Forgive me if that is a really stupid question! If I CAN use it without Mobile Joomla, what method of embedding a Youtube is it able to recognize and deal with?

YouTube extension is designed to work w/ Mobile Joomla! only. When you embed a youtube video for desktop view, YouTube MJ extension displays it suitable for mobile devices.

1. Mobile YouTube plugin works in mobile mode only.
2. The aim of the plugin is to replace embedded youtube video with preview image that links to preview on youtube. So, you should have a way to embed video (by insert html code or via other plugins).

Thanks -- that's what I needed to know, whether it was something that only worked in concert with the Mobile Joomla component. That would explain why it wasn't working for me! And why I think it's not quite right for what my client wants, at least at this stage of the game.

I'm very glad though for the time I spent looking into this and really appreciated the video on Mobile Joomla.

If I wanted to start a site, what would be required to give the users ability to upload their video in a simple fashion?

For reference, we are wanting to start a video voting website, where upvotes push videos to the top - but the videos are uploaded on the user end, not ours.

Also, they can not have the ability to be shared with out sites - meaning people have to come to the website to view the video (like wimp.com for example).

no because you-tube extension only work with mobile Joomla or mobile mode only you can embedded original youtube video using copy paste HTML codes to use with other plugin.