[youtube-api] How to get HQ youtube thumbnails?

http://img.youtube.com/vi/<insert-youtube-video-id-here>/0.jpg
http://img.youtube.com/vi/<insert-youtube-video-id-here>/1.jpg
http://img.youtube.com/vi/<insert-youtube-video-id-here>/2.jpg
http://img.youtube.com/vi/<insert-youtube-video-id-here>/3.jpg

That works for small thumbnails.

http://img.youtube.com/vi/<insert-youtube-video-id-here>/mqdefault.jpg

That works for HQ but only 1 image. Question is how to get 4 HQ thumbnail images?

This question is related to youtube-api

The answer is


YouTube resolutions and images

http://img.youtube.com/vi/<video-id>/<resolution><image>.jpg

Resolution
- lowest resolution
sd - Standard Definition
mq - Medium Quality
hq - High Quality
maxres - MAXimum RESolution

Image
default - Default image (1, 2, 3 shot from video, or custom uploaded)
1 - First shot from video
2 - Second shot from video
3 - Third shot from video


Depending on the resolution you need, you can use a different URL:

Default Thumbnail

http://img.youtube.com/vi/<insert-youtube-video-id-here>/default.jpg

High Quality Thumbnail

http://img.youtube.com/vi/<insert-youtube-video-id-here>/hqdefault.jpg

Medium Quality

http://img.youtube.com/vi/<insert-youtube-video-id-here>/mqdefault.jpg

Standard Definition

http://img.youtube.com/vi/<insert-youtube-video-id-here>/sddefault.jpg

Maximum Resolution

http://img.youtube.com/vi/<insert-youtube-video-id-here>/maxresdefault.jpg

Note: it's a work-around if you don't want to use the YouTube Data API. Furthermore not all videos have the thumbnail images set, so the above method doesn’t work.


You can simply get HQ youtube thumbnails..

http://img.youtube.com/vi/YOUTUBE_VIDEO_ID/hqdefault.jpg


You need to get id from:

youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID

And put this in:

i.ytimg.com/vi/VIDEO_ID/maxresdefault.jpg

I hope that I helped :D