You probably wonder why we 'Embed' things into a post. Well, the basic idea is that by embedding something into a post you can continue scrolling down and reading the 'Replies' without leaving the page. If you take a Soundcloud LINK that is put into the Forum as an embedded LINK this is exactly what you would do, as there is no need to 'watch' the music as it progresses across the screen.
But a YouTube Video is different. You would want to keep the video up on the screen in front of you to watch it as you are not only listening to the audio, but also watching what is in the video. Particularly if the video is an instruction video on how to do something with your keyboard!
The important thing about showing the video 'picture' is that it gives you an idea of what you are about to watch. If I just put a YouTube LINK (as this one below) you would have no idea what you were going to watch until you clicked on it.
https://youtu.be/jQihnKmdWKM
Now, when you do get an embedded video with a picture to click on, there are a few ways you can proceed in order to watch it.
1. You can hover your mouse over the picture; the white on black arrow becomes white on RED; click and you can watch the video within the confines of the rectangle on the screen.
So how else can you watch the video?
2. Before you click anything, take a look at the bottom left hand corner and you will see this:
Click on that instead of the white on red arrow and you will be taken to watch the video on the YouTube site itself. This is possibly the best way to watch the video as you get to see the YouTube 'comments' underneath and can read them after the video has finished playing. You can then make a comment to the video poster if you so wish. Also, there is an "I like this" button underneath the video if you want to click on that (or an "I dislike this" if you really feel you have to do that!). The only disadvantage of watching this way, as opposed to watching as an embedded link, is that you will probably get more adverts.
If you have already started watching as an embedded link, take a look at the bottom right hand corner of the video. You will see the words YouTube and if you hover your mouse over that it will say "Watch on youtube.com".
Click on the words YouTube and you will immediately be taken to the YouTube site to continue watching on there, so you end up in the same place as if you had done "1." in the first place.
3. When watching as an embedded video, if you hover over the bottom right symbol you see this:
Clicking on the square fills your screen with the video so you get a really big picture. Then don't move your mouse and all the video info will disappear. But you still don't get access to the comments under the video. To get out of this ' Full screen' mode, press the Esc button (Escape) on your keypad, or you can click on the cross symbol, bottom right (you have to move your mouse for this to appear).
4. While I am here, take a look at the other symbol, bottom right .. the CogWheel. Hover over that and it says 'Settings'.
Click on the Cogwheel and you get this:
Click on the right-arrow by Normal and you get a choice of Playback speeds for the YouTube video.
If you had a tape recorder, slowing it down would drop the pitch, but as this is a 'digital' recording what it does is just slow it down. You can see how this would be useful if, say, you slowed it down to half speed. If you are watching someone playing a keyboard and want to see what keys or buttons they are pressing .. then slow it down and it will be much easier for you to see what they are doing!
Hugh