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Safest way to compress video files via zip or other methods to save harddrive space?

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  • 13-01-2013 7:55pm
    #1
    DrFroggies
    Registered Users Posts: 334 ✭✭


    Hi guys,

    I have a folder of footage which takes up a whopping 185gb of space on my only mac formatted external harddrive. The footage is from a Uni project (I have 2 film projects one each semester) I really don't want to delete the footage as I want to re-edit the film over the next few months while I have access to Uni macs etc but I really need the space it's taking up for my next film (this semester).

    Just wondering if there's anyway I could compress the current footage files maybe in a zip folder? And if i did so would that be safe?

    I don't have anywhere else to store them and i can't afford to buy a new external harddrive so I either have to compress them or delete them and I'd really prefer to go for the compression option.

    If anyone could advise me on what the best option would be I'd be massively grateful!!

    Thanks
    DrF ;-)


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    #2
    Lump
    Registered Users Posts: 10,984 ✭✭✭✭Lump


    I wouldn't do it, you probably wouldn't save a huge amount of space. Why not just buy a new harddrive, not going to be a huge amount of money. (€100)

    John


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    #3
    DrFroggies
    Registered Users Posts: 334 ✭✭DrFroggies


    Lump wrote: »
    I wouldn't do it, you probably wouldn't save a huge amount of space. Why not just buy a new harddrive, not going to be a huge amount of money. (€100)

    John

    Sorry thought I'd replied to this last night...I must have hit preview instead of submit :rolleyes:

    Anyway just to say thanks for the reply John! At the moment it would be a stretch for me to pay out £20 (€25) let alone €100 as the flights back here to UK (where I'm at Uni) cleaned me out.

    You reckon trying to zip file the footage or compress it in any other way would be a waste of time in terms of the amount of space I'd gain...do you think it would put my footage at risk?


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    #4
    Morph the Cat
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 368 ✭✭Morph the Cat


    You wouldn't gain anything by compressing the footage into a Zip file. That's not how it works. That's what codecs are for. The only way to reduce those file sizes would be to re-encode all of your video clips to a lower bitrate file, but keeping the same file extension so your project still opens. That's not worth it either, because you're sacrificing quality.

    Are you still in Dublin? I can loan you a HDD if you give it back to me when done. I have lots of externals.


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    #5
    DrFroggies
    Registered Users Posts: 334 ✭✭DrFroggies


    Morph the Cat wrote: »
    You wouldn't gain anything by compressing the footage into a Zip file. That's not how it works. That's what codecs are for. The only way to reduce those file sizes would be to re-encode all of your video clips to a lower bitrate file, but keeping the same file extension so your project still opens. That's not worth it either, because you're sacrificing quality.

    Are you still in Dublin? I can loan you a HDD if you give it back to me when done. I have lots of externals.

    Mate that's really decent of you...thanks a million! I'll be back in Dublin for a few days next week but i'd need to borrow it for a few months as I'll be working on this film and my other film for the current semester as well so it's unlikely I'd be finished with the HDD until somewhere between late April and early June which would probably be a bit unfair on you.

    I really appreciate that offer though!:)


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