Converting avi to mp4

[ottum@comcast.net]

BYE has been pure joy to use with my remote telescope, going on 7 years.  I wish all my software was so focused on the task and easy to use.  But I've got a problem.  The AVI's are monster files so I can't easily move them across the country.  I'm using an old Win7 machine, and cannot get the AVI's to convert to MP4 using PS CS5, VLC or even one of the specific converter freeware programs.  Specifically, when I try to convert the 960x640px AVI's, they come out as stretched 1280x720 MP4s (in PS CS5).  No matter what rendering settings I use.   And VLC only converts the first frame then chokes.  

Advice?

Thanks.

Brian

 

[admin]

7 years... cool... and thank you for your loyalty

Don't save AVI, save individual JPG.  It is the absolute same quality out of BYE, no difference.

On top of that, the sum of all JPG images with be smaller than the single AVI. 

 

[s3igell]

As you already have the AVI files, and need to do something with then, you can try either HANDBRAKE or FFMPEG.

HANDBRAKE has developed quite the reputation within the Video Conversion community - but most users are focused on converting Ripped Bluray and Streamed Video to other formats.

FFMPEG is the Granddaddy of the Video Converter world (and still going strong as the engine inside HandBrake and VLC and others).  It is a Command-Line Tool, and the Windows GUI for it is getting a bit Stale.  But, if anything can push data from one Video Format to another, this is it...

Good Luck...

[AaronSmall]

Guylain,

Any particular reason for sticking with AVI (versus SER) as it is a pretty old format and always seems to have issues with other software?  Didn't think it made a difference on quality but I understand SER doesn't have all the limitations (file size being one) and issues that AVI has.  

I do like your idea of saving the JPGs for reducing file size.  Just unwieldy with all those files (think 1000 or more frames) but nothing a zip file can't handle. 

Aaron

[astroman133]

What processing software can use an SER file? I don't think that RegiStax can.

[admin]

I'm almost tempted to drop AVI and only stick with JPG.  It's the same quality and does not require any additional CPU power to create the AVI.  The only advantage is a single file instead of potentially thousands.  Aside from that JPG all the way IMO.

[s3igell]

On 11/30/2020 at 11:28 AM, astroman133 said:

What processing software can use an SER file? I don't think that RegiStax can.

AutoStakker!3 and PIPP use SER inputs - the latter prefers them...

[s3igell]

23 hours ago, admin said:

I'm almost tempted to drop AVI and only stick with JPG.  It's the same quality and does not require any additional CPU power to create the AVI.  The only advantage is a single file instead of potentially thousands.  Aside from that JPG all the way IMO.

Some older Apps have problems importing a Massive Number of Files at a single go...

I'll again request whether it is possible to implement some simple Lossless Compression for the AVI Files - either Run-Length-Limited or Key-Frames.  One would hope that with the world moving to "Video Everything" that there were a simple Library out there under one of the Freeware Licenses.

[AaronSmall]

On 11/30/2020 at 11:28 AM, astroman133 said:

What processing software can use an SER file? I don't think that RegiStax can.

Rick,

RegiStax 6 can open a SER.  You have to change the file type to "LuCam Recorder SER" in the dropdown or I believe you can just drag and drop it.

Like s3igell says, PIPP prefers SER files and it can be used to reduce down the number of files/frames using the Lucky Imaging technique.  That helps overcome the issue he mentions of too many JPG images so you could then use RegiStax (the wavelets is still the best out there).  However, I have found it is easier to deal with a few SER or AVI files than a few thousand JPGs.