MPG files are too large

[sldvd]

I have made a bunch of recordings on my DVD recorder, and I have converted those videos into MPG files. The MPG files seem a bit too large though - for example, a 45 minute MPG file with 480i resolution is 3.1 GB in size.

For comparison purposes, I have other videos that seem to be better compressed - for example, a 58 minute MP4 file with 1280x720 resolution is only 2.0 GB in size. Would trying to convert my MPG files into MP4 files be able to shrink them substantially? I have FFmpeg, so I wonder what kind of command line I can use to do that, if it is possible.

Another idea I have is to combine all my DVD recordings into one huge 30 GB DVD - I think I can combine them all in DVD Shrink without using any compression, and then I'll try DVD-Rebuilder to shrink it down to a 8.5 GB DVD without losing too much quality (I hope). Then I can split out all the recordings back to separate MPG files again.

[hech54]

30GB to dual layer DVD without losing too much quality?....are you serious?

[guns1inger]

You can get around 2 hours of decent quality in a 4.3GB blank, maybe a little more if you are happy to drop the quality, or if the source is really good. You cannot compare the quality and size of H.264 encoded material against Mpeg-2. The compressions schemes are too different. If you want to create a DVD Video disc then you have to use mpeg-2 and work (realistically) within those limitations.