TRIMMING AN AVI FILE. THE FILE SIZE EXPLODES

[HANKMARS]

I made an audio/video recording with a fuji digital camera. I copied the file from the camera to my computer. The recording is 26 minutes in length with a file size of 1.79 GB. I trimmed a section out that I want to use. The trimmed avi is 2 min 45 sec long with a file size of 2.16 GB. What causes and what is all the extra data that comes along with the trim piece? Can I delete data from the trim piece and retain integrity of recording?

 

[Harald Kapp]

When you trimmed the video you re-encoded. The settings of the encoder obviously generated the big file size. There is no extra data, just much less compression than in the original video.
You can
- try other settings in the tool used for trimming (which tool do you use by the way?)
- use another tool for trimming (e.g avisynth)
- re-encode the trimmed piece using a converter like e.g. handbrake.

 

[HANKMARS]

When you trimmed the video you re-encoded. The settings of the encoder obviously generated the big file size. Thefre is no extra data, just much less compression than in the original video.
You can
- try other settings in the tool used for trimming (which tool do you use by the way?)
- use another tool for trimming (e.g avisynth)
- re-encode the trimmed piece using a converter like e.g. handbrake.

The trimmer I use appears to be part of Windows 10 editing app. I call up photo or video file into "photos" app and click on edit & create › trim. I have GIMP which I believe is active. Also PIXIO but that may be disabled. I am not sure if either editor does video editing.

 

[HANKMARS]

When you trimmed the video you re-encoded. The settings of the encoder obviously generated the big file size. Thefre is no extra data, just much less compression than in the original video.
You can
- try other settings in the tool used for trimming (which tool do you use by the way?)
- use another tool for trimming (e.g avisynth)
- re-encode the trimmed piece using a converter like e.g. handbrake.

Handbrake is looking for 64 bit windows and mine is 32 bit. I will look for alternative.

 

[HANKMARS]

When you trimmed the video you re-encoded. The settings of the encoder obviously generated the big file size. Thefre is no extra data, just much less compression than in the original video.
You can
- try other settings in the tool used for trimming (which tool do you use by the way?)
- use another tool for trimming (e.g avisynth)
- re-encode the trimmed piece using a converter like e.g. handbrake.

Good golly. I found a video editor named VideoPad. Made a free demo. May very well purchase. But I will seek out perhaps an actual free editor software package. Pretty much everyone jams the word FREE into their site title. Sometimes it means nothing more than I can visit their site for free. How benevolent. Thanks for cluing me in Harold. BTW the same trim piece came to 159 MB as opposed to the 2.16 GB.

 

[dave9]

If all you want to do is crop out a segment and re-encode to your choice of codec, you don't have to pay for software to do something this simple, freeware alternatives exist like avidemux, though it can do a fair bit more than just that, and personally if that's all I were doing with a video, I'd prefer the cleaner interface and larger preview video pane of avidemux over fancier, fuller featured options.

Also, avidemux can do a direct copy using the same codec instead of reencoding which is much (MUCH) faster and often the best option to not lose any video quality from a reencode. Other video apps can do this too, I don't mean to imply otherwise, but just suggesting that for the purpose you expressed, it seems to suit your needs at the moment to just use avidemux to select the segment you want and do a (the default operation) "copy " function in it which does not reencode the video.

 

[Harald Kapp]

you don't have to pay for software to do something this simple, freeware alternatives exist

I agree. Avisynth may not be the easiest to use as it is command line based (not everybody's first choice today). Avidemux has a graphical interface and is easy to use.