When it comes to software tools, terms like "user friendly" and "simple" get tossed about so frequently they have lost any meaning. For those in search of an easy, cost-effective tool for converting media files into a wide variety of formats, there's a tool to which both of those descriptors applies.

Created by eRightSoft, the Simplified Universal Player Encoder & Renderer (SUPER) is as easy to use as it is remarkably flexible. Drag-and-drop functionality allows the user to convert and encode to and from an incredible range of file types, including video files encoded as 3gp/3g2, asf, avi, dat, fli, flc, flv, mkv, mpg, mov, mp4, ogg, qt, rm, ram, rmvb, str, swf (Flash), ts, viv, vob and wmv, to name substantially more than a few.

Audio files are not neglected by SUPER, as the software supports conversion to and from aac, ac3, amr, mmf, mp2, mp3, mp4, mpc, ogg, ra, wav and wma files.

A simple graphical user interface (GUI), SUPER essentially functions as a front end to a number of independent encoding and playback technologies, including ffmpeg, MEncoder, mplayer, x264, mppenc, ffmpeg2theora and the theora/vorbis RealProducer plugIn — but what a front end it is!

SUPER's control interface is about as intuitive as one could ask for, set the input file type, assign output type and click — operating software doesn't get a whole lot easier than that.

The best thing about SUPER, surprisingly, might just be its price: zero dollars and zero cents. Yes, it's true — this highly flexible, intuitive and useful tool is yours for the taking at www.eRightSoft.com.

Who says you only get what you pay for?