FLVR: From Flash Video to iPod

Tasty Apps recently released another beta version of FLVR, a little utility that grabs flash videos (YouTube, Revver, etc.) and easily encodes them in an iPod compatible format. What makes this little app so special is its seamless integration with Safari.

The latest beta comes with an improved options panel and also provides the choice for deinterlaced video, making them clearer, at the expense of storage space. In my tests, FLVR managed to extract the video from sites like YouTube and MetaCafe, though the developers claim it works with all flash video sites.

If you’re rather tech savvy or the type who just wants control over everything, FLVR gives you plenty of encoding options. In addition to adjusting the quality of the audio and video, you can output in AVI, FLV, MOV or MP4. It also supports Growl notifications, and can automatically send encoded video to iTunes for syncing with your iPod.

Rendering speed was fairly quick, even on a consumer MacBook. At average settings (video=300kbps, audio=64kbps), a 30 second clips took about 5 seconds to render, which resulted in a tiny 1.3MB file. The quality looked very clear and crisp on the MacBook’s screen.

Sure, there are tons of iPod converters out there, but FLVR beats them all when it comes to convenience. No need to go hunting for the .flv files and then copying the result into iTunes - just do it all straight from your browser. Well worth a look if you’re a YouTube junky.

The final version will only cost $8 if you pre-order right now, otherwise, you’ll have to shell out $15 for it. FLVR only works with Safari right now, though it would be nice if they created a Firefox version for users like me. Download your copy from TastyApps today.