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SWF File bigger than original AVI file?

sbirkbysbirkby
edited April 2008 in Support
Hi all,

I recorded full-screen at 1024x768 - with 22kHz mono sound - for about 3 minutes, with a resulting AVI file size of 3.7MB. Then I used Producer to make a SWF version of it (which took ages) and the SWF file ended up at 34MB!

Clearly I've done something wrong (I think). Are there any obvious newbie mistakes I could have made?

Which of my settings would anybody need to know to figure out where I went wrong?

Hope someone can help,

Simon

Comments

  • TorbjornTorbjorn
    What settings were you using in SWF Producer? I just tried with these settings -- http://i27.tinypic.com/25ggupx.png -- and got a file of just under 8MB. My sourcefile had a framerate of 10fps.

    Now, I don't know how SWF Producer encodes the video. If it uses a variable bitrate, then video with more "complex" images might create a larger file -- I think.

    Also, when considering the file size of the SWF in relation to the AVI-file, then one must consider the codec used for compressing the AVI. You've obviously used codecs with a low bitrate. In comparison, the video I just tried with was 1024x768, exactly three minutes, 22KHz mono PCM audio (uncompressed) and video compressed with Microsoft Video 1. Resulting filesize: 166MB.
  • sbirkbysbirkby
    I had Producer set to 16-bit colour and ADPCM sound like you, but my Sample/Playback rate was 40 frames/sec., with 15 keyframes/sec.

    I don't know what the source file frame rate is, because I ticked 'Auto Adjust' in the Video options, but I did have the slider over to 'Max Framerate'. The recording was of me making some changes to an Excel spreadsheet - most of the screen was static most of the time.

    I used the x264vfw codec as my 'Compressor'. It looks like it does a pretty good job then? - nearly nine times better than SWF ...

    I'll try turning the framerate down so they're like yours and see what happens.

    Thanks for your help Torbjorn.
  • TorbjornTorbjorn
    >>"I don't know what the source file frame rate is, because I ticked 'Auto Adjust' in the Video options, but I did have the slider over to 'Max Framerate'."

    Auto adjust with max framerate generally gives 200 fps, which is 15-20 times more than I think one needs. If you wan't to check this, right click on the file and choose properties. Go to the tab on the right, Advanced or Details I think it's called. The framerate will be listed there.

    >>"I used the x264vfw codec as my 'Compressor'. It looks like it does a pretty good job then? - nearly nine times better than SWF ..."

    Yeah, x264 is good. It's the one I've used on the few videos I've posted on the web.
  • sbirkbysbirkby
    You're absolutely right: the frame rate on my AVI file was 200 frames/second ...

    I'll try a few experiments at lower rates.

    Thanks again.
  • cringercringer
    For television and cartoons, last time I checked, these are the maximum frame rates for each:

    TV Shows -- 30 FPS
    Animated Cartoons -- 24 FPS

    See this Wikipedia article for more information:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frames_per_second
  • susanjqsusanjq
    SWF Optimizer http://www.swfcompress.com/ is such a software that mainly purpose for Flash Compressor, its mainly function is to compress swf with output quality lossless (up to 70% quality of the original swf video quality).
  • nlneilsonnlneilson
    The sbirkby post on Apr 1st 2008 and also Torbjorn's mentioned the x264vfw codec.

    I am very new to CamStudio but like it so far after trying about 6 others.

    After trying CS 2.0 and 2.5b1 getting the file size down would be good.

    How do you get/install the x264vfw codec?

    Doing a search on this forum for "x264vfw" just returned this thread.
  • nlneilsonnlneilson
    re How do you get/install the x264vfw codec?

    Thanks for all the help??

    I found out that just downloading and installing the codec by running the .exe then CamStudio and many other screen capture apps will automatically pick up the new codec/s.
  • nickthegeeknickthegeek
    You can also get a good result by downloading the FFShow Tryout "codec":

    http://ffdshow-tryout.sourceforge.net/

    Select H.264 from the drop down menu on the encoder tab and use the settings as show in this screenshot:

    http://camstudio.org/images/FFDShow.png

    They seem to work well for me.

    HTH

    Cheers

    Nick :o)
  • nlneilsonnlneilson
    Thanks Nick, I will try that.
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