With the introduction of online videos through sites such as YouTube and Google Video, downloading streaming video for one's personal collection seems to be the latest obsession of Internet users, especially among the younger generation. The staggering popularity of online videos can be attributed to their ease of use and their viral nature. Downloading online videos, on the other hand, is largely because users want to constantly have access to the videos they view on the previously mentioned streaming video sites.

What is streaming video?

Streaming videos are essentially a sequence of images in motion. These videos are in a compressed form so that they can be easily transmitted over the Internet. These are said to be "streaming" because users view the videos right when data arrives. Hence, streamed videos are said to be sent from the supplier to the viewer in real-time manner.

Watching streaming video vs. downloading streaming video

Downloading online videos is not the same as simply watching them being streamed over the Web. Downloading streaming videos refers to actually capturing the data transmitted, as opposed to just having the video loaded into one's browser.

As another point of differentiation, streaming videos can be viewed simply by visiting YouTube or a similar site. Downloading streaming videos, in comparison, often requires a third-party site that allows you to capture a streaming video or additional software.



Why download streaming video?

One of the main reasons for downloading streaming video is so that you can keep a particular video in your own personal media collection. This is very common among avid music fans who like to keep copies of music videos on their personal computers.

Another reason for downloading online videos is to be able to watch your videos even without an active Internet connection. Videos that have been captured from streaming sites offer you the convenience of watching the video clips anywhere, anytime. Downloading streaming videos for the purpose of having funny videos or how-to videos offline is very common these days.

Various ways to download online videos

There are several ways to capture streaming videos. The first method includes visiting a third-party site that allows you to input the URL (uniform resource locator) of any streaming video. By simply entering the address of your desired online video, these sites will generate a movie file in a preferred format. Most sites will allow you to have your download in the FLV, AVI, MOV, MPG, or WMV format.

Another way to download online videos would be to install a software application with this functionality. There are numerous software packages readily available on the Net that will allow you to capture videos found on streaming media sites. Both free and commercial software are available.

Joining the new craze

Don't be afraid to join the online video bandwagon. Downloading streaming videos is both fun and very useful. Doing so allows you to build up your own personal media collection that can be viewed even when you're offline.