I need to convert my DV video (captured with WinDV) to a compact file size

[granturissimus]

One 1.5 hour file is 20gigs, I'd like to compress it to a much smaller size and perhaps store it for backup on a USB flash drive. I'd like to retain as good quality as possible, and I'm not too picky about small file size, but the smaller the better. I'll just be playing the video on a computer.

What program should I use and how do I do it, and how much smaller will the filesize get?

[jagabo]

MPEG 2 with DVD compatible settings at 8000+ kbps, will reduce it to about 6 GB, and will fit on 2 DVDs. I'd create at least two sets. You could use 6000 kbps to fit it all on one DVD but image quality will suffer a bit.

[granturissimus]

I already burned DVDs from those DV captures, I was thinking of even smaller filesize.

[hech54]

I already burned DVDs from those DV captures, I was thinking of even smaller filesize.

Quality will suffer dramatically.

[granturissimus]

Ok, thanks for the info. I guess I'll just stick with DVDs.

[Cornucopia]

Remember, DV (@ 25Mbps) is ALREADY compressed 5.5:1 compared to uncompressed YUV 4:2:2. And MPEG2 @ 8000kbps is ~17:1 compression. You could compress using a newer, more efficient codec (h.264) and get it down to ~3000kbps, which is ~45:1 compression, but that's really pushing it.

If these are important home video memories, I STRONGLY suggest you still keep an original DV copy (either on the tape or as DV file on DVD).

Scott

[jagabo]

Yes, using h.264 you can compress the DV source to 1/2, maybe 1/3, the size of the DVD MPEG 2 encoding, with about the same quality.