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YouTube Downloader Using C# .NET

By , 18 Feb 2013
 

Thanks again to CircleDock the Downloader works better.

Introduction 

This article shows how to download YouTube videos using C# code only. The code is very simple to understand and anyone can easily integrate it to in their solution or project.

I didn't use any third party library to do this task. All you need is to take two .cs files and integrate them to your project.

Using the code

There are two main classes in this project:

YouTubeVideoQuality Class

This is the entity that describes the video.

public class YouTubeVideoQuality 
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Gets or Sets the file name
    /// </summary>
    public string VideoTitle { get; set; }
    /// <summary>
    /// Gets or Sets the file extention
    /// </summary>
    public string Extention { get; set; }
    /// <summary>
    /// Gets or Sets the file url
    /// </summary>
    public string DownloadUrl { get; set; }
    /// <summary>
    /// Gets or Sets the youtube video url
    /// </summary>
    public string VideoUrl { get; set; }
    /// <summary>
    /// Gets or Sets the file size
    /// </summary>
    public Size Dimension { get; set; }

    public override string ToString()
    {
        return Extention + " File " + Dimension.Width + 
                           "x" + Dimension.Height;
    }

    public void SetQuality(string Extention, Size Dimension)
    {
        this.Extention = Extention;
        this.Dimension = Dimension;
    }
}

YouTubeDownloader Class

This class downloads YouTube videos:

public class YouTubeDownloader
{
    public static List<YouTubeVideoQuality> GetYouTubeVideoUrls(params string[] VideoUrls)
    {
        List<YouTubeVideoQuality> urls = new List<YouTubeVideoQuality>();
        foreach (var VideoUrl in VideoUrls)
        {
            string html = Helper.DownloadWebPage(VideoUrl);
            string title = GetTitle(html);
            foreach (var videoLink in ExtractUrls(html))
            {
                YouTubeVideoQuality q = new YouTubeVideoQuality();
                q.VideoUrl = VideoUrl;
                q.VideoTitle = title;
                q.DownloadUrl = videoLink + "&title=" + title;
                if (getQuality(q))
                    urls.Add(q);
            }
        }
        return urls;
    }

    private static string GetTitle(string RssDoc)
    {
        string str14 = Helper.GetTxtBtwn(RssDoc, "'VIDEO_TITLE': '", "'", 0);
        if (str14 == "") str14 = Helper.GetTxtBtwn(RssDoc, "\"title\" content=\"", "\"", 0);
        if (str14 == "") str14 = Helper.GetTxtBtwn(RssDoc, "&title=", "&", 0);
        str14 = str14.Replace(@"\", "").Replace("'", "&#39;").Replace(
                "\"", "&quot;").Replace("<", "&lt;").Replace(
                ">", "&gt;").Replace("+", " ");
        return str14;
    }


    private static List<string> ExtractUrls(string html)
    {
        html = Uri.UnescapeDataString(Regex.Match(html, "url_encoded_fmt_stream_map=(.+?)&", 
                                      RegexOptions.Singleline).Groups[1].ToString());
        MatchCollection matchs = Regex.Matches(html, 
          "url=(.+?)&quality=(.+?)&fallback_host=(.+?)&type=(.+?)&itag=(.+?),", 
          RegexOptions.Singleline);
        bool firstTry = matchs.Count > 0;
        if (!firstTry)
            matchs = Regex.Matches(html, 
                     "itag=(.+?)&url=(.+?)&type=(.+?)&fallback_host=(.+?)&sig=(.+?)&quality=(.+?),{0,1}", 
                     RegexOptions.Singleline);
        List<string> urls = new List<string>();
        foreach (Match match in matchs)
        {
            if (firstTry)
                urls.Add(Uri.UnescapeDataString(match.Groups[1] + ""));
            else urls.Add(Uri.UnescapeDataString(match.Groups[2] + "") + "&signature=" + match.Groups[5]);
        }
        return urls;
    }

    private static bool getQuality(YouTubeVideoQuality q)
    {
        if (q.DownloadUrl.Contains("itag=5"))
            q.SetQuality("flv", new Size(320, 240));
        else if (q.DownloadUrl.Contains("itag=34"))
            q.SetQuality("flv", new Size(400, 226));
        else if (q.DownloadUrl.Contains("itag=6"))
            q.SetQuality("flv", new Size(480, 360));
        else if (q.DownloadUrl.Contains("itag=35"))
            q.SetQuality("flv", new Size(640, 380));
        else if (q.DownloadUrl.Contains("itag=18"))
            q.SetQuality("mp4", new Size(480, 360));
        else if (q.DownloadUrl.Contains("itag=22"))
            q.SetQuality("mp4", new Size(1280, 720));
        else if (q.DownloadUrl.Contains("itag=37"))
            q.SetQuality("mp4", new Size(1920, 1280));
        else if (q.DownloadUrl.Contains("itag=38"))
            q.SetQuality("mp4", new Size(4096, 72304));
        else return false;
        return true;
    }
}

Points of Interest

Using this code you can select the video quality depending in your internet connection speed to start download.

Many people have slow internet connections and they can not watch videos from YouTube, so I made this code to help those people to download YouTube videos to their PC's so they can watch the videos offline.

Updates

Thanks to Motaz Alnuweiri, the Downloader works again. Added self download videos.

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)

About the Author

akramKamal
Software Developer Desktop Team
Palestinian Territory (Occupied) Palestinian Territory (Occupied)
Member
I have advanced skills in desktop apps development, i have built many apps for many corporations.
 
i'm using the follow languages in my work:
1- C# Language.
2- VB6 Language.
3- Asp.net using C#.
4- Crystal Reports.
 
i have more than 7 experience years in coding and programming.
 
Systems and apps Developed by Us:
1-E-Archive System (VB6,Supports multi DataBase Engins).
2-SMS System (Multi languages such VB6,C#,Asp.Net and Gizmox).
3-Multi Camera Monitor System-Motion Detection and record(C#).
4-Administrative Evaluation System (Asp.net).
5-E-Clinic System (C#-using my business layer generator,Supports multi DataBase Engines).
6-Data Access Layer Generator Framework(C#).
7-Sip Provider -VOIP- Softphone (C#- for Italian company).
8-Training course Manager System(C#-for UCAS).
9-Computer Exam System (VB6,Oracle DataBase).
10-Dialer System (VB6).
11-Implement Google API using C# (Translation and web Search).
12-Print Management Enterprise(C#)
13-Elections System (C#- using my business layer generator).
14-Advanced English competition (VB6).
15-Remote USB Sharing (C/C++,VB6).
16-Watch Attendance (C/C++,VB6).
17-Tube Spy (C#).
18-AdminYourTube (C#)
19- Transport Reservation System (C#,Asp.net,Ajax,Jquery)
 
Please visit my elance URL http://ashrafnet.elance.com

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GeneralRe: Not workingmemberF. ARO4 Nov '12 - 3:17 
I don't know , your application was working great , now it doesn't work ,
Without doing any change in ur Code!
When the link is opened is the browser ,
No downloads starts , and the webpage response is that i don't have permission to acces the file , do i need any credentials? Username and password to continue and download the videos ?
I there another better class ? This one not working ! Thank you !
GeneralRe: Not workingmemberakramKamal4 Nov '12 - 4:50 
Did you try the last version, this problem has occurred before 1 month and i uploaded new version.
 
Thanks,
Akram
GeneralRe: Not workingmemberF. ARO4 Nov '12 - 7:57 
Aha, it's the last version that runs fine,
thank you for warning.
by the way , how much i am free to use your class ?
can i use it for more than a private use ?
GeneralRe: Not workingmemberakramKamal4 Nov '12 - 9:56 
Yes, you can do that because this is the liecence
http://www.codeproject.com/info/cpol10.aspx[^]
GeneralMy vote of 5memberJustinoScalabitano29 Oct '12 - 23:48 
I'm currently using it and it works perfectly.
Questionits really greatmembersmaker21 Oct '12 - 8:54 
is it also possible to download it as in mp3 format?
AnswerRe: its really greatmemberakramKamal21 Oct '12 - 9:47 
Thanks for your interesting,
to download as mp3 we need to add a converter option, i will add this option later because i am too busy these days
BUT, its up to you to search for a c# converter and then combine it with the downloader code
 
Thanks,
Akram
GeneralMy vote of 5membergeekbond17 Oct '12 - 4:44 
Good work.
QuestionBookmarked !memberGun Gun Febrianza16 Oct '12 - 16:43 
I love this article, now i can deeply implementing from your source.
Thanks for sharing ! , are you are in palestina?
Indonesia IT Intelijensi
Freedom of Revealing And Sharing Knowledge.
 
www.indonesiaitintelijensi.com

AnswerRe: Bookmarked !memberakramKamal17 Oct '12 - 2:09 
Thanks for your interesting, Yes i am from Gaza in Palestine
 
Regrads,
Akram

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