What software (and/or hardware) will allow me to capture streaming
Windows Media video files?  Specifically, I need to capture
(non-copyrighted) seminars delivered via http stream in both .asx and
.wmv format, and save them to my hard disk for viewing later.  The
software must work with Windows 2000.  Please list at least 3
different vendors if possible, as well as price.  Do NOT include or
evaluate:  ASF Recorder, CamMedia or CamStudio, or HiRecorder.

---

Request for Question Clarification by elmarto-ga on 23 Apr 2003 21:01 PDT

Hello!
It would help if you specify the page you're trying to download these
seminars from, so that I can provide a list of programs that best suit
the particular way in which the streming video is embedded into the
page.

Best regards,
elmarto

---

Clarification of Question by tadams-ga on 24 Apr 2003 07:31 PDT

The page requires users to login ... however, a link is provided on
the page, and it is essentially of this format:

    http://videoserver/lectures/lectureid.asx

I can click on the link and open it with Windows Media Player. 

The other type of link is

    http://videoserver/lectures/lectureid.wmv

which I can open with "Open URL" menu option of Windows Media Player. 
If I try to "Save Target As..." The file saved is of type .wvx and is
not the entire video.

---

Request for Question Clarification by elmarto-ga on 24 Apr 2003 09:17 PDT

OK, I'll post this as a clarification since I'm unsure wether this
will work for you. After searching the web, I came across some
programs which allow you to capture streaming video; however, the ones
I tried aren't able to do it from a page that requires login.

I did find a freeware program that could work, but it has some minor
(really minor) bugs. I'll post the link to it as a clarification
request, since it seems that you are looking for something more
"professional" than this.

Windows Media Recorder
http://www.netfor2.com/copy50.html

I'll tell you now how to put it to work. If you're satisfied with what
you obtain from this program, please tell me so I can post it as an
answer.

After unzipping it, run it and choose "Browse" mode. After this, click
on "3: Setup Windows Media Player for Recording". To set the directory
where you want your files saved, choose "Settings", then "WMR
Directory". The interface is kind of awkward for selecting this
folder; you have to go into the folder you want, and then click "Save"
(even though it says it's saving the file *.wmr). If you have trouble
changing this folder, create the folder C:\MRecord, as this is the
folder the program uses as default.

Once this is set, click "Browse", then click "Record". Clicking
"Record" makes the program automatically detect when a Windows Media
streaming video starts, and automatically starts recording it when it
starts playing. Now, play the seminar. At the end of it, you'll find
that the program has saved it in the specified folder as a .wmr file.
Click on "Play", choose the .wmr file. This convert it to ASF (so you
can play it with the Windows Media Player).

Lastly, I recommend that after converting it to ASF, you rename the
files to identify it. Otherwise, it seems that program overwrites it
the next time you record something.

Try this if it's not too much hassle, and please do tell me how it
worked for you.


Best wishes!
elmarto

---

Clarification of Question by tadams-ga on 24 Apr 2003 10:00 PDT

Hi -  thanks, that worked very well, please post that as an answer and
I will accept that so the question is closed.

I'm very glad it worked! Also, thanks for trying the solution I
provided. I'm reposting the clarification request as an answer now.
Below it, you'll find a link to another program I found (although I
couldn't get it to work with pages that require login, maybe you can
accomplish it) and the search terms I used.

-------------------

ANSWER

I did find a freeware program that could work, but it has some minor
(really minor) bugs. I'll post the link to it as a clarification
request, since it seems that you are looking for something more
"professional" than this.
 
Windows Media Recorder 
http://www.netfor2.com/copy50.html 
 
I'll tell you now how to put it to work. If you're satisfied with what
you obtain from this program, please tell me so I can post it as an
answer.
 
After unzipping it, run it and choose "Browse" mode. After this, click
on "3: Setup Windows Media Player for Recording". To set the directory
where you want your files saved, choose "Settings", then "WMR
Directory". The interface is kind of awkward for selecting this
folder; you have to go into the folder you want, and then click "Save"
(even though it says it's saving the file *.wmr). If you have trouble
changing this folder, create the folder C:\MRecord, as this is the
folder the program uses as default.
 
Once this is set, click "Browse", then click "Record". Clicking
"Record" makes the program automatically detect when a Windows Media
streaming video starts, and automatically starts recording it when it
starts playing. Now, play the seminar. At the end of it, you'll find
that the program has saved it in the specified folder as a .wmr file.
Click on "Play", choose the .wmr file. This convert it to ASF (so you
can play it with the Windows Media Player).
 
Lastly, I recommend that after converting it to ASF, you rename the
files to identify it. Otherwise, it seems that program overwrites it
the next time you record something.
 
Try this if it's not too much hassle, and please do tell me how it
worked for you.
 
In order to have more options, I have found the following shareware
program, which costs $39 to register. The interface is cleaner than
that of the Windows Media Recorder; however, I wasn't able to get it
to work with pages requiring login. I also had touble with .wvx files,
though it worked fine with .wmv and .asx files.

CoCSoft Stream Down
http://stream-down.cocsoft.com/

Thanks again for trying the solution I provided in the clarification
request. Best luck with your future researches!

elmarto


Google search terms used:

capture streaming video
"record streaming video"
"record streaming video" windows media
record streaming windows media