Can someone recommend a converter for changing large files to small?

[cteavin]

I use OS X. I have a lot of files in the 7GB range that I'd like to convert to 1 - 3 gb files without a big loss in quality. I've tried using Hand Break but the quality always sucks.

You are all pretty smart. Can someone suggest some software to convert large files to smaller files without a huge loss in quality?

Thanks,

[csrdan]

http://avidemux.sourceforge.net/

there is builds for windows mac and linux and it is free software.

X264 and X265 are built in, just grab it, open, drag the offending videos into it to open, set video output either to X264 or X265, audio to "copy" and muxer to mp4 muxer… then save.

in the video output configure, just choose a preset (trades speed vs some quality) and ratefactor (trades quality vs filesize). X265 is significantly slower than X264 but is much better for really squeezing files smaller while retaining "acceptable" quality. there is minimal difference between them at higher bitrates though and X264 probably is actually better. but since squeezing is your objective...

personally i use X265 "faster" CRF 22(720), 23(1080) and it takes about 20 minutes per video~ish on an 8 year old i5 and will squish a 1GB 1080p video down to about 200MB while not being riddled with annoying artefacts (just a little loss of super fine detail which imo is fine except for superfaves ;))

for X264, since its notably faster to encode you can use "two pass" mode to set a desired bitrate/end filesize and it will optimise quality given your constraints. X265 is just too slow to use two pass imo but its up to you.

once you have found some quality settings that suit you, you can queue a load to do in a batch one-after-the-other overnight or something.

[NODRUGS]

Bandicut

[eladuk]

Handbrake, I've used it for years and it works well and its very popular and its fast, free and easy to use.