80% failure rate converting .TS to MKV with ffmpeg

[jack616]

I'm having trouble converting ota .TS files (source humax PVR) to mkv
A simple convert fails most of the time. Any content in the TS wrapper seems to fail
(ie not just mpeg2 or h264 or whatever)

The TS files all play fine in MPLAYER2 on a PC they just dont convert to MKV with ffmpeg
The source signal is good - but I'm suspecting this has
something to do with how TS files are broadcast?
The files are not encrypted (standard SD)

Older versions of ffmpeg have the same result
(I've only recently tried to do this.)
Does anyone have any ideas on a likely cause?

Thanks

[rrats]

try using the ffmpeg gui from videohelp frontpage

[ProWo]

Try clever Ffmpeg-GUI.
Load your ts file, click main, click multiplex, select mkv as container, click multiplex.
Done.

[jack616]

Thanks both - I've tried other front ends without success
but not your suggestions so far - I'll take a look but I still need
to identify my problem,

[betwixt]

Don't forget many OTA .ts files are encrypted, especially movies and when recorded from subscription channels. SD as well as HD channels can be encrypted but when played back on the original machine that recorded them they will look fine. I have a Humax PVR here and edit the commercial breaks out of movies so I can watch them without one finger on the fast forward button but I use Linux so my solution probably wouldn't work for you.

Brian.

[James Pous]

I use the following commercial software to convert the video files from my Xoro receiver (PVR) from .ts to mkv/mp4.
This tool checks the video and audio tracks and can repair damaged audio/video streams. I think it cut out the damaged scenes.
The usage is very easy and it can remove advertising areas within the video file.
It is also possible to remove unwanted audio streams of different languages, subtitles and unused data streams.
Maybe you want to test the trial version first:

http://www.cypheros.de/eng/tsdoc3.html

[netmask56]

For non encrypted .TS files just drag them into MKVToolNix - tick or untick the boxes of the content, soundtracks and subtitles that you want or don't want, click on the middle button "Start Multplexing" -> Done. I do this weekly and have done so since MKVToolnix came out eons ago.

or if you need to edit and check for transmission errors, as others have suggested use TS Doctor http://www.cypheros.de/eng/tsdoc3.html

[pcspeak]

Following on from netmask56:
These are my batch files.
I use mkvmerge to create an output, then that file into ffmpeg to boost the audio/no clipping.
Create the batch file(s).
Drag and drop a recording onto it.

No Subtitles.cmd

@echo off
:loop
"C:\Program Files\MKVToolNix\mkvmerge.exe" --ui-language en --output "%~n1-temp.mkv" --no-subtitles --language 0:eng --language 1:eng "%~1" --track-order 0:0,0:1 --probe-range-percentage 0.50
ffmpeg.exe -i "%~n1-temp.mkv" -c:v copy -c:a aac -ac 2 -b:a 256k -disposition forced -avoid_negative_ts 1 -max_interleave_delta 0 -af dynaudnorm -ar 48000 -threads 0 -y "%~n1.mkv"
shift
if not %1=="" goto :loop
:end

With subtitles.cmd

@echo off
:loop
"C:\Program Files\MKVToolNix\mkvmerge.exe" --ui-language en --output "%~n1-temp.mkv" --language 0:eng --language 1:eng "%~1" --track-order 0:0,0:1,1:0 --probe-range-percentage 0.50
ffmpeg.exe -i "%~n1-temp.mkv" -c:v copy -c:a aac -ac 2 -b:a 256k -disposition forced -avoid_negative_ts 1 -max_interleave_delta 0 -af dynaudnorm -ar 48000 -c:s copy -threads 0 -y "%~n1.mkv"
shift
if not %1=="" goto :loop
:end

Please keep in mind I'm doing this for downunder OTA broadcasts.
You will need to tweak for your requirements.

Cheers.

[jack616]

Sorry for the delay ...
netask56 - but that's the problem - that causes the truncation.
I'll take a look at pcspeaks suggestion.

thanks.

PS TS Doctor neither detects nor fixes the issue.
It reports the files as clean.

[netmask56]

Have you tried to simply extract directly from the TS file the elements you need? ie sound picture and subs and then remuxing in whatever container you need?