How can I make a big 2GB MP4 file smaller without losing much quality? And please, don’t suggest Handbrake since it just makes the file bigger!
Use Shutter Encoder and H.266 and play around with the bitrate setting. Try something like 5000kbps and go up or down from there. You need special software to view it though. Media Player Classic will do.
Finding the right balance between video quality and size can be tricky, especially with different content and formats involved. I can assure you, HandBrake works fine; it’s just that no tool is perfect. Each option will need some tweaking and involves making compromises. If you can, try using a newer codec like H.265, AV1, or VP9, they can really help reduce file size without sacrificing too much quality.
I’ve heard of VidCoder, and it actually uses HandBrake under the hood. You can set a target file size with it, which is pretty handy. I haven’t messed with it too much, so I can’t give you a ton of details, but you can find plenty of info online about it. I used it once for a couple of 2GB MP4 files and managed to shrink them down to 500MB so I could send them over Discord.
I would try just ffmpeg in and out at default settings.
I know you mentioned not wanting suggestions for HandBrake, but if it’s making your file bigger, there’s probably something off with the settings. I can usually compress a 1GB home video down to around 200MB without seeing much quality loss. Did you change any of the default settings or something?
No, I didn’t change the default settings.