how to make .avi smaller, but still an .avi file

[jonnyD]

I have a movie .avi file which is 1.99GB. I have a 2GB flash drive which says this file is too big, so I'd like to shrink it ever so slightly so as not to lose too much quality, but get it on the flash drive. What freeware program wil do the job?

[roozhou]

Remux it with AVI_Mux_GUI. It is lossless.

[CWR03]

You could also use VirtualDubMod in direct streaming mode to trim off the end credits and (hopefully) make it fit.

[jonnyD]

Remux it with AVI_Mux_GUI. It is lossless.

I've never remuxed anything or even know what it is, but upon doing a little investigation, it seems that it has to do with joining together various elements into one file. After taking a brief look at the manual, I'm guessing what you are suggesting has to do with file splitting and removing everything except the main movie and the audio thereby reducing the size of the resultant .avi file. Is that what you were implying when you suggested this tool? Or did you have something else in mind?

[sneaker_ger]

While cutting (to do what CWR03 suggested), leaving out or adding tracks is possible with AVI Mux GUI, roozhou probably means that you should simply remux the file with it, because AVI Mux GUI is known to produce files with less overhead than other tools, maybe around 1-2%, which could just be enough decrease to be able to put it on your stick.

[jonnyD]

What does "remuxing" in relation to how you're using this word? I'm not getting the concept. I thought it had to do with joining together various different files into one resultant file. That doesn't seem to be what you're talking about.

Also, what do you mean there will be "less overhead?" I'm not getting your meaning. This is a newbie forum, no?

[sneaker_ger]

When I'm talking about "muxing" I'm generally talking about putting a number of tracks (usually 1 video and 1 audio track) into a single file, in this case an avi container. The resulting file will be a bit bigger than just the two tracks combined because the avi container also stores some extra information (like an index so you can seek to any position of the file without waiting several minutes). These additional information is called "overhead" as it does not consist of video or audio data. Different applications may use slightly different ways of muxing and AVI Mux GUI is known to produce less overhead than other applications. Thus muxing your video file again with Avi MUX GUI may just be good enough to decrease the file size so that it will fit on the usb stick.

[jonnyD]

Thanks for that.
It seems from your description that what I want to do is take the audio and video files inside my current avi container and pass it through AVI Mux GUI and hopefully the resultant .avi file will fit onto my usb stick because there will be less overhead.

Do you know where to find a newbie-friendly manual on how to use AVI Mux GUI? I've looked at one (see link below) and it doesn't make sense to me. I learn pretty quickly, but this manual is for someone who has a grasp on the general world of muxing. I don't know what operation I'm trying to perform with this program or how even to approach using it.

http://www.alexander-noe.com/video/amg/#optionen

[CWR03]

Did you attempt to use VirtualDubMod to trim off some of the end credits? There's no learning a new program, you just open the file, move the slider to the start of the credits, click Video > Direct stream copy and save with a new filename.

[StainlessS]

@JonnyD
With VirtualDub, you can get rid of JUNK Chunks, (extra rubbish put
in the file for AVI creator convenience), just load AVI, select
'VIDEO/Direct Stream Copy' and save as AVI.
It may though not give you enough saving to fit your stick,
but it might do. Suck it & see. :)

EDIT:- if not enough space saved, goto start of end credits,
press HOME key on keypad, goto end of video, Press END
key, Press DELETE key, then save as above.

[Tomkate68]

I don't like to use freeware, They have great defects, If you use just once, You can use the test version. If you feel good, you can buy it.

[CWR03]

I don't like to use freeware
That's mainly what this site is about, the development and use of freeware products.

[Shumbles]

I don't like to use freeware, They have great defects, If you use just once, You can use the test version. If you feel good, you can buy it.

LOL. Sorry, I just had to sign in to laugh at you. (mod, feel free to strike me, it was worth it.)

[AnonCrow]

For cases where you want to save more than just a little space, without re-encoding the whole video, but willing to lose some quality.
you really have two options
1. Re-encode just the audio - though wouldn't go lower than ~64 kbps 22/24 KHz mono, regardless of codec, unless the audio is mostly just speech in which case you can go as low as you dare.
2. In VirtualDub, direct stream copy the video but decimate by 2 (or if the source fps is high, even by 3).