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"TopTenREVIEWS Gold Award" winning video converter software, AVS Video Tools is not only a comprehensive video converter program, but a whole package of video programs including a Capture Wizard for direct upload from video cameras, a Video To Go application for portable devices and a Video ReMaker for minor editing and combining multiple videos. This software was designed with the novice user in mind.When used in conjunction with the additional video tools AVS is a powerhouse program that is almost perfect. You can copy and convert all your favorite home videos to DVDs, playable on standard DVD players and your choice of personal media device. The only thing keeping AVS from receiving a perfect overall score was the minor inconsistencies we faced while converting Flash files and although the additional tools are helpful we felt that they complicated the conversion process.
AVS Video Tools Screenshots.
 
Input Files: 
AVS Video Tools includes a comprehensive list of supported input files including WMV (Windows Media Video), AVI, MPEG 1 and 2, MOV (QuickTime), RM (RealMedia), MP4 (iPod and PSP) and more. We really liked that with the help of a third-party decryptor you could rip and convert files directly off a DVD in your DVD ROM. Unlike most software, AVS suggest using the IFO files instead of the VOB files because they contain more information and make for a better conversion. We did not encounter any problems when converting the IFO files. The only files we were unable to convert consistently was FLV files downloaded from YouTube. The AVS Video Converter would only convert the video, not audio. When we tried the files using the Video To Go application our file converted correctly two out of three times.
Output Files:
Supported output files include WMV, AVI, MPEG 1 and 2, MOV, IFO, SWF and more. This is one of the few products we evaluated that included not only iPod and Zune outputs, but also Creative Zen and Archos options. And the "To Go" application makes it even easier, by supplying photographs of each of the players it supports. With AVS you don't necessarily need to know which file format you need, you just need to recognize your portable device.
Features:
AVS' video tools package supplies a total of four applications including a video converter, "To Go" application for portable media devices, a video remaker for editing and a capture wizard for directly importing from your video camera. When used together these additional programs have the ability to convert videos, transfer videos and burn videos to DVD. Although AVS Video Tools does have the ability to adjust advanced features, like adjusting 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 did n't notice or realize right away that it was for adjusting features like bitrates. Additionally, we really liked the the video remaker application, which gave us the ability to merge multiple files into one.
Ease of Use: 
AVS Video Converter is a small application with an intuitive interface. Choose your output from the icons located along the toolbar, select your input file and convert. Be sure to double-check your output folder because AVS will simply rename your converted video "..._NEW". The additional software is just as easy to use, especially the "To Go" program. When you open the application you choose your portable device, be it iPod, PSP or other, and the wizard will walk you through step-by-step. If you want to burn your movies to a DVD, a feature many video converter programs don't offer, convert your home video to MPEG 2 using the video converter, open the AVS Video ReMaker, import your MPEG 2 file and select the "Remake Now!" button. You can also use this application to make minor edits and changes to your video. Individually, each of AVS' applications are extremely easy to use; however, to use AVS Video Tools to its fullest potential you sometimes have to use several programs to achieve one goal.
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.
Summary:
With the exception of converting Flash files, the AVS Video Tools is almost perfect. This product is truly suggested if you are looking to convert your home movies to both portable devices like iPod or to DVD.
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