Why would anyone want to download movies, anyway? Watching movies at home has never been easier, with just about everyone having access to DVD rentals or, even more convenient, a home DVR device. We can now record and watch movies and television on our computers or handheld devices, when and where we want.

Conducting an online search for "downloading movies" will prove the point: There are countless sources that claim to offer unlimited, free, full-length movies. But not all of these sites are created equal. Yes, there are many sites that do legitimately offer what they promise, but there are more than a few not what they say they are.

With so much choice at your fingertips, there are a few pitfalls that can easily be avoided if you know what you are looking for. The trick is to know how to navigate through a sea of promises to find the site that will truly offer you value, selection and ease of operation - not to mention a safe downloading platform that won't harm your computer.

Remember: Computer files come in a variety of formats, and it's important that you know whether what you are downloading will be compatible with DVD player or media player. There's no point in downloading files you can't use. There are certain widely acceptable formats that are likely to work on your device, so it's wise to go for those.

As an added bonus, files in these formats will also usually take less time to download. It's a good idea to educate yourself on file types and find a site that offers what you need.

Also, since it's quite likely that you'll be burning the movie to a disc, you'll have to find out whether the files you are downloading can be burned onto a garden-variety CD or whether you will have to purchase DVD discs, which are more expensive and you'll need to have a DVD burner to get the job done.

If a picture says a thousand words, you want the picture quality of downloads to speak volumes. Make sure you are dealing with a site that promises excellent picture quality.

Most sites will promise that their movies will be high quality, but you will want to seek out one that will offer you a guarantee - and a refund. It's like checking out a store's refund policy before you buy: You want to know you have some kind of protection in case you aren't satisfied. These sites are the ones you want to deal with.

Don't be left to fend for yourself. You'll want to find a site that offers 24-hour customer service, and if that customer service includes live chat, so much the better. Because downloading movies is not a nine-to-five endeavor, find a site that can offer you help when you need it.

These are just a few of the things to watch out for when you decide to download movies online. As with any dealings that involve the Internet, it's important to know what and who you are dealing with, both to protect yourself and to ensure you get the very best media available.

So, before you decide to start downloading movies from the first site your search engine spits out, make sure you know what you're getting into. In practice, downloading movies is no different than downloading any other files, but there are some special considerations you need to keep in mind. Fortunately, with a little of the right guidance you can be on your way to expanding your movie collection with just a few clicks of your mouse.