This tutorial illustrates how to compress a video file for the web on a Windows machine. The sample file I used to compress was called WL-Video.wmv and its original size was 39.0 MB.\u00a0 After compression the file size was down to 4.40 MB.\u00a0 The compressed video format is MP4 as it is the most supported video format on the web. Depending on your original video file, following the instructions in the tutorial, the file size may still be reduced if your video file is already MP4 format.<\/p>\n
Download and install Handbrake if you do not have it
\n<\/b><\/h3>\n\n- Download Handbrake at http:\/\/www.handbrake.fr<\/a><\/li>\n
- Double click the downloaded file to install Handbrake by following the instructions on screen.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Compress videos<\/b><\/p>\n
3. Launch Handbrake.\u00a0 Do not be put off by all the buttons and options available – you usually only need to use a few of them.<\/p>\n
![\"handbrake-0\"](\"http:\/\/blogs-new.it.ox.ac.uk\/adamweblearn\/files\/2013\/10\/handbrake-0.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n4. Click Source<\/i><\/b> > Open File<\/i><\/b> to select the video you want to compress.\u00a0 In this tutorial, I select WL_Video.wmv and then click Open.<\/i><\/b> \u00a0You can see the original size was 39MB.<\/p>\n
![\"handbrake-1\"](\"http:\/\/blogs-new.it.ox.ac.uk\/adamweblearn\/files\/2013\/10\/handbrake-1.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"handbrake-10\"](\"http:\/\/blogs-new.it.ox.ac.uk\/adamweblearn\/files\/2013\/10\/handbrake-10.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n5. In Handbrake, under Destination<\/i><\/b> you can decide where the compressed file is saved by clicking Browse<\/i><\/b>.\u00a0 By default, it is saved in the same folder where the original file is.\u00a0 You can change to other location if necessary.\u00a0\u00a0 You are required to provide a name for the compressed file.<\/p>\n
![\"handbrake-18\"](\"http:\/\/blogs-new.it.ox.ac.uk\/adamweblearn\/files\/2013\/10\/handbrake-18.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n6. For Output Settings<\/i><\/b>, choose Mp4<\/b> if it is not selected and select Web Optimized.
\n<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
![\"handbrake-4\"](\"http:\/\/blogs-new.it.ox.ac.uk\/adamweblearn\/files\/2013\/10\/handbrake-4.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n7. Click on Video<\/i><\/b> and make sure that H.264(X264)<\/i><\/b> is selected.<\/p>\n
![\"handbrake-5\"](\"http:\/\/blogs-new.it.ox.ac.uk\/adamweblearn\/files\/2013\/10\/handbrake-5.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n8. Click Start <\/i><\/b>to compress the video.\u00a0 The green Start<\/em> <\/strong>button will become red Stop<\/em> <\/strong>button until the compression is complete.\u00a0\u00a0 When it is back to green.\u00a0 You are ready to view the compressed video.\u00a0 The original video file was reduced from 39.0MB to 4.40MB.\u00a0 The compressing process for this small file took around 20 seconds.\u00a0 If it is a very large file, it can take much longer to compress.<\/p>\n![\"handbrake-12\"](\"http:\/\/blogs-new.it.ox.ac.uk\/adamweblearn\/files\/2013\/10\/handbrake-12.png\")
<\/a>Note:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\nThis tutorial aims to introduce the basic features in Handbrake.<\/p>\n
Handbrake has many more features which allow you to change the level of compression (e.g. setting average bit rate (kbps).\u00a0 In addition, you can easily optimise a video for different devices including ipod, TV or Android tablet.\u00a0 If you would like to\u00a0 learn more about videos and advanced features in Handbrake, here is a complete Handbrake guide: https:\/\/trac.handbrake.fr\/wiki\/HandBrakeGuide<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Large video files are slow to upload and download.\u00a0 One of the most popular tools that can significantly shrink the file size without losing quality is Handbrake.\u00a0 It is popular due to three reasons: It can convert video from nearly … Continue reading
Compress videos<\/b><\/p>\n
3. Launch Handbrake.\u00a0 Do not be put off by all the buttons and options available – you usually only need to use a few of them.<\/p>\n
4. Click Source<\/i><\/b> > Open File<\/i><\/b> to select the video you want to compress.\u00a0 In this tutorial, I select WL_Video.wmv and then click Open.<\/i><\/b> \u00a0You can see the original size was 39MB.<\/p>\n 5. In Handbrake, under Destination<\/i><\/b> you can decide where the compressed file is saved by clicking Browse<\/i><\/b>.\u00a0 By default, it is saved in the same folder where the original file is.\u00a0 You can change to other location if necessary.\u00a0\u00a0 You are required to provide a name for the compressed file.<\/p>\n 6. For Output Settings<\/i><\/b>, choose Mp4<\/b> if it is not selected and select Web Optimized. 7. Click on Video<\/i><\/b> and make sure that H.264(X264)<\/i><\/b> is selected.<\/p>\n 8. Click Start <\/i><\/b>to compress the video.\u00a0 The green Start<\/em> <\/strong>button will become red Stop<\/em> <\/strong>button until the compression is complete.\u00a0\u00a0 When it is back to green.\u00a0 You are ready to view the compressed video.\u00a0 The original video file was reduced from 39.0MB to 4.40MB.\u00a0 The compressing process for this small file took around 20 seconds.\u00a0 If it is a very large file, it can take much longer to compress.<\/p>\n This tutorial aims to introduce the basic features in Handbrake.<\/p>\n Handbrake has many more features which allow you to change the level of compression (e.g. setting average bit rate (kbps).\u00a0 In addition, you can easily optimise a video for different devices including ipod, TV or Android tablet.\u00a0 If you would like to\u00a0 learn more about videos and advanced features in Handbrake, here is a complete Handbrake guide: https:\/\/trac.handbrake.fr\/wiki\/HandBrakeGuide<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Large video files are slow to upload and download.\u00a0 One of the most popular tools that can significantly shrink the file size without losing quality is Handbrake.\u00a0 It is popular due to three reasons: It can convert video from nearly … Continue reading <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\n<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Note:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n