3 Optimizing video files

Video files can be really big. If you are using a service like Youtube or Vimeo, or an institutional video server, that service will adjust the stream to accommodate the connection. However, if you are uploading videos to a learning management system or sending them via email (please don’t do this), it will present some additional challenges.

HandBrake is an open-source, GPL-licensed, multi-platform, multithreaded video transcoder tool for converting video from nearly any format to a selection of modern, widely supported codecs, and is a helpful tool for optimizing video files for distribution.

HandBrake has a variety of presets to change the dimensions of the video.

This is a reliable way to optimize a video file to a size that is much more manageable for electronic delivery. The resulting file will play in a smaller frame, but for instructional content this will likely suffice.