Want to save streaming video to your PC or CD/DVD? Here is a program to let you do just that.

I found a great tool yesterday @ PCWorld.com that lets you “capture” streaming video content from YouTube and other sites. You can use this tool to build a video library of woodworking related “tubes” and videos.

Here is the review from PCWorld: “The Internet is chock-full of sites that stream video and audio to your PC; YouTube’s the most notable, but it has plenty of company. The problem, though, is that those sites don’t let you capture that multimedia content so that you can store it on your PC and watch or listen to it later. That’s where TubeMaster++ comes in. It saves those files, and converts them into an easy-to-use format as well.

TubeMaster++ makes the process of saving the files exceedingly simple. Just run the program, go to the Web page where you want to watch video or listen to music, and stream the content. The program captures the file as it streams. When the file finishes streaming, save the file. It will be saved in its native format, but if you want you can use TubeMaster++ to convert the file into a more usable format. This is particularly useful on sites such as YouTube, which uses the .flv file format. Most PC programs don’t recognize .flv and won’t play back videos in that format. (One that does recognize and play such videos is FLV Player.) You can convert the files into several formats, including .avi, mp3, mp4, and formats for specific multimedia players such as iPods or Zunes.

Especially welcome is the program’s built-in search tool, with which there’s no need to visit and search multiple sites when you’re looking for a specific video or audio clip. Instead, do a search from within TubeMaster++, and you’ll see results from many Web sites. Double-click any results and you’ll be sent straight to the site to begin streaming. You can then capture and save the file.—Preston Gralla “

If you’ve ever viewed an online video or listened to streaming music and wished you could save them on your PC so you could view or listen to them again, TubeMaster++ is the program for you.

Note: In Windows Vista you must run the program as an administrator.

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_download/fid,79779-order,4-c,internettools/download.html
Operating Systems: Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7

Requirements: Java Runtime Environment, WinPcap for Windows, administrator rights on PC

You MUST download and install WinPcap for Windows before downloading and installing TubeMaster++. WinPcap can be downloaded here: http://www.winpcap.org/install/default.htm

Larry

-- Growing older but not up!