VDownloader

CNET Editors' review

by: CNET staff on February 23, 2009

Despite the lack of user guidance, this video-file downloader is easy to set up and use. VDownloader's interface is on the plain side and no Help file is offered, but it shouldn't take most users long to get the hang of downloading videos from their favorite sites.

The interface contains four large icons: Download, Search, Browser, and Settings. By default, VDownloader is set to monitor the clipboard when it's running, so as soon as we copied the link to a video, the program responded and asked us for Save As information. It's a small thing, but some programs don't allow you to choose a file name up front and it can be hard (without opening each file) to know what video you've downloaded if the file name is auto-assigned. The download began immediately after choosing the file name and location. You also can change this setting and manually paste a video link in to the URL field, but we preferred the time-saving clipboard monitoring step. VDownloader also lets you select the format you want to save video files in, another nice touch. Options include AVI, MP3, iPhone/iPod compatibility, and the original format.

The free program includes two useful extras. The first is the Search capability, which allows you to enter a video name and simultaneously search YouTube, Daily Motion, Google, and Yahoo Video. You can uncheck any of the four sites, but you aren't allowed to add any extras. The second extra is a built-in browser, which doesn't have any of the niceties you'll find in Firefox or Internet Explorer, but does include more than 20 bookmarks to video sites and a quick Download Video button for when you find a file you want to save. We recommend this free, easy-to-use video file downloader for any user.