Wednesday, April 23, 2014
The name might not be the most creative, but the Internet Download Manager does exactly what it promises: helps you download and organize files. The best part is that you can schedule downloads and use filters to get the specific files you want.
The compact interface is packed with options, but the main features are easily accessed from a toolbar at the top. We would have liked to see a bit more user guidance up front, but a tutorial does cover the basics, and there is a more detailed Help file if you get stuck. You can also go the easier route with the program's integrated Web browser options, which work with nearly all of the most popular browsers, including Internet Explorer and Firefox. Each time the program recognizes a video in FLV format on a site like YouTube, you'll see a button, and it's one click and you're off and running. From the main interface, all you have to do is add the URL for a video to get started. A new window shows you the status and allows you to pause the recording and set up a few options for what to do with the file once the download completes. As advertised, the speed was good and we didn't have any issues with test files we downloaded, which included MP3s, FLVs, and MPEGs. Our favorite feature was the scheduler, which was easy to set up and lets you choose where and when the program will download files. We especially liked the fact that if you lose your Internet connection, the program will resume downloading your selected or scheduled files once everything's up and running again.
The download and installation of IDM was easy and fast, and it uninstalled cleanly. If you're looking for a program that you can basically set and forget to video downloads, this is a good option.
