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outputting AVI’s that are too big
I seldom output SD video files for use on another edit system. In this case I digitized some camera footage at about 5M per second and now about 23 mins of footage is on my timeline. No problem there.
However, whenever I output all or a portion of the timeline as a DV/DVCPRO AVI file, with medium quality, the file always comes up as 4.87GB, which is too big to fit on a data DVD. I’m also having trouble getting it onto a client’s USB drive. I get to the end and it says it can’t read or write something.
First I started with the entire 23 mins, and the resultant file was about 4.87 gigs. Then i cut it in half, it was still 4.87 gigs. Then I cut it in half again, even smaller, and it’s STILL 4.87 gigs. This is driving me nuts. We’re only talking 5 mins of DV footage and it won’t fit on a data DVD.
The format doesn’t matter that much! I just wanna output this material so he can import it into his PC edit program, Adobe elements or something like that. It’s a more primitive edit system. Can I use another format that won’t take so friggin long to render and that will be a reasonable size I can output??
The AVI output option doesn’t allow me specific a limited data rate.
frustrated.
John
“Life is good, as long as it doesn’t take up too much of my time.”
-anonymous gamer
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4 Replies
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It is not the avi container that is the problem, it is the DV codec.
The DV codec is locked to 25 Mbits/s which equates to 13GB/hour. The quality slider has no effect whatsoever on DV streams.
I am guessing the reason that you cannot copy it to your clients USB drive is because it is formatted as FAT32 which has a 2GB file size limit.
First I started with the entire 23 mins, and the resultant file was about 4.87 gigs. Then i cut it in half, it was still 4.87 gigs. Then I cut it in half again, even smaller, and it’s STILL 4.87 gigs. This is driving me nuts. We’re only talking 5 mins of DV footage and it won’t fit on a data DVD.It seems you are not actually cutting it in half. Check your in and out points. 13GB/hour = 216MB/minute. 5 mins should be just over 1GB.
So you have a few options.
Break the file into two 2.5 GB “chunks” and burn them to two DVDs.
Break the file into “chunks” that are smaller than 2GB and copy them to the USB drive.
Use a dual-layer DVD which holds approx 8GB.I would avoid using a lower quality codec as you will lose a digital generation.
Michael
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OH yeah, it was the setting of the I O points. How did I miss that.
thx
J
“Life is good, as long as it doesn’t take up too much of my time.”
-anonymous gamer
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I resolved my problems, but I have reached these conclusions:
1. Thumb or USB drives may not be formatted to accept files in excess of 4 gigs.
2. USB drives are often slow when transferring data.
3. I need to install a USB 2 driver or get the USB interface problem resolved on my XP system.
4. Data video files when burned to perfectly good DVDs can get damaged.
5. I have to set in and out points to output video from a timeline (not just click on and select the segment desired (duh)regards
John
“Life is good, as long as it doesn’t take up too much of my time.”
-anonymous gamer
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[John Graves] “1. Thumb or USB drives may not be formatted to accept files in excess of 4 gigs. “
Sure they can. Most come from the factory as FAT 32, but they can be reformatted as Mac Extended, or as NTFS with the help of apps like Tuxera. I just formatted one here as Mac Extended as a test.
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor/Colorist
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los AngelesPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Apple Final Cut Pro, Business & Marketing, Indie Film & Documentary, and Film History & Appreciations forums.
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