hi again,

i need some help with codecs. there are a lot and i am confused about what ones i should use. here is my situation:
i rip raw dv avi footage from my camera onto a hard drive with adobe premiere elements and then i edit all those files then export to avi. the only problem with this is that the file size is way too big once i export it. i am wondering what i should use for a codec to compress this and make it smaller after it is exported but still keep good quality and also still be able to use in adobe premiere or i will settle to use divx or xvid and not be able to put it back in adobe

Dont convert DV to a lossy format for editing and then covert it again, get a larger HDD if thats what you need.
//Danne

i don't convert for editing. i just need a format to convert to once im done editing.i have an 80 gb hdd for editing and a 500 gb for storage

i'm assuming your putting these on dvd for later so just download cccp comunity codec pack or ffdshow and go from there...those apps u use should be able to support on the fly mpeg 2 or whatever format u want

ok i downloaded and installed CCCP but i dont know waht it is. liek how do i use it to do waht i want

having to go from avi/edit the avi/then save to avi is too labor intensive...just grab the movie from your cam(this should be in temp folder and not permanent), then edit it....(i'm not familiar w/ adobe elements but does it have a mpeg2 output function..convert that is?)

my panasonic app for my camcorder grabs as avi but when i'm done doing what i need to it it converts the avi to MPEG2...then the temp folder is deleted automatically if i remember correctly

the codec pack just has all codecs for divx/mpeg2 etc.....i thought you were trying to accomplish something else

im not shure waht you mean by "grab" the video. i have a mini dv camcorder so my only option is to Stream (capture) into avi. do you mean capture my video to avi then convert it to mpeg 2? i also hear that divx and xvid are far supperior than mpeg codec.

( and jsut a recap the main thing i am trying to do is have a file that i can play on the computer but still has good quality but not end up being 30 gb.)

I dont even get the issue right now....
Can you please explain what you do (in steps) and why?
//Danne

here we go...do you want to put your miniDv tapes onto dvd?

if so...then you'll want the mpeg2(dvd) output...divx/xvid is not far superior in quality...not a chance

i have a panasonic gs300...i run it through my usb....goes into my panasonic capture software as an avi in temp. files...then i edit it as i please then i save it as an "mpeg2(dvd)" format...then i run it through an authoring app(tsunami) and voila..dvd player here i come

if u wanna watch these on an ipod or you just wanna watch a cd then you can convert your avi to divx through autogk or other numerous apps that do a good job

ok this is waht i do and waht i want to do:

What i do:

1.capture video into dv avi to my computer from my mini dv camera

2. edit all my video (add music, titles, ect)

3. export video( this is the area that iam confused about) or if i want to burn it to a dvd i use adobe premires dvd stuff.





...... so my question is waht format/codec should i use if i am jsut exporting to my computer?

An mpeg2 codec or format which is dvd compliant, if you can export it as video dvd compliant image and then burn this to dvd.

You "record"/capture it in pure DV-format.
Use WinDV which is free.
//Danne

so waht codec should i export as for viewing on my computer?

should be an option to save as mpeg

If you want "portability" and yet keep the size down I'd say XviD.
I would recommend you to demux the audio (leave it untouched), use SSRC to convert it to 44100 Hz and then encode it using LAME.
//Danne

ok thanx guys... this explains alot and makes me abit more clear on video editing