Like many , this blogger places still photos & videos at Picasa-Web. That entity is now owned by Google. In the interim tussle of acquisition, Google almost merged them with YouTube.com and many accessible mpeg/video files at Picasa-Web accounts were frozen, or not displayed. Picasa members were used to "copying" or downloading their own image files there, as well as uploading them. Alas, Google & Picasa left a problem. Many Picas-Web videos were no longer "downloadable".
This continued after acquisition and into Picasa-3: "at this time videos can not be downloaded or imported from PicasaWeb Albums; even in to Picasa-3 for "movie" [wmv] making; or copying.
So, this blogger did some reading in the PICASA forum, and LEARNED, that, by tip from another user, Real Player can be used to create a downloaded file for off-site use (available only when done properly as a member to your own videos, or with public use permission etc.)
The RealPlayer approach does work, and here's my process of it:
1. Go to PicasaWeb & find the videos of your filed account or others which may be copied. Picasa-Web will say no at this time.
2. Now open your desk-top version of Picasa 3, hopefully, if you have it, (the edition 3.0 has a wmv movie-maker program; Picasa 2 will accept and create a folder of the downloaded videos but not seam and edit them into a movie.
3.Open the latest edition of RealPlayer SP. You may have to download this and it requires Windows XP or above. (get it at http://www.realplayer.com FREE) (I'll try the earlier 10.5 or whatever later)
4. With both the Picasa-Web window open for the video display desired, drag the first mpeg image icon into the play area of the also open RealPlayer SP.
5. Then click the Picasa-Web window to the status bar; and a "Download this Video" option will appear in the Real Player window. Select yes & download.
6.Do that repeatedly to each desired Picasa video. A list of downloaded mpegs will appear; which can stay in your "use" library of RealPlayer, or be saved/copied to your desktop Documents folder under "My Videos".
7. RealPlayer downloads and converts these mpegs to FLV form -that's "Flash Load Video".
8. After a list of downloaded videos has been created by Real Player, that program will list a dozen? of format types for additional conversion of their FLV download to iPod, mp3, wmv, etc. Pick and "convert". RealPlayer will "launch" its "converter" and you're on the way.
9. At your option, next, you can compile the converted mini-files into a Picasa 3 folder and following the top-bar options, select and make a movie. It will be a "WMV" file. Make the Movie as a whole first; and then edit by still-frame or clips; save and export.
10. If your desktop or laptop has a DVD or CD burner, do as you would and burn/ingrave/encode a disc.
This was my experience with that helpful Picasa-Web Forum contributor's tip.
NB Because of it's compressed file type, the MPEG to FLV to WMV file conversion; will be a little less sharp than the direct MPEG to WMV conversion. ..However, until Picasa-Web & Google straighten it out, this is some relief.
Enjoy.
