Does anyone know how to decrease the file size of an *avi video file without deleting any of it? I have a short (34sec) file but it was shot on fine so it is a huge 10mb. Thanks.
Ausdag,
This certainly is off topic, but we are a brotherhood of pipers here and should be able to assist each other on issues other than uilleann piping. That being said, I offer the following:
If you have access to a computer with Windows XP on it, there should be a program called ‘Movie Maker’ installed as standard. You just import the movie into the program, drag it into the filmstrip at the bottom of the screen and then save it. This reduces the size of the file without removing any noticable quality.
I use this program to convert short movies for sending via email to my family in England. I reckon you could get your 10MB movie down to about 2 or 3MB with Movie Maker.
All the best
Hi Goldy,
As you were typing your response, which I thank you for, I had just discovered Windows Movie Maker, and have now successfully reduced the file. Not entirely off topic as it is of me and friends playing a tune at my daughter’s first birthday party on the weekend. Can’t post it here but am about to post it over at THE OTHER FORUM. Cheers and thanks for the help.
DavidG
Unfortunately using Movie Maker converts it to a *wmv file which is not allowed at THE OTHER FORUM, so I will upload it to my website and link it frim there.
Aww… Isn’t that sweet!
It’s nice to play some music for your kids - I played a couple of jigs in honour of my daughter’s journey into the World at a ‘Selamatan’, an Indonesian equivalent of a baby shower (something that I imagine you know about as a teacher of Javanese) a few months into my wife’s pregnancy, which was nice to be able to do. Funnily though, the quality of the performance wasn’t great as I stupidly chose to sit in a directors chair to play and got the bellows caught on the arms of the chair a couple of times before shifting to a awkward position to get away from the arms, but mistakes aren’t as much of a problem when you’re playing in front of friends.
Here’s the link. Hope it works. You don’t know of any way to convert the reduced WMV back to an *avi file at the reduced file size do you? I know al about ‘Slametan’. How’d you get involved in one?
I belong to an International organisation that originates out of Jakarta in Indonesia so there are a few Indonesian customs that have become part of the culture of every group.
Man… are we really off topic now or what!
That’s great where you cut one and the guy beside you starts checking your bag for leaks … 
djm
way to tie it in with uilleann piping, djm!
That’s Malcolm McLaren. He made my C# chanter (just visible on the floor under my chair) and he’s making me a kangaroo skin bag because the bag in the video is indeed leaky and he is indeed checking out the seam. The tune’s Brian O’Lynn. Ceri McCoy on the guitar is who I’ve been playing gigs with over the past decade as Jack The Lad. More info about Jack the Lad on my website, link below. The Bellows is a CJ Dixon kit bellows. I’m playing chanter, three drones with leaky bag, so you can see just how efficient those CJ bellows are.
Cheers,
David
David,
Nice playing on the video. I revisited your website to have a listen to your latest tunes and really enjoyed hearing the C# chanter. It really is a nice middle ground between concert-pitch and the common flat-pitch sets. The hard D’s were really nice and the tone was pretty special. I dunno if I’d want to make the switch as I do love the concert-pitch sound, but you never know, I may be convinced down the track. Thanks for that David.
Thanks Goldy. The nice thing about a C# chanter is you can play tunes in front of others without the fear that some annoying flute player or box player is going to join in. They attempt it, but then can’t work out why they can’t play it right 
Most burners come with some sort of player/burning program. Have you tried those?
Microsoft’s format is propritary and I can’t play the latest format they have used.
I like plain old standards that are standard…
My burner will convert *avi to mpeg but I don’t know if that will reduce the file size. It will not recognise *wmv so I can’t convert the reduced Windows file back to *avi
Here’s the Windows Media version again - http://home.iprimus.com.au/ausdag/JTL1.wmv
I would just go with what that burning proggie says is the smallest file format and ignore the non standard stuff altogether (limits your audience). There are other computer OSs than Microsoft’s, thank goodness.
Seems like Windows Media (*wmv) gives the best output in terms of file size reduction. I’ve managed to reduce an 11mb file to 2.3mb with minimally noticable loss of quality. For those that can’t view WMV I’ve managed to compress it to MPEG but still about 5.8MB and loss of quality much more noticable. Will try and see if I can upload it to the other forum.