Faster way to compress a 18-25 GB VHS-Image to Xvid

[lagu2653]

I'm trying to transfer my VHS-tapes to 4.38 GB DVD-R:s. Playing the tape takes 8 hours. It produces a 18-25 GB Mpeg-2 file (TV-card: PVR 350). Compressing it to a 4.38 GB Xvid-file using AviDemux (http://fixounet.free.fr/avidemux/doc/en/dvd2divx.xml.html) takes about 20 hours. Is there no faster way of backing up VHS to DVD other than buying a combined VHS/DVD-recorder? And besides DVD SuperExtendedPlay (SEP) is only 360 minutes not 480 minutes. I tried to transfer the file to my Windows machine and compress it there but the result was a larger file of worse quality (mosaic). (I'll get back to you in 20 hours.)

[Zep]

I'm trying to transfer my VHS-tapes to 4.38 GB DVD-R:s. Playing the tape takes 8 hours. It produces a 18-25 GB Mpeg-2 file (TV-card: PVR 350). Compressing it to a 4.38 GB Xvid-file using AviDemux (http://fixounet.free.fr/avidemux/doc/en/dvd2divx.xml.html) takes about 20 hours. Is there no faster way of backing up VHS to DVD other than buying a combined VHS/DVD-recorder? And besides DVD SuperExtendedPlay (SEP) is only 360 minutes not 480 minutes. I tried to transfer the file to my Windows machine and compress it there but the result was a larger file of worse quality (mosaic). (I'll get back to you in 20 hours.)

why a 4.38? you are beter off compressing it to a level of quality and
not worry about file size. If this means you use 2 DVD-R instead of one
then do it.

now the problem with your post you give no details on your system
like speed/model. You give no info on xvid settings or
what rez you are using etc...

Even a 2 year old box should be able to compress with default settings
at 320 x 240 at real time or faster in 2 pass.

until you give us more info there is not much more i can say since
the speed you are getting may very well be fine for your set up.