FreeFile Review – Video Converter Showdown 2

It has been nearly two years since my first head-to-head comparison of free video converters. In 2010, Freemake edged out Hamster due to its ability to author DVDs. Since then, Freemake has become one of my primary video applications. A few features have been added, but it is basically the same program it was in 2010.

This time, I tested TEncoder and Full Video Converter Free against Freemake Video Converter. All three programs are for Windows only. They all convert files quickly (thanks to multi-core support and GPU acceleration) and output files of whatever quality you choose. So, let’s look at their differences.

TEncoder is the odd man out. It works on fewer formats and has fewer features than the competition. The interface is rather busy and will confuse inexperienced users. Its performance was on par with the other two programs, but without any advanced features, I can’t recommend it.

Full Video Converter Free pleasantly surprised me with a lot of features. It can perform simple video edits (trim, crop, adjust brightness, contrast and saturation), apply a variety of filters, join videos and capture snapshots from the video. It is able to create VOB files for DVDs, but it does not author DVDs. The interface is clean and easy to use. Performance was very good, however, it did crash once in testing and it regularly pops up a window advertising the paid version of the program.

Freemake Video Converter is the easiest to use of the three programs. It does not have all the editing features of Full Video Converter Free, but it is the only one of the three programs that authors DVDs. Performance is very good.

- – - – The Bottom Line – - – -
I continue to recommend Freemake for its ease of use and DVD authoring. Full Video Converter Free is a good choice if you need to make some simple video edits or capture a snapshot and don’t want to pay for video editing software.

Download Freemake Video Converter HERE

Download Full Video Converter Free HERE

Visit DanKostecki.com for more FreeFile Reviews

The 1st. video converter review (2010) HERE

Free Video Converter Showdown – Freemake Wins

Important Update!

June 4, 2013 - I just attempted to install Hamster and discovered that it now installs some very nasty malware along with the video converter application. Do NOT use Hamster. Its installer hides its options behind Russian text, even when ‘English’ is selected as the install language, so that you cannot tell what you are agreeing to during the installation. The malware that I received was for Yandex Toolbar. It took over my browsers and could not be disabled or removed. I ended up having to restore my pc with an image. Do NOT use Hamster. I have removed all links to Hamster. Now, a word about FreeMake. It has recently been adding more and more crap to its installer, however, if you are careful, you can have FreeMake without any crapware. I still use FreeMake regularly.

Sept. 23, 2010 -This time, I’ve done a side-by-side comparison with two rising stars in video convertion. My personal acid test for video converters is taking a video from YouTube to a DVD with the fewest headaches. Freemake Video Converter passed that test with flying colors and Hamster Free Video Converter did not. While Hamster cannot output .VOB files for DVDs, Freemake converted 18 minutes of video and burned them to a DVD in 10 minutes – outstanding! The DVD was high quality, with a motion menu.

For further testing, 4 videos (2 .FLVs and 2.MP4s) with various framerates and resolutions were batch converted. Both programs converted the 4 videos to high quality .AVIs against the clock. Hamster easily won this test, producing good quality .AVIs about 25% faster than Freemake at about half the size.

Both programs installed without problems and have simple,rather sparse interfaces. Freemake’s is more professional looking; Hamster’s needs more contrast. Both programs handle batch conversions very well and allow drag-and-drop.

Overall, Hamster performed well, converting files quickly with quality results. It has  a lot of presets for handheld devices, but not outputting to .VOB is a deal killer for me.

Freemake’s ability to convert and burn a high quality DVD in one step is truly unusual in free converter software. It packs plenty of power behind a simple interface; the most needed adjustments are present, without overwhelming an inexperienced user. Other features are – rip DVDs, rip CDs and convert to .MP3, create photo slide shows and a YouTube video uploader. I am definitely making Freemake a part of my video toolkit.

Download Freemake Video Converter HERE

Download Hamster Free Video Converter HERE

Visit DanKostecki.com