Save Streaming Video
Because video files are usually so large, many websites that specialize in hosting videos will stream them using a highly-compressed format, such as Flash. While this has the advantage of being very quick to buffer right in your web browser, the disadvantage is that you can't save these videos by right clicking on them. However, there are several ways you can save streaming video, even in formats like Flash. These directions use Mozilla Firefox.
Steps
- Save the streaming video through a browser-based download helper site. There are several websites available that allow you to enter the URL of a streaming video that you want to capture. The website then helps you save the video file on your computer without having to download any additional software.
- Popular download helper sites include KeepVid and YouTube Downloader (the latter works only with YouTube videos). The services are free, and you simply enter the web page URL containing the video you want, letting the download helper do the rest.
- These sites will save the videos in their original format, which is usually Flash video (files with a .flv extension). To play these files on your computer, you will need to download a program that can play FLV files. You could also find an application to convert the FLV files into a more common video format.
- Capture the streaming video with a Firefox extension. If you use Mozilla Firefox as your web browser, you can download an extension called Video Downloader to capture streaming media. Download and install the extension from the Mozilla website. When you restart your browser, you will see a new icon in the bottom-right corner of the window. Clicking this icon will prompt you to save any streaming video on the current web page. The file saved will remain in its streaming format (again, usually Flash), so you will still have to use a Flash-capable media player to view it.
- Capture the video with a commercial screen-capture application. If the solutions above don't fit your needs, you can pay to install a piece of software designed for capturing action on your computer screen.
- The 2 most popular programs for this task are SnagIt for Windows and SnapzPro X 2 for Mac. Both of these programs must be purchased, but offer fuller support than the options listed above for capturing video.
- Both programs work by allowing you to draw a rectangle around the area of the screen you want to capture, and then recording everything that happens in that rectangle. This works great for capturing streaming video, but it also allows you to capture other actions you perform on-screen. This makes the programs great for recording video software tutorials, for example.
Tips
- To convert Flash video files into a more usable format, try video conversion software such as iSquint or CinemaForge.
Things You'll Need
- Computer
- Mozilla Firefox
- Screen-capture software
