Best Free Software
Robert Irvine recommends new programs that won’t cost you a thing
VIDEO CONVERTER
Any Video Converter Free 9.1.5
www.snipca.com/57260
What you need: Windows 10 or 11
The last time we included Any Video Converter (AVC) Free in this section (Issue 717, page 18), we explained how to use its new browser for downloading videos. We were less pleased that it had started prompting you to upgrade to its Pro and Ultimate versions before performing certain actions.
Sadly, those nags still appear in version 9.1.5, but AVC has again offset our annoyance by adding several genuinely useful features. The upgrade prompts are easy to dismiss by clicking Continue – unlike in some freemium programs (see our Cover Feature on page 50), they’re not aggressive.
The biggest new addition is a timeline for AVC’s Merge Video and Trim Video tools. This brings it closer in line with traditional video-editing software, by providing an easy visual way to rearrange clips, set their start and end points, and remove unwanted segments.
The Trim Video tool also offers AI Scene Detection, which automatically detects cuts and transitions in videos, but this is only available in AVC’s Ultimate edition, which costs £45.29. Irritatingly, it doesn’t tell you this until after you’ve downloaded the AI model.