Trouble getting under 100mb

[Squancho]

My video is 2m58s.
The editor is Vegas 6.0.
The initial render gives me a 641mb avi file.
I use FX converter to get a 156mb mpeg2.
I tried mpeg1, but it gave me a messed-up aspect ratio, regardless how I adjusted the values (I want 720x480).

What I need to know is what file format allowed on the 'org will bring this video down under 100mb in size so I don't have to request permission to upload a larger file?..and which of those options will preserve visual quality the best?

Any suggestions?

[CrackTheSky]

First thing, export your video without the audio attached if you're not doing so already. Then use VirtualDubMod to compress your video with XviD. Read about how to do this and properly configure XviD here.

Assuming you're editing with a .wav file, export the .wav from Vegas uncompressed, and use BeSweet to compress the .wav to an MP3. Then use VDubMod to mux the audio with your video file. Read about how to do that here.

[Willen]

I tried mpeg1, but it gave me a messed-up aspect ratio, regardless how I adjusted the values (I want 720x480).

720x480 isn't a proper resolution for computer distribution (square pixels). Work out the ratios for 720:480 and you'll find that it doesn't come near the usual ratios of 1.33:1 (4:3 or 'fullscreen') or 1.78:1 (16:9 or 'widescreen').

Since TVs use rectangular pixels, 720x480 is fine. And if you are encoding MPEG-2 for a DVD, then that is fine. Editing in 720x480 is fine also since most editing software understand the difference between PAR and DAR and should resize the video to the correct aspect ratio while editing and previewing.

http://www.animemusicvideos.org/guides/ ... deo1.htm#4
http://www.animemusicvideos.org/guides/ ... ocId742447

Most videos should be resized after all editing is done and before final encoding to 640x480/512x384 (4:3) or 848x480/768x432/720x400/640x352 (16:9) or similar. Another option that doesn't always work correctly is to leave the video as 720x480 but flag the video as 4:3 or 16:9. This is wasteful for 4:3 videos since you are encoding extra pixels that would be lost when the player resizes the video on playback, but it can be helpful to 16:9 videos.

If you are using 720x480 as an in-between resolution to mix 4:3 and 16:9 footage together without cropping (or letterboxing) footage, I don't recommend doing it, but that's your choice...