video converting help

[axeldtf]

I'm kinda new to toying around with video files (ripping, burning etc.) I use mactheripper to rip dvds, and often times i use roxio toast to convert the video_ ts folder to an mp4 file. I was told that was the best way to convert the video while keeping video quality and also save space. Usually i get a them down to 1.5 gigs.
Lately i have been downloading torrents of movies and noticed that i have been getting avi files of movies about 700mb. Some of these movies look better than the ones i convert to mp4 with toast.

My question is if my way was the best way to handle these files. is there something else i can do to convert videos without having the video quality suffer. I use roxio toast 9 and it has many converting options.

 

[Erendiox]

I would recommend you try Handbrake.

It's a fantastic conversion tool that goes straight from the DVD to an encoded file in one step. Saves time. Also, MPEG4 isn't the best codec to go to. Use the H.264 codec. It's slower to encode but you get the best quality out of smaller files.

 

[axeldtf]

thanks for the advice,

I've used handbrake in the past but i just seems to take a really long time to use. even to just encode one chapter.

When i use roxio toast to convert videos it says it's using the h.264/avc codec in the video summary. It just seems like some videos have quality that arent great.

 

[arjen92]

I believe they use a special kind of converting. I find it impossible to get the size of 700 mb.