How to Download C-Span Videos for Free

Meta Description: While you can stream and purchase c-span videos, it’s even better to download and watch offline. Learn how to download c-span videos for free in this article.

Downloading videos from the internet is tricky, especially from sites like C-Span. Although the Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network provides you with access to the political process, you have to stream it online or pay a fee to purchase and download the video. What if you didn’t have the funds to buy so many videos? There’s a solution for you. Different apps allow you to download full-length videos of congressional floor debates, committee meetings, etc. In this article, we’ll provide you with various options you can utilize for downloading c-span videos; let’s take a look. 

What is C-Span?

C-Span is a non-profit that has the sole purpose of providing public access to the political process. Through C-Span, the public can view congressional floor debates, hearings, and several more legislative sessions. C-Span was founded in 1979 by Brian Lamb and gets its profit from the cable industry rather than tax money. Although it started out showing sessions of the House of Representatives, C-Span later expanded with the development of additional channels.

One of C-Span’s most popular features is the call-in feature. C-Span broadcasts daily and occasionally covers the Canadian and British Parliament. It also tries to air proceedings from other governments which they believe are essential to their viewers. By 2010, C-Span was already available in over 100 million households. 

C-Span doesn’t get its funding from the government, despite broadcasting sessions. Instead, the platform receives license fees from cable systems that provide their network to their customers. By providing unfettered video coverage of legislative proceedings, C-Span provides public figures with a channel they can reach the public with traditional media filters. A C-Span video averages 200MB for an hour if you’re going with the standard quality. However, for lower-quality versions of C-Span videos, you can get them at an average of 73MB for a full hour.

C-Span videos are available in MP4 formats because they’re the most compatible format with most video-playback apps and devices. In addition, C-Span allows its viewers to purchase physical DVDs to deliver through the mail, or it will enable you simply to pay for access to download the C-Span video.

Ways to Download C-Span Video for Free

There are various ways you can download C-Span videos for free. Below, we’ll mention two methods to download C-Span videos and the multiple apps you can use to achieve it.

Raw Recording

One of the best ways to download C-Span videos for free is by recording the video as you’re streaming it. You can use different apps to record C-Span videos, and below are some of them.

Debut Video Capture Software

One of the best video recorders you can use is the Debut Video Capture Software. It is high-quality software that allows you to record your screen with sound. Furthermore, it will enable you to download C-Span videos in the process. In addition, you can customize the recording settings to only get the clips you want.

Free Screen Video Recorder

This free recorder is best for Windows users and is an excellent C-Span video downloader. The interface is easy to navigate, and there are many recording features. With this free screen video recorder, you can easily download C-Span videos for free.

CamStudio

This is also a reliable video recording tool that can help you download C-Span videos. It provides you with an interactive user interface and several more functions to make you easily download C-Span videos. All you have to do is download the software, log in to C-Span, play the video you want and then navigate back to the video recorder to start recording.

Use a Third-Party Video Downloader

Another way you can download C-Span videos for free is by using a third-party video downloader that’s compatible. Many video downloaders can help you download videos from the site. When you want to choose a C-Span video downloader, you need to first consider if the user interface is straightforward and the functions offered on the app. You also need to consider if the video downloader will allow you to convert the video to other formats. Below are some of the top video downloaders to download c-span videos for free.

Ace Thinker

This is one of the fastest online video downloaders available on the internet. It is free to utilize and supports many popular browsers on all devices. Apart from the C-Span website, you can also use AceThinker to download from other websites like Udemy, MyVideo, Vevo, LikeLeak, YouTube, etc. To download C-Span videos using AceThinker, follow the steps below.

Allavsoft Video and Music Downloader

Allavsoft Video and Music Downloader is another top downloader that allows you to download C-Span videos. The interface is pretty basic, so it is pretty easy to use. Beyond C-Span, Allavsoft will enable you to download from over 1000 sites. Some of them include Spotify, Deezer, DailyMotion, YouTube, etc. Although it has a free version for users, there are limitations you can only bypass with the premium subscription. The free option allows you to download a version of five videos each day.

Allavsoft also comes with an in-built converter that allows you to convert your video to various popular formats like M4A, AVI, Apple Lossless, and many more. It also supports the download of HD 1080p and 4k. One of the main features we love about this app is the batch download feature; you can download your videos in batches. To use this app, follow the steps outlined below.

Any Video Converter

Any Video Converter is primarily a video converter software, and it has a free and premium version you can use. This site allows you to download videos from over a hundred streaming sites, including C-Span. Its primary focus is converting videos; it also offers you several formatting options like MOV, AVI, and several others. Apart from downloads, you can also do basic editing on the video downloaded. 

Any Video Converter is available in over a dozen languages, and you can burn videos into a DVD if you would prefer. This C-Span video downloader allows you to download videos up to 4k resolution. However, most people agree that the premium version is faster when downloading and converting your video files. To download videos using Any Video Converter, follow the steps below. 

Bonus Tip: How to Edit Downloaded Video on a Computer

There’s no way of knowing if you would want to edit the video after downloading it. Maybe you would like to cut out some parts and share them on social media. Maybe you want to include it in your collection on various video-sharing platforms and need the video quality to be enhanced. Whatever the reason, Wondershare Filmora allows you to efficiently edit your video and save it in any format you want. Follow the steps below to edit the downloaded C-Span video using Wondershare Filmora.

Final Thoughts

C-Span videos are great if you would like to keep up with the political scene in the country. However, you might not always have the funds to download it. The various ways shared in this article allow you to download C-Span videos for free. You can also edit the videos using Wondershare Filmora. Utilize any of these methods and enjoy your C-Span videos offline.