Smaller MPEG-2 Files?

[DigitalSounds]

I have several hundred music videos i pulled from the DVD's to put on my video server. The files are MPEG-2 @ 4.5Mbps VBR, 720x480 frame size (auto frame), 48khz - 192kbps MPEG audio. These files range in size from 195MB to 3GB in size for individual videos.

Is there a program that I can keep the file format but will allow me to reduce the file size? I understand this will reduce file quality somewhat. I currently have 592 files taking up 116GB of space. I would like to make each file 150MB minimum to 200MB maximum in size without having to re-rip each video from the DVDs.

I'm currently using DVDFab Platinum to rip the files to .vob file and TMPVEnc MPEG Editor 2.0 to split and encode the files to the MPEG-2 format I listed above.

[mats.hogberg]

1) You don't have to encode VOBs to mpg - theay already are. Just take it out of the VOB "wrapper" with VOB2MPG or equiv.
2) Use a lower bitrate (and possibly smaller frame size to allow for the lower bitrate) when encoding with TMPGEnc to get a smaller mpg file. (You have to reencode to make the file smaller.)
Or use ReJig to transcode the mpg down in size.

/Mats

[DigitalSounds]

i'll look into ReJig to possible further compress the file to a smaller size.

I already know how to create smaller files sizes during the process, but I wasn't doing that when I first started this procress last month and now i've decided to make them more appropriate in file size.

[guns1inger]

You are at the low end for bitrate at full-D1 now. Reducing size (by reducing bitrate) is going to start making a visible difference to your videos.

[edDV]

You are at the low end for bitrate at full-D1 now. Reducing size (by reducing bitrate) is going to start making a visible difference to your videos.

Not to mention the time loss. Hard drives are really cheap. I don't get it. Why spend days of labor effort to get lower quality.

[DigitalSounds]

You are at the low end for bitrate at full-D1 now. Reducing size (by reducing bitrate) is going to start making a visible difference to your videos.

Not to mention the time loss. Hard drives are really cheap. I don't get it. Why spend days of labor effort to get lower quality.

I know HD's are cheap, but this is a laptop system and I have two external 500GB drives and video is not the only type of files I have on the drives. I also have 400GB of karakoe and 200GB of mp3 files. I think it's unecessary to have individual video files that are 300MB+ in file size. I think MPEG-2 videos ranging in file size from 150MB to 200MB are still quite adequate in resolution.

[mats.hogberg]

If you really want to save space, and are going to reencode - why not encode as DivX/XviD AVI (without compromising quality that much)?

/Mats

[DigitalSounds]

If you really want to save space, and are going to reencode - why not encode as DivX/XviD AVI (without compromising quality that much)?

/Mats

Because the software I use doesn't handle Divx video as well as it does MPEG-2. I'm not even sure it will play Xvid files.

I'm using Swift Elite 3.0 in this system for playback because I use it also for zipped karaoke files and mp3 playback.

[mats.hogberg]

Says it plays AVI at least - but if it plays DivX/XviD AVI is not a certainty of course - but why not try? There's lots of bits (and quality) to be saved if you reencode to DivX/XviD.
And if it doesn't support DivX - perhaps consider a different player (like even WMM!) for those files?

/Mats

[DigitalSounds]

Says it plays AVI at least - but if it plays DivX/XviD AVI is not a certainty of course - but why not try? There's lots of bits (and quality) to be saved if you reencode to DivX/XviD.
And if it doesn't support DivX - perhaps consider a different player (like even WMM!) for those files?

/Mats

IF you are to understand Swift Elite, than you would understand WMM is not even close to doing what SWE does. SWE multi-format crossfading and basic mixing software for karaoke and video. WMM can't do any of that.

[mats.hogberg]

No, I'm sure it can't. But it can play AVI. I wasn't suggesting you throw Swift out the window - just use it to play mtrl Swift possibly can't handle. But now it seems like you're not just watching those videos - you use them as a VJ and rely on the mixing/other effects of Swift?

/Mats

[DigitalSounds]

Yes. I am using SWE as my KJ and VJ software.

[SatStorm]

It's a bit off topic, but personally I use VirtualDJ and I'm in the process of re-encoding all my music videos collection on H264.
VirtualDJ doesn't have problems with h264. With a bitrate around 1500kb/s the picture of my music videos is very - very good.