Usually when you want to download a video from a popular site such as YouTube, Gametrailers, Facebook or Twitter, you need to put at least some effort into it. You could for instance install a browser extension like Download Helper for the Firefox web browser or the desktop application Video Cache View which displays cached copies of videos that are already stored on your desktop PC.
Most solutions are browser or program specific, which can be a disadvantage if you switch web browsers from time to time.
VSO Downloader, designed to download videos effortlessly from the Internet, offers another opportunity. The program taps right into the network stream on your computer, which makes it completely independent of the browser or program that you are using to watch the videos online. Instead of having to manually select videos for download, it simply downloads all videos that you are watching on your PC.
A quick test confirmed the program to be working fine when watching videos in Firefox, Google Chrome, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer and the Opera web browser. You need to keep in mind that what you see is what they download. If you are viewing a HD video then that is what is being downloaded.
A notification is displayed whenever a video is detected, You can open the program’s interface at any time to turn off the monitoring or notifications. Here you can also manage downloaded videos and change configuration settings.
A double-click on any downloaded video opens it in the system’s default media player for that file type. Videos can be renamed, deleted, and downloads can be restarted in case something went wrong during the initial download.
Downloads can be paused and resumed as well, which can be useful if you have a large video download queue but need the bandwidth somewhere else.
VSO Downloader can be configured in its interface to convert videos directly to medium or low quality mp3 files. There is a high mp3 conversion option available, but this one is limited to the commercial version of the software. Direct conversions can be handy if you watch a lot of music videos on sites like YouTube and want lots of that music in mp3 format on your hard drive.
Whats more? The program ships with an ad blocker that blocks the downloading of many video advertisements that are displayed before videos. The settings feature a filter, network adapter and ports menu that allows you to make modifications to the monitoring. You could for instance remove video formats so that they are not automatically downloaded, or switch to another network adapter which some users may need to do if they have multiple adapters installed.
There does not seem to be a hotkey for turning the automatic downloading on and off. This means that you will have to open the software interface and click on the monitoring button whenever you want to enable or disable it.
VSO Downloader is a useful video downloader for the Windows operating system. Multi-browser and video sites, automatic downloading, and conversions to mp3 are all features that make the downloading quite comfortable.
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Martin, Would you prefer VSO downloader over Free download manager?
This depends, but generally speaking it is FDM which offers more features than VSO Downloader.
FDM can save a streaming video file? I didn’t know that. But this VSO looks idiot simple. Thanks for the tip.
Most importantly, this article fails to point out if VSO is paid software or freeware…..Sorry Martin but that is a gross omission.
IDM does the same but you are not limited to what you view. You can stop the video from displaying on the browser and have it download from IDM which automatically adds a download button.
Check VSO homepage and you will see that is free!
If you select high mp3 conversion you will notice that not all of its functionality is.
Too bad it’s Windows only. Guess I’ll stick with Download Helper…not much choice. Maybe I’ll give it a try in a VM. Thanks!
I use ABdownloader to download videos. Very easier to use
PS: ABdownloader is Avant’s download manager. This feature is the same as IDM
I use youtubebyclick.com youtube downloader mp3 and mp4 toolbar.
Its really easy to download with it.
And I believe is easier then this one, or at least good alterntiv.
check it out :)