Reduction of 5.5GB Mpeg file help

[darren_e]

I recorded a show that's 5.5 GB in size but I want to fit it to a 4.7GB DVD which means I have to re-code the mpeg somehow.

What program can do this?

I'm not talking about recoding a DVD- I need to re-encode an mpeg file so that I can make it into a DVD using Nero.

Thanks,

[SprDtyF350]

Nero should be able to do this. Specifically Nerovision Express.

Randy

[ejdriscoll]

I thought Nero had a built-in capability to transcode video - maybe NeroVision Express?

If the thing you recorded has commercials, it *might* be easier to get down to 4.7GB by editing out the commercials instead - you could use VideoRedo trial copy for this. Editing segments out is a LOT faster than transcoding (minutes vs. hours).

[geoffstewart]

I use www.dvdshrink.org

I have no idea how it does the job it does, but I don't think it re-encodes because it's way too fast.

It's free.

Geoff

[ejdriscoll]

DVDshrink is awesome if what you're starting with is a DVD or a set of DVD files, but is there any way to just feed it an mpeg file?

[fester]

lots of great freeware and guides at videohelp.com. i use TMPGEnc plus. built a 3.2 (OC'd to 3.5ghz 1:1) raid system just to encode faster... and stuff.

SSE3 optimized mpeg4/mpeg2 software is supposed to be the fastest (xbitlabs.com benchmarks) if you are using prescott cpu. tmpgenc version i'm using is optimized for HT and its pretty damn fast. ~5gb encode --> 2gb mpeg2 in about 75mins

www.videohelp.com

[gplasky]

If you want to use DVDShrink you have to take your mpeg file and use your software like Nero or Roxio and create a DVD out of it on your hard drive. Then DVDShrink will be able to shrink it and eother copy it or burn it. (But if you have Nero just use NeroVision.

Gerry

[darren_e]

Yes, but the issue at hand is the fact that the mpeg is 5.5 GB and it won't fit onto 4.7GB DVD media.

I would have to burn it to DVD+9 media (which are still expensive) and then using that DVD, recode it to fit a 4.7GB DVD.

If someone can confirm that TMPGEnc will allow me to reduce an MPEG (not a DVD) file size to fit onto a 4.7GB DVD then that will be what I will pursue.

Thanks so far!

[merrypig]

TMPGENC DVD Author definitely allows larger than 4.7GB.

It will prompt you (v1.5) to say it's larger than the media are you sure, - just dismiss it and away it goes. I do this step quite often when I archive series to a DVD.

DvdAuthor+dvdshrink has been a happy combination for me.

[Rich A]

If your original Mpeg is okay specification wize and all you need to do is to reduce the size then use the program "Rejig".

http://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=ReJig

This is a "transcoder". If you RE-ENcode the mpeg it will change the quality. In some cases (like with an excellent encoder like TMPGENC) it will make the mpeg compliant by using a DVD template and the quality will be very good. However, since this is doing a full re-encode of the file it will take a good amount of time.

Rejig will work with vob's, DVDs etc. BUT also in a "file" mode where you can feed it any Mpeg, and simply tell it what the final size should be in percentage. It doesn't re-encode but rather "transcodes" from mpeg to mpeg only changing the bit rate. In most cases when making an Mpeg say down to 70 percent of it's original size, you won't see any difference.

I use it often when I find a captured show is a tad too large for a single DVD. I compute how big in percentage the final should be, (say 80 percent) and then it generally takes a total of 60 to 90 SECONDS to complete the job.
(I have an optimized very high speed computer dedicated to video editing) YMMV .. but even with a slow machine, you are looking at a minute or two to shrink a 6 GB file down to 4 GB. No video or audio is altered or re-encoded.

This is similar to how dvd ripping / shrinking programs work in general. Most of those are designed to work withing an existing DVD title set. ReJig will shrink "any" kind of Mpeg.

Tip .. remember you can't use the entire 4.7 GB of a DVD. Generally plan on 4.3 GB or less to be safe.

[darren_e]

Hmmm...good options so far. I see ReJig is Freeware (now that's awesome)

I'm not too worried about my computer speed, I have a dedicated machine built specifically for putting my recordings to DVD. (AMD 64 3400+ w/1 GB PC3200 RAM, 2 Seagate 80GBs w/a SATA 250GB...Not a speed demon, but good enough I hope)

Right now I'm using Nero to make my DVD's although, looking at what DVDLab Pro can do, that may be the next item of interest once I can figure out which program to use for getting the MPEG file size to fit on a standard DVD.

I'll have to try ReJig and do some reading on TMPGEnc.

BIG Thanks to everyone for leading me in the right direction.

[jsereda]

Originally Posted by darren_e

Yes, but the issue at hand is the fact that the mpeg is 5.5 GB and it won't fit onto 4.7GB DVD media.

I would have to burn it to DVD+9 media (which are still expensive) and then using that DVD, recode it to fit a 4.7GB DVD.

Instead of burning right to a DVD with nero, save the files to the hard drive or write the image to the hard drive. If you write an image download windows xp virtual cd rom control panel and mount the image, then use dvd shrink to shrink it to standard single layer dvd. If you write a video ts folder you can bypass the windows xp virtual cd-rom control panel step.

[Rich A]

Originally Posted by darren_e

Hmmm...good options so far. I see ReJig is Freeware (now that's awesome)

I'm not too worried about my computer speed, I have a dedicated machine built specifically for putting my recordings to DVD. (AMD 64 3400+ w/1 GB PC3200 RAM, 2 Seagate 80GBs w/a SATA 250GB...Not a speed demon, but good enough I hope)

Right now I'm using Nero to make my DVD's although, looking at what DVDLab Pro can do, that may be the next item of interest once I can figure out which program to use for getting the MPEG file size to fit on a standard DVD.

I'll have to try ReJig and do some reading on TMPGEnc.

BIG Thanks to everyone for leading me in the right direction.

How do you like the AMD 64? I'm just putting together a 939 socket 3500 Mhz 64 myself. By the way. If you plan on doing a lot of editing and DVD authoring (I do a ton myself) look into setting up a dedicated RAID 0 for your scratch and work disk. I have an external 4-drive (10,000 RPM SATA) RAID 0 array. Multiplexing, DeMultiplexing, writing DVD Title Sets and Transcoding all involve a lot of disc activity. Doing tests here myself, running a multiplexing of an Mpeg video and audio stream with a single 7200 SATA would take about 4 minutes. Using the RAID it's down to 45 seconds.

[darren_e]

Originally Posted by Rich A

How do you like the AMD 64? I'm just putting together a 939 socket 3500 Mhz 64 myself. By the way. If you plan on doing a lot of editing and DVD authoring (I do a ton myself) look into setting up a dedicated RAID 0 for your scratch and work disk. I have an external 4-drive (10,000 RPM SATA) RAID 0 array. Multiplexing, DeMultiplexing, writing DVD Title Sets and Transcoding all involve a lot of disc activity. Doing tests here myself, running a multiplexing of an Mpeg video and audio stream with a single 7200 SATA would take about 4 minutes. Using the RAID it's down to 45 seconds.

The AMD 64 is a great processor, my laptop has a 3200+ in it and it was running circles around my previous computer before I upgraded. I have high hopes for when windows goes 64bit- That's when I think we'll see this processor shine (Linux 64bit users have been quite happy).
I'm just now starting to put some recordings to DVD, mostly TV shows with the commercials cut out but I don't see myself getting into an extensive amount of authoring like what you may be doing.
So, everything with DVD authoring is new to me the same way my HTPC was when I first got into it (which wasn't that long ago).

Thanks again (to everybody) for all the insight, much valuable information was learned in a matter of 15 minutes! How nice is that??

[darren_e]

Looks like I'm going to go with a program called "DVDLab Pro"

It uses the TMPGEnc engine and has one helluva nice user interface for making custom DVD's.

I almost went the TMPGEnc DVD route but from the specs/screenshots of DVDLab Pro, I'm sold.