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View Full Version : apps to reduce media file sizes



jawz101
12-18-2005, 05:33 PM
I figured I'd post this since I'm sure a system admin would love to see these apps and members may want to use them to increase how many pics&vids they can post on, well, anywhere.

For video compression I've started to use VirtualDub (http://www.virtualdub.org/)
I've used it for work to upload videos to file drop-off sites where the file sizes I've sent have been a bit too large. It's pretty easy to use if you click on enough buttons.
Some of the results I've seen have dropped a mpg/avi (I can't remember which) filesize from approx. 80mb to 16mb. Results can look a little choppy but I'm sure if you tinker around with the app you can get a reasonable compression you might like.

As for jpg's there is an old app called jpg cleaner (http://www.rainbow-software.org/programs.html#JPG%20Cleaner)
If there is any non-picture data in the file it just drops it. Some pics drop in size significantly and there isn't any loss in quality. Great for web page load times too.

If you need something more substantial than mspaint (and Photoshop looks like too much work) you might want to try Paint.Net (http://www.eecs.wsu.edu/paint.net/)
Microsoft sponsored a project at Washington State University to design a picture editor all in .net (so you have to have .net for it to run)

Needless to say the students got hired on to Microsoft but the program is still free.

In case you are a geek check out Pricelessware's (http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/2006/about2006PL.php) latest list of apps.