Free AVI to MPG converters?

[Theophania]

Hey all,

I had such great help the last time I posted a tech question, so I thought I'd ask ya'll another ?...

I need to convert my AVI "Welcome Video" on my site to a MPG file, as it is HUGE! (56 MG). What prgm do you recommend for making this a muuuuch smaller and DL friendly file?

[Steven Edwards]

An mpeg'll likely be bigger. Use VirtualDub to encode with the xvid codec. link (http://www.doom9.org/index.html?/xvid.htm)

[bob clark]

Hi Steve,

Why do you think an mpg would be larger than an avi? Isn't mpg 1,2,4 and 5 and maybe 6 all video compression software?

Would the people trying to view the xvid compressed video need to download any special software or codec? That wouldn't be very user friendly. It seems like everytime you turn around you need to download and install another codec or program because someome figured out a way to compress video by another .05% or whatever.

And did you read that page you linked to? It's too funny for words! Better enroll in a computer class or two Theophania.... it's got me scared.

I just looked around for a free, easy to use avi to mpg converter and can't find one. They're all free to try but have limitations like size limits or watermarkings etc until you buy them. Except that rather complicated looking and perhaps "rough around the edges" Virtualdub and XviD 1.1 at the Doom9 website that Steve linked to.

Maybe someone here knows how to use that open source stuff or has an easy to use avi to mpg or divx program and will convert it for you.

Good luck.

EDIT: Theophania, is the avi that you want converted posted up on a website yet, able to be downloaded? I may be able to find someone at another forum that I go to, to convert it for you.

[Steven Edwards]

Hi Steve,

Why do you think an mpg would be larger than an avi? Isn't mpg 1,2,4 and 5 and maybe 6 all video compression software? Experience is why I think that. :)

All the MPEGs you listed are just codecs. XViD is an MPEG-4 codec.

Would the people trying to view the xvid compressed video need to download any special software or codec? That wouldn't be very user friendly. XViD is fairly standard these days. I think Windows Media Player will download the codec automatically when loading the file.

And did you read that page you linked to? It's too funny for words! Better enroll in a computer class or two Theophania.... it's got me scared. I'll post better instructions when I get to my desktop. Using it to encode a file is a lot easier than it looks.

Theo, if it's online, let me know and I'll convert it if you want.

[Theophania]

Steve,

Thx! Here it is :) Please make it as small as possible...

http://www.beautyability.com/Welcome%20video.avi

[LaoziSailor]

Theophania,

For starters let me ask you:

What do you want (although you've already stated this)?
Why do you want it?
the reason I ask this is because having a video on a "Welcome Page"
gets me to thinking that you are hoping to "stream" video when some
soul happens by :)
If this is in fact why you want it, IMO there will be more to just a simple
conversion.
How will you know you have what you want?
What are your priorities?
What are your perceptions?


Video is an exciting field to explore. While many vendors are making it easier,
it is still a good idea to have some knowledge in the field.
To keep you from taking a community college course that would include many
aspects -- sound, non-linear video editing, conversion, etc., you may as an
alternative spend some time surfing / browsing / studying at

http://www.videohelp.com/

Cheers!

[Theophania]

I want an easy to DL video for most connections, so that visitors to my site can decide to click on it and view it if they so choose. It will be on my index/main page :) Streaming was an idea I had, but I think automatic streams can be annoying. I just want people who see it to get a taste for what my site has. I think having it will add some humanism to my site too.

I don't care what kind of video file it is....just as long as its simple.

;)

[Scott Pruett]

Tiff -

Here's a Quicktime file, compressed to 1.2mb (compared to yours @ 96.1mb).

http://face5.net/sandbox/cc/tiff.mov

HTH...

[Steven Edwards]

How dare you beat me to it, Scott! :p

[Theophania]

Tiff -

Here's a Quicktime file, compressed to 1.2mb (compared to yours @ 96.1mb).

http://face5.net/sandbox/cc/tiff.mov

HTH...

YOU RULE!!!!!!!!!

thx thx thx

PS. Thx Steven too ;)

[Scott Pruett]

haha... sorry Steven. You can try another format & see if you can compress it even more. :D

Tiff, no prob. Any thoughts on coming to DC this year w/ a *normal* bf? :applaud:

[Theophania]

HA! Not funny....ok, yes it is :)~ In retrospect, yes the guy I brought last year was a huge freak job. I'm now dating a physical therapist, my own age, but alas I'm not going to be in DC this year. I just lost my FT job. My girl Kelly G. will be there though. A hottie from KC!

Btw, what prgm did you use to convert my avi into such a small file?

[Scott Pruett]

oh it's funny; that dude with you last year was weird. :D bummer to hear about the job loss & that you won't be coming though! who is Kelly? anyone from CC?

I just used iMovie (I'm on a mac) to convert/compress/optimize your file for the web... nothing fancy.

cheers..

[Theophania]

yeah my ex had PTSD....definitely shouldnt have been out of the mental hospital ;) lol ok that was mean...ANYWAYS...

no, Kelly Gianatassio is not active here on CC, but she is on my boards quite often tho. she is a T6 para and has modeled for rolli-moden. kelly will be speaking at the rally this yr. she's 31, hurt 6 yrs ago in a roll-over in santa barbara, has a bf in the military, and just moved to NC to live with him.

us!

http://www.beautyability.com/12_2_2005_062.jpg

[jimnms]

Your .avi file wasn't compressed at all, that's why it was so big. You can import it into Windows Movie Maker and customize it to your liking. I ran it through and used the default settings for dialup size. It got it down to 415KB. Download It (http://ircore.com/~reaper/temp/Dialup.wmv)

[Scott Pruett]

yeah my ex had PTSD....definitely shouldnt have been out of the mental hospital ;) lol ok that was mean...ANYWAYS... wow. :applaud:

no, Kelly Gianatassio is not active here on CC, but she is on my boards quite often tho. she is a T6 para and has modeled for rolli-moden. kelly will be speaking at the rally this yr.
the W2W rally? she's not listed on the site.. only reason I ask.

[Scott Pruett]

Your .avi file wasn't compressed at all, that's why it was so big. You can import it into Windows Movie Maker and customize it to your liking. I ran it through and used the default settings for dialup size. It got it down to 415KB. Download It (http://ircore.com/%7Ereaper/temp/Dialup.wmv)
you win. mine runs more smoothly though. :)

[Theophania]

scott, strange...yeah susan maus personally called her last week. she knows she's oming.

thx jimnms!

[mr_coffee]

Why do you need to convert it to .mpeg?
I compress the .avi's using a different codec named: xVid-MPEG-4 and use a free progam called VirtualDub, i got a 110 meg file down to 4 megs with no noticeable quailty loss. Its f'ing great!

[Theophania]

i just wanted my avi smaller