3.5GB Video File to a 1GB (or something) Video File

[insc]

Hi

I have a bunch of *.avi's joined that total a size of 3.5 gb and when I open it with TMPGEnc to convert to *.m2v and *.wav so that I can burn it to dvd with IfoEdit, I get a 127% usage.. like 5gb total file.. I would like to reduce that.. I am opened for new ideas.. I want this 3.5gb to go to a dvd. I don't know if it is the audio to high, the video to low.. erhm

please, anyone, help me.
Thanks, Tiago.

[redwudz]

You can check it with AVIcodec or Gspot to see how large your audio file is. Convert audio to AC3 or MP2 for smaller files. TMPGEnc wizard can probably do this easier. I don't do AC3, but others can give you the method.

[eas]

You don't say what codec was used to encode your AVI, or the resolution, or bitrate, duration or any of that, so we don't have a lot to go on. Gspot, as suggested above can provide this info.

You also don't say what encoding settings you used in TMPG. As a general guess though, you could save space by using 2-pass VBR and dialing the average bit rate down to say 66% of whatever you used when you got a 5GB package (leave the max bit rate to what it was). 2-pass VBR will give you a predictable file size and maximize size efficiency/quality by allowing TMPG to "save" bits in low motion sceens and spend them in higher motion sceens. It does take 2x as long to encode though.

And yes, encode the audio down to a compressed format. You can probably cut its size by ~50-80% easy.

[insc]

AVICodec is the only program I have, and this is what there was:


I hope this can help, I can download the program you guys mention if you find it better.

anyway, could you be a little more specific please with the details on what settings to change in TMPGEnc, like where *in the settings* would I change, and what being a little more specific please

Thanks a lot,
Tiago.

[tompika]

Change the Audio settings from Linear PCM (1536kb/s) to MPEG-1 and select a bitrate so it will fit on your disc.

[mats.hogberg]

Only thing that affects the size of the m2v is the bit rate used when encoding + length in time. Size if AVI is completely irrelevant. Use a bit rate calculator to find what bit rate to use to get a DVD sized mpg from any length AVI.
Use mp2 or AC3 audio - takes about 1/10 of the space compared to LPCM.

/Mats

[insc]

tompika:

I have all those settings blocked in TMPGEnc Project Wizard, I don't know why
Is it because it is all in one file?

mats.hogberg:

Can I use those compression methods in VirtualDub 1.5.10? If yes, where in the Audio Compression window can I change that?

Thanks all,
Tiago

[mats.hogberg]

Can I use those compression methods in VirtualDub 1.5.10? If yes, where in the Audio Compression window can I change that? TMPGEnc can encode audio to mp2 (the sample rate seems to be 48 kHz already) even if encoding with tooLame gives you higher quality. ffmpeggui is what I use used to encode to to AC3.
Use VirtualDub to separate audio and video from the AVI, nothing else.

/Mats

[tompika]

tompika:

I have all those settings blocked in TMPGEnc Project Wizard, I don't know why
Is it because it is all in one file?

Do not use the wizard.

Unlock the hidden settings by clicking LOAD
Program Files\Pegasys Inc\TMPGEnc Plus 2.5\Template\Extra\unlock.mcf

Load again, go back a folder and select the template you want to use

[mmasw]

you should be aware that your 3hour20minute movie would mean a bitrate of around 2700Kbs if you want to fit it all one one dvd(just estimating that from experience). You may find that to be too large a reduction in quality.

also, in my experience, using TMPGEnc to convert directly from Xvid>mpg2 doesn't seem to yield as good (quality-wise) results compared to a Xvid>HuffYuv>mpg2 conversion. Maybe I'm just imagining this factor.

If it was me, and I absolutely wanted the video on a single DVD, then I would probably do the following(after testing different scenarios on a typical 1 minute section of the movie - use VDub to create it):

I would use VDub to frameserve to TMPGEnc using HuffYuv as intermediate codec. Maybe apply some filters in VDub (I like it's edge sharpening function for instance). If the video had high action scenes throughout, I'd probably use VBR in TMPGEnc (tough call because using VBR means the process could take many hours...many!) And I would use a bitrate of about 4000Kbs.

Another advantage to using VDub is that you could easily cut any video that you didn't want.

So hopefully, you'd end up with around a 6.5 to 7GB dvd-compliant (correct GOP sequence) mpg2 file.

Then create a VIDEO_TS folder without any reduction in the overlarge size.

Then use DVDShrink to transcode to a proper sized dvd.

There may be better ways, I haven't used all the different apps available like avisynth, gordian knot etc.

If you want to maintain as much quality as possible, use VDub to split the avi in half and create two mpg2 files and put them each on a dvd.