Converting .ts

[smarmster]

hello,

newb here. I have a one hour .ts 1.7GB file I hope to convert to avi or wmv or mpg with great quality yet not blow up in size. for instance, I used hdtv2dvd to convert the .ts to mpg. the quality is exceptional but the mpg is 3.5GB. interesting enough, with vlc the original .ts has clear indication of what I think is called pixelation. the conversion to mpg definitely cleans up the picture but the size is ridiculous.

I also tried cucusoft ultimate converter to avi and mpg, both are less than 1GB but poor quality. in cucusoft, the video size is left blank to assume the size of the input file and the bitrate defaulted to 1453. no problem with the sound.

I have researched this just enough to not have any idea why cucusoft conversions terrible compared to the hdtv2dvd conversion.

I need recommendations: what is the most efficient way to convert a highbitrate .ts?

thanks.

[aedipuss]

convert it to what? what is it now? try a few more details next time. maybe use mediainfo or gspot and post a screenshoot so we can see what it starts out as and be specific as to what you want it to end up as.

[smarmster]

it is .ts. what more do you need to know?

[FulciLives]

Use MediaInfo to get more information about the file and post the result.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[smarmster]

please explain why you need to know more than it is transport stream file?

[poisondeathray]

I'm not familiar with hdtv2dvd, but can't you just change the bitrate to make the output file smaller (i.e. aren't there any settings?)

aedipuss asked for more details because the problem with transport streams is that they can use different types of codecs. Commonly h.264 and AC3 audio are used, sometimes VC-1 streams, sometimes MPEG-2. You can't use the same strategy for every kind of .ts. Instead of having people "guess", it would be easier to provide the requested info.

[smarmster]

hdtv2dvd is a very simple app and I have yet to see how to change the settings. it registers the video as mpeg2, audio ac3. per mediainfo, container is mpeg-ts, v stream mpeg, a-stream ac3. first video, 3602Kbps, 704x480@29.970 mpeg2. 192, ac3

[yoda313]

Why not use projectx to demux into a m2v and ac3 then convert from there? Then use virtualdubmod or virtualdubmpeg2 and convert to divx or xvid?

[aedipuss]

looks like the source is dvd quality. what is the intended output going to be used for? do you wish to make it into a dvd, divx cd, streaming media file, the list go on.... ???

[smarmster]

pollster, I think the point of my request has been lost. I am looking to see how best to convert the ts file, not that I have tried everything on the web and think my method the best. I tried several methods and none worked for hits. I do not have time to scour the web to unearth the issue, so I posed the question here for the "experts."

the request, again, was how to efficiently convert without loss of quality. efficiently refers to resulting size of file. I fully understand that specifics necessary but thought .ts was enough to pose an answer and I think your answer did not require further detail.

also, I am not trying to put it to dvd as hdtv2dvd does that very well; it creates the mpeg and the .vob. just a smaller than 1.7GB file without loss of quality.

thanks.

I will give your answer a try.

[FulciLives]

Sounds like you just need to demux and use the files as they are with a DVD Authoring Program. Sounds like they are already DVD complaint (knock on wood).

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[poisondeathray]

Along the lines of yoda313's idea, once you have your m2v and AC3 audio, you can multiplex it back into an .mpg file. The file size will be identical because all you're doing is repackaging the file into an .mpg. There will be no quality loss, because there is no transcoding/re-encoding done. This should take only minutes vs. hours if you were to re-encode the file. This is probably the most "efficient" method.

You can use projectx or tsmuxer to demux your file. Re-multiplex it with any number of tools, such as ImagoMPEG-Muxer, muxman, or many others. You can find all these free tools in the tools link on the left hand side.

Cheers

[thymej]

hdtv2dvd is a very simple app and I have yet to see how to change the settings. it registers the video as mpeg2, audio ac3. per mediainfo, container is mpeg-ts, v stream mpeg, a-stream ac3. first video, 3602Kbps, 704x480@29.970 mpeg2. 192, ac3

As you stated in this quote, the mediainfo said it is a mpeg2 with ac3 audio.

Use VideoRedo (the trail).

-Open your .ts file in VideoRedo (if it opens then it is a mpeg2 .ts file)
-Click the Save as button
-Click yes to save without cuts (unless you want to go though and make cuts first)
-Make sure save as type = MPEG
-Name your file with .mpg at the end

This should all take about 10mins or less; and the file will be about the same size.

EDIT: I just noticed you said you were looking to make a mpg not a VOB for DVD burning. I changed the steps to just saving as a .mpg.

ThymeJ

[smarmster]

I greatly appreciate the help and apologize for the time since last input.

I spent a bit of time working the virtualdub projectx divx solution and think it is exactly what I need, what I was looking for. virtualdubmpeg projects the file at 400-600MB. perfect!! HOWEVER, I cannot get past a flipping out of bounds issue and per virtualdub forums it most likely a balky codec. I tried several files of the same length, files I watched that I know are good with respect to viewing. anyway, all of them cause virtualdub out of bounds approx ~25% through the process to explain why I have not tried to isolate the frame(s) in question and try to dub around it.

so, working the codec thing but lacking the time.

codec recommendations are welcome or ideas for the out of bounds.

virtualdubmpeg2 1.6.19; divx 6.8.3 and ac3 acm

thanks.

[Baldrick]

I would use autogk or avi.net and convert to avi divx/xvid.

[DarrellS]

I use ProjectX to convert MPEG2 Program Streams captured from HVR1800 to TS then use Virtualdub 1.8.1 to edit and save as XviD AVI. I use a quantizer of 2 to keep the quality as close as possible to the original capture. You could use DivX in 1080 HD mode.

You should be able to open your TS stream in Virtualdub 1.8.1 with the MPEG Plugin. Not sure why you're still using an outdated VDub-MPEG2.

Is your username Hasso on the VDub forums? I believe fcchandler stated that there was a bug in VDub-MPEG2 that caused the out of bounds error. There is an updated MPEG2 plugin on his website for Virtualdub...

http://fcchandler.home.comcast.net/Plugins/MPEG2

[smarmster]

I am not hasso. I read some threads, but did not register.

thanks for the advice and I thought I had the latest version, and a bit annoyed I do not. I downloaded off link from a thread and thought I got it from the authoring site. time wasted with much grief to boot over that mistake.

[smarmster]

okay, just tried virtualdub 1.8.1 with mpeg plugin. when it reads the m2v it stops about a third of the way in and displays the virtualdub main window--it appears to me the m2v file is not loaded properly by virtualdub. NOTE: whyenI loaded m2v with 1.6.19 it loads to completion and then presents virtualdub main window. when I try to add the ac3 audio file after seemingly abrupt load of m2v, virtualdub 1.8.1 says it does not recognize the filetype.

what the heck am I doing wrong???

[smarmster]

disregard, I neglected to provide vdub1.8.1 the ac3 plugin.

[poisondeathray]

If your goal is .ts => XviD .avi, give avidemux a try - it supports more file types/codecs than virtualdub.

You should be able to use it directly on your .ts without intermediate step of demultiplexing, and encode to XviD as well

[smarmster]

actually, I am interested in the codec that gives me the best quality for the space. I am trying to get a 1.7GB file size down. at this time, divx seems to be the way to go, but have yet to get one completed with virtualdub due to the noted issue--out of bounds, but just trying 1.8.1 with proper plugins. will give avidemux a look. thanks.

[poisondeathray]

actually, I am interested in the codec that gives me the best quality for the space.

h.264/x.264 much much better than DivX, especially at lower bitrates. But it takes much more CPU power to convert and playback, and is less interoperable with standalone units (not a problem if you're just using on PC)

[smarmster]

just discovered that the abrupt read of the m2v was as suspected: not the entire file and that completed is not anything like the quality of the .ts. aggravating in that vdub 1.6.19 died with error while 1.8.1 does not error and goes ahead with what it could input regarding the m2v as if all is well. maybe it is a problem with the .ts, but it would be a problem at roughly the same spot in the file across the four.ts tried.

still working it; trying avidemux shortly, but still open to suggestions.

[poisondeathray]

If you try avidemux make sure you use the latest svn build (4145 as of june 22) http://www.razorbyte.com.au/avidemux/

If you still have problems, the only (almost 100%) foolproof way is to use dgindex to create a .d2v file, and use an avisynth script to feed into an encoder. This method is more advanced, but works even on problematic files.

Also is your .ts interlaced? (if you use mediainfo view=> text it should tell you) If it is, you should deinterlace before encoding to something else

[DarrellS]

I am wondering if there is a problem with the TS files that you have.

My first attempt at editing my PS files, I used TsRemux to create the TS files and Virtualdub would not recognize the files at all. That's how I learned about ProjectX. Virtualdub had no problem with the ProjectX TS files.

AviDemux may be able to process the file but it seems like there is something wrong with the index. Dgindex may be needed to demux the audio and video files. You may want to convert the m2v video file from Dgindex to XviD with Virtualdub, convert the AC3 audio to MP3 with Audacity or other audio editor and add the MP3 to the AVI and direct stream copy both video and audio.

[smarmster]

avidemux converted the file with avi container (xivd/ac3). the picture is a bit iffy with motion, pixelated mainly along the edges. but the killer is the video/audio sync. of course that is a show stopper.

any thoughts what I did wrong to lose sync?

darrells, I am wondering about one of the ts files but have put that one away for the time being. virtualdub, both 1.6.19 and 1.8.1, is not seeing or inputing the m2v of several files. projectx is awesome though I am still learning how to use it, regardless, it processes, demux I guess is the word, the ts without problem. I doubt projectx is the problem, either it is virtualdub, a codec, maybe the ts but it could also be me missing a setting--still learning.

it is time to close this thread as much too much time has been put forward and am very close I think to reaching the desired result, thanks to the great help. if someone would please explain what I did wrong to lose sync with avidemux, that will end this thread.

thanks for the help.

[poisondeathray]

It might be "iffy" with motion because your source might be interlaced. Did you check with mediainfo or try a filter like yadif? Do they look like horizontal lines when you advance frame by frame? As I suggested earlier, mediainfo view=>text should tell you if the .ts was interlaced. You can toggle the view with the drop down menu to "output" or "side by side" to see the effects of the filter

As for sync problems, try using the demuxed AC3 file instead of re-encoding (audio=>main track=> external file).

Is the sync progressively worsening or a constant delay (like 1sec)? If it's a constant delay you can fix it easily by checkmarking "shift" in the audio sidebar and entering the delay value in ms (e.g. -1000ms for 1 sec)

As DarrellS pointed out, there may be a problem/error with your .ts file; if that is the case, i would use dgindex, create a .d2v file, and avisynth scripts. You can also have much more control over filters and processing this way resulting in much better quality.

[smarmster]

Thanks for the followup as I am trying the latest build as we speak. Great help throughout. Thanks.