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There is a video series I have been watching: http://english.cntv.cn/program/learnchinese/growingwithchinese/index.shtml

I have tried a few plugins and utilities to download the episodes with varying success. Part of the problem is that each video is broken up into different pieces. Another problem is that there are 100 episodes.

Is there any sort of "crawler" that could be used for this? I can extract the links to all the pages that contain videos to be watched.

As a bonus, it would be good if I could download the HD version that the embedded player provides access to.

Any tips would be appreciated.

** Edit ** I have used Chrome / Firefox. I have used the video downloaders and am able to get it in 5 minute chunks. The problem is that they are 20 minute episodes. I would have to open up each video, skip to the point where it will load the next segment, for 100 episodes.

The whole reason I want to download these is so I can take them with me and watch/listen on a tablet quickly when I don't have internet access.

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  • 1
    What exactly have you tried already? Which browser9s)? Which Operating System(s)? Have you seen this: How to manually download a streaming video (Firefox) Ffro example Nov 7, 2012 at 19:22
  • Thanks for the nudge. I updated the question with more details.
    – Origin
    Nov 7, 2012 at 23:56
  • Which OS do you use? Specifically, do you have access to Linux or a Linux-like environment (e.g. Cygwin)?
    – Dennis
    Nov 17, 2012 at 12:25
  • I have Windows and Linux machines.
    – Origin
    Nov 17, 2012 at 23:03
  • Voting to close. After 10 years, the site the original question references is gone and the question is — in general — a request for a tutorial which this site doesn’t provide. Jul 25, 2021 at 1:31

2 Answers 2

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The Video Download Helper Firefox extension works for these videos. It gives the links as

http://hot.v.cntv.cn/flash/mp4video19/TMS/2012/03/07/8606abe1a3984a978525a17919daf362_h264418000nero_aac32-1.mp4
http://hot.v.cntv.cn/flash/mp4video19/TMS/2012/03/07/8606abe1a3984a978525a17919daf362_h264418000nero_aac32-2.mp4

etc.. I'm not sure, but each video might be split into ~16 MB chunks.

In order to automate the download, use Video Download Helper's History feature. Enable history in the preferences. Then Open all the links to the videos in tabs, and wait long enough for all of them to play to completion. (Fortunately it seems the videos start playing automatically.) Then download everything from the history.

I don't see any HD option in the player, so I can't answer that part. You could try setting it to HD on the first video, and hope the setting sticks.

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+50

Just use a website offline downloader/viewer software to grab everything. Then if you want, you can then grab all the video files from all the files the software downloaded.

For example, a free software: http://www.httrack.com/

or a paid one: http://www.surfoffline.com/

I think there are actually many other choices that would do the job, I have lost track which ones are currently best. Last time I have used such software was like 5 years ago. So maybe you'll want to do some research first as to which ones are the current best choice for this.

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  • This still wasn't quite the solution I was looking for. I'm a bit disappointed overall with the lack of feedback from others. Since you gave it the best try (and most automated solution) I'm awarding you with the bounty.
    – Origin
    Nov 18, 2012 at 9:24

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