Download arte, NHK WORLD and German TV – on Mac and Windows.
Documentaries, concerts, magazines, classic films – public broadcasters put a lot online for free, but often only for a limited time. StreamWriter Studio brings these libraries right into the app: search for programmes, filter them, play them and save them as MP4 video or audio-only MP3 – on Mac and Windows, without a detour through the browser. For English speakers, the highlights are arte in English, NHK WORLD-JAPAN and public-domain films from the Internet Archive. Learning German or missing TV from home? ARD, ZDF and 3sat are built in too. The feature is part of the version from our website (direct download) and is meant for private use.
Which sources are built in
- arte – in English, plus French, German, Spanish, Italian and Polish
- NHK WORLD-JAPAN – Japan’s international service, with programmes in English and Chinese
- Internet Archive – public-domain and freely licensed films: feature films, silent films, film noir, classic TV, cartoons, sci-fi and horror, and educational films
- German TV – the libraries of ARD, ZDF, arte and 3sat, German-language public television from Germany, Austria and Switzerland
- ČT iVysílání (Czech Republic), TVP VOD (Poland) and RTVE Play (Spain)
To be upfront: there is no British or American broadcaster in the app – BBC iPlayer, for example, is not included.
How it works
1. Search: Look for a programme title, topic or name in StreamWriter Studio – on arte, NHK WORLD-JAPAN, the Internet Archive or any of the other sources.
2. Filter and sort: Narrow the results by category, length and time period, then sort the list – handy when a library has a lot on offer.
3. Preview: Play the programme right inside the app before you download it.
4. Download: Save it as video (MP4) in the quality you want, or just the audio as MP3. The file then lives on your computer – even after the programme has disappeared from the broadcaster’s site.
Video or audio only: formats and quality
Video as MP4: Choose HD, Standard or Small. HD is worth it on a big screen; Small saves disk space – useful for a laptop on the go.
Audio only as MP3: Great for talks, concerts or documentaries you can follow by ear. It lands as a track in StreamWriter Studio’s music library, where you can sort it into playlists, trim it in the waveform editor and edit its tags – and on the Mac, send it to the StreamWriter Studio iPhone app.
Need a different format? The built-in converter turns files into MOV, MKV, WebM or AVI (video) and M4A, WAV, FLAC or Opus (audio).
The honest limits
- Freely accessible programmes only: StreamWriter Studio downloads programmes that are freely available and have no copy protection. Protected content is left alone.
- Some programmes are geo-restricted: Certain programmes are only available in the country where they are broadcast – and can then only be played and downloaded from there.
- Limited time online: Many programmes stay in a library only for a while. Once a broadcaster removes something, the app can’t find it either.
- Direct-download version only: The TV library feature is not included in the Mac App Store version.
Important: the legal side in brief
1. Private copying: For strictly private use, many countries have private-copy rules (in Germany § 53 UrhG) – permissible as long as no copy protection is circumvented and the source is not obviously unlawful. Sharing, uploading or publishing are not covered.
2. Terms of use: A platform’s terms can restrict or prohibit downloading – if in doubt, check them.
3. Internet Archive: Whether a film is in the public domain can vary from country to country, and freely licensed films come with their own licence terms.
Note: not legal advice. StreamWriter Studio is not affiliated with arte, NHK, ARD, ZDF, 3sat, the Internet Archive or any of the other providers mentioned. Last updated: November 2026.
One-time purchase, no subscription · License by e-mail · macOS 14.6 (Apple Silicon & Intel) and Windows 10/11 (64-bit) · Mac: try it free for 1 hour · 14-day money-back guarantee
Frequently asked questions
Can I download arte programmes in English?
Yes. StreamWriter Studio includes arte in English as well as French, German, Spanish, Italian and Polish. Freely accessible programmes can be saved as MP4 video or MP3 audio.
Can I download German TV from ARD and ZDF outside Germany?
ARD, ZDF, arte and 3sat are built in. Whether a programme works from abroad depends on the programme itself: some are only available in the broadcast country, and those can only be played and downloaded from there.
Are the Internet Archive films free to use?
The app lists public-domain and freely licensed films. Public-domain status can differ between countries, and freely licensed films come with their own licence terms – check them before using a film beyond private viewing.
Can I save just the audio as MP3?
Yes. Instead of the video, you can download only the audio track as MP3. It lands as a track in the app’s music library, where you can listen to it, trim it and add it to playlists.
Does it work on Windows, and is it in the Mac App Store version?
It works on macOS 14.6 or later (Apple Silicon and Intel) and on Windows 10/11 (64-bit) in the version from our website. The Mac App Store version does not include the TV library feature. One license covers one device – Mac or Windows.
Why can’t I find or download a particular programme?
Usually for one of three reasons: it is only available in the broadcast country, it is copy-protected, or its time in the library has run out. StreamWriter Studio only downloads freely accessible programmes without copy protection.
