You find a video on a streaming site, you want a copy you can watch offline, and what you end up with is an FLV file that half your devices won't open. 4Videosoft FLV Téléchargeur (FLV Downloader) handles both steps: it grabs the video, then converts it to a format your player understands.
Quick facts
- Platform: Windows
- Publisher: 4Videosoft Studio
- Type: FLV downloader and converter
Key features
Download FLV videos from more than 150 websites
You can save videos from YouTube, Myspace, Google Video, Yahoo Video and other video-sharing sites. The program supports http, rtsp, rtmp and mms protocols.
Convert downloaded or local FLV files to AVI, MP4, WMV, MOV and more
You can convert a downloaded video, or any FLV already on your computer, to formats such as AVI, MPEG, MP4, 3GP, ASF, WMV, MOV and VOB. You can also extract audio as AAC, AC3, M4A or MP3.
Play converted files on iPhone, iPod, PSP, Zune and other devices
Converted files are meant for devices such as iPod, iPhone, Apple TV, PSP, PS3, Zune, Wii and Sony Walkman.
Control output settings, downloads and threads
You can adjust resolution, bitrate, encoder and frame rate for video, and sample rate and channels for audio. You can also set the maximum number of simultaneous downloads and the threads per task. A preview window lets you check a file once it has downloaded, and the main window shows the download and conversion speed and progress.
Who it's for
It suits you if you want to keep online videos for offline viewing and need them converted for a phone, media player or console. It also suits you if you only have local FLV files that won't play.
Pros and cons
- Pro: It downloads and converts in one program.
- Pro: It supports a wide range of output formats and lets you tune the settings.
- Pro: It can run several downloads at once.
- Con: It is Windows-only.
- Con: It is built around FLV and streaming-site downloads, so it isn't a general-purpose video editor.
FAQs
Can it convert FLV files I already have?
Yes. You can add FLV files from your computer and convert them to other video or audio formats.
Which sites can I download from?
The program supports downloads from more than 150 video-sharing websites, including YouTube, Myspace, Google Video and Yahoo Video.
Can I get just the audio?
Yes. Audio output formats include AAC, AC3, M4A and MP3.
Can I watch a file before converting it?
Yes. A preview window plays the downloaded file.