# Video recording files from TV and DVR to PC are huge



## PC person (Feb 2, 2006)

:nonono:I'm using this 

Mygica EZgrabber2 USB 2.0 Video Capture, VHS to DVD Conversion, Windows 7 64bit and 32bit, Easy Video Uploading to YouTube Account, Convert Home Video, Gameplay to DVDs with a Push on the Button, Free Video Editing Software


to record from either my DVR/TV/VCR to my PC. I see the files are huge, in this video

Have You Ever Wanted To Transfer Those Old VHS Tapes To Your Computer? This Is How You Do It. - NewsLinQ

It's said that this device at least records an hour of video into a 700MB file, but I have files that are only 40 minutes and are 2.71 gigabytes, vs ones I've gotten elsewhere of the same recording-that I didn't record (show,etc) that are a reasonable file size 500MB's or 350MB for an hour of video.

What are the factors in how big a video file will be? These are too big.


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## koala (Mar 27, 2005)

Bitrate (data per second, eg 6mbps) is the main factor that determines the file size.

Also, the screen dimensions (number of pixels, eg 1920x1080) and the codec used (MP4, MKV, H264, etc) play a large role.

Check the recording options in your software and try reducing the bitrate down to about 2000 to see if the image quality is good enough. Experiment with the settings.


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## PC person (Feb 2, 2006)

Looks like I don't have an option to adjust the bitrate (maybe I should get another device?) but here is a screenshot of what I can do, change the recording format.

You said the codec matters, I notice the file size from a video made with MPG4 is a LOT smaller than DVD, but for some reason it calls it an AVI in VLC media player, shouldn't it be MPG(MPEG)4? 

The option to make an avi by clicking avi just plain doesn't work, the video made with using that option just will be blank- no video.


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## PC person (Feb 2, 2006)

I was thinking, since I already recorded them all in MPEG, can I scale them down say with something like format factory, kind of like how a still picture taken at a higher resolution to be printed on a bigger print, can easily be printed on a small sized print, since you have more than enough information? Except in this case we're talking about video.


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## koala (Mar 27, 2005)

I haven't used EZ Grabber. If it has no other recording options other than the format, you can use a different program to record from TV, etc. Just select the input source, then experiment with the codec and bitrate options.

If you already have the videos in MPEG, use a video converter to reduce either the bitrate or resolution to give a smaller filesize.


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## PC person (Feb 2, 2006)

koala said:


> I haven't used EZ Grabber. If it has no other recording options other than the format, you can use a different program to record from TV, etc. Just select the input source, then experiment with the codec and bitrate options.
> 
> If you already have the videos in MPEG, use a video converter to reduce either the bitrate or resolution to give a smaller filesize.


like format factory?


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## zuluclayman (Dec 16, 2005)

Format Factory, Handbrake among others give you options to control bitrate, resolution, codec....all of which will contribute to minimising the file size of your output.

A point to remember: each time you transcode/convert video you DO lose quality. 
As Koala pointed out in a previous post here...bitrate is one of the main contributors to both file size AND quality...taste & try!


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## PC person (Feb 2, 2006)

Anyway, I really don't want to have to re-record all of the home movies we have. It's 56 hours and 47 minutes of video. Hope format factory/another program will do a good job scaling them down, and keep good quality

I have several episodes of shows I've downloaded which are very decent at 350MB's for 50 minutes of video. I'd like to try burning all these hours of video onto a 50GB blue ray disc, at say 800MBs for an hour of video.


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## koala (Mar 27, 2005)

Format Factory and other similar programs will give good quality results.

If these are important family videos, I would go for a higher bitrate, keep the original resolution and use two bluray discs instead of limiting yourself to just the one.


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## PC person (Feb 2, 2006)

koala said:


> Format Factory and other similar programs will give good quality results.
> 
> If these are important family videos, I would go for a higher bitrate, keep the original resolution and use two bluray discs instead of limiting yourself to just the one.


May need 4 actually, it's 163GB's of video, think the highest capacity blu-rays are 50GB's right?

Tried using format factory, it was working fine the other night.

One thing I didn't realize is when clicking a format icon (say MP4) when converting the same file, it will apply the bitrate set in the options to ALL of the files you are trying to convert. You have to list them one at a time and it will put them in the list to the right of the file format icons when it starts. That's why all my files were the same file size- it was using the same bitrate for all of them.

Anyway, now I'm getting a different error, specifically it fails to convert them, where it lists the percentage done it will end/stop it with (before it finishes) Error 0xC0000005


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