AVS Video converter - review
By Rudolf Boogerman |
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AVS Video Converter is a windows application to convert videos in all popular formats, including FLV (Flash Video), which interests me the most in the context of using video on the web. FLV is the current standard format on websites and video channels, due to its small size and quality. Anyway, I have to say, this AVS application really impressed me. It does quite a good job of converting to FLV and it is very fast, even on a two-year old laptop with only 1GB ram. It is much faster then conversions from Camtasia or Adobe Flash Video encoder, and the output isn’t heavy at all. I hasten to say that Camtasia and Flash have their own merrits, incomparable with this software, naturally. This app is about video conversion, nothing more, nothing less. Below you see a screen shot of software:
I have to say that I find the default conversion profiles a bit peculiar. For example, when you select “Optimal quality for FLV”, you get a bitrate of 780Kbps, which is pretty high, and then the audio is only 64Kbps. If you want good quality visuals, you surely want good quality sound, isn’t it? To get a decent quality, the bitrate for sound should be at least 128Kbps. So, you need to adapt those standard profiles in order to get the right result. Fortunately, there are more then enough options to tweak the profiles and the application is easy to work with.
If you do not know how to tweak the profiles (read compression methods), you can test them and pick the one that gives you the best result. Since the application is fast, testing won’t take you hours. Just keep in mind that you set the frame size to “Original” if you want to keep the size of your original video as it is, because every profile comes with a standard size, depending on the format you select. Otherwise, you can go with the flow and produce movies for a wide range of applications, including iPod, Sony PS2 and PS3, mobile, DVD, etc …
With a test I did first in Camtasia and then in AVS4You video converter, I had exactly the same quality while the video converter was nearly 50% smaller in weight, which is a very good thing. Since the application is really quick, it is worthwhile to buy an application like this to convert your videos quickly to web format.
Any video editor I tested took much longer to export to FLV video in comparison with exporting to QuickTime or another standard format. In other words, you could export your projects to Quicktime and then use AVS Video Converter to convert them quickly to FLV.
I have not tested the other formats, but I find the converter already worthwile for its FLV export alone, since it can save you a lot of time. These are the formats it can handle:
HD Video (inc. AVCHD, MPEG-2 HD and WMV HD), TOD, MOD, M2TS, AVI (DivX, Xvid, etc.), MP4 (inc. Sony PSP and Apple iPod), WMV, 3GP, QuickTime (MOV, QT), SWF, DVD, VOB, VRO, MPEG-1, 2, 4, H.263, H.264, Real Video, DVR-MS, MKV, FLV
You can test it by downloading the demo version, which is fully functional, except that it places a watermark over the video.
I would have given it a 5/5 start rating, were it not for the somewhat weird combination of settings in the FLV and SWF profiles. But apart from that, it is a great application and you can even process several videos in one go. Therefore, I give this app a 4/5, which it really deserves!
$59 (unlimiteds license) may seem a bit much for a simple converter but some compression codecs require a license fee which have to be included in the pricing, and because this application contains a sturdy set of compression codecs, the pricing of the AVS video Converter is just right in my opinion.
A real shame there isn’t a Mac version yet!
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June 11th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
sometimes when i try to convert a .avi to dvd ,i get only 1 files after conversation.why
June 11th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Hi Sameer,
I just tested the DVD format myself and got the same problem myself, no audio file. I have asked the follks at http://www.avs4you.com/AVS-Video-Converter.aspx about this in the meantime and will let you know their response. I tried out all sorts of settings and couldn’t get it to work either.
June 19th, 2009 at 4:10 am
Hi again Sameer,
I had a response from AVS4you in the meantime. I’m sending them screenshots at their request and I will let you know the outcome. You may also contact their support directly, of course.
June 21st, 2009 at 8:46 pm
I just purchased this program w/ the unlimited package. I’m disappointed in the fact that I can’t comment on quality as I can’t even get the video on the 2008 iPod nano. It says it’s the “wrong format of iPod’s database. Do you want to make a new database?” uh, no. I’ve sent an e-mail to support. I’m concerned if I will get a response, I’ve read on other blogs people never received a response.
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:14 am
Hi LittleC,
That doesn’t sound too good. I got a response after 4 days, which is indeed rather slow, but they did respond. Let me know if you get no response at all after 5 days or so and I’ll contact them.
As a customer, you have the right to demand your money back if software doesn’t meet the requirements, but let’s first see if we can solve this.
June 22nd, 2009 at 6:59 am
AVS4you support responded within 24 hours this time, so they seem to get better at this.
If you have problems with the DVD options, they recommend unistalling the application and download the latest one.
Steps for successful uninstall:
1. Go Start> All Programs> AVS4YOU> Uninstall.
2. Go Start> Run… Print regedit in the opened window and click Ok. In the opened Registry Editor window please find and delete all AVS4YOU folders.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > AVS4YOU (delete it).
HKEY_CURRENT_USER > SOFTWARE > AVS4YOU (delete it).
3. Go Local Disc (C:) > Program Files > AVS4YOU (delete it).
Go Local Disc (C:) > Program Files > Common Files> AVSMedia (delete it).
Go Local Disc (C:)>> Documents and Settings>> All Users>> Application Data>> AVS4YOU (delete it).
Now install the program anew on your PC. Here is the link to download the latest version of AVS Video Converter:
http://download.avs4you.com/AVSVideoConverter.exe
For direct support, Ksenia from support writes:
Please feel free to ask questions, submit requests and suggestions via our Online Support Service to get prompt assistance and be able to track the support answers online: http://support.avs4you.com/Support.aspx
Best regards, Ksenia Borisova
AVS4YOU Support Team
http://www.avs4you.com
July 24th, 2009 at 8:20 am
it converts the file but I cant find it after it is converted. Where do I find it? There is no “help” option on the tool bar.
July 24th, 2009 at 9:59 am
Hi Joe,
When you open AVS converter, you see a field with Input file name and one that is called Output File name. To the right of the Output File name field, you will see a button that is called “Browse”.
When you click on that, you can select any folder on your computer that you like and save the video there.
In case you cannot remember, there is nothing for it but to use the Search functionality of your computer and type the name or the part you remember in the search box.
I hope this helps?
I agree that a Help option would be useful, yes.
July 27th, 2009 at 10:21 am
Hi again Joe,
There is actually a help section for the AVS converter. You can download it here: http://www.avs4you.com/Downloads/AVS4YOUHelp.exe
For those of you having problems with the DVD section (no audio in the folder), you are advised to download the latest version of AVS4you over here: http://download.avs4you.com/AVSVideoConverter.exe
Hopefully that helps to solve all problems
August 14th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
[...] keep us posted. Hopefully, all problems will be solved this time. In one of my previous articles, AVS Video converter - review, I gave AVS converter 4 stars. I must admit that I’m quite embarrassed by that, given the [...]
August 26th, 2009 at 3:46 am
hi，your video converter software is good,but I like another converter software better.I find that they havd many the same functions.Another converter software is Socusoft DVD Converter.Any one can know more from
http://www.socusoft.com/socusoft-dvd-converter.php
December 28th, 2009 at 1:28 am
I have a slight problem in the AVS Video Converter it says that the Quictime File is protected what should I do?
December 30th, 2009 at 9:21 am
Hi Vilma,
Possibly 2 options:
1: The QuickTime movie is indeed protected, meaning that the author does not wish you to convert it into another format. Not much to be done about that, unless you want to resort to hacker software to get around it.
2: Sometimes, software gives an answer when an error occurs, even if it doesn’t have a clue what is causing it. The simple way to find out is using other software to convert the same QuickTime and see if you get the same result. If you go to http://www.imtoo.com/ and download a demo version of IMtools, which is DVD ripping software, you can test with that application if the QuickTime movie is indeed protected or not by trying to convert it to MP4. Or perhaps test out the software Jesoph suggests in the message just above yours(I haven’t tried it yet myself).
Hope this helps to find out the problem. Let me know how it went, ok?
January 8th, 2010 at 7:29 pm
Ive just purchased the software but cant seem to get the edit profile button to work. what am i doing wrong? the button is faded out.
January 9th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Hi Joe,
Doesn’t look like normal behavior to me. I’m afraid I can’t help you here, so I suggest you contact the vendor’s Support because the Edit profile button should be accessible from startup. Probably some bug in the software. They generally fix things quickly.
http://support.avs4you.com/login.aspx
Let us know what response you’ve got, ok? Thanks
February 24th, 2010 at 7:57 am
AVS Video Converter it says that the Quictime File is protected, please help
February 24th, 2010 at 10:12 am
Hi MMA,
Let me repeat what I said to Vilma:
Possibly 2 options:
1: The QuickTime movie is indeed protected, meaning that the author does not wish you to convert it into another format. Not much to be done about that, unless you want to resort to hacker software to get around it.
2: Sometimes, software gives an answer when an error occurs, even if it doesn’t have a clue what is causing it. The simple way to find out is using other software to convert the same QuickTime and see if you get the same result. If you go to http://www.imtoo.com/ and download a demo version of IMtools, which is DVD ripping software, you can test with that application if the QuickTime movie is indeed protected or not by trying to convert it to MP4.
Hope this helps to find out the problem. If that doesn’t give you a clue, I suggest you contact AVS4you support because it is their software.
Let me know how it went, ok?