.mov to avi & file size x4

i'm converting quicktime short films to avi with quicktime player and the file sizes jumps from a 1 meg .mov file to 4 meg avi?

is that file size increase right? how can i do better?

thanks

you can do better by not converting to avi, seriously, why wuold you want to convert TO an avi?there are codecs for quicktime that would allow better conversion, or you could try cleaner by discreet.

i just want a video format that is the lowest commom format that will play on windows sytems that have not, and don't want to download anything. what other formats play on the default window media player, on my virtaul pc, i only find that avi files will play?

consider me a newbie, right now i'm looking up codecs.

help

compressor decompressor ... got it.

yup, wmv and asf should play in windows media player as well, but Id suggest using quicktime for windows depending on what your trying to do, then you can play .mov and mpgs and such in it too.

I think the aim is to find a file format that will work for most people:
Problem is, there is no general file format that everyone can play.

Most people however can play quicktime files (lots of internet streams use quicktime, so people download it sooner or later anyway) and .mpeg files.