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?