Hi, Just wondering if someone can help. I am using Pinnacle Studio Plus to take the movies off my DV camcorder. I am then saving them as AVIs and have selected XviD Mpeg-4 codec sized at 720x576. My problem is that the file sizes are very large. A video clip that goes for 3 minutes is around 150mb. Is there something that I can do to reduce the file size? I intend to transfer the avi files to my mdeia player so I can watch them on a HD plasma. I have seen DVDrip movies that are 700mb, go for 2 hours and are fantastic quality. How do I get my home movies to that ratio file size and quality?
You are probably using a very high bitrate. You need to get the bitrate down a bit. For very good xvid quality you need to start at 900 kps, that's about the average for a good quality movie like you mention (almost dvd quality). You can use avidemux and load your 150mb clip than reencode it using a lower bitrate. Don't worry about the resolution (720x576) you can keep that as is, just lower that bitrate, also make sure you are using the lame mp3 audio encoder. You can use the free GSPOT program, to find out what your current bitrate is on your large file.
Hi Jony, Thanks for getting back to me. This is all new to me so hopefully I can work this out. I check my video bitrate using Video Inspector at your rite. It was around 4000Kps. I downloaded avidemux but could not find anything on how to reduce video bitrate? Also do you know anywhere I can get lame mp3 audio encoder that I can easily install?
avidemux already has all the needed encoders (xvid and mp3 lame plus many others). Open your file in avidemux. Next all the way to your left is the video section, instead of copy change it to mp4 asp (xvid). Next press the configure button/main tab/encoding mode, change it to constant bitrate. When you do that it opens a box where you can manually set the bitrate. Next go to the audio section and change copy to mp3 lame, the default bitrate is 128 kps which is good enough. After that go up to the save icon and save your file. Make sure when you name the new file save as you add .avi at the end. Avidemux doesn't add the suffix automatically. example save as movie.avi That's all you have to do, avidemux is a very powerful and easy to use program.
Thanks Jony. Very helpful. Just 2 questions. When I open the file avidemux asks. Packed Bitstream detected. Do you want me to unpack it? Not sure what to say here. I also used VideoInspector to view the outcome. The Audo BitRate had dropped from 1536Kpbs to 128 Kbps which is good. But the Video BitRate stayed the same at 3392Kpbs and not down to 900Kb/s as I set the Constant Bitrate. Any ideas on above two points?
When you get the packed bitstream, go ahead and unpack it. Just when your ready to save at the bottom where it say's format make sure it's avi. Everytime I have change the bitrate it has always modified the file. The only time it won't modify the file is when the video section is left on the "copy" setting.
Another good program for reducing the size of your AVI is AviRecomp. Instead of setting the bitrate for your video, you set the final size( MB) that you want your video to be. http://www.videohelp.com/tools/AVI_ReComp/version-history
Thanks again for all your comments. All was going good until my camera requested to use a DV cleaner tape. Fuzzy lines started to appear on screen. So will get one of them and try all your recommendations. Will be intouch. Frogger
