Edit & Compress avi Files

Hi,
I want to commend you for this very useful web site. I recently purchased a Nikon Coolpix camera. I made my 1st short movie >> http://www.homes-nnj.com/ video.

I searched several days looking for a cheap program to convert the movie file to Windows format. I found this site and tried Rad Video. That worked just fine, however, the output file is very large.

As I am retired & have limited funds >>> could you recommend a program that can edit the file and compress the size.

Again thank you for your help >>> my e-mail is rogvan@optonline.net

RogVan

After you click convert a file, then select AVI... when you click convert, you should see a box popup that lets you select the output codec. You most likely picked full frames, which means uncompressed AVI. Instead, just pick your favorite codec and click configure to set the options to your liking. If you have no idea which codec or settings to use, just do trial and error.

Thanks, Was able to compress file OK, however, I would like to find a reasonable program to edit & cut the clips

RogVan

VirtualDub will do the job. http://www.virtualdub.org It’s an AVI editor, and it’s freeware.
Cutting is very simple. Open your file in VirtualDub. Move the time to where you want to start. Click edit, set selection start for your starting point. Move to the end. Click edit, set selection end. Then click video, direct stream copy (very important, otherwise it will recompress the avi to the default full frames = uncompressed = huge; direct stream copy is just what it says: copy the stream without modifying it). Then click file save as avi.
A couple of things to note: VirtualDub only cuts the starting point at keyframes (when doing direct stream copy). If it so happens that it cuts slightly before or slightly after where you want it to be, make the original conversion from RAD uncompressed, or pick a lossless video codec, or set your keyframe interval very low (less than 1 second or say... less than every 10 frames, depending on which one the codec you selected goes by). You’ll then be able to cut at any frame. Then instead of direct stream copy for video, go to video, and pick compression, and pick another codec (basically you’re compressing at the end now). Then file save as avi as before.

VirtualDub is good and free, but I would recommend VideoCharge. It provides more editing features and supported formats, including WMV. During 20-day trial period, you can use it for free.

sometimes I have to reduce the quality for compress the size.