Choosing the Right Size for Movies in Format Factory

When it comes to formatting videos, size actually does matter. A larger size generally means more data, which means a higher quality video. However, bigger means more storage space. This can take up lots of space on your hard disk, and can also lead to a slower running system. Larger file sizes are also unable to be emailed or kept on many mobile devices. The trick is finding the ideal balance between big enough to deliver the quality you desire and small enough to store and use how you want.

Reducing the Resolution

There are several ways to reduce the size of video files in Format Factory. You can lower the resolution, reduce the frame rate, or change the compression of the file.

Resolution is the size of the image, and this measurement is expressed in pixels. Pixels are just tiny dots that make up the picture. More dots means higher resolution. A typical television set has 512×492 pixels. Most DVDs produced in the United States come in 720×480. A high-def TV can offer as high as 1920×1080. You can lower the resolution of an AVI file by as much as one-quarter. Using Format Factory, choose 320×240 as a screen resolution for the best file compression.

Reducing the Frame Rate

DVDs (in fact, all videos) are essentially a whole lot of still images which flip so quickly that our eyes perceive it as a moving picture. The speed at which those images flip by is called the frame rate. The frame rate is measured in the number of frames displayed each second. The typical TV has a frame rate of 30 frames per second, or fps. Movie theaters use a frame rate of about 24 fps. You can lower the frame rate in File Format to about 10 or 15 fps, which reduces the size of the video file by one-half to two-thirds. Reducing it too much can take away from offering smooth playback, so use this judiciously, but it can seriously reduce the size of your files. Each video will tolerate a different level of fps, so be willing to experiment.

Altering the File Compression

Video files that aren’t compressed are gigantic, which is why a single movie fills up an entire disc. You can compress video files in Format Factory significantly without sacrificing good quality. Select the option to compress files in order to get Format Factory to reduce the size of your video files. It can even compress multiple files at a time, so you can reduce the size of your entire video collection and regain tons of needed space on your hard drive. This will likely speed your computer up, too.

Download the K-Lite Codec Pack to play a wide variety of video file formats!