So i have a Canon HV20 which shoots HD video. I then use HDVSplit to get the video from the miniDV to my laptop which usually results in a .m2t file that is HUGE (an hour is about 10 gigs). I can split that file into smaller .m2t files but that's not really here nor there. My problem is finding a converter that (preferably for free, if not "easily accessible) that quickly and painlessly converts the files into something much smaller, with only reasonable quality loss. I've tried at least 5 different programs and they either take hours and hours or don't make them small enough. If I could get 1gig down to something I could add to Vimeo, that would be great. I realize quality is going to take a hit but I know that some codecs are better than others and I'm just not sure which is best here.

Let me know what type of converted file is best in this situation (ive toyed with various ones) and which program to use! Thanks!

3/31/2009 9:33:15 PM

iMovies
sucks for you

3/31/2009 9:34:55 PM

windows only plz

3/31/2009 9:37:34 PM

auto gordian knot? or just "gordian knot" if you know your way around video conversion. not sure if it can handle "m2t" files

it's a few programs in one package centered around avi/divx/xvid editing and conversion.

[Edited on March 31, 2009 at 9:50 PM. Reason : conversion takes HOURS no matter what program you use.. that's just the nature of it]

3/31/2009 9:49:38 PM

well it would at least be worth it if the converted file was smaller, and not just a quarter smaller, ALOT smaller

3/31/2009 9:58:04 PM

trying ^^ out now, looks promising since it lets you choose the exact file size you want the final to be in, although i can only choose xvid or divx

3/31/2009 11:10:44 PM

WINDOWS MEDIA ENCODER.

3/31/2009 11:18:54 PM

You are either going to have to pay the cost in hardware, quality loss, or encoding time.

Take your pick. There's a reason DV workstations exist, and why no one in their right mind tries to do HD video authoring on a laptop. You either need to invest in a powerful desktop, or you need to RECORD the original video at a much more reasonable resolution, or you need to wait out the insanely long encoding times that it's going to take for your laptop to convert the video. And I'm not even mentioning editing or post-production.

4/1/2009 12:38:58 AM

Quote :

"I've tried at least 5 different programs and they either take hours and hours or don't make them small enough."

Welcome to the world of video encoding.

Your computer doesn't seem so fast now, does it?

4/1/2009 10:24:08 AM

Quick related question

Any suggestions on a very basic video editing program? Windows Movie Maker that was in XP does everything I need--unfortunately the new version that came with Windows 7 is the biggest piece of shit I've ever seen. Hopefully it improves before the final release.

fuck it i'll just download adobe premier

[Edited on April 1, 2009 at 1:15 PM. Reason : asf]

4/1/2009 1:03:20 PM

Quote :

"Windows Movie Maker that was in XP does everything I need--unfortunately the new version that came with Windows 7 is the biggest piece of shit I've ever seen"

Same as the WMM that came with Vista

4/1/2009 5:23:35 PM

^^if you have Win7, you can download Windows Movie Maker 2.6 (Vista) from the Microsoft site.

It takes a little hunting (I spent more time than I should have googling after downloading the garbage Win7 movie maker too), but it worked great for me.

4/1/2009 5:28:24 PM