def download_url(url, root, filename=None, md5=None):
    """
    """
    from six.moves import urllib

    root = os.path.expanduser(root)
    if not filename:
        filename = os.path.basename(url)
    fpath = os.path.join(root, filename)

    makedir_exist_ok(root)

    # downloads file
    if os.path.isfile(fpath) and check_integrity(fpath, md5):
        print('Using downloaded and verified file: ' + fpath)
    else:
        try:
            print('Downloading ' + url + ' to ' + fpath)
            urllib.request.urlretrieve(
                url, fpath,
                reporthook=gen_bar_updater()
            )
        except OSError:
            if url[:5] == 'https':
                url = url.replace('https:', 'http:')
                print('Failed download. Trying https -> http instead.'
                      ' Downloading ' + url + ' to ' + fpath)
                urllib.request.urlretrieve(
                    url, fpath,
                    reporthook=gen_bar_updater()
                )