The most POPULAR stream recording software (free download):

• REPLAY MEDIA CATCHER
  the best audio/video stream ripper. Supports the most popular flash video format (RTMP and HTTP).
• REPLAY CAPTURE SUITE
  the best audio/video stream recording/capturing bundle
• REPLAY MUSIC
  the best streaming music recorder
• WM RECORDER
  the best Windows Media, Real Audio/Video stream capture software

Other RECOMMENDED software and services:

• REPLAY MEDIA GUIDE
  free service to find and record online radio, Internet TV, podcasts
• AVS VIDEO TOOLS
  convert, split, join, remove commercials, edit, rotate, apply effects, capture, transfer, copy, rip and burn DVD and video files
• EMUSIC
  the best legal music download service
• AUDIBLE
  download audio books, audio magazines, newspapers, radio programs
• SOUNDTAXI
  remove DRM protection from Windows Media, iTunes music and video files

Replay Media Catcher 3 - highly recommended

Replay Media Catcher 3 can download RTMP and HTTP audio and video streams from Flash Servers, as well as Windows Media, Real Audio/Video streams. Plus, it is able to make readable file names of the downloaded music or video, which is something other products don't do. Besides it allows you to record sound from your sound card, copy HTTP and HTTPS videos from the cache of your web-browser, convert audio and video files, extract MP3 files from FLV videos.

Replay Media Catcher can record the following streams:

• Flash Video (HTTP, RTMP / .FLV);
• Windows Media audio and video streams (HTTP, MMS, RTSP);
• Real Audio and Real Video streams (HTTP, RTSP);
• QuickTime (HTTP);
• iTunes radio stations (Shoutcast MP3 http streams. NO song splitting and tagging).

Replay Media Catcher uses a series of plug-ins, each of which is able to record a specific media type. You can enable or disable each plug-in in the Settings menu. Plug-ins are also updated automatically. This means that Replay Media Catcher is always up to date, without having to reinstall. It's a great product. Learn more about downloading video and audio with Replay Media Catcher at applian.com.

Some disadvantages of Replay Media Catcher:

• No support for RTMPE flash streams and MoveMediaPlayer (due to the DMCA restrictions)
• Can capture packets coming to your flash player coming through HTTP protocol only.
• Limited support for Windows Media and Real Media streams. No support for QuickTime over RTSP.
• Is not the best software to record multiple streams from a web-page with many streaming links or from many web-pages

Download free trial version of Replay Media Catcher.

WM Recorder 12 - recommended for Windows Media and Real Audio/Real Video streams

In my humble opinion WM Recorder (Shareware/Windows) is also a great choice .

WM Recorder can record the following streams:

• Windows Media audio and video streams (HTTP, MMS, RTSP);
• Real Audio and Real Video streams (HTTP, RTSP);
• QuickTime (HTTP);
• Flash Video (HTTP,RTMP / .FLV);
• iTunes radio stations (Shoutcast MP3 http streams. NO song splitting and tagging).

• RTMP stream recording is on the early stage.
• No support for RTMPE flash streams and MoveMediaPlayer (due to the DMCA restrictions)
• Can't split and tag songs for recorded Shoutcast MP3 audio streams
• Can't record RTSP QuickTime streams
• Is not the best software to record multiple streams from a web-page with many streaming links or from many web-pages

Download free trial version of WM Recorder.

Jaksta - recommended for capturing .FLV video and .MP3 audio streams from flash player

Jaksta Streaming Media Recorder and Converter can capture Flash Video stream, Windows Media and Audio streams, Shoutcast radio streams. Besides downloading audio/video streams from Flash player, Jaksta can capture packets coming to your Flash player through the HTTP and RTMP protocols.

Besides being a powerful and easy-to-use stream downloader, Jaksta can convert your audio and video files.

• No support for RTMPE flash streams and MoveMediaPlayer (due to the DMCA restrictions)
• No support for RTSP QuickTime streams.
• Is not the best software to record multiple streams from a web-page with many streaming links or from many web-pages

GetFLV - recommended for downloading secure RTMPE streams from flash player

GetFLV can download secure RTMPE flash video streams. It support the most popular web-sites like Hulu, Comedy Central, 4OD, MTV, VH1, ITV, Comedy Central, CBS,..

• High price
• Can't record Windows Media, Real Media, QuickTime, Shoutcast, MoveMedia streams.
• Can't rename and tag media files
• Is not the best software to record multiple streams from a web-page with many streaming links or from many web-pages

Replay Capture Suite

• Replay Media Catcher - see above
• Replay A/V - audio/video stream recorder and ripper
• Replay Video Capture - one click audio/video screen capturing software
• Replay Music - unique direct sound recording software that can record any sound produced by your sound card splitting and tagging songs automatically.
• VideoPadlock - software for keeping videos secure.

• WM Recorder can record more Windows Media streams than Replay A/V and Replay Media Catcher (like password-protected .WMV, .ASF, .WMA streams).
• Jaksta can capture RTMP packets from flash player while Replay Media Catcher can only download RTMP streams.
• Replay Media Catcher doesn't support scheduling. Replay A/V doesn't support RTMP streams.
• GetFLV can download secure RTMPE streams.
• The streams that can't be downloaded/captured with Replay Media Catcher and Replay AV can only be recorded with Replay Video Capture and Replay Music that record videos from your screen and audio from your sound card. This allows to record almost anything, but with lower quality or bigger file size.
• Replay A/V and Replay Media Catcher are not the best software to record multiple streams from a web-page with many streaming links or from many web-pages

More stream recorders

• NetXfer (NetTransport) to download multiple streams (usually more than 4) from a web-page or a few web-pages. In such cases I use the "Download all by NetXfer" feature integrated into my web browser or the "Site explorer". Usually it greatly simplifies a search of stream URL's as well as a process of adding multiple downloads.
• HiDownload or PP Recorder to record p2p Internet TV programs (unique feature of these programs)
• HiDownload and MovRecorder to record QuickTime streams through the RTSP protocol (unique feature of these programs)
• Pamela to record Skype phone calls, SkypeCasts, Skype Video calls and Chats
• StreamRipper to rip Shoutcast/Icecast .MP3, .AAC and .OGG streams with automatic song splitting and tagging, Nullsoft .NSV Streaming Video (these streams are sometimes called iTunes radio stations and Winamp TV)
• Offline Explorer Pro to download complete web-sites or directories that include audio/video streams
• At Large Recorder to record streaming video from SlingBox

The only reason for me to use multiple stream recorders is that none of them can record all stream formats and support streaming protocols. Before selecting a stream recording software you should think about stream formats and protocols you need to record. After that you can analyze our recommendations in the Streaming video recorder comparison chart and Streaming audio recorder comparison chart .
To read more comments about stream recorders, leave your opinions about them, request help choosing a stream recorder or recording a particular stream, please visit streaming video recording forum and streaming audio recording forum.

Stream recording software mentioned in the article:

• Replay Media Catcher
• WM Recorder
• Jaksta
• GetFLV
• Replay A/V
• Replay Capture Suite
• Replay Music
• At Large Recorder
• Replay Video Capture
• HiDownload
• PP Recorder
• MovRecorder
• Pamela
• StreamRipper
• Offline Explorer Pro
• VLC
• MPlayer
• NetTransport