4Fix': You first chose the damaged file and then another undamaged video file in order that the app can take the video header from it to repair the corrupted mp4 file.

The process was successful and then the app offered the option to 'Play' the video. It worked, it had the actual length and also the sound was working. But now the downside: If you chose 'Save' you'll get the offer to upgrade the app to 'Premium' for 3.99€. Of course that's an option and an easy an quick solution, but for me it was rather a challenge to find a free solution.

Some Windows software were using the same 'freemium' model like a software called 'Remo'. Fixing and watchng within the software works, but no free way to save or export it. Through further researching I actually saw a few times the same good solution by 'cheating a bit' while using a demo version of another repairing tool...

A little workaround...

Here's how it goes: Google for 'Video Repair tool Grau' and you'll find a demo version of that useful piece of software. The thing is that you can save 50% of your video with the free demo version! And if you cheat a bit, you can even save 100% of your video by converting 50% of two copies of your damaged file. But let's put into an order:

1) Download the tool
2) Copy your damaged file into an 'easy-to-reach' folder
3) Rename it simple (it chose just 'V1.mp4')
4) Copy 'V1.mp4' and name it 'V2.mp4'. Now you have two files with the same size.

5) Open command ('cmd') as administrator and go the folder with these two video files
6) Use this command to merge the two files:

copy/b V1.mp4 +V2.mp4

7) V1.mp4 is now twice as big as before. 

8) Open the 'video repair tool'

9) Select the new 'V1.mp4' file and another reference video file from copied your phone. Click 'Scan' and the video will be created (because of the trick even in full length) in the 'repaired' folder as seen in the screenshot.

It's a quite simple workaround, but it works perfectly. My video was saved and I hope yours will be, too!

How to use homebrew software on PS2 - An overview

By the end and after the PS2 era more and more homebrew software was released for the famous console of the early 2000s. After the first step was done, you were able to execute multiple applications.

First, you had to find a way to install 'FreeMCBoot' (in short FMCB) on your Memory Card. I only know two ways to do that: Let someone who already has it install FMCB on your Memory Card or: Buy a network adapter to install a hard disk in the PS2 (of course only possible with the older, bigger model), install an ISO image with homebrew software on your hard drive and boot it with a special CD.

Installing FMCB

I would recommend to use the Windows tool WinHIIP for that: Connect the IDE hard drive either with an USB adapter or with an IDE cable with your PC. Start the tool and select the ISO you want to install (it's usually used for games). Before using it the hard drive must be formatted in PFS which is possible with WinHIIP.

Following that the hard disk has to get back in the PS2 again. The previously called 'special CD' is something like 'HD Advance' or any other software which was sold with the network adapter to use the hard disk.

So after booting the CD you'll end up in the menu with all on the hard disk installed PS2 games - including the ISO with homebrew software. This image should include the software 'ULaunchELF', a software - as the name says - able to execute ELF files.

ULaunchELF is a kind of file explorer for the PlayStation 2. You can even plug in an USB flash drive (in FAT32 of course) and use it for saving and executing files. ELF files - which means "executable and linkable format" - can now be used from this point. You only need some of them.

But now you should use the opportunity to install "FMCB" by launching the installation files from either an USB drive or from the hard drive. Make sure that you have some space on your Memory Card. It takes something around 2 MB which is crucial because the Memory Cards usually had 8 MB space.

From that point your boot menu is extended and you can add more software in the list by using the configurator.

Which opportunities do you get?

You can use the 'Simple Media System' - short 'SMS Player' to use your PS2 as a media center with files even on your external HDD. Unfortunately because there was no further development you can't play all media files. Especially the mp4 format does not work, while at least most of the avi files run.

Some minigames are available like rebuilds of Space Invaders, Tetris or even Super Mario - to be started as a single ELF.

Keyword emulators: There's a selection of ways to play games from older consoles like NES, SNES, GB, C64 and much more. In the last years there was even a PlayStation 1 emulator for its successor. Unfortunately a bit slow, but you can't expect miracles by starting such big games from the flash drive...

The ESR shows an alternate way to play copied games from the disk without having a special chip. A game with a special ESR patch can be started from the FMCB menu.

There are also alternate ways to start games from your hard drive: With the OpenPS2Loader you can not only launch games from your HDD - you can also create Virtual Memory Cards (VMC) to have your savegames on your HDD in a special folder. And there's more: You can use your FAT32 external hard drive or a public folder in your network to store your games instead of an internal hard drive. And despite we have already 2015 - there's still development!

Summary

Even in this short overview you can see the amount of opportunities you have once the PS2 has the ability to launch ELF files. It just shows extended features beyond the basic firmware. 

Of course the successor PS3 has way more to offer in the homebrew area, but in the PS2 era the firmware didn't change like every week - just with the release of newer models - which makes the homebrew usage a lot easier.

How to change thumbnails of mp4 files

Usually the thumbnails of video files are chosen randomly from the first few seconds of the clip. But there is a way to choose which picture you want to see as the thumbnail...

The solution is to use the tool Tag&Rename. This shareware was actually made to manage and edit your mp3 music collection but it has also the feature to change the cover art of mp4 and wmv files - other types like avi are unfortunately not even readable.

The edit overview

As you can see in the screenshot above the handling of this tool is quite easy. Just go through the folders to select the mp4 file where you want to change the thumbnail and 'right-click' to select 'Edit File Tag'.

Now you need a file for the cover art where I would recommend to use the snapshot feature of the VLC media player (in case you want to use a screenshot from the video clip...) .

After you have chosen the picture for the thumbnail drag & drop it into the space for the cover art (as seen in the screenshot). Finally you only have to confirm it with "Save" and it's done.