video editing question

[poptosis]

Just stuck a few clips together to make a 46.6MB wmv file

How can I get this down so I can upload it? Is there some free software I can download from the interweb?

The file was put together in winows moviemaker.

thanks,

pop

[Parrot of Doom]

What resolution is the file, and what codec does it use?

[poptosis]

video codec: Windows Media Video 9 Professional
audio codec:Windows Media Audio 9.1 160 kbps, 44 kHz, stereo (A/V) 1-pass CBR

video size: 640 x 480
aspect ratio 4:3

[R988]

Moviemaker already has a feature to compress the file to whatever size and it will select the format for you.

You will probably have to lose the 640x480 res though, it will be difficult to drop the filesize much further without losing quality and screen size.

[ErnestM]

320x240 is normally good enough for the web...

ErnestM

[bigdods]

poptosis said:

video codec: Windows Media Video 9 Professional audio codec:Windows Media Audio 9.1 160 kbps, 44 kHz, stereo (A/V) 1-pass CBR video size: 640 x 480 aspect ratio 4:3

There is an excellent proggie called virtualdub www.virtualdub.org/ its free BUT you do need to know a bit about video editing or be prepared to spend some time on the virtualdub forums learning how to do it.

This can resize, change codec, compression - you name it this baby does it.

Some advice - not sure how you do any of this in Movie Maker as Ive never used it:
WMA @ 160kbps you should be able to drop that to 96kbps without losing much quality.
1-Pass CBR should be at least 1-Pass VBR (variable bit rate) this will reduce the file size quite a bit. and 320x240 is fine for the web this will give you a huge reduction in file size.

TMPGEnc is another program which deals more in the MPEG world but you have to pay for it - but it would probably suit you better as it doesnt really need much expert knowledge.

Good luck

[Wildfire]

Both Virtual Dub and TMPEG are great packages. I use Sorenson Squeeze, but I don't think that's free. It came with my Avid.