How to use the TS to MP4 converter
- Pick the camcorder or recorder files (.ts, .mts or .m2ts).
- Leave quality as it is; it only matters when a stream has to be re-encoded.
- Convert to MP4 and save the results.
Copying out of a broadcast format
Transport streams split everything into small packets with timing data so broadcasts survive reception errors. The picture is usually H.264, which goes into MP4 untouched, so the job is limited mainly by how fast your browser reads the file.
AAC sound is copied too. MP2 and AC-3 sound is encoded as AAC, which every MP4 player understands. The MP4 is often a little smaller than the TS, because the packet overhead is gone.
Camcorder clips and stream segments
Long AVCHD takes are split by the camcorder into chunks of roughly 2 GB, and every chunk gives one MP4. Copied 1080i material remains interlaced.
A segment saved from an HLS stream that begins mid-sequence may show a brief frozen frame at the start. The glitch comes from the source and is not removed.
Set-top box and DVB recordings
Satellite, cable and DVB-T recorders save broadcasts as TS. HD channels in H.264 copy straight across, while standard-definition channels that still use MPEG-2 need a full H.264 encode, which is much slower on the single-thread engine.
Teletext and DVB subtitle streams are not carried into the MP4.
Questions
My TS has several programmes. Which one do I get?
The first picture stream and the first sound stream that ffmpeg finds.
Does copying change the picture?
No. Copied H.264 frames are identical to the original; only MPEG-2 sources are re-encoded.
Why is the MP4 a little smaller?
Transport streams carry packet headers and padding that broadcast needs and MP4 does not, so dropping them saves some space.
Can I trim off the start of a recording?
Not on this page. Convert first, then cut the part you want with the video trimmer.