TubeMaster Plus: download any media file from (almost) any site
Description: TubeMaster Plus is a free tool that can download streaming video and audio files from almost any media sharing site, including sites with anti-leeching protection. TubeMaster Plus also can convert downloaded videos to several formats, offers a video search function across multiple video sources, and offers a downloadble audio mp3 search function.
[Review Updated 10/27/2008] This program is a tool for downloading videos/music/streaming media from video and music sharing sites. I have learned a lot more about this program since first publishing this review two weeks or so ago, hence this updated review. Note that my original review of version 1.3.1.4 which as of this writing has been updated to 1.3.1.5.
This program combines the following tools into a single product: Orbit Downloader for streaming media downloads, FFMpeg for video conversion, an IE based internal browser, and a some sort of internet searching resource for finding (and downloading) audio files on the internet and videos across multiple video sharing sites. This program has multiple pros and cons, which I will list as follows:
PROS:
Downloads media from sites that have anti-leeching technology: I tested TubeMaster Plus with Last.FM, Pandora, and Imeem and it worked beautifully! Note: this functionality is provided courtesy of the Orbit Downloader component of TubeMaster Plus.
- Downloads various media formats: video and audio in multiple formats (see image to the right).
- Does not install itself as a plugin inside your browser: instead uses it’s own internal multi-tabbed embedded browser.
- Music search: can search the internet and find downloadable tracks. It works very well and I highly recommend it.
- Downloads YouTube vidoes in "HD" mode: when browsing YouTube, TubeMaster Plus will ask whether you want to download the higher-resolution MP4 video file versions of your desired video if these are available. (Not only are these higher in resolution but they can be uploaded to Ipods easily without conversion).
- Global video search: looking for a video? Try using TubeMaster Plus’s media search, which offers a "Global Video Search" that can search up to 100 video sharing sites simultaneously.
CONS:
- Claims to be portable but isn’t: installs 2 drivers into your system folder and 2 registry entries without warning and without an "uninstall" option. To remove these I have created a .BAT file which when run will remove all of these. Download it here. Note: make sure that TubeMaster is not being run when you run this. If you would like to know which files/registry entries are being deleted simply open the .bat file in a text editor. Works on XP, Vista only, assumes C: is you system partition).
- Restricts adult sites: the developer has restricted this program such that free version will not download media from "adult" sites. How does it know that a site is adult? My guess is that it simply has or downloads a list of these sites that it refuses to download from. If you want to get around this try other media downloading programs such as Moyea FLV downloader, Orbit Downloader, xVideoService Thief, or VDownloader.
- Media conversion is not what it could be: although it uses the powerful FFMpeg as its conversion engine, it doesn’t offer the user much control in terms of the conversion quality and settings, and I personally would probably forgo it in favor of other, more powerful converters myself. (Converts from FLV to AVI (320×240 or 640×480), MP3, MP4 (Ipod/PSP), MPEG, WMV, and from AVI to FLV.)
More notes on this program as follows:
- Note on downloading: when downloading a file on a web page you will need to keep that page "open" (i.e. not browse away from it) until the file has downloaded in it’s entirety; otherwise you will probably see a broken download.
- Note on problems connecting to the internet: this used to be a problem with older versions of Orbit and I believe they were fixed. With ver. 1.3.1.5 of TubeMaster the change log stated that TubeMaster updated to the latest version of Orbit, and so therefore these connectivity problems *may* have been fixed. Someone please confirm/dispute; I cannot myself because I never experienced any of these connectivity issues.
- Note on Orbit.exe lingering in memory after TubeMaster program exit: I saw this in TubeMaster version 1.3.1.4 but since it updated to 1.3.1.5 it seems to have been fixed. Note: I enabled "enable the auto managing of RAM" in the settings.
The verdict: overall a good tool that has a lot to commend it, but installing the "Orbit Downloader" instead may be a better idea. Still. TubeMaster has a lot to recommend it; the main draw for me is the ability to download protected media files without needing to install the program as a plugin into my browser (as for example is the case with Orbit). I also think the MP3 search function is terrific. Moreover, if you are like me (in that 90% of all videos that I download come from YouTube) you will love downloading YouTube videos in HD mode.
On the flip side I will say that this program will be very much served by having a solid, robust uninstaller that removes the drivers and registry entries that it creates (if you want to remove these run the BAT files I created; see the first point in the CONS section above).
Version(s) Tested: 1.3.1.4 and 1.3.1.5
Compatibility: Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP/Vista .
Go to the program page to download the latest version (approx 4.6 megs).
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Thanks. This program looks good but I got a bluescreen STOP error on my XP machine twice immediately after running this app. The error was NO_MORE_IRP_STACK_LOCATIONS. Does anyone else get a bluescreen using this? I feel this program needs further attention until this bug is ironed out.
Thank you for researching these apps. I can’t count how many of your reviewed apps I use on a daily basis.
so now I have a stupid question. I can never find links to the applications you post. I always have to just google them. Is this intentional or am I just blind?
Czadd,
The link to download the program is always directly under the post, right under the “Compatibility” section in tiny font, in gray.
Great find Samer!
OK. So 10 seconds after I made the post asking about the links I found it. I’ve just been blind all this time.
As for the app, it works great for me. Thanks!
Great find. I think this is my first comment on this site but I’ve been a long time reader.
Thanks!
P.S. I’ve always wondered why the external link is so small.. Is there any particular reason?
Yeah, I couldn’t find the link when I first visited this site. Then one day I found it… “Ohhh” Doh!
I really think you should make it more clearly visible to your readers.
Does it work for video.msn.com? I haven’t found one that works for that yet.
@ LeMelo, KJ
I put the external/download links there initially when I started this blog two years ago because I wanted to make the text prominent and de-emphasize the download link in order to get people to read the content, and it kind of just stayed that way.
@ Meh
Works with video.msn.com just fine.
Program errors under Vista Home with a Data Execution Error on it’s startup. Product is french, website is in french. Not recommended if you need help.
Hey Samer,
Would you have any idea how to install Flash into the TubeMaster browser? Not sure if anyone had this issue too.. (and Flash works fine in my Firefox and IE.)
You know, Samer, lots of people have complained about this over the years, i mean, sure the review is more important than the download, but the reviews are so good that it *begs* to download. Couldn’t you at least make it black, instead of gray, and perhaps slightly larger? It’s uncanny!
Hey! a genius is often shy, that’s why he only whispers links to software pages
Seriously, yet another Freewaregenius most interesting software review (I just love the way softwares are reviewed here, objectively with pros and cons). If you want my advice : keep on the good work !
Hum… TubeMaster ? Downloaded, not yet installed, but at least after this review I know where I’ll be standing.
I get this with every YouTube video but only in Tubemaster, making it impossible to download a video, any ideas?
“Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe’s Flash Player”
I’ve installed Java, and checked the script is turned on, also installed Flash Player.
@Bert, maybe do you have 2 different versions of Java and/or Adobe Flash… you can check your settings here :
http://secunia.com/software_inspector/
Tried it, and it gave me some serious problem - at least I think TubeMaster was responsible for those crashes.
The MP3 search function is actually to good to be true - does anyone know how it is done? Is it some kind of P2P?
I’m asking because, here in germany, the risk of getting caught when downloading via P2P is very high!
I’ve tried and removed TubeMaster. This software is problematic.
1- No installer, but when you run it for the first time, it downloads and installs — without notifying (only my system security told me) 2 drivers : pssdk31.drv and pssdklfb.drv. Removing TubeMaster (its folder since no installer) does of course not remove these 2 drivers ; I had to disable them first, clean registry, then remove their files, very nasty.
2- TubeMaster sometimes may call another module to download specific files, this module is called orbit.exe, and orbit.exe is nothing but a P2P builder. Problem is, it builds very badly, sticks in memory, and even got me disconnected from the web : pure craps.
Consequently, I advise to avoid this junk.
@Transcontinental,
Thanks for sharing what you’ve found.
I think I am going to have to re-write my entire review above in light of this info, which I will do in the next 24 hours.
A few things:
1- Orbit.exe is actually the aforementioned Orbit Downloader. What the developer of TubeMaster did was essentially create a software that incorporates a browser, orbit downloader, and ffmpeg into a single program. It is NOT a P2P aggregator. I noticed yesterday (before your comment) that Orbit.exe sticks in memory even after Tubemaster is shut down, which seemed completely unnecessary.
2- Given that I know that Orbit does indeed install a driver or drivers what you saw was probably … TubeMaster installing the Orbit downloader drivers. I agree that doing so without notification and without an uninstall option is hugely problematic; I will look into compiling some simple instructions on how to get TubeMaster “uninstalled”.
2- The music search is probably a simple google MP3 search not entirely different from what skreemr.com, mixturtle.com, or songza.com does except it gives you the option to download, which these sites do not. I am fairly certain there is not P2P action involved.
OK, Samer, thanks for acknowledging. Orbit.exe is not a P2P aggregator, perhaps on this point did I extrapolate indeed, which is not a good thing.
For the rest, I think we agree. Finally, I did have serious problems with these drivers — activated as I understand by orbit.exe — which got to break my connection as I mentioned above.
I know that one’s experience is in no way evidence, but I am nearly convinced that orbit.exe & associated drivers are problematic, and not only in getting them removed.
Life is testing!
Had the same problem. My browser kept freezing on me. Don’t use this stuff.
Excellent, hadn’t seen one of these in a while and was wondering which might be good for hitting up YouTube. I guess we’ve found our winner.
Thanx for taking your time for these reviews.
mp3 search is superb. But I am unable to capture media. It says login as admin. Even then it does not work
This product has something very wrong in the mix crashed my computer so badly at first I thought it was a virus/Trojan.
I would avoid it at all costs I repeat something very wrong.
[...] satu-satunya perbedaan versi gratis tidak mendukung pengunduhan media dari situs dewasa. (via Freeware Genius / [...]
[...] TubeMaster Plus: download any media file from (almost) any site - review & download link | freew… [...]
[...] Windows only: Free streaming media capture tool TubeMaster is a great all-in-one solution for grabbing and converting audio and video from nearly any web site that can stream it to you. The no-install app launches as its own application with a built-in, tabbed browser—simply launch it, head to Last.fm, YouTube, a site with proprietary Flash video, or nearly any other streaming media, and hit “Start Media Capture.” The files you grab are lined up in a queue for you to decide how to convert and save, and TubeMaster’s built-in media search tool covers nearly 100 video and audio-sharing sites. There are browser plug-ins and apps that do some of the same things, but none quite as comprehensively as TubeMaster Plus. TubeMaster Plus is a free download for Windows systems only; upgrading to a paid version unlocks downloads from adult sites. TubeMaster Plus [via FreewareGenius.com] [...]
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[...] Plus FreewareGenius.com Tags: video, YouTube SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: “TubeMaster Plus”, url: [...]
[...] About us TubeMaster Plus Grabs Video or Audio From Nearly Any Site [Featured Windows Download] Wednesday, October 15th, 2008 @ 5:30 pm | Author: admin Windows only: Free streaming media capture tool TubeMaster is a great all-in-one solution for grabbing and converting audio and video from nearly any web site that can stream it to you. The no-install app launches as its own application with a built-in, tabbed browser—simply launch it, head to Last.fm, YouTube, a site with proprietary Flash video, or nearly any other streaming media, and hit “Start Media Capture.” The files you grab are lined up in a queue for you to decide how to convert and save, and TubeMaster’s built-in media search tool covers nearly 100 video and audio-sharing sites. There are browser plug-ins and apps that do some of the same things, but none quite as comprehensively as TubeMaster Plus. TubeMaster Plus is a free download for Windows systems only; upgrading to a paid version unlocks downloads from adult sites. TubeMaster Plus [via FreewareGenius.com] [...]
Samer: The first few times that I visited your website I couldn’t find the links to the author’s websites nor the download links and remember being rather turned off by it. The reason people visit your website is because you find great applications, write complete reviews and entice people download these applications.
To “de-emphasize” the download link doesn’t make much sense to me. Think of all those crappy software sites which try to obscure the original software developpers in order to make users download (Or sometimes purchase) the software from their specialized websites instead of linking to the developpers.
[...] About us TubeMaster Plus Grabs Video or Audio From Nearly Any Site [Featured Windows Download] Thursday, October 16th, 2008 @ 9:00 am | Author: admin Windows only: Free streaming media capture tool TubeMaster is a great all-in-one solution for grabbing and converting audio and video from nearly any web site that can stream it to you. The no-install app launches as its own application with a built-in, tabbed browser—simply launch it, head to Last.fm, YouTube, a site with proprietary Flash video, or nearly any other streaming media, and hit “Start Media Capture.” The files you grab are lined up in a queue for you to decide how to convert and save, and TubeMaster’s built-in media search tool covers nearly 100 video and audio-sharing sites. There are browser plug-ins and apps that do some of the same things, but none quite as comprehensively as TubeMaster Plus. TubeMaster Plus is a free download for Windows systems only; upgrading to a paid version unlocks downloads from adult sites. TubeMaster Plus [via FreewareGenius.com] [...]
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[...] 2003, 2000 y NT, TubeMaster Plus es freeware y ocupa solo 4,6 megabytes de espacio en disco. Via Freeware Genius Descarga TubeMaster Plus Otras entradas que te pueden [...]
TubeMaster Plus: Scaricare video ed audio da quasi qualunque sito…
scaricare file audio e video provenienti da quasi qualunque sito del web comprese reti sociali con tecnologia di protezione anti-leeching come Last.fm, Pandora, Imeen ecc.,…
[...] TubeMaster Plus juga dapat mengkonversi FLV menjadi AVI (320×240 or 640×480), MP3, MP4 (Ipod/PSP), MPEG, WMV, dan dari AVI menjadi FLV. TubeMasterPlus tersedia dalam versi gratis maupun versi berbayar dengan satu-satunya perbedaan versi gratis tidak mendukung pengunduhan media dari situs dewasa. (via Freeware Genius) [...]