I used to treat YouTube videos as part of my research, something I usually forgot about. They were helpful, but having to open another tab, after having too many open, and trying to remember where I saw a part with the information I wanted to review, started to seem like a lot. However, once I started adding YouTube videos to my LM Notebooksthey became a one-stop shop to ask questions about them, which reduced the chaos on my tabs. It didn’t replace watching videos, especially when images are important, but I can say that it made my research process feel less scattered.
NotebookLM made long videos easier to research
I could get the gist without having to go through the whole thing.
I can’t explain the frustration I feel when a YouTube video on a topic I’m researching doesn’t have chapters to break up the content. Or I have to write down the important parts and then remember where I left those notes. For example, I was watching a tutorial for a technology project and the video was not divided into chapters. The video had information that I found useful, and since I was in a hurry while taking notes, all I kept was that the useful information was somewhere at the beginning.
When I added the YouTube videos to my Piton NotebookLM Notebook, I was able to get the information I needed without having to go to YouTube. I needed to know if the creator recommended an IDE and he did. NotebookLM showed that the creator recommended VS Code. He also told me that the video covered variables and clean code, fundamental data types, and string manipulation, which was enough for me to decide I wanted to watch it. I was no longer going to go in blind, but I still had to do the work; NotebookLM made it so much easier.
NotebookLM turned YouTube videos into sources you could question
I could ask about the video instead of searching for it myself.
I found the summaries that NotebookLM gave me very useful as I was able to understand the gist of the video without having to watch it again. The best part for me, though, was being able to ask specific questions about the parts I didn’t really understand.
For example, when I added a YouTube video about Python, I was able to ask if the creator mentioned any drawbacks to using VS Code since I couldn’t remember them, and rewatching the video wasn’t an option at the time. I found that you only mentioned one minor drawback and that clicking the play button every time to play a code can be tedious. NotebookLM also said that, although it prefers VS codeIt’s still technically a code editor, but extensions can make it work like an IDE.
If the topic is very important, I will still watch the video again. Google says that NotebookLM imports text transcripts from YouTube videos that support subtitles, so if there’s something in the video I need to see, I have no choice but to watch it. For example, if the creator shows how a line of code is written or organized, I need to see that part myself to understand it better.
Adding YouTube videos made my research seem more complete
Could cover more ground without adding more tab chaos
I will never again only add links or documents as sources. The more ground you can cover, the better, and that’s exactly what I feel like I’m doing by adding YouTube videos. The Python video on YouTube was very helpful because sometimes it’s easier to understand something when someone explains a topic to you and shows you what they mean with pictures.
After adding the video as a source, I created a deep-dive audio overview from it. Since I used the interactive mode, I could participate while listening and ask a question. I still have to be careful which YouTube videos I add, as Google says on their support page that there are limitations. That’s why I need to make sure the video has enough spoken content to be useful. Still, I like that the video isn’t just another source that I forget is there. After adding it to NotebookLM, I can make it one of the Studio options, like an audio overview.
NotebookLM still does not replace watching the video
I need to double check the parts that really matter
Even NotebookLM says at the bottom of the chat that he may make mistakes and that you should check his answers. That applies to all the fonts I upload. So if you are working on something important, it is best to watch the video to refresh your memory and see if NotebookLM gave you any incorrect information. That way you won’t blindly believe what NotebookLM says when the details really matter.
I still had to watch the video, but I wasn’t starting from scratch.
NotebookLM helped me focus on the parts that mattered
Even if I have to watch the video again, NotebookLM saves me time because I don’t have to watch everything from the beginning. It’s not that I never watch the video and just blindly believe everything NotebookLM says.
I’ve watched the video beforehand and use NotebookLM to get the information I need faster. The first time I tried this, I obviously watched the video and then asked a question that I knew the answer to. It gave me the correct answer, which made me feel more comfortable using it to find details faster during that test, although it still checked everything important.
NotebookLM made YouTube videos easier to use without replacing them
By adding YouTube videos to NotebookLM, my research is easier. I don’t have to open another tab, go to YouTube, and then try to find the answers I need. Now I don’t have to leave my NotebookLM notebook and I can continue researching from there. This doesn’t mean I’m going to stop watching the videos, but it’s a big help when I’m trying to remember information I know I saw somewhere.
