Combining Videos

[bibblebub]

I've downloaded 3 videos that are a tv episode split into 3 parts. Each MP4 video is about 25MB and there are slight overlaps between videos 1 and 2, and videos 2 and 3.

I have Premiere Elements 11 and editing the three to create a single video followed by exporting the result produces an MP4 file that is over 1.1GB, which is humongously big. I have also dug out Windows Live Movie Maker and the resultant MP4 file is a ludicrous 500MB. Using that to edit just one of the videos, cutting the last few seconds from it, still produces an MP4 file that is 180MB.

I'm using Windows 8.1 but have had similar size problems with previous versions of Windows. Am I failing to set options that will result in a file that is roughly the size of the 3 video files combined or can anyone recommend a free video editor that will do the job?

[The Builder]

No expert by any means, Bibbles, but 25MB is very small for a video file. Do you think these may have been compressed?

Although I guess it can vary, 1 GB of video is roughly an hour's worth. That sounds about right. There is Freeware available that can "shrink" video to a much smaller size.

[bibblebub]

the combined duration of the videos is just 20 minutes

[bibblebub]

...and each is just 480x360, so not the best picture quality but I want them mostly for what is being said.

[The Builder]

I think I may be out of date here, Bibbles. I was trying to remember the size of the files when I used to record TV onto a Hard Disk. Perhaps the Mp4 format is more gigabyte -hungry.

Doing a bit of Googling, it seems that with phone cards and the like, 1GB might only be around 20mins. It must be the format.

Anyway, no help at all I'm afraid. All I can suggest is file compression software that I mentioned above. I used to use DVDShrink a lot, but I think it's been discontinued. There are newer alternatives though, I'm sure.

[Wak]

I'd be inclined to use the FREE "FormatFactory" which will allow you to change the output format to a lower (or maybe a better) quality and then use "Avidemux" (also FREE) to edit and re-join the sections.
You can Google for both programs.

[bibblebub]

Thanks Wak, I do already have Avidemux installed but in my haste (and never having done any real editing with it) a quick glance made me think that it was just for format conversion.

It can do almost what I want, including creating a final video that is only as long as the 3 components, except that when I join the 3 together the image becomes washed out after the 1st, but if I join 2 and 3 only then that combined video is ok. So I'll have to try to suss out what makes the 1st one different.

[puzzlesRus]

You could convert the files to mpg format then use the free program Mpg2cut to edit/join. I have used this program and was pleased with the results