Create DVD from MTS, M2TS and MOV files

InvisibleDuncan

I've got several years worth of camcorder footage that is in MTS format, as well as some older stuff in M2TS (with matching PMPD, TMB and CONT files, whatever they are). I also have some MOV footage. Edit: Just discovered some MP4 as well!

I'd like to create some DVDs with these, including menus, chapters and the like. What would be the best software to use for this? I've had a quick google but although there seem to be a fair few out there, I've no real way of knowing what's worth the money... so I figured I'd ask the experts.

I'm not after anything particularly sophisticated - just a DVD that I can stick in the player, and to be able to mark chapters (maybe a chapter per day or per activity if on holiday, that kind of thing) that I can navigate to.

Any advice gratefully received.

grahamlthompson

Try DVD Flick it's Free

DVD Flick

However it's not the container (eg MTS) that matters rather the video compression codec used together with the frame rate and resolution.

DVD-Video requires mpeg2 compression ideally at 25 fps with a resolution of 720 x 576 with a 16:9 or 4:3 frame aspect ratio.

You can't mix different codecs with a single DVD-Video so some form of conversion software (eg Handbrake) may be required.

It's likely the .MTS content comes from a HD camcorder so DVD-Video format can't be used, The content will be H264/AVC compressed.  Normally this would require a blu-ray burner, however it can be burnt to DVD blanks using the AVCHD format.  To play these back you will need a blu-ray player.

https://blog.real.com/resources/download-convert-avchd/

To use this content on a DVD-Video format disk will require the content to be recoded using mpeg2 to 720 x 576 pixels.

Cheap media players that plug into a TV HDMI port will probably play back most of your raw files if copied to usb mass storage devices,

eg

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sumvision-Cyclone-Micro-Player-Adaptor/dp/B0052X04MO/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1CGZMJ52SJT0I&keywords=media player&qid=1554367385&s=gateway&sprefix=media ,aps,144&sr=8-3

Useful Free Software

MediaInfo

MediaInfo

TSmuxer GUI

tsMuxeR 2.6.12 Free Download - VideoHelp

InvisibleDuncan

Thanks, @grahamlthompson  - that's a lot of information to chew on!

The MTS stuff does come from an HD camcorder, and I have blu-ray players but no blu-ray burner. I do have a DVD burner, though, so your link about burning these to DVD blanks might be exactly what I'm after. I'll read through that and see what I need to do.

Ideally I'd like to get these onto a few disks so that I can simply stick them in a player and let them run as if they were a standard DVD or blu-ray; my previous attempts have simply burnt the files onto the disk so that I've had to select and play each file individually. That gets tedious quite quickly!

I would like to put the MOV output onto the same disk (for example, a single holiday will have lots of MTS files from the camcorder, plus MOV files from my underwater diving camera), so I'll see what I need to do to convert them and include them.

noiseboy72

Try this: CD Burner & DVD Burner Software by Roxio
Throw it the files in any format, choose the menu you like, rename the files into something meaningful and away you go!

Not too expensive and very easy to use.

InvisibleDuncan

Thanks, @noiseboy72 - I'll have a look at that.

12harry

Hi- Can you say why you want to use DVD?
IMHO they are no-longer ideal for modern video; being somewhat limited in quality. Far better to use a memory-stick which allows HD material to be stored.... whilst more expensive, they can be re-used. Also, they are far quicker - requiring no intermediate steps . . . but they probably won't provide "Chapters"  - software like DVD Architect does this, but it's a slow tedious process.
It's (just 20mins) possible to burn HD material to a DVD using a DVD writer...(  Playback on a Blue-Ray player only ), but it's a long process and frankly when I realised how much time it took . . . the Memory-Stick option is  "Drag and Drop".

Before you transfer your videos to a portable medium you should Copy to an external HDD ( 2 Tb are getting cheap enough in 2019 ).... and then Edit, so your audience sees only the best-bits... maybe add some titles and music,  sound effects too. Once given a final RENDER, the completed movies should be put in a separate folder.

Hope that helps.
The trouble with "Software" is that there is so much of it about

Cheers.

Terfyn

I totally agree with Harry. I use an SD card to transfer my videos to my Blu-Ray player.
BUT
Unfortunately DVDs are in common use for commercial viewing and it is fairly normal to expect a DVD player to have replaced the VHS player under the TV. The only reason I can use a SD card is that my BR player has a card slot as well as USB slots and (of course) a DVD deck. I still have to supply my family with SD DVDs as they do not have this option.

InvisibleDuncan

I did previously load these onto a USB memory stick, and all I ended up with was a list of files that I could play one at a time. The thinking behind putting it onto a DVD is the ability to set it up to play like a DVD or Blu-ray - one single viewing with defined chapters that I can select if I want to view a particular day or activity. I'm not sure that this is possible on a memory stick.

I also don't want it to be reusable - the idea is to keep these for posterity (although I appreciate that the players may not be around for ever, and may go the way of the VHS).

That too.

JabbaNut

If still looking, have you tried this program?

Free Video Converter - 100% Free Convert Video Files to Any Formats