The advent of web-embeddable Adobe Flash players has opened up a new world of social media sites that share everything from music videos and films to live webcam broadcasts and interactive games using a process known as streaming. Content playable in a Flash player is streamed in a file format known as Flash Video, or FLV.
To save streaming FLV files from a website requires a software solution if the site itself does not provide download links itself. FLV recording software works by intercepting the Real Time Messaging Protocol or RTMP as it travels from the host server to the Flash player, and saves the intercepted dataflow as an FLV file.
Once the FLV file has been saved, it can then be played in an FLV player or a media player with an FLV codec, or converted to another format using a file conversion program such as the FLV to AVI Converter.
How to Save Streamed Flash RTMP
There are a number of software packages available that save streaming media. These include:
- Bit Recorder: A budget streaming media recorder, Bit Recorder costs $9.95 for a single year license, or $29.95 for a lifetime license. While a relatively stable product, Bit Recorder is prone to crashing when trying to record live feeds.
- Replay AV: Quite difficult to navigate for those new to stream recording, Replay AV is excellent for downloading pre-prepared streaming content, but does not handle real-time communications such as webcam deliveries well. Replay AV retails for $49.95.
- FLV Recorder: Although occasionally prone to crashing, FLV Recorder provides the easiest interface for saving streaming media, and handles both pre-recorded and real-time RTMP streams admirably. FLV Recorder costs $15.95 for a single year license, or $35 for a lifetime license.
Due to the nature of recording RTMP streams, which is unstable at best, none of these streaming media recorder programs can guarantee perfect results every time. However, each of these RTMP recorders provide trial versions, and it is recommended that each be tried before making a purchase to ensure that the software is capable of capturing the required streaming media feeds.
Saving Streaming Video with Desktop Recording Software
An alternative to saving streaming media by intercepting the RTMP stream is to record what is visible on the monitor using desktop recording software. One of the advantages of using screen recording software over an FLV recorder is that the recorded file may be saved to a number of formats other than FLV, removing any need to convert an FLV file to another format. Desktop recording software packages include:
- HyperCam: Designed for the creation of web-embeddable presentations and tutorials, HyperCam is a stable, effective and efficient desktop recorder, retailing at $35 per license.
- Mr Captor: Mr Captor costs $29, and is similar in scope to HyperCam, but was specifically designed for capturing video and game feeds, even from media players other than Flash players. Mr Captor also includes real-time capture-area adjustment, a feature few other desktop recording programs provide.
- Camtasia Studio: Camtasia Studio is a professional suite of media editing tools that includes screen recorder capabilities. Camtasia Studio costs $299, but included in this price is an authoritative toolset for both pre- and post-production for any saved media files.
Like streaming media recorder software, these screen recorder programs provide trial versions that should be tested before purchasing.
One Click FLV Recorder
Perhaps the simplest method of downloading pre-prepared streaming videos and music is to invest in the Internet Download Manager. While the Internet Download Manager is not capable of saving real-time media streams, it excels at capturing pre-recorded streams with a simple one-click FLV grabber that appears as a pop-up over any downloadable streaming content on a web page.
The reader is cautioned that they must check that the site they are trying to download from explicitly allows this. Many sites, including YouTube, prohibit users from downloading video files in their Terms of Use.
Nicolas McGregor - Nicolas McGregor studied English at Stirling University, and later, Information Technology. Amongst his interests are: independent ...
