MTS to MPG Converter

Convert MTS to MPG: What This Tutorial Covers

MTS is the AVCHD transport stream your Sony or Panasonic camcorder writes to its memory card — H.264 video at up to 1920x1080, wrapped in an MPEG transport stream. MPG is the older MPEG-1/MPEG-2 Program Stream from the 1990s, the format DVD-authoring tools and legacy playback hardware expect. This walk-through shows how to make that conversion and, just as importantly, what to set so the downconvert doesn't ruin your footage.

How to Convert MTS to MPG

1. Upload Your MTS File: Drag and drop your .MTS clip onto the page, or click "Add Files" to browse. You can queue several clips at once and they convert with the same settings.
2. Set the Codec to MPEG-2: Open the options and choose MPEG-2 as the output codec — it is the codec DVD players and most legacy MPG workflows expect. MPEG-1 is available for very old targets but caps quality and resolution.
3. Set Quality Preset and Video resolution: Pick a Quality Preset (the default is "Very High (Recommended)") and, if you are authoring a DVD, drop Video resolution to a Preset Resolution of 720x480 (NTSC) or 720x576 (PAL).
4. Convert and Download: Click Convert and download your MPG file. No sign-up, no watermark.

Walk-through: choosing codec, bitrate, and resolution

The honest part of this conversion: H.264 (inside your MTS) is a much more efficient codec than MPEG-2 (inside MPG). Re-encoding into MPEG-2 means the same visual quality now needs a higher bitrate, or quality drops if you keep the bitrate low. Plan the settings around your actual target:

• If you are authoring a standard DVD: the disc spec is standard-definition — 720x480 at 29.97 fps (NTSC) or 720x576 at 25 fps (PAL). Set Video resolution to one of those Preset Resolutions and the downscale from 1080p is expected, not a loss you can avoid. A video bitrate in the rough range of 4-8 Mbps under Constant Bitrate keeps SD MPEG-2 looking clean.
• If a legacy program or device just needs MPG but full resolution: keep Video resolution on "Keep original" (1920x1080) and lean on a higher Quality Preset or a generous Variable Bitrate so MPEG-2 has the headroom to match the source.
• For audio: AVCHD carries AC-3 or LPCM. AC-3 (Dolby Digital) is the right audio choice for DVD-bound MPG; MP2 is the other classic MPEG audio option for maximum legacy compatibility.
• To export just one section: switch Trim from "Unchanged" to a Time Range and set the start and duration before converting.

Common Errors and How to Fix Them

• "Output looks soft or blocky" — MPEG-2 needs more bitrate than the H.264 source did. Raise the Quality Preset or set a higher Constant Bitrate; do not expect a 1080p clip to look identical at a low SD bitrate.
• "DVD software rejects the MPG" — the file is probably full-HD or the wrong frame size. Re-export at 720x480 (NTSC) or 720x576 (PAL), which is the only resolution DVD-Video accepts.
• "No audio after import" — pick AC-3 or MP2 as the audio codec. Some legacy players and DVD tools will not read newer audio tracks muxed into an MPG.
• "File is much larger than the MTS" — that is the efficiency gap, not a bug. Matching H.264 quality in MPEG-2 takes more bits; lower the resolution or bitrate if size matters more than fidelity.

When This Doesn't Work

If your goal is simply to play camcorder footage on a phone, laptop, or smart TV, MPG is the wrong target — you are re-encoding modern HD into a 1990s codec for no benefit. Convert to MTS to MP4 instead; H.264-in-MP4 keeps your quality and plays everywhere. If you specifically need a DVD-disc structure (VIDEO_TS folders or .VOB files) rather than a loose MPG, use MTS to VOB. And if a file is genuinely corrupted or only partially copied off the camera card, no converter can fix it — re-copy the original clip from the camcorder. Going the other direction — old MPG footage back into an AVCHD stream — is covered by MPG to MTS.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why would I convert HD MTS into an older MPG codec at all?

The main honest reasons are legacy: authoring a standard DVD (whose video must be MPEG-2), feeding playback hardware or editing software that predates H.264, or matching an institutional system that only accepts MPG. If none of those apply, converting MTS to MP4 keeps your quality and is more universally playable.

Will I lose quality converting MTS to MPG?

Some loss is unavoidable because you are re-encoding from efficient H.264 into less-efficient MPEG-2. At a high enough bitrate the MPG can look very close to the source, but it will not be a lossless copy, and if you also downscale to DVD resolution the drop from 1080p to 720x480/576 is part of the format change.

What resolution should I pick for DVD authoring?

DVD-Video is standard definition only: 720x480 at 29.97 fps for NTSC or 720x576 at 25 fps for PAL. Set Video resolution to that Preset Resolution before converting, otherwise DVD-authoring software will reject a full-HD MPG.

Which audio codec should the MPG use?

For DVD-bound output, choose AC-3 (Dolby Digital), which AVCHD already uses and DVD players expect. MP2 is the alternative for the broadest legacy compatibility. The default keeps a standard MPEG-compatible track so older players can read it.

What is the practical limit on the MTS file I can convert?

The real constraint is upload size and time rather than anything on your end — a long 1080p AVCHD clip is a large file, so a faster connection helps. In our testing, a 2-minute 1080i MTS clip re-encoded to DVD-resolution MPEG-2 produced a roughly 60-90 MB MPG depending on the bitrate chosen.

What happens to my file after I convert it?

Your MTS is uploaded over an encrypted connection, processed on our servers, and deleted automatically a few hours after conversion. Files are never shared or made public, and there is no sign-up or watermark.