Downloading streaming videos

[Bloodwych]

Good advice letting people know about such options - can't believe how many people think you can't download youtube clips.

I use Firefox and the addon "DownloadHelper" - it places an icon on your browser which, once clicked, provides options to download any video currently playing. I just can't do without Firefox addons, there are far too many useful ones.

I also use the freeware player "VideoLAN" that connects to live streams and records the output, similar to realplayer by the sounds of it, but without the naughtiness. "URLsnooper" allows you to find hidden links to video streams, comes in useful from time to time.

There are even free utilities that allow you to draw a box on your monitor with the mouse pointer and record the contents, or simply record the entire display to xvid and mp3. Best if you have a dual core CPU for that mind you, it's quite demanding in real time!

[Harrison]

I've been using the commercial utility Snagit for that for some years now and it has worked well, working in a similar way to you describe by drawing a box around the area to be captured. Very useful for creating teaching tutorials.

You are right about Firefox extensions. Loads of useful ones about. I started a thread recently listing many that I use here.

[Bloodwych]

That thread is really useful - some extensions I've never heard of in there. I'll have to have a sift through.