M2TS to MP4/MKV without loosing quality.. Possible?

[Shambles]

I have a load of 1080p .M2TS video files that I'd like to convert to .MP4 to use with an Apple TV, but I can't find a way of converting them without loosing quality.

I have tried using Handbrake, but that results in the end file being up to 3 times the size of the original.

I then tried using Handbrake to convert the .M2TS to .MKV, and then use MKVTools to convert it into .MP4, but that resulted in loss of quality.

If anyone knows what I'm doing wrong or knows any alternatives that would be appreciated, thanks.

 

[peterjcat]

What Handbrake settings are you using? Most importantly -- what is the quality setting set to?

 

[Shambles]

What Handbrake settings are you using? Most importantly -- what is the quality setting set to?

I think I just left the quality slider.
The video codec was set to .H264 and the format to .MP4
I then went to picture settings at the top and changed the output dimensions to the original size (1920 x 1080).

 

[Shambles]

I think I've sorted it, just downloaded a .M2TS sample and played around with the Handbrake settings until I found a nice balance between the file size and picture quality. Currently seeing how it works on a full length movie..

 

[scenemissing]

If you still have the disks it would be far easier to re-rip them using makemkv. It doesn't do any transcoding of the files, and had a watermark free trail.

 

[Shambles]

If you still have the disks it would be far easier to re-rip them using makemkv. It doesn't do any transcoding of the files, and had a watermark free trail.

Nah I don't have the discs, but thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Brucewl]

Hummm, maybe you can just like me to try Leawo HD Video Converter, I used it to convert AVCHD to MP4 format and watch in my iPod Touch 4, the quality is great. About M2TS, it also support it, but my digital camera can only record video as 1080P with AVCHD, I don't try it to you. I believe it can convert M2TS to MP4/MKV great too. It is worth trying!

Here is the home page: http://www.leawo.com/hd-video-converter/

 

[BrunoWill]

I think there must be some settings with handbarke are wrong, I can convert my video fine.

 

[leevbluce]

If u use windows os above 7, The newest windows movie maker can convert .m2ts to mp4.
On mac os x, you may use Quicktime Pro, iMovie or other m2ts converter software.

 

[phrehdd]

I admit I am not a fan of Handbrake but it does a reasonable job of converting m2ts files to mp4. Did you use the ATV setting. You might want to experiment a bit more with the settings and it should compress your file down quite a bit. Also, be selective on the audio so you end up with the proper type (whether stereo or surround).

There are other converters out there but Handbrake more often than not has far more accessible controls so you can custom facets of video and audio. When you find what works, you can use it for other m2ts files as a reference point.

 

[priitv8]

I admit I am not a fan of Handbrake but it does a reasonable job of converting m2ts files to mp4.

Why not? IMHO HB does the best job of getting image quality out of bitrate.
Probably the fruit of open-community development of the x264 encoder.

 

[phrehdd]

Why not? IMHO HB does the best job of getting image quality out of bitrate.
Probably the fruit of open-community development of the x264 encoder.

Perhaps I should have written my comment slightly differently - I don't like to use Handbrake but it works. While I have a Mac, I use other options via Windows running in virtual.

If you read my post you see I stated that Handbrake was a good place to start and also said it had a large bevy of controls for customizing output. In short, it was the only* suggestion I made for the poster to use.

 

[dynaflash]

I have tried using Handbrake, but that results in the end file being up to 3 times the size of the original.

Since you said also that you wanted it on your Appletv I presume you are using the supplied Appletv3 preset ? I find it hard to believe (but not impossible) that the Atv3 preset is producing a file 3 times the size of the original.

A pastebinned activity log linked here would be the "proof in the pudding".