diff --git a/youtube-dl b/youtube-dl
index f230d28fc8..345bf4df9f 100755
--- a/youtube-dl
+++ b/youtube-dl
@@ -71,10 +71,10 @@ class FileDownloader(object):
 
 	File downloaders accept a lot of parameters. In order not to saturate
 	the object constructor with arguments, it receives a dictionary of
-	options instead. These options are available through the get_params()
-	method for the InfoExtractors to use. The FileDownloader also registers
-	itself as the downloader in charge for the InfoExtractors that are
-	added to it, so this is a "mutual registration".
+	options instead. These options are available through the params
+	attribute for the InfoExtractors to use. The FileDownloader also
+	registers itself as the downloader in charge for the InfoExtractors
+	that are added to it, so this is a "mutual registration".
 
 	Available options:
 
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ class FileDownloader(object):
 	nooverwrites:	Prevent overwriting files.
 	"""
 
-	_params = None
+	params = None
 	_ies = []
 	_pps = []
 
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ class FileDownloader(object):
 		"""Create a FileDownloader object with the given options."""
 		self._ies = []
 		self._pps = []
-		self.set_params(params)
+		self.params = params
 	
 	@staticmethod
 	def pmkdir(filename):
@@ -174,16 +174,6 @@ class FileDownloader(object):
 		multiplier = 1024.0 ** 'bkmgtpezy'.index(matchobj.group(2).lower())
 		return long(round(number * multiplier))
 
-	def set_params(self, params):
-		"""Sets parameters."""
-		if type(params) != dict:
-			raise ValueError('params: dictionary expected')
-		self._params = params
-	
-	def get_params(self):
-		"""Get parameters."""
-		return self._params
-
 	def add_info_extractor(self, ie):
 		"""Add an InfoExtractor object to the end of the list."""
 		self._ies.append(ie)
@@ -196,7 +186,7 @@ class FileDownloader(object):
 	
 	def to_stdout(self, message, skip_eol=False):
 		"""Print message to stdout if not in quiet mode."""
-		if not self._params.get('quiet', False):
+		if not self.params.get('quiet', False):
 			print u'%s%s' % (message, [u'\n', u''][skip_eol]),
 			sys.stdout.flush()
 	
@@ -206,7 +196,7 @@ class FileDownloader(object):
 	
 	def fixed_template(self):
 		"""Checks if the output template is fixed."""
-		return (re.search(ur'(?u)%\(.+?\)s', self._params['outtmpl']) is None)
+		return (re.search(ur'(?u)%\(.+?\)s', self.params['outtmpl']) is None)
 
 	def trouble(self, message=None):
 		"""Determine action to take when a download problem appears.
@@ -219,13 +209,13 @@ class FileDownloader(object):
 		"""
 		if message is not None:
 			self.to_stderr(message)
-		if not self._params.get('ignoreerrors', False):
+		if not self.params.get('ignoreerrors', False):
 			raise DownloadError(message)
 		return 1
 
 	def slow_down(self, start_time, byte_counter):
 		"""Sleep if the download speed is over the rate limit."""
-		rate_limit = self._params.get('ratelimit', None)
+		rate_limit = self.params.get('ratelimit', None)
 		if rate_limit is None or byte_counter == 0:
 			return
 		now = time.time()
@@ -253,7 +243,7 @@ class FileDownloader(object):
 		"""Download a given list of URLs."""
 		retcode = 0
 		if len(url_list) > 1 and self.fixed_template():
-			raise SameFileError(self._params['outtmpl'])
+			raise SameFileError(self.params['outtmpl'])
 
 		for url in url_list:
 			suitable_found = False
@@ -268,26 +258,26 @@ class FileDownloader(object):
 					retcode = self.trouble()
 
 				if len(results) > 1 and self.fixed_template():
-					raise SameFileError(self._params['outtmpl'])
+					raise SameFileError(self.params['outtmpl'])
 
 				for result in results:
 					# Forced printings
-					if self._params.get('forcetitle', False):
+					if self.params.get('forcetitle', False):
 						print result['title']
-					if self._params.get('forceurl', False):
+					if self.params.get('forceurl', False):
 						print result['url']
 						
 					# Do nothing else if in simulate mode
-					if self._params.get('simulate', False):
+					if self.params.get('simulate', False):
 						continue
 
 					try:
-						filename = self._params['outtmpl'] % result
+						filename = self.params['outtmpl'] % result
 						self.report_destination(filename)
 					except (ValueError, KeyError), err:
 						retcode = self.trouble('ERROR: invalid output template or system charset: %s' % str(err))
 						continue
-					if self._params['nooverwrites'] and os.path.exists(filename):
+					if self.params['nooverwrites'] and os.path.exists(filename):
 						self.to_stderr('WARNING: file exists: %s; skipping' % filename)
 						continue
 					try:
@@ -417,7 +407,7 @@ class InfoExtractor(object):
 	
 	def to_stdout(self, message):
 		"""Print message to stdout if downloader is not in quiet mode."""
-		if self._downloader is None or not self._downloader.get_params().get('quiet', False):
+		if self._downloader is None or not self._downloader.params.get('quiet', False):
 			print message
 	
 	def to_stderr(self, message):
@@ -475,7 +465,7 @@ class YoutubeIE(InfoExtractor):
 
 		username = None
 		password = None
-		downloader_params = self._downloader.get_params()
+		downloader_params = self._downloader.params
 
 		# Attempt to use provided username and password or .netrc data
 		if downloader_params.get('username', None) is not None:
@@ -549,7 +539,7 @@ class YoutubeIE(InfoExtractor):
 		# Downloader parameters
 		format_param = None
 		if self._downloader is not None:
-			params = self._downloader.get_params()
+			params = self._downloader.params
 			format_param = params.get('format', None)
 
 		# Extension
@@ -895,7 +885,7 @@ class PostProcessor(object):
 
 	def to_stdout(self, message):
 		"""Print message to stdout if downloader is not in quiet mode."""
-		if self._downloader is None or not self._downloader.get_params().get('quiet', False):
+		if self._downloader is None or not self._downloader.params.get('quiet', False):
 			print message
 	
 	def to_stderr(self, message):