Most efficient way to convert an HTMLCollection to an Array

Is there a more efficient way to convert an HTMLCollection to an Array, other than iterating through the contents of said collection and manually pushing each item into an array?

From stackoverflow Tom

• var arr = Array.prototype.slice.call( htmlCollection )
  

  will have the same effect using "native" code.

  Joel Anair : This made my day.

  KooiInc : This doesn't work in IE

  Heath Borders : This fails in IE6.
  From harpo

• For a cross browser implementation I'd sugguest you look at prototype.js $A function

  copyed from 1.6.1:

  function $A(iterable) {
    if (!iterable) return [];
    if ('toArray' in Object(iterable)) return iterable.toArray();
    var length = iterable.length || 0, results = new Array(length);
    while (length--) results[length] = iterable[length];
    return results;
  }
  

  It doesn't use Array.prototype.slice probably because it isn't available on every browser. I'm afraid the performance is pretty bad as there a the fall back is a javascript loop over the iterable.

  From Gareth Davis