Recompress MKV and MP4 Videos (like AVI ReComp)

[Johnbil]

Does anyone know of a program, hopefully freeware, that is similar to 'AVI ReComp' for MKV and MP4 video files? I am looking to change the file size not convert it from one format to another. As with AVI ReComp, I want to enter a new file size and have the program 'shrink' it with minimal quality loss.

[netmask56]

Handbrake or Vidcoder but there will be losses whenever you recompress to reduce the file size

[LigH.de]

Every converter can do this job, most are "only" different user interfaces for the same core encoders anyway; it is just your own responsibility to select possibly the same content and container formats. In addition to the examples given by netmask56, there are also e.g. XMedia Recode, TEncoder, Hybrid, BOX4 ... the VideoHelp software archive will list a lot.

I would recommend a recompression only in case your source has a large reserve (e.g. a Blu-ray rip directly from the disc by MakeMKV). Every recompression to any lossy format will reduce the quality; to keep the loss hardly noticeable, you will need a certain minimum, depending on the material. If your source is already quite compressed, even converting to the same output size would look worse. Also be aware that compatibility to consumer players (Blu-ray players or DVB compliant TV sets) requires a limited encoding complexity, which does not allow optimal compression.

[Johnbil]

As I said in my initial post, I am not looking for a converter. I was looking for a file resizer similar to what AVI ReComp does for AVI videos. You put in the desired file size and it 'shrinks' it.
Handbrake does not do this.

[videobruger]

I've never used AVI ReComp but from their homepage

Recompressing (reencoding) AVI clips using Xvid codec.

so you're looking for a converter.

[manono]

so you're looking for a converter.

I think he is looking for something for MKVs, MP4s, etc. that does for them what AVIRecomp does for XviD AVIs - reencode and put back into the same container. Several answers have already been given. In addition he's also looking for something where you plug in the final size, rather than the bitrate. I use none of the ones mentioned but believe Vidcoder can do that with its 'Target Size' setting.

[LigH.de]

Just to point at an important detail: DVD Shrink is able to re-quantize MPEG2 video in a DVD Video structure, but does not decode the video completely. AVIRecomp does not just partially decode Xvid video to only re-quantize it, it decodes completely and encodes completely. And that you can do as well with any converter which can more than just that.

[smitbret]

As I said in my initial post, I am not looking for a converter. I was looking for a file resizer similar to what AVI ReComp does for AVI videos. You put in the desired file size and it 'shrinks' it.
Handbrake does not do this.

If there is no compression, how do you expect the file to be smaller?

I guess you could achieve this with a remux and removal of any unwanted streams. Otherwise, compression is going to happen.

[manono]

If there is no compression, how do you expect the file to be smaller?

I think he's using 'converter' to mean no conversion to different audio and video codecs, or different containers. I think he understands there has to be compression (and poorer quality) since he's asking for a smaller size. I agree his writing isn't all that clear, leading to confusion about what he's really asking.

[LigH.de]

Quite possible, yes. But selecting the same output formats as the input formats is no special feature, just a little convenience. Any conversion software can do that, but usually you have to manually select the same. The exception for AVI ReComp may be that it always selects the AVI container and the Xvid codec. That doesn't make this software any "better" regarding achievable quality. Only regarding convenience if your desired use is so limited.

[teodz1984]

TS More Info Needed
1. What is the target player of your vids?
2. Why do you have to emphasize on a certain file size?

[Johnbil]

I’m sorry, manono, but I must disagree. My writing was very clear and explained exactly what I was looking for. As I mentioned in my initial post, I said I was looking for something that performed similarly to AVI Recomp. I named that software. I used the words ‘file size’, ‘recompress’, ‘quality loss’ and ‘no converter’. I restated most of these criteria in my second post. How could I have been clearer?

For the record, I sometimes use ‘AVI ReComp’. Its main purpose is to change file size (ex. make a 900MB file into a 700 MB file).You plug in the new size and it does it. This is done by recompressing the file automatically with as minimal a quality loss as possible. Unfortunately, it only works on AVI files and from time to, I want to do this with an MP4 or MKV file.

I have looked at Handbrake (v0.10.50) and Vidcoder (uses the Handbrake engine) as suggested. As far as I can see, there is nowhere to simply enter a file size like you can in AVI ReComp. I have used Handbrake many times for DVD Ripping. It works very well for that, but my starting point is MP4 & MKV video files not a DVD.

I had tried outputting a file in a ‘converter’ to the same format (Ex. MKV to MKV), but it seems to lose more quality. That why I said that I was not interested in a converter.

Does anyone know of something that works like AVI ReComp does?

[manono]

I’m sorry, manono, but I must disagree. My writing was very clear and explained exactly what I was looking for.

Then why are so many people trying to figure out what you're trying to do? Did I have it right?

I have looked at Handbrake (v0.10.50) and Vidcoder (uses the Handbrake engine) as suggested. As far as I can see, there is nowhere to simply enter a file size like you can in AVI ReComp.

You didn't come across the 'Target Size' box in Vidcoder, as I mentioned in my previous post? This is from the Vidcoder tutorial linked below

If you do need an output file of a particular size, and don't mind encodings taking longer due to the need to have two passes, select "Target Size" or "Avg Bitrate" (both settings take into account the length of your video, including any chapter/time selections you've made in previous steps).

http://www.digital-digest.com/articles/VidCoder_Tutorial_page2.html

I don't use it but unless they've removed the feature, it seems pretty easy to choose a file size.

It works very well for that, but my starting point is MP4 & MKV video files not a DVD.

Yeah, so? Again, Vidcoder seems to accept about anything as input. While it uses the same Handbrake engine, it has many additional features:

In the "Choose a video source" section, you have three input options - choose to convert a video file (for example, AVI), choose to convert an already ripped or a hard-drive based DVD or Blu-ray folder, or choose to convert straight from a non encrypted discs.

Does anyone know of something that works like AVI ReComp does?

Have you even looked at Vidcoder yet?

[netmask56]

Johnbil You need to read the instruction or help section of either Handbrake or VidCoder as it can indeed do exactly what you want - You have to set it up for your needs. I use VidCoder to do EXACTLY what you do for AVI files but in my case MKV files.... either set the ultimate file size you need or the quality. Otherwise the answer to you question is there simply isn't a one button solution. A little bit of effort is required. In my case I think I'm one of the oldest people on this forum (79 this years) and I have no problem learning and enjoying learning new skills. Good luck

[teodz1984]

First if you base your size reductions based on a certain file size, you will get outfiles that will degrade in quality...
Simply because you started with a file in a lossy format to begin with... then do the manipulations to another lossy file..
perhaps with the goal of saving space... Perhaps it was much easier in the days of AVI, DIVX and XVIDs..

But usually the ones in MP4 and MKV have more variables to put in the game.. like choice of video codecs (eg. X264, X265);
choice of audio codecs (aac, mp3, ac3) choice of bit color (8 bit, 10 bit), constant bit rates or variable bit rates for both A or V.
The screen resolutions of the video; Number of channels and audio tracks, number of subtitle attachments and attachments such as embedded fonts. Also ABR encodes/recodes (that people used to maintain a certain filesize) tend to be block for high detail high action scenes..
All these variables will affect size of your output. So it is not 1 shot solution as many people mentioned.

And in the end if you end with a file that does not play on a certain device that you have... you have just wasted a great amount of
time and effort for naught...

In short to answer your original post
in the age of MP4s and MKVS, targeting files for a certain file size is not popular anymore...
They are more after quality, especially now that devices have higher resolutions than the
days of AVI.

That is why a lot of modern programs don't really have what you want.

[netmask56]

if size is an important factor and assuming your media player handles H265 encodes you could select MKV as the container and H265 as the codec rather than the typical H264 encoder. This will result in a dramatic reduction of file size for the same resolution etc. In both VidCoder and Handbrake you can then create a Profile reflecting this so all you have to do is select your profile and away you go...

[jagabo]

No matter what codec you use, if you use target file size or bitrate, the results will be the same size (assuming the codec delivers what you asked for). For all codecs, by definition:

stream size = average bitrate * running time

But some codecs can deliver better quality than others at same size. Generally, from lowest quality to highest: MPEG 2, Xvid (Divx, MPEG 4 part 2, ASP), h.264 (AVC, MPEG 4 part 10), h.265 (HEVC). Of course, knowing what you're doing has an effect on the quality too. So just because you use h.265 doesn't necessarily mean you will get better quality (at the same file size) than when using h.264, for example.

The container (TS, MPG, AVI, MOV, MP4, MKV) has no bearing on the quality of the video within it (though not all containers support all codecs). Some containers do have a little more overhead than others but the difference is usually very small -- along the lines of 1 percent.