Output Files:  

Supported output files include WMV, AVI, MPEG 1 and 2, MOV, SWF and more. This is one of the few products we evaluated that also includes a broad range of media player outputs.

AVS Video Converter not only outputs to iPod, iPhone and Zune, but also lesser known brands like Creative Zen, Archos Xbox360, PSP, iRiver and more. We had no problems converting to several media players with varying format requirements. However, you do need to be a little more versed about bitrates to know which output profile will work for you.

Additionally, AVS Video Converter can convert all your downloaded, uploaded or transferred video to DVD compatible formats using its own built in burner; an overlooked, yet invaluable feature.

You can also customize your outputs' codecs, frame size (good for media players), frame rate, bitrate and more.

Features:  

As mentioned previously, perhaps one of AVS Video Converter’s best features is the built in DVD burner. After you’ve converted your video files to an NTSC (U.S.) or PAL (Europe) compatible format you simply burn your file to a DVD and your video is ready to be played in any standard DVD player.

With AVS Video Converter you can do some minor video editing and enhancement by adding picture effects, additional audio tracks, splitting, joining and more.

Although AVS Video Tools does have the ability to adjust advanced features, like bitrates or sample rates, we had a difficult time finding where to make the adjustments. There is a "edit profiles" button located on the right side of the interface that leads you to an advanced adjustments screen. Although the button is clearly visible we didn't notice or realize right away that it was for adjusting features like bitrates.

The one feature we would have loved to see in AVS Video Converter is a YouTube download tool like the one featured in our #2 product, Any Video Converter.

Ease of Use:  

AVS Video Converter is a small application with an intuitive interface. Simply choose your output from the icons located along the toolbar, select your input file from your hard drive, direct your output to your preferred video folder and convert.

After a file is converted AVS will automatically send your converted video to your “Video” folder located in your “My Documents” file or you can direct your converted video to a specific file of your choice.

Help and Support:  

We contacted customer support twice describing our difficulties converting FLV files. Although neither suggestion given to us by the support team worked we had a lengthy correspondence with one representative that tried very hard to make the software work accordingly. In the end, we ended up sending our files to AVS to be analyzed and hopefully the software will be updated in the near future.  

Unfortunately, we had to go hunting for the standard help files. They do not have a help button in the application, but there is a very small prompt in the lower left corner telling you to press F1. It was difficult to find and we didn’t notice the command the first few times we used the product.

With the exception of converting Flash files, the AVS Video Tools is almost perfect. AVS Video Converter is truly suggested if you are looking to convert your home movies to both portable devices like iPod or to DVD.