# How can I make a video's size smaller? [without decreasing the quality]



## RoboMonkeyManv1 (Apr 11, 2008)

So I'm responsible for burning a home video [which is in .MOD format] onto DVD. The problem is that the video is too big [around 6 GB] and won't fit onto one disc [4.7 GB]. I already burned it onto 2 discs but my DVD player doesn't recognize it, but my computer does. Why is that? Did I burn it into a bad format? It's also kind of stupid to have 2 discs for one home movie. Is it possible to make the video size smaller without ruining the quality of the video? If so, how? I already searched and found out about encoders/decoders and to make the bit rate smaller, but how can I do this?

I recorded the movie with a JVC camcorder and burned the DVD with the program that came with it: Power Cinema NE for Everio.

Sorry for all the questions but if someone has an answer to my problem please reply. Thanks, much appreciated.


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## blah789 (Aug 25, 2008)

Regular movie DVD's that you buy at the store have a very specific structure. If you look at them in Windows Explorer they have folders like VIDEO_TS and files like .VOB .IFO and .BUP. That's what standalone DVD players are designed to decode (though that capability has been expanded over the years - now some can play music CD's, VCD's, SVCD's, data CD's or data DVD's with DivX-encoded AVI files, and so forth). You can't just burn a data DVD with the .MOD file (or any other type of video file) and expect it to play in any standalone DVD player. (Newer models now can handle data DVD's with MPEG-2 files on them - like .MOD files, but they might not recognize the file extension of the JVC's (.MOD - almost no one besides JVC uses this). If you know for sure (after examining your user manual) that your standalone DVD player can handle data DVD's with MPEG-2 files, try renaming the file to .MPG and see if it's readable.

About the file being too big: you could (if your standalone DVD player supports them, and if it supports data DVD's with MPEG-2 files on it) simply burn a double-layer DVD. You'll have to check the manual to see if double layer media is supported though. Also check if it supports PTP or OPT (meaning when it gets to the end of one layer, does it start reading in reverse, or does it move the laser back to the front and start reading the other layer in the same direction?).

If you need to lossessly split the video into parts (aka "cut") so each fits on one DVD.
Use TMPGEnc Free Edition. Go to http://www.tmpgenc.net (the download button is at the _top_ of the page after you select your language. Download the zip and extract it and run TMPGEnc. Skip the wizard. Click file, MPEG Tools. Click on the Merge and Cut tab. For type pick MPEG-2 Program. Click Add. For 'Files of Type' select all files (like I said .MOD extension is used by nobody except JVC). Find your 6GB MOD file and open it. It will be listed on the left. Click on it once to select it, then click edit. Move the time bar at the bottom to the point where you want to cut the movie. If you need to do frame by frame seeking, you can use the double arrows at the right. Once you pick your spot, click on the right bracket }. That will set the endpoint. Click OK. Then click browse and select a name for your first part. Then click run. This will take a while since your file is so huge. When all is done and the first part has been created, click edit again. Go back to that same exact spot on the time bar. Then click the left bracket {. This will set the startpoint for the second part. Then click OK, click browse to select a name for your second part and click run.
Notice you'll need at least 6 extra GB of space for the operation since it's not in-place cutting (the splitted parts are actually copied).
To make sure everything worked all right, try playing both sections.

If you want to make actual DVD's (in the same structure as movie DVD's), you have to use a DVD authoring program. Be sure to look for a setting that will allow you to losslessly copy your MPEG-2 video stream to the VOB file without re-encoding (since re-encoding always creates loss of quality, and can take time). It may not be available with all DVD authoring programs though.


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## RoboMonkeyManv1 (Apr 11, 2008)

Wow thanks for this! I appreciate all the time you took to help me. I will definitely try the things you mentioned.


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## RoboMonkeyManv1 (Apr 11, 2008)

It's kind of weird though, because the program allows me to make a DVD, so it should have worked. I didn't just make a data DVD with the .MOD video.


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## blah789 (Aug 25, 2008)

Perhaps it didn't recognize the file extension. Rename it to .mpg and see what happens. You'll need to enable file extensions. Go to control panel, folder options, view tab, and uncheck 'hide extensions for known file types'

Also, check for the obvious: are you burning to -R media when your player only supports +R media (it should be listed in the manual). And to avoid making too many coasters, try using RW media (if your player supports it).


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## RoboMonkeyManv1 (Apr 11, 2008)

Wow, something so simple as renaming the .MOD to .mpg helped. Thanks for your time.


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