Video Camera to CD - File size

[bulolobob]

I'm trying to help a friend out. I have sucessfully uploaded a tape from his Panasonic Digital Video Camera. The track is 5.5 minutes long but the file size is 1.8Gb which makes it impractical to record on to a CD, or DVD.

The file is an AVI file and it plays in Windows Media Player and Panasonic's Motion DV Studio that came with the camera.

Is there a way to reduce the file size? And, would it be best burned to a CD or to a DVD?

Any ideas would be welcomed
Thanks
BB

[Coconutty]

bulolobob,

Why is it impractical to burn the file to a DVD disc ?

Granted it will leave a fair amount of unused space on the disc,
unless you fil it with other stuff, but they're not exactly expensive these days ?

Try this FREEWARE program - DVD Shrink (http://www.download-it-free.com/dvdshrink/) the program can compress video files,
and will even allow you to "back up" your own DVD's -
shrinking those over the 4.7Gb limit so they will fit onto your back up disc :ok:

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d129/coconut11/coconut.jpg
Coconutty

[bulolobob]

Thanks Coconutty - you'll get used to me soon (I only ever open my mouth to change feet!:oh: )

I've been so used to using CD-R's and CD-RW's that I never looked at how much a DVD would hold!

I'll just duck out now and shoot myself in the other foot!

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
Cheers
BB

[Background Noise]

There's plenty of software around to convert/compress avi into mpg format your 5 mins would become a couple of hundred mb at full quality. Windows Movie Maker which comes with Win XP will do it and allow you to edit it too.

[bulolobob]

Thanks BN - I'll give that a try
Cheers
BB