How can I shrink these files. I am getting errors.

[moosooo1]

Hello
I hope you can help me with this problem:
I got from a sony handycam (with hdd)t some video files. The video files are mpg and with everyone of them comes another file (1k) with the modd extension. I understood that this file is imporant to not lose sound or timeline?! I moved an mpg file without the modd and it works. Ok, here is my problem: I am having 2 sets of video files shooted in 2 different days. 1 set has 1,2 Gb and the 2nd 2,5 Gb. I want to shrink them to get every set on a cd (700Mb).
I also would be interested if I can link all the videos from that day in a continuous video.
I tried to do this in windows movie maker but it's saying "The file cannot be imported because the codec required to play the file is not installed on your computer". I tried with Adobe Premier too and it gives me another error.

Please advise me what should I use to shrink (as size) those videos and maybe make one single video (700Mb) from the pieces shooted in that specific day.

Thanks a lot and pls excuse my english.

[guns1inger]

You can't get them to 700MB and keep them mpeg-2 without either cutting a lot out, or re-encoding to much lower quality. You can use mpeg-streamclip to convert the files to DV AVI, which WMM or virtualdub will happily edit, then encode them to Xvid to meet your 1 CD size restriction

[moosooo1]

What program should I use to encode xvid? I would pe able to select the desired size (700MB) ? Or the program will encode and I will see the size at the end?

[hech54]

Once you encode to Xvid or Divx....the original quality will be gone forever. 3.7GB to 700MB will mean a very big loss in quality.
If I need a specific "output size" ....I usually use AviDemux. You will need to read a guide on how to use it....just like most software.

[neomaine]

I know you're stuck on CD sizes (700MB) but why not go to DVD and get 4.7GB available? With the sizes mentioned, you'll be able to fit both segments without having to reencode and loos quality. The cost difference is negligable and the only way you'll be able to get all the shoots together on one piece of media.

For just a little more cost you could go to dual layer and 9.4GB for larger shoots.