youtube clip player??

[tony draper]

I have had a bit of a disaster,tried copying some clips from Nokia mobile to my puter as I posted upon a few days ago but they would not play,so I downloaded a utility that was supposed to convert files to a format Windows Media player could run.
Anyway what has happened is none of my numerous youtube clips will now play,which is a bit of a pain.
What I had was the Keepvid utility that allowed youtube clips to be saved to your desktop and played at lesure later,trouble I have forgotten what the player I used was and where I got it from?it was very simple to use I just downloaded the clip clicked on it and it played,no need to convert files or anything like that.
Did a search but they all seem to be file converters of one kind or another where files have to be imported and changed before they will play,plus they are not free and the demos are limited to a minute of play .
Anybody help to point me toward a simple to use youtube clip player?
PS I still have the Keepvid downloader so I have no problem downloading the clips I just need the player
Greatfull for any help.
Tony

[AirwayBlocker]

Real Player

Does the downloading too if you want it to.

www.realplayer.com (http://www.realplayer.com)

[The Flying Pram]

VLC Media Player (http://www.videolan.org/vlc/) will play them.

[tony draper]

Yipee!! that did it Flying Pram,musta downloaded and tried every media player out there that VCL media player is the only one I can get to play me clips,anyway I can get it to be me default player?got so many different one's every time I clip on a media file it gives me a list of which one to open it with.
Why don't they just have one bloody video standard.
Thanks chaps one would have been exceeding peeved had one lost all ones youtube clips
Secondary question? how do I fine out what type of format a file is in,ie when I right click on a file icon then click properties all it says is File not what kind ie MP3 FLV or whatever
Thanks chaps
tony

[The Flying Pram]

Start>> Control Panel>> Folder Options>> File Types will show a list of all registered file types on your 'puter. If you click on FLV it should be possible to change the default with the "Change" button. If one remembers correctly VLC automatically set this when installed. Maybe your other players are arguing over this. VLC seems to cope most things, so might be worth un-installing the others except Windows Media Player and see what happens. Quite why it shows a Traffic cone for these files I would love to know! Must be the French sense of humour - - - -waits for the hostilities to commence!

[frostbite]

Will VLC handle the BBC streaming? I am most reluctant to install Real Player which the Beeb often insist is used.

Why they have chosen RP smells like a dirty mystery to me.

[green granite]

I am most reluctant to install Real Player

I wont have it on my pc, it seems to spend most of the time either try to go on line or insisting that it is the only program that can play videos.

[Dysonsphere]

If you use the Real Player Basic or what ever its called now its free and you can opt out of any ads etc. works fine for me.

[The Flying Pram]

If you mean the iPlayer then I'm afraid I don't know the answer. I tried opening a video-clip on the BBC News site, right clicking to get the source code then copy/pasting this into VLC and nothing happened.

Further info for Mr D: The "Autoplay" function allows you to chose a default for various file types - If you type this into the "Help & Support" centre it will explain more.

[BigEndBob]

Another useful program..'Free Download Manager'.

Can save most things especially Google, youtube clips.
Has its own little player built in.