Lossless m2ts merge?

[Fabulist]

Hello everyone,

I searched a lot and tried many different programs that do essentially the same job, but I cannot find one that simply merges two m2ts files without encoding them and / or without having a bitrate loss. Both files are from my Blu-ray, and they directly play one after the other on my player as they are supposed to.

I can achieve that results with tsMuxer for example, but not without losing some bitrate, which I find really frustrating considering the output is m2ts.

I just want to stitch them together and have no other interference with the files.

Is there a reliable way to do this?

Thank you in advance!

[Brad]

tsMuxer doesn't have the capability to encode video, so any bitrate loss you're seeing is just a headers difference or something.

[Fabulist]

The result has less average bitrate and less maximum bitrate on an m2ts mux when viewed with MediaInfo and the same scenes bare different bitrates when compared and identified, are you certain there is no loss whatsoever? Isn't the "--vbv-len=500" setting or something else interfering?

[Brad]

There's literally no way for tsMuxer to reduce the video quality.

[Fabulist]

So what I am seeing in the player / MediaInfo is completely false? How is it I am seeing different bitrates on the same scenes?

[Brad]

What is MediaInfo actually showing?

[Fabulist]

That the new merged file has a lower average bitrate and a much smaller maximum bitrate.

[Brad]

You're not making it easy to assist you. I meant: Please paste the MediaInfo for each file.

[pippas]

I think it's Mediainfo that is probably confusing the issue. I joined two .mts files together - firstly using TsMuxer, and then again using a little utility called MTSmerger.
Neither program re-encoded the video (obviously)and the files all play back looking like the original. The final file - in both cases - is also the same size as the two originals added together.

But Mediainfo reports wildy different bitrates.

The original files reported as -- Overall bit rate:12.7Mbps - Maximum Overall bit rate:18.0Mbps

MMTSmerger joined file reports as --Overall bit rate:15.6Mbps - Maximum Overall bit rate:18.0Mbps

tsMuxer joined file reports as --Overall bit rate:15.6Mbps - Maximum Overall bit rate:35.5Mbps !!

The files are the same size. I think it's probably best to ignore Mediainfo bitrate figures...

[Fabulist]

There is no point for me to do the conversion again, as I do not wish to use tsMuxer because the file it produces, although it plays properly, it crashes the players when I seek on it. I only mentioned it as an example.

My question is whether there is a reliable software to stitch together m2ts files. Excluding tsMuxer.

EDIT:

@pippas

So MediaInfo is unreliable? I thought it was the most accurate software for identifying such files with accuracy. Regardless, players also report a lower bitrate, so everything is wrong?

I will be trying out MTSmerger than you mentioned, tsMuxer gives me seeking issues for some reason.

[pippas]

@pippas

So MediaInfo is unreliable? I thought it was the most accurate software for identifying such files with accuracy.

I think if would be fairer to say Mediainfo can be unreliable. It's also very useful..

It certainly seems inaccurate with joined mts file bitrates anyway. Clearly if two joined files are the same size, and play for the same period of time, yet report with almost 100% max bitrate difference, there's something not quite right....

[ron spencer]

You cannot just plop m2ts (avchd) files into tsmuxer and join them...there is a known problem with audio drift the farther out you go. You need to join with EAC3to in addition of tsmuxer order for this to work.

See here and make your own batch files:

http://avchdvideos.blogspot.ca/p/joining-my-avchd-videos.html

works EVERYTIME for me....not my work, so credit to the person at the link above.

[Fabulist]

Bitrate is not related only to the file's lenght, but also compression method, storage method etc. I can give you the same file with 50k and 5k bitrate and still have the same lenght.

@ ron spencer

Thank you, I will try this out.

EDIT: The resulting file is in mkv format and its quality is significantly degraded. I want to keep the source as intact as possible.

[pippas]

Bitrate is not related only to the file's lenght, but also compression method, storage method etc. I can give you the same file with 50k and 5k bitrate and still have the same lenght.

Yes, but only if the video is re-encoded. As you have already been advised, the video is not being re-encoded using the 'joining' programs being discussed. So the Mediainfo must be inaccurate...

[ron spencer]

EDIT: The resulting file is in mkv format and its quality is significantly degraded. I want to keep the source as intact as possible.

output from what? Method I posted only joins...my files are never altered. Appending files takes seconds to minutes. I have appended over 80 long m2ts files together in just a few minutes. You cannot encode 3 hours of video in 2 minutes. I suspect your m2ts headers are changing. Headers have nothing to do with actual bitrate.

[Fabulist]

From the link you posted, I followed the steps. Is it supposed to produce an mkv video or did I do something wrong?

[pippas]

output from what? Method I posted only joins...my files are never altered. Appending files takes seconds to minutes. I have appended over 80 long m2ts files together in just a few minutes. You cannot encode 3 hours of video in 2 minutes. I suspect your m2ts headers are changing. Headers have nothing to do with actual bitrate.

ron spencer - you are the 3rd person in this thread who has advised that the programs suggested do not re-encode the video.
The OP seems to be ignoring all these comments. Whether he (or she?) just doesn't understand - has a computer problem - or is just trolling, it's difficult to tell at this stage... We shall see.....

[Fabulist]

Trolling? My question is very specific and you chose to completely disregard my replies / information. You provided zero valuable input to this thread, besides confirming what I already said regarding MediaInfo. What you actually did is you posted false information regarding bitrates. I do not even know why you are quoting what ron spencer said, supposedly enhancing your argument. If you really wanted to help, you would advise on a different tool instead of tsMuxer to join the files, since it is apparently not working properly for me on specific merges as I previously stated.

If you have nothing useful to say, go do something productive instead of trolling on forums.

@ ron spencer

The conversion takes for me over 30 minutes on an 5960x @ 4,6Ghz, which I find suspicious in comparison to the two minutes you are stating. In any case, even if all tools / players informing us regarding bitrate are false, do you know a good alternative to tsMuxer? For some reason I cannot seek on certain videos after muxed; and I do not mean chapters, seeking crashes two different players (PotPlayer & MPC-HC). Thank you.

[pippas]

Trolling? My question is very specific and you chose to completely disregard my replies / information. You provided zero valuable input to this thread, besides confirming what I already said regarding MediaInfo. What you actually did is you posted false information regarding bitrates. I do not even know why you are quoting what ron spencer said, supposedly enhancing your argument. If you really wanted to help, you would advise on a different tool instead of tsMuxer to join the files, since it is apparently not working properly for me on specific merges as I previously stated.

If you have nothing useful to say, go do something productive instead of trolling on forums.

I advised using 'MTSmerger', not 'ts muxer'..? -- So, as you can't even get that right, I can understand why you might be getting confused.
Probably not trolling then, just not really understanding what people are trying to telling you.

Hopefully, someone will be able to explain what you need to do in a simpler way....we have all failed so far...

[ron spencer]

@ ron spencer

The conversion takes for me over 30 minutes on an 5960x @ 4,6Ghz, which I find suspicious in comparison to the two minutes you are stating. In any case, even if all tools / players informing us regarding bitrate are false, do you know a good alternative to tsMuxer? For some reason I cannot seek on certain videos after muxed; and I do not mean chapters, seeking crashes two different players (PotPlayer & MPC-HC). Thank you.

You must have a computer problem...mkv is not what comes out. I do mean 2 minutes to append exactly 78 m2ts files from my camcorder lasting 2 hrs and 51 mins...2 minutes and 23 seconds to be exact...I just did it again. TsMuxer does not reencode. I have no idea what you are doing, but it is an issue for sure.

Try this.

Create a new folder and put all your m2ts files in it. In that same folder put in the eac3to folder and tsmuxer folder. Now create a .cmd file consisting of:

@echo off

echo Starting to join AVCHD files please wait...

rem save this file as AVCHD.bat...keep this file as is as it has a lot of file names ready for use.

set videoFileName=".\avchd_final.m2ts"

set mtsList=".\00000.MTS"+".\00001.MTS"+".\00002.MTS"+ ".\00003.MTS"+".\00004.MTS"+".\00005.MTS"+".\00006 .MTS"+".\00007.MTS"+".\00008.MTS"+".\00009.MTS"+". \00010.MTS"+".\00011.MTS"+".\00012.MTS"+".\00013.M TS"+".\00014.MTS"+".\00015.MTS"+".\00016.MTS"+".\0 0017.MTS"+".\00018.MTS"+".\00019.MTS"+".\00020.MTS "+".\00021.MTS"+".\00022.MTS"+".\00023.MTS"+".\000 24.MTS"+".\00025.MTS"+".\00026.MTS"+".\00027.MTS"+ ".\00028.MTS"+".\00029.MTS"+".\00030.MTS"+".\00031 .MTS"+".\00032.MTS"+".\00033.MTS"+".\00034.MTS"+". \00035.MTS"+".\00036.MTS"+".\00037.MTS"+".\00038.M TS"+".\00039.MTS"+".\00040.MTS"+".\00041.MTS"+".\0 0042.MTS"+".\00043.MTS"+".\00044.MTS"+".\00045.MTS "+".\00046.MTS"+".\00047.MTS"+".\00048.MTS"+".\000 49.MTS"+".\00050.MTS"+".\00051.MTS"+".\00052.MTS"+ ".\00053.MTS"+".\00054.MTS"+".\00055.MTS"+".\00056 .MTS"+".\00057.MTS"+".\00058.MTS"+".\00059.MTS"+". \00060.MTS"+".\00061.MTS"+".\00062.MTS"+".\00063.M TS"+".\00064.MTS"+".\00065.MTS"+".\00066.MTS"+".\0 0067.MTS"+".\00068.MTS"+".\00069.MTS"+".\00070.MTS "+".\00071.MTS"+".\00072.MTS"+".\00073.MTS"+".\000 74.MTS"+".\00075.MTS"+".\00076.MTS"+".\00077.MTS"+ ".\00078.MTS"+".\00079.MTS"+".\00080.MTS"+".\00081 .MTS"+".\00082.MTS"+".\00083.MTS"+".\00084.MTS"+". \00085.MTS"+".\00086.MTS"+".\00087.MTS"+".\00088.M TS"+".\00089.MTS"+".\00090.MTS"+".\00091.MTS"+".\0 0092.MTS"+".\00093.MTS"+".\00094.MTS"+".\00095.MTS "+".\00096.MTS"+".\00097.MTS"+".\00098.MTS"+".\000 99.MTS"+".\00100.MTS"+".\00101.MTS"+".\00102.MTS"+ ".\00103.MTS"+".\00104.MTS"+".\00105.MTS"+".\00106 .MTS"+".\00107.MTS"+".\00108.MTS"+".\00109.MTS"+". \00110.MTS"+".\00111.MTS"+".\00112.MTS"+".\00113.M TS"+".\00114.MTS"+".\00115.MTS"+".\00116.MTS"+".\0 0117.MTS"+".\00118.MTS"+".\00119.MTS"+".\00120.MTS "+".\00121.MTS"+".\00122.MTS"+".\00123.MTS"+".\001 24.MTS"+".\00125.MTS"+".\00126.MTS"+".\00127.MTS"+ ".\00128.MTS"+".\00129.MTS"+".\00130.MTS"+".\00131 .MTS"+".\00132.MTS"+".\00133.MTS"+".\00134.MTS"+". \00135.MTS"+".\00136.MTS"+".\00137.MTS"+".\00138.M TS"+".\00139.MTS"+".\00140.MTS"+".\00141.MTS"+".\0 0142.MTS"+".\00143.MTS"+".\00144.MTS"+".\00145.MTS "+".\00146.MTS"+".\00147.MTS"+".\00148.MTS"+".\001 49.MTS"+".\00150.MTS"+".\00151.MTS"+".\00152.MTS"+ ".\00153.MTS"+".\00154.MTS"+".\00155.MTS"+".\00156 .MTS"+".\00157.MTS"+".\00158.MTS"+".\00159.MTS"+". \00160.MTS"+".\00161.MTS"+".\00162.MTS"+".\00163.M TS"+".\00164.MTS"+".\00165.MTS"+".\00166.MTS"+".\0 0167.MTS"+".\00168.MTS"+".\00169.MTS"+".\00170.MTS "+".\00171.MTS"+".\00172.MTS"+".\00173.MTS"+".\001 74.MTS"+".\00175.MTS"+".\00176.MTS"+".\00177.MTS"+ ".\00178.MTS"+".\00179.MTS"+".\00180.MTS"+".\00181 .MTS"+".\00182.MTS"+".\00183.MTS"+".\00184.MTS"+". \00185.MTS"+".\00186.MTS"+".\00187.MTS"+".\00188.M TS"+".\00189.MTS"+".\00190.MTS"+".\00191.MTS"+".\0 0192.MTS"+".\00193.MTS"

Rem =================================

set batFile=".\00.bat"
set metaFile=".\00.meta"


rem Use the below for ac3 audio in original stream
set audioFile=".\00.ac3"

rem Use the below for lpcm audio in original stream
rem set audioFile=".\00.wav"


set audioLogFile=".\00 - Log.txt"
set tsCommand1=MUXOPT --no-pcr-on-video-pid --new-audio-pes --vbr --vbv-len=500
set tsCommand2=V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
set tsCommand3=fps=, insertSEI, contSPS, track=4113


rem Use the below for ac3 audio in original stream
set tsCommand4=A_AC3, %audioFile%, track=4352

rem Use the below for lpcm audio in original stream
rem set tsCommand4=A_LPCM, %audioFile%, track=4352


Rem =================================

echo %tsCommand1% > %metaFile%
echo %tsCommand2%, %mtsList%, %tsCommand3% >> %metaFile%
echo %tsCommand4% >> %metaFile%
echo ".\eac3to\eac3to" %mtsList% %audioFile% > %batFile%
echo ".\tsMuxeR\tsMuxeR" %metaFile% %videoFileName% >> %batFile%

Rem =================================

call %batFile%

Rem =================================

del %audioFile%
del %audioLogFile%
del %batFile%
del %metaFile%

Rem =================================

cls
echo AVCHD Joining Complete.
pause

for the set mtsList command, this is just the list of files you have in the folder I said to make and change the extensions to .m2ts

again you should never get a mkv output, as the batch file sets it as avchd_final.m2ts


all I can say

[wheres_my_account]

[QUOTE=ron spencer;2438398][QUOTE]@ ron spencer

batchfile info...

How exactly can you change the AC3 bitrate in that batch file to something other than 448 if it's encoding it?