Showing posts with label Video Downloader. Show all posts
Any Video Converter Free Edition review
Any Video Converter Free is an amazing downloading and conversion toolkit so comprehensive, it's hard to believe it's free. You can rip files from discs, download them from YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, Dailymotion and more, apply filters and effects, then save or burn them to DVD in virtually any format.
Videos can be downloaded and converted in batches, and simple conversions can be completed with only a couple of clicks.
Any Video Converter is free to use, but when you run the installer you'll be offered a security program called ByteFence and it'll be suggested that you change your default search engine to Yahoo. If you'd rather avoid this, select 'Click here to customize the installation', then uncheck the box.
Remember to only download videos that are in the public domain, or if you have the copyright owner's permission.
Download here: http://www.any-video-converter.com/products-freeware
Type: Video converter
Developer: Anvsoft
Operating system: Windows, Mac
Version: 6.1.2
Experience
Any Video Converter Free's huge array of features are presented in a clear, slick interface that will have you happily downloading and converting clips in seconds. For basic conversions, simply choose an input option (disc, file or URL) and select the clip of your choice, choose an output device and format, and click 'Convert now'. The range of output options is very impressive, and includes both audio and video formats.
If you're looking for more customization options, a clipping button beside each uploaded video opens a mini player that lets you preview the footage and select your own start and end points – perfect for trimming away long-winded intros.
The magic wand tool lets you crop the video, add a watermark, and apply filters – from subtle enhancements to trippy jitter effects. These can be applied to individual videos or the whole batch. You can also take your pick from an array of video and audio options, including frame rate, sample rate and codecs.
The premium version of Any Video Converter includes some extra tools, including the ability to remove DRM protection and record streaming video, but the free version is superb and will be more than enough for most users.
VERDICT
AVC covers the most important features of video conversion without becoming confusing or overwhelming you with options. Everything is organized in a logical way, and you'll have your files converted in moments.
Free YouTube Download review
Free YouTube Download isn’t quite as convenient as software that lets you search for videos without opening your web browser, but it’s straightforward, uncluttered, and very simple to use.
Unfortunately, Free YouTube Download has one major drawback: you can’t download videos longer than three minutes unless you pay for a premium subscription. This is currently discounted to a modest $9 (about £7, AU$12) annually, or US$19 (about £15, AU$25) for a lifetime, and includes all of DVDVideoSoft’s other media software, but if you’re looking after the pennies then you’ll be better off with a tool like aTube Catcher.
Bear in mind that you should only download videos if you have the copyright holder’s permission. Here we’re using Free YouTube Download to make a handy archive of our own YouTube channel for posterity.
Where to download: https://www.dvdvideosoft.com/products/dvd/Free-YouTube-Download.htm
Type: Video downloader
Developer: DVDVideoSoft
Operating system: Windows, Mac
Version: 4
Experience
When you install Free YouTube Download, an addition icon labelled Free Studio will appear on your desktop. Don’t be alarmed – this isn’t an extra program that’s been sneakily installed without your permission, it’s just a link that gives you quick access to all the DVDVideoSoft applications you have installed. If you don’t want it, just delete it.
Provided your chosen video is short enough, you can take your pick from a variety of video format and quality settings, or you can choose to just download the audio if you prefer. This is a welcome touch; some desktop programs and most online video downloaders only let you save standard resolution MP4 files.
You can queue multiple videos before saving them in a batch – just use the green 'Paste' button to add each URL before clicking 'Download'.
Take a peek into the Options menu and you’ll find a surprisingly comprehensive list of settings. You can specify the output folder (it’s your Videos directory by default), set a naming convention, shut down your PC when it’s finished (ideal if you’re grabbing lots of files at once), and paste URLs from the clipboard automatically to save time.
Free YouTube Download is a great tool for grabbing and converting clips from the world’s biggest video hosting site, but the three-minute limit is a real shame. If you really like how the software looks and works, consider upgrading to the premium version now while the price is deeply discounted.
VERDICT
Free YouTube Download doesn't have many flaws – it's well designed, with an excellent choice of export options – but the time limit on downloaded videos is a major drawback.
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aTube Catcher review
aTube Catcher is one of a growing number of tools that download videos from the likes of YouTube, Dailymotion and Metacafe. While it's often easy to browse the web on your phone will you travel, there are times when there's no connection available. This is when it pays to have downloaded videos in advance.
The videos you download can be converted to a number of popular formats, suitable for playback on a variety of devices. So whether you're looking for the best possible quality to view on a high resolution monitor, or the emphasis is on smaller file size to fit on your smartphone, aTube Catcher can do the job for you.
There's also a screen recorder that can be used to capture video from your screen, and a disc burning option.
You might not expect it from what many people would not consider 'serious' software, but aTube Catcher includes an automatic updater that ensures you're always using the most recent, most secure, and most feature-packed version of the program.
For hardcore users, there is the option of batch processing files so you can download multiple videos at once. This is a somewhat hands-on task that requires the creation of a text files to tell the software what to do. It's a little inelegant and long-winded, but it works.
It's nice to see the option to not only convert videos between formats, but also to create VCDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs from the content you record or download.
Where to download: http://www.atube.me
Type: Video downloader
Developer: DsNET Corp
Operating system: Windows
Version: 2
Experience
As with many free tools these days, you need to take care when installing aTube Catcher to ensure that you aren't accidentally duped into also installing a browser toolbar. Thankfully, this is not selected by default, but it's worth keeping an eye out for.
After firing up the program, a neat splash screen provides an inviting introduction to what aTube Catcher has to offer. Rather than forcing you to hunt through endless menus to find what you're looking for, a series of clear buttons provide instant access so you can get to work without delay.
The initial interface is pleasingly unintimidating, and downloading videos from any of the supported sites – of which there are many – is a simple matter of copying and pasting the URL, choosing the format you'd like to save the video in, and clicking 'Download'. There are several formats to choose from, and in many cases there's a variety of preset resolutions to choose from.
Note that you should only download videos if you have the copyright owner's permission. YouTube's terms of service prohibit unauthorized downloading.
The screen recorder feature is very nice too, and can be used in a number of ways. You could use it to record whatever you're doing on your computer, but it is also possible to use to capture live streaming video that you would not otherwise be able to download. Just draw a selection box around the video you want and you're good to go.
VERDICT
Even if you don't download videos very often, this is a great piece of software to keep to hand for occasions when you do. Its built-in screen and sound recorders complete the package.
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Freemake Video Downloader review
Freemake Video Downloader is much more than a simple YouTube downloader. It supports more than 500 audio and video formats, which helps explain why it has so many users (93 million and counting).
Unlike some video downloaders, MP4 isn't your only option – WebM and 3GP are also available.
It's extremely convenient, able to grab and convert videos from any of the major video hosting sites, but sadly the latest release has one major flaw: you can no longer download videos longer than three minutes without upgrading to the Freemake Premium Pack.
Note that you should only download videos when you have the copyright owner's permission to do so.
Where to download: http://www.freemake.com/free_video_downloader
Type: Video downloader
Developer: Freemake
Operating system: Windows
Version: 3.8
Experience
Freemake Video Downloader works in a very similar way to most other YouTube downloaders. Just copy the URL from your browser's address bar and click 'Paste URL' to get started.
You'll then be presented with an attractive screen showing different export options, including quality and format. You can also choose to rip just the audio if you prefer – a particularly useful option for music videos (though, the option to export to MP3 format is now exclusive to the premium version).
It's a handy setup for saving the odd video here and there, but if you're a more prolific downloader the One-Click Download option (toggled using a switch on the top right) enables you to set a standard format and location for saved files so you don't have to go through this process each time.
For basic downloading and converting that's all you need, but hit Freemake Video Downloader's Options button and you'll find a host of handy extras, including the ability to customize the download speed, download via a proxy, and disable adult sites and videos.
That's all excellent, but there are two significant limitations to consider. Firstly, Freemake Video Downloader will add a branded splash to the beginning and end of your downloaded video. That's not too obtrusive, but a recent update means you can no longer download videos longer than three minutes without upgrading to a Freemake Premium Pack which you can remove a fee of US$9 (about £7, AU$12) for one year, or US$19 (about £15, AU$25) for a lifetime.
VERDICT
Freemake Video Downloader's feature set is hard to beat, but the software's inability to download videos longer than three minutes is a real drawback.
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