Should I be capturing as .ts, .m2t or .mpeg
 

Hello. I've tried searching for the answer but still confused.

I am working with HDV 1080i and was taught by a friend to capture using CapDVHS as .mpeg files. I just recently heard about .ts and .m2t files and still don't understand which one I should be using.

I understand that .mpeg is a compressed container or whatever so I'm thinking that I should be capturing in .ts or .m2t?

Will capturing as .ts and .m2t start me off with better quality than .mpeg files that I was previously capturing.

My goal is to create compressed videos for internet sharing and playback on a computer and I eventually want to author DVDs with the same captured files.

I use VirtualDub, Premiere Pro 2.0, and Vegas 7

I've not used CapDVHS, but I'd be willing to bet that all of those formats are exactly the same. m2t stands for mpeg 2 transport stream, ts would be transport stream as well. The actual digital file on HDV tape is an mpeg-compressed file.

I think it just depends on what NLE you are operating with, and the conventions you typically use. I just stay with m2t, the 'correct' name from what I've figured, to separate them from mpeg renders from other programs.

Carl

yes, generally you can be pretty certain to assume that during capture no conversion takes place - no software can possibly make the assumption that there is enough processing power available during capture to do conversion on an HD signal in real time. therefore i strongly assume that the formats you have listed are all identical. try renaming them.

also if your aim is to author for the web and dvd i think you would be better off capturing in DV (i.e. downconvert to standard definition in the camera - if you have that option) since you don't need the extra resolution and the complexity of the HD files will massively slow down your editing process. in comparison DV can be edited comfortably on an old computer

Another suggestion would be... update your Premiere Pro 2.0 to CS3
as CS3 has better/more export options that match ther description of
your requirments....

And it'd probably be best to capture using the native file format that comes off of your camera.. that way you'll know that the software isn't messing with the orignal footage...

Use HDVSplit instead
 

CapDVHS is an application developed with DVHS video recorders in mind, and it has functions specifically designed for that. I would recommend using HDVSplit instead, to make sure all you do is making an exact copy of your tape onto your hard drive.

I would question the statement that no alteration of the signal is taking place at the time of capture. Yes, .ts, .m2t, and mpeg are all the same as far as the audio and video part, but the different formats may contain additional data specific to the format. For example VirtualDub MPEG2 doesn't understand .m2t but if I run the m2t file through MPEG Streamclip first and save it as mpeg, VDub can handle it. And all Streamclip needs is basically the time necessary to write data to the disk, it's so fast, there isn't any time for absolutely any processing - to me that means one thing, the video is never touched, just the wrapper.