Some recent posts have addressed that some d/ls are only video, only audio, or give error in WMP.
(viewtopic.php?f=1&t=16480, viewtopic.php?f=1&t=9766, viewtopic.php?f=1&t=16443)
among probably others.

I first noticed it with .flv and mpeg4 on one 'Tube channel a few weeks ago. The old flvs were fine, the new ones gave the problems I mentioned. Some other formats do the same thing.

Workaround: (I've only tried the settings mentioned)
1. d/l the files. There's usually a smallish one at the top of the list and a larger one at the bottom.
2. convert each to .avi with FDM. (avi using MPEG4, Don't Change, Normal). Preview to make sure you did not d/l any advertisement.
3. Open Windows Movie Maker.
4. Drag the big avi over, then down to the Video line of the time bar at 00:00:00.
5. Drag the small avi over, and then down to the Audio/Music line of the time bar at 00:00:00.
6. Preview it and look for lip sync. If sync is off, you might not have been at 00:00:00.
7. Save Movie (My Computer, Video for Broadband). It will save in .wmv format. (It's quick.)
8. Check it, then clean out your original and converted files.

sizes (K) on a 4 minute d/l video:
Audio flv 6772
Video flv 26220
Audio avi 2754
Video avi 17517
wmv movie 13382

Using XP & IE8
FDM 3.9.2 build 1303

Other settings for both programs may work fine. I went with the first thing I knew WMM could import and a file size reasonable for what I was doing.

All well and good except the converting of the video (even using the exact settings you suggested) still results in video degradation. I also tried a few other formats and settings and they were still degraded. WMV format seems to keep it the best... but at this point it's moot for me. FDM isn't even getting the HD or audio files anymore from my situation.

FotS:
If you have a link to a SMALL one you can't get, some of us could try it.

sawyer wrote:FotS:
If you have a link to a SMALL one you can't get, some of us could try it.

Not sure what is "small" to you, but if you hit the 3rd link in your OP, that's my thread. The second link I posted in there is the one that's not working for me anymore.

I don't typically download vids, so I apologize, but that's the only one I know of that gives me problems.

When it used to (semi) work (would get audio-less downloads, but at least still got the HD version), the HD file was 80+ Mb. The separate audio track (if memory serves) was roughly 9-11 Mb.

FotS:
I tried it.
d/l your link (6:20) and got a 44,966 K video and 11,838 K audio in flv.
Switched to HD and got a 89,675 K flv video (plus the others as an option).
Went through the described procedure.
Got a 83,551 video and 6,289 K avi.
Saved using the 'Best quality for my computer' option (about 25 min.) and got a 40,524 K wma. (720x480)
Saved using the 'Video for Broadband' option (5 min) and got a 22,733 K wma. (320x240)
Both look good in normal window but they do pixellate/fuzz a little full screen (24").

Conclusion:
I CAN get the HD one. Don't know why you can't - time of day/number of users/phase of moon?
The procedure works.

As I said, I chose the settings for what my need was, and archive size was a main consideration. Any time you transcode something, there's going to be a loss somewhere. How many times you plan on watching something may have a lot to with it, but you can probably come up with a combination that works for what you need. I prefer getting it all at one time too, but if I want to save something, I know I can do it.

Good luck.

Hi, I'm an FDM avid user.

I like because it's free and very good program.

Like many others in this forum, I have problems with splitted or incorrect format videos from youtube.

I'm using
- FDM 3.9.2 build 1303
- Win 7 Pro x 64 in spanish
- Mozilla Firefox 21.0 and FDM plugin active
- VLC 2.0.6
- and the latest flash player plugin until June / 01 / 2013

Here is my solution:

1. Open any video (from youtube) in your browser
2. Change quality, I like 1080p videos and return video at second 0:00
3. Play video some seconds and pause
4. Right click over the video and a popup menu will show
5. Select "pop out" and wait until a web page appear and show some seconds of selected video
6. Close that new window
7. Try with the mouse cursor over the first video and click the FDM button above the video
8. There will show more than one video to download, probably only one with size
9. Download that video and enjoy.

There is no necesary to use any additional codec or join videos.

Excuse my english, I'm not a native speaker/writer.

Thanks.

Su Inglés es mucho mejor que mi español. Han pasado demaciados años desde que hablé español con frecuencia, y ahora estoy tratando de mantener mi capacidad de conversar en Inglés.

Anyway...

I was not able to duplicate your method.
When I used the Pop out command, I got the new window, but all it showed was the logo on a black background. Nothing played.

Your method seems easier. I will try a few more times.

Thank you for replying.

Hello Jexuz. Your method worked fine for me. Thanks!

Phase of moon, indeed.

I just retried it today and got the split audio file and 80+ Mb HD video file. I'm sure the splicing would work at this point.

Either way, though, this seems to me to be a bug either with the way YouTube handles some of their videos, the way FDM downloads them, or both. Hearing something from the development team as to what they think is going on (and if it's something that can be fixed / added to their list of things to do) would be nice.