Just play the video in youtube, right click over the video and click "copy video url" then paste into the converter and click "convert video". Awesome tool, my 11 year old showed me how.

Do the artists or record companies earn royalties from this, or is this just piracy?

This is absolutely piracy and stealing. It's also illegal and also a violation of the DMCA for the Bulletin to have this posted online.

I love using this tool when I can't get the ones I want from the pirate bay. But lately it hasn't been letting me download a few of the songs, something pops up saying google wants to ban the practice so sign this petition. I did in hopes that it would let me download said songs but it's not letting me :(.

Oh no, the FBI is going to track me down for stealing this song. I'm sure the Feds will be knocking down your door because of the marijuana plants in the backyard and the AK-47 before they would go after you for downloading music ILLEGALLY *gasp*.
Whatever, at least I'm not a hypocrite when I download music, property is theft or something or another, I don't believe in the sacredness of private property haha!

Perhaps instead of letting your 11 year old show you how to steal music, you should teach him or her the difference between right and wrong. Someone worked hard to make that music. Lots of people probably did. Just because you are too cheap to pay $.99 to $1.29 for something that will LITERALLY last you a lifetime does not mean you should just steal it. Artists and supporting staff who can't make money in music just won't do it. Without that, we are left with middle of the road, lowest common denominator disappointments.

I'm not telling anyone what they should or
shouldn't do but here is a link and reading YouTube terms of service might answer any questions
http://forums.cnet.com/7723-12542_102...
rozemist

revengeofmomo has it 100% correct.

It is no surprise as these are the same people that have zero problem with plagiarism as well. Seems some people have no clue about the difference between right and wrong.

So youtube can copy and store media, and I am not allowed to move this material into my music library. I think you are mistaken. So it's ok for me to listen to the same media through youtube but not through my library? How is Youtube even allowed to exsist if what you are saying is correct?

Wouldn't we all be breaking the law by copying and pasting the links to our favorite songs in these threads? Whats the difference?

Youtube is a public broadcasting site.

Actually there is no clear consensus on the practice. So before you start judging me get over yourselves and get off your high horse......The jury is still out! My personal use of youtube content should be covered under the Fair Use Act.

No it is not since it is licensed content and your use clearly violates the YouTube TOS. Artists get paid by YouTube per view of their online content via ad-sense. If you download the music, you are actually taking money away from the artist. This is known in layman terms as STEALING!

A sad confirmation that some people just don't get basic morality.

People can not post songs legally without the consent of the copyright owner. Youtube has partnerships with some labels and license distribution companies. Those people permit their content to be played on the service sometimes, and they are paid a royalty when it is viewed. When you str#*m it from your own player, you are violating the license that the owner permitted. Could you be sued? Absolutely. Would you lose? Perhaps. Is it likely? Probably not.

Is it wrong? Yes. Yes. Yes.

Someone made that content, and someone (maybe not the same person/people) owns the rights to it. When you don't pay for it (either by paying for the content by following its advertising links or buying a copy for yourself) those people make no money. Use something like Spotify if you want cheap music. Don't take money out of the mouths of people's kids because you want to build up your iTunes collection.

Music, like everything else, should be free. Just going to throw that out there...

I understand that you feel that way, but until it is that way, those musicians still need to pay for their food and housing. If someone took something from you without paying for it, especially if it was your livelihood, you would risk not being able to provide yourself or your family what necessities. We can not selectively decide that only some products can now be free because we have a way to easily steal them.

Well I do anyway. I'll pay for a CD if I really like the whole thing, if they're not well known, etc. and there's a lot of stuff I listen to out there that is not for sell anywhere in the first place. A lot of older folk music, live versions I love listening to, etc. And there's no way in hell I'm going to pay 20 for a CD when it should cost $5 tops. These record execs need to keep their pockets lined with cash by ripping off consumers and artists. I'd rather give to artists in a more direct way and often times do.

If I ever start producing music(and I do hope to) I'm not going to trip if you burn it off the Internet, hopefully fans would chip in here and there but I understand why someone would not pay for it.