Why it's a strong pick

Stream Recorder is on the list because it does one job: HLS (m3u8) video. Its listing says it saves live and archived streams as MP4 at the same quality, with no re-encoding. The trade-off is range. It is not for every site or format, and it cannot save protected video.

What it does

It saves live and archived HLS (m3u8) video. If the file is already MP4, it can record it directly. Per the listing, audio and video are converted to MP4 at the same quality with no re-encoding, and the conversion runs inside the extension, with no external server.

Key features

HLS and m3u8. Live and archived streams.
Direct MP4. Records an MP4 file directly.
No re-encoding. Same quality in the MP4.
In-extension conversion. No external server, per the listing.

Who it's for

Stream Recorder suits people who need to save HLS video they own or have permission to keep. For everyday clips on many sites, try Video DownloadHelper or Video Downloader Plus.

Can it save protected or DRM video?

No extension can. DRM video is encrypted between the server and your screen, so no extension sees the decrypted video. We found no claim from this developer that it supports protected streams. Use it only for content you own or have permission to save.

What permissions and data does it ask for?

We did not find a permission list we could verify, so check the install prompt before you add the extension. We could not read the developer's privacy policy when we checked; read it before installing. The website terms do not clearly cover what the extension does with data, so do not assume anything either way.

Does it work on YouTube?

Extensions on the Chrome Web Store cannot download from YouTube under store policy. Do not expect this one to. It is built for HLS (m3u8) streams, not for YouTube. Check each site's terms before you save anything, and only save video you own or have permission to keep.

FAQ

What formats does it save? HLS (m3u8) streams, and MP4 files directly.

Does it lower the quality? The listing says conversion to MP4 does not re-encode.

Does it need an account? Its listing does not mention an account requirement.

Good to know

Use it for content you own or have permission to save. What you get depends on what the stream exposes, and protected streams cannot be saved. Test it on one stream first, and keep a saved file only where you have the right to.

Before you install, open the Chrome Web Store listing and read the privacy practices tab and the permissions in the install prompt. Check that the publisher name matches the vendor's own site, and remove the extension if you stop using it, so it no longer has access to your pages. Our how we choose page explains the checks we use, and we do not show ratings or user counts because we cannot verify them.

Stream Recorder