Editing DVD-compatible .ts files without re-encoding

garywood84 · Post by **garywood84** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 1:05 pm

I'm getting really fed up with VS regarding the following issue, and hope that someone can help me out.

I have a new PVR that records from satellite broadcasts to .ts files. These can be inserted into VS, but, whatever I do, I can't persuade VS that they are already DVD compatible files and it therefore insists on re-encoding them.

I know that the project settings have to be the same as the video for smart rendering to work, and have tried to set them the same. It's not quite so easy as all that, though, because VS reports that the bitrate of the .ts files is X (apparently presuming, incorrectly, that they are CBR), where in fact it's VBR max X. So, even with the same bitrate set, VS wants to re-encode.

I've found another program online called VideoReDo and this works perfectly, taking the .ts file, allowing me to cut out adverts, and then burn to DVD without re-encoding. The problem is that it costs USD 74.99, and I don't want to spend that much money to do something that VS should be able to do!

I'd really appreciate any help with this, if anyone has any ideas.

Thanks,

Gary

2Dogs · Post by **2Dogs** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 2:52 pm

What version of VS are you using?

When you insert the pvr clips into a new blank project, do you get the usual prompt to set the project properties to match the clip?

When you go to the "Share>Create Video File" step, do you see "MPEG Optimizer" as one of the options and if so, what does it show of you click on it?

Does it make any difference if you rename the pvr video file extension to .mpg?

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 3:17 pm

Transport Stream (TS) was designed for streaming MPEG video through a network or by satellite. VOB files you find on a DVD are MPEG2-PS files. The TS format, however, is not adapted for making VOBs without re-rendering.

You can also use SUPER (freebie) for converting TS to DVD-compatible (PS) MPEG-2.

garywood84 · Post by **garywood84** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 12:17 am

Thanks for your replies.

What version of VS are you using?

I've tried both 11+ and X2.

When you insert the pvr clips into a new blank project, do you get the usual prompt to set the project properties to match the clip?

No, but then, I don't remember ever having seen such a message. I usually just manually set the project settings to match the video file.

When you go to the "Share>Create Video File" step, do you see "MPEG Optimizer" as one of the options and if so, what does it show of you click on it?

MPEG Optimizer is listed. If the input is a .ts file, then when I open Optimizer, the options are greyed out. If I extract an MPEG from the .ts file, using SUPER, as Devil suggests, then I can see the settings, but the resultant file always has audio sync problems.

Does it make any difference if you rename the pvr video file extension to .mpg?

This was one of the first things I tried, but it just caused VS to crash or report an error when I tried to insert it.

I do realise that sometimes it will be necessary to re-encode the video, for example, if the video was broadcast at a resolution which is not DVD compatible. However, most BBC content is already compatible. The VideoReDo program that I've been testing only re-encodes when necessary, and that's what I want VS to do.