Convert AVI to something smaller

I have a bunch a AVI video clips from a FireWire video cam. They're huge files, so is there a decent free program that can convert them to a smaller format (mpeg?) that can be used within a Powerpoint presentation?

Thanks.

TMPEnc should do it :cool:

As its name implies Tmpegenc is better for mpegs, i would go with virtualdub for AVI's

keep them as avi but recode them in divx. not sure but I think you have to change them to another format and then back to avi with the divx codec.

unless if that is what virtualdub does, haven't used it.

VirtualDub does the DivX encoding, but it's iffy if PP will play them. If it uses the WiMP control and you have the DivX codec installed then it probably will; if it just uses its own decoding algorithm then it's unlikely that DivXs will work.

I'm looking into http://www.tmpgenc.com/e_main.html right now. I need something that'll run on a default install of Windows (?, hopefully 2000) and Office 2000 - this is for a powerpoint presentation to be given to corporate bigwigs. Thanks.