smallest possible file size for an encoded video?

[onetrueday]

Might have misworded the title.

I working on a dozen or so clips that are between 4-12 minutes in length. I'm under contract to capture 8mm tapes and pull the requested small clips into combined movie files.

What format should I use? This is for a cdrom magzine. The video is only going to take up about 15-20% of the screen. The real requirement is that it must be playable on almost any PC.

thanks for any suggestions.

tom

[Tommyknocker]

You should use MPEG-1. Most PCs play that format with no trouble. In order to keep the file size down, you should adjust the bit rate downward. The actual display does not affect the file size, but when the display becomes too large, and the the bit rate too low, blockiness (artifacts) can appear.