Clipfinder HD Finds Plays & Converts Internet Video Files

These days, everyone lives and breathes internet video. However, you can be damn sure you’re missing out on a part of the fun when you’re restricted to the use of only one site.

There are some video portal aggregators that allow you to search multiple sites at once. Likewise, there are various sites that allow you to download internet videos, convert those video files and play them offline and on your computer.

ClipFinder HD combines these functions under one roof. It’s a stunningly beautiful and innovating desktop application by Ashampoo that does everything you’ve ever dreamed of, and so much more.

ClipFinder HD

ClipFinder HD is not Ashampoo’s first try at making a great piece of software. In the past, they’ve launched a multitude of applications, ranging from burner suites to Windows optimization tools. So chances are you’ve already had your hands on a piece of their software.

What’s out of the ordinary here is that Ashampoo normally charges for their software. It’s like The Joker said: “If you’re good at something, don’t do it for free”. Does that mean this software doesn’t fit Ashampoo’s regular quality label? – absolutely not. So, as much as it pains me to say, I’m not a hundred percent sure ClipFinder HD will stay free in the future.

If you want to ‘unlock’ Clipfinder HD beyond the 10 day trial you initially get, just give your email address and you’ll be mailed a working serial code. You won’t need your registration ‘afterwards’, so you might want to use a temporary email account to avoid any unwanted mails.

ClipFinder HD is an intuitive desktop application that allows you to search, stream, download and even convert video files from numerous (read: fifteen) different internet video sites. If you’re as fed up with the hundreds of download-from-YouTube sites, and want a real application that’s got the stones to try some innovation, ClipFinder HD might be for you.

Intuitive Interface

As you saw in the YouTube demonstration above, ClipFinder HD has an incredibly flexible and highly intuitive interface. You can pan and scan over a vast landscape of thumbnails like you’re using Google Earth, and flick through them with the graphical beauty of Cooliris.

If you want, you can limit your search to one or more of the video portals. Initiate multiple search queries at the same time, and view them in different tabs. Once you get the hang of the Clipfinder HD interface, you’ll feel like the coolest kid on the block, and you’ll definitely wonder how you ever survived browsing in the past.

Stream, Download and Convert Video Files

Once you’ve located a video you’re interested in – and I’m sure you will, click it once to enlarge. Another click, and the video will start streaming. You can zoom in or out on the video using your scroll wheel, even during playback. A third click will make the application switch to full screen.

Another advantage to the software is that you can create video playlists to watch later, or to benefit from continuous playback.

Downloading a video is as easy as right-clicking your mouse. You can download multiple videos at once and view the progress in the DownloadManager, as demonstrated in the screenshot below.

Upon downloading a video, you can choose to convert it to another file format. MP3 and FLV (standard flash video file) are supported for all of the video portals. MP4 (recommended) works for most of the sites, whereas 3GP, MOV and AVI files are reserved for a much smaller clique.

Do you love internet video as much as we do? Tell us about the sites you visit, or the tools you use, in the comments section below. Got a great tip for an article? – don’t be shy, we’d love to hear from you!

Get ClipFinder HD.