# Computer GIF question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 6, 2004, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-gif-question/263409 "2004-09-06T23:53:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SoulSearching](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@SoulSearching](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoulSearching)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2004, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-gif-question/263409/1 "2004-09-06T23:53:23Z")
I have used my webcam to create a 200k sized avi. I want to make it my AIM buddy icon so I presume I need to make it a GIF file. Well thats the hard part. Any idea how to convert to a GIF? And would the size of the file shrink dramatically? The actual avi file is here if you wanna take a look: [http://home.comcast.net/~paypal2006/aimcon.avi](http://home.comcast.net/~paypal2006/aimcon.avi) ---
**Author:** ![SoulSearching](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@SoulSearching](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoulSearching)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2004, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-gif-question/263409/2 "2004-09-06T23:55:25Z")
> [@SoulSearching](#): > > I have used my webcam to create a 200k sized avi. I want to make it my AIM buddy icon so I presume I need to make it a GIF file. Well thats the hard part. Any idea how to convert to a GIF? And would the size of the file shrink dramatically? > > The actual avi file is here if you wanna take a look: > > [http://home.comcast.net/~paypal2006/aimcon.avi](http://home.comcast.net/~paypal2006/aimcon.avi) Sorry its: [http://home.comcast.net/~paypal2006/aimicon.avi](http://home.comcast.net/~paypal2006/aimicon.avi) ---
**Author:** ![dre2xl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@dre2xl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dre2xl)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-gif-question/263409/3 "2004-09-07T00:14:35Z")
> [@SoulSearching](#): > > I have used my webcam to create a 200k sized avi. I want to make it my AIM buddy icon so I presume I need to make it a GIF file. Well thats the hard part. Any idea how to convert to a GIF? And would the size of the file shrink dramatically? > > The actual avi file is here if you wanna take a look: > > [http://home.comcast.net/~paypal2006/aimcon.avi](http://home.comcast.net/~paypal2006/aimcon.avi) [http://www.topshareware.com/123-Avi-to-Gif-Converter-download-2238.htm](http://www.topshareware.com/123-Avi-to-Gif-Converter-download-2238.htm) I did some googling and it looks like the size limit is 7 KB. And animated GIFs are bigger than AVIs. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![SoulSearching](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@SoulSearching](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoulSearching)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-gif-question/263409/4 "2004-09-07T01:48:16Z")
> [@dre2xl](#): > > [123 Avi to Gif Converter Download - Convert AVI to GIF, convert GIF to AVI](http://www.topshareware.com/123-Avi-to-Gif-Converter-download-2238.htm) > > I did some googling and it looks like the size limit is 7 KB. And animated GIFs are bigger than AVIs. Good luck. Ouch, was hoping it wouldn’t have to cost $30 to buy the software just to make one icon. ---
**Author:** ![caphis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19adc/32.png) [@caphis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caphis)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-gif-question/263409/5 "2004-09-07T02:30:58Z")
> [@SoulSearching](#): > > Ouch, was hoping it wouldn’t have to cost $30 to buy the software just to make one icon. Ah, I got it down to about 15KB… I’m really not sure how you’re going to get it lower than that without compromising image quality, clarity of what you’re doing, or both. [http://s4.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=83A9AFEA0DEE3724B45714293126D1CB](http://s4.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=83A9AFEA0DEE3724B45714293126D1CB) ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-gif-question/263409/6 "2004-09-07T03:00:39Z")
irfanview can extract the frames from an avi file ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-gif-question/263409/7 "2004-09-07T04:07:27Z")
- - - Jasc’s Animation Shop (comes with Paint Shop Pro) is easy enough: you open the AVI in Animation Shop, and then hit “save as–\>gif”. It asks a couple questions, and then does it. - I couldn’t really get it anywhere near 7K either though; reduced to 60 x 45 pixels and 31 colors it was still easily viewable, but still ~57K. Alternating frames could be culled (there’s 43 as-is) but you’re still going to end up with something rather small and jerky if you want it under 7K. ~ ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-gif-question/263409/8 "2004-09-07T04:57:20Z")
- - - Well today is your lucky day, because I am _really_ bored: [http://www.norcom2000.com/users/dcimper/assorted/avrunketl/hooba/k9r4kj8.html](http://www.norcom2000.com/users/dcimper/assorted/avrunketl/hooba/k9r4kj8.html) ~