AVI

[councilman]

I've noticed that most downloaded movies from kazaa seem to be in .avi format. Is this the preferred digital format? Most that I have downloaded have been great quality and small enough to fit on a single CD.
I do have one that is 730 mb is there any way to get it smaller so that it will fit on a single cd or split it in half and put it on two CDs
Can I get some opinions on what digital video formats people prefer.

[vcd4me]

councilman said

I've noticed that most downloaded movies from kazaa seem to be in .avi format. Is this the preferred digital format?

Most of these avi files you talk about are usually divx. Divx is a compression format to make the movie file smaller so you can download quicker (just like mp3 for music), that's why it is as you say the prefered format.

Then you said

Most that I have downloaded have been great quality and small enough to fit on a single CD.

. When you convert these movies they should need to be on two cds to be viewed on a stand alone dvd player

You also wrote

I do have one that is 730 mb is there any way to get it smaller so that it will fit on a single cd or split it in half and put it on two CDs

. When you make vcd's you can fit 80 minutes of video on a 80 minute cd-r.

QUESTION>Can I get some opinions on what digital video formats people prefer
ANSWER> I perfer avi with a high bitrate so I can make the best possible vcd or svcd

Hope this helps
VCD4ME

[MaDmiZe]

We are of course assuming that you want to end up with a VCD compatable mpeg1 type video, so that you at least have a chance of viewing it on a stand alone DVD player??
If Not then AVi is fine...for storage or to view on PC.But it has to be reencoded (basicly converted) to mpeg1 for use otherwise.
I don't know why people post only AVI's...all my stuff I put up in VCD format with descent quality and about the same file size( sometimes smaller).....The difference is that mine can burnt as is....all the others have to be redone for further use>

[councilman]

thanks VCD4ME
O.K. Let me see if I have this straight. You can take a DVD create a avi file which is small then make it even smaller using DIVX? Or is DIVX and AVI the same thing?

[MaDmiZe]

DIVX is a type of AVI file (encoded with the Divx codec)

[vcd4me]

councilman,

You got it right but don't forget that an avi file can really be any size its just a file type.MaDmiZe is right divx is a codec which is an avi file.

A dvd can be ripped onto a hard drive uncompressed at anything upto 9.4gigs ,which of course is all the space on a dual layer dvd (store bought movie).

Hope this helps
VCD4ME