help newb !!! how to compress large avi

[forare]

Hello all,
I have captured avi from my minidv using easy dvd creator 6 and the file is lage (1 hour = 13 Gb). I am running out of disk space and was trying to convert to smaller format. File does not need any editing only for compression and saving on cd. No nned also to be played on dvd, I wonder which codec is the best to use without losing quality.
Thanks for any help

[ignignot]

If you're not looking for compatability with standalone DVD players, generally an MPEG-4 codec such as Divx or Xvid is the best choice as they offer pretty good (sometimes described as near-DVD) quality with a remarkably high compression ratio.

However, if there's a chance that some day you'll want to play in a DVD player, you may want to consider going to MPEG 1/2 that is at least similar to VCD/SVCD/DVD standards so you won't have to go through the hassle of re-encoding.

[MPS]

i'd go for mpeg2 to kkep the quality of, say, svcd

[shiny#3]

this is not meant to offend you dear preposters
but I would choose the mpeg4 format to Store and Playback
videos. the quality maintained is a matter of the quantizer you
choose, and the bitrate. mpeg4 is the newest standart.
Divx pro has a lot of preset conversion options .
XVID is almost fully configurable. there are a lot of threads
in here which deal with the correct settings of Mpeg4 codecs.
why not engaging the excellent search option of the board??