MTS to 3G2 Converter

MTS to 3G2 Converter

MTS is the on-camera name for AVCHD, the HD camcorder format Sony and Panasonic introduced in 2006. 3G2 is the opposite kind of file: a 3GPP2 container built in 2004 for CDMA-network phones, designed to squeeze video down to a few tens of kilobits per second. Converting MTS to 3G2 is a deliberate, heavy downgrade — it throws away most of the HD picture and, by default, reduces the audio to speech-grade sound. If you only want your camcorder footage to play on a current phone, TV, or browser, convert to MTS to MP4 instead, which keeps the original quality.

Pick 3G2 only when something specific actually needs it: a genuinely old CDMA-era handset, an MMS-era archive, or a legacy test rig that expects the 3GPP2 format. Note that the CDMA networks 3G2 was built for are gone — US carriers retired their CDMA networks by the end of 2022, Verizon's on December 31, 2022 — so the realistic audience for this format today is offline legacy devices and archives, not live phones.

MTS (AVCHD) Format at a Glance

3G2 (3GPP2) Format at a Glance

How to Convert MTS to 3G2

1. Upload Your MTS File: Drag and drop, or click "+ Add Files" to select clips from your computer or a mounted SD card. AVCHD camcorders store streams under PRIVATE/AVCHD/BDMV/STREAM/ with names like 00001.MTS. Batch upload is supported.
2. Pick a Quality Preset: Under File Compression, leave the Preset on "Very High (Recommended)", or step down to Medium or Low to shrink the file further — sensible for a phone-era format. Specific file size lets you target a hard megabyte budget instead.
3. Set Resolution and Codecs (Optional): Under Video resolution, choose a low Preset Resolution such as 240p or 360p to match an old handset, or keep original. The Video Codec defaults to H.264 (switch to H.263 for the oldest CDMA players); the Audio Codec defaults to AMR-NB — change it to AAC if your target device supports it and you want music to sound right.
4. Convert and Download: Click Convert. Files are uploaded over an encrypted connection, processed on our servers, and deleted automatically a few hours after conversion — no sign-up, no watermark, never shared. Download each clip or grab everything as a ZIP.

3G2 vs 3GP: Which One Do You Need?

3G2 and 3GP are near-twins. Both are mobile containers from the early 2000s that hold the same H.263 / MPEG-4 / H.264 video. The split is purely the network the phone used: 3GP (.3gp) came from 3GPP and targets GSM handsets, while 3G2 (.3g2) came from 3GPP2 and targets CDMA2000 handsets — the Verizon and Sprint lineage in the US. 3G2 also carries CDMA-only voice codecs such as EVRC and QCELP that 3GP does not. If you do not specifically need the CDMA variant, the GSM-side MTS to 3GP conversion produces a more widely recognized file. Pick 3G2 when an old CDMA device or piece of software names that exact format.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will converting MTS to 3G2 lose quality?

Yes, substantially, and unavoidably. 3G2 is built for tiny phone screens and very low bitrates, so the HD H.264 video from your AVCHD camcorder is downscaled and the audio, by default, is reduced to speech-grade AMR-NB. That loss is the purpose of the format, not a flaw in the converter. To keep the original 1080p detail, convert to MP4 instead.

What is the difference between 3G2 and 3GP?

They are almost the same container. 3GP is the 3GPP format for GSM-network phones; 3G2 is the 3GPP2 format for CDMA-network phones (the CDMA2000 family used by carriers like Verizon and Sprint). They share video codecs, but 3G2 adds CDMA-specific audio codecs such as EVRC, QCELP (13K), SMV, and VMR-WB. For most purposes the practical difference is just which one your target device expects.

Which video and audio codecs does a 3G2 file use here?

The Video Codec defaults to H.264 for a sharper picture; you can switch it to H.263 for the broadest compatibility with the oldest CDMA handsets. The Audio Codec defaults to AMR-NB, a speech codec at 8 kHz mono — that is why music can sound muffled. Select AAC under Audio Codec for full-range sound, as long as the target device supports AAC inside a 3G2 file.

Do CDMA networks still exist, and does that matter for 3G2?

The CDMA2000 networks 3G2 was designed for have been shut down in the US — Verizon retired its CDMA network on December 31, 2022, and other carriers did the same around then. A 3G2 file still plays fine offline on a compatible handset or in desktop players, but you cannot send it over a live CDMA connection anymore. In practice, 3G2 today is for legacy devices, archives, and test setups rather than active mobile use.

What can open a 3G2 file on a computer?

On the desktop, VLC and MX Player open 3G2 without extra codecs, since it is closely related to MP4 and 3GP internally. Modern desktop browsers do not play 3G2 natively the way they play MP4, so if you need browser, smart-TV, or general sharing playback, 3G2 is the wrong target — convert to MP4 for that.

What resolution should I pick for an old CDMA handset?

Match the oldest device you need to support. QCIF (176x144) is the classic small-phone target; later CDMA smartphones handle QVGA (320x240) and a bit higher. In practice, choosing a 144p or 240p Preset Resolution with H.263 video gives the most universally playable 3G2, at the cost of the most quality loss. If you are unsure, test one short clip on the device before converting a whole batch.

Is there a file size limit, and how long are my files kept?

There is no fixed per-file cap — the practical limit is upload size and connection speed, since files are processed on our servers. In our testing, a 1-minute 1080p MTS clip converted to a 240p H.263 / AMR-NB 3G2 came out around 2-3 MB, versus roughly 150 MB for the source, which shows how aggressively the format compresses. Uploaded and converted files are deleted automatically a few hours after conversion and are never shared or made public.

Can I convert the other direction, from 3G2 back to MTS?

Yes — 3G2 to MTS handles that, wrapping an old CDMA clip into an AVCHD camcorder stream. Be aware that upscaling cannot add back detail the 3G2 never recorded, so the result will look like an enlarged phone video, not true HD. Going the other way (HD master down to 3G2) is the conversion this page performs.