how to install software coming in .tar archive

that is just an archive, it tells us nothing at all. How do you install a .rar in windows? There is no single answer. What is the name of the file?
What is the output of:

lsb_release -a

Thanks

Instead of asking a general question about .tar files, it is a lot better to indicate exactly which software packages you need and then we can point you to the best procedure to install those packages in Ubuntu.

Here are some commands that you can use via the terminal to extract the contents of the various archive file formats:

zip:

    gunzip file_name.zip

rar:

First install "unrar" with this command:

     sudo apt-get install unrar

Use now this command to unpack rar files:

     unrar x file_name.rar

tar:

     tar -xvf file_name.tar

tar.gz:

     tar -vzxf file_name.tar.gz

bz2:

     bunzip file_name.bz2

tar.bz2:

     tar -jxvf file_name.tar.bz2

Enjoy!

Or ignore all that and install unp and run:

unp nameoffile.anything

unp extracts all files regardless of type. Makes life easier and saves having to remember that lot...

I was trying to find a way to download video files and save them. I downloaded files called Movgrab 1.1.11 and it was .tar file. Once I have downloaded I can unzip but then how to install the software please? I am lost as I am new to Linux trying to transition from Windows7.
Thanks. Palani

Why not just use one of the many browser addons / extensions. There is also youtube-dl in the repos which can download videos from youtube

Run these Terminal commands to install movgrab in Ubuntu:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nilarimogard/webupd8
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install movgrab

You should avoid .tar files, if you can install via PPA or official Ubuntu repositories.

I tried the youtube-dl but the file would not download.

I tried Mark Ricjckenbrg's instructions. The terminal showed numerous lines of download and installation and removal and at the end of it all, when I looked for the program I could not find it in the Dash to launch it! Still looking for it. It is as if the program does not exist in the computer!

Please read this:

http://ubuntuportal.com/2012/02/movgrab-cool-command-line-tool-for-downloading-video-clips-and-movies.html

movgrab is a command-line utility, so you will not find it in any menu's. This is totally normal.

You need to open a Terminal and enter movgrab in the Terminal.

If you are using the Gnome interface, open the Terminal console via "Applications->Accessories->Terminal"

If you are using the Unity interface, the easiest way to open the Terminal is to use the 'search' function on the dash. Or you can click on the 'More Apps' button, click on the 'See more results' by the installed section, and find it in that list of applications. A third way, available after you click on the 'More Apps' button, is to go to the search bar, and see that the far right end of it says 'All Applications'. You then click on that, and you'll see the full list. Then you can go to Accessories > Terminal after that.

So the methods in Unity are:

Press CTRL-ALT-T key combination.

Dash > Search for Terminal

Dash > More Apps > 'See More Results' > Terminal

Dash > More Apps > Accessories > Terminal