Video compression

[Dr. V]

I just shot some video with my crappy camera and I cant email it cuz it's over 16mb. How do I go about compressing it?

[Mad Melvin]

http://www.tmpgenc.net/e_main.html

You can use tmpgenc. Its free and easy to use.

[Dr. V]

The movies are in .mov format. Will this work on those too?

Or should I just host them somewhere and let my gf download them?

[Pram Maven]

If you are still wondering about compression,

Use Quicktime Pro to output the file to an uncompressed .avi

Download and open Real Anime 2.25.
Select your source file and output destination, and just use the defaults, with Real Media 10 selected as your rendering codec.

The results will please both your eye and your size/space requirements.

As of now, Quicktime SUCKS for creating small files unless you have Cleaner or Sorenson Squeeze, both of which are very expensive, and Quicktime is more or less outdated by the newer, open-source codecs. Xvid works wonderfully, though, if you would like an alternative to Real. You did not specify your platform, so I don't know if you would want to go with Real. It's pretty much unsupported on the Mac platform, though.

[executioneer]

guys he needs to use virtualdub and an xvid codec >: virtualdub is free and NOT limited to exporting mpeg1 >:

[Pram Maven]

Oh yeah, I knew I left something out.

Not every version of Vdub is stable, though. Make sure to go with one that isn't beta, and is at least two versions old. There are some issues with the Beta versions.

[pjalne]

Download and open Real Anime 2.25.
Select your source file and output destination, and just use the defaults, with Real Media 10 selected as your rendering codec.

Also, you should never use Real apps.

[Pram Maven]

Why not? Brickfilms uses Real all the time, and I'm a member of a collective of professional stopmotion animators, and they all use quicktime. Ok, nevermind.

Seriously, though, Real Video has VBR, which is a GODSEND for anyone who doesn't have the most stable lighting circuit in the world or a 0lux exposure-capable webcam/DV camera at their disposal.

[pjalne]

http://jogin.com/weblog/archives/2004/02/29/real_obnoxious

This is the first result I got when I googled "real player sucks". I don't know who this guy is, but he pretty much nails why nobody should ever use Real products, and the page links to two other interesting entries with info from former Real employees. The software is user hostile, it knowingly deceives, it steals resources and it opens you up for spyware. I'm sure Willie (executioneer) has an opinion on this as well.

[executioneer]

gah

[pjalne]

There you go.