Trim MTS

How to Trim an MTS Video Online

1. Upload Your MTS File: Drag and drop your AVCHD camcorder recording, or click "Add Files" to browse. Batch trimming of multiple MTS clips from the same shoot is supported, useful when a camcorder spanned a long take into 2 GB segments.
2. Set Time Range (Start + Duration): Under "Trim," choose "Time Range" and enter the start point and duration in HH:MM:SS.ms. For frame-accurate cuts, use the millisecond field — AVCHD records at 25/30/50/60 fps, so 1/30s precision matches a single 60i field.
3. Pick Quality and Resolution (Optional): Under "File Compression," select a Quality Preset (Highest to Lowest), set "Target file size (%)", "Specific file size," "Constant Bitrate," "Variable Bitrate," "Constant Quality" (CRF), or "Constraint Quality." Under "Video resolution," keep original (typically 1920x1080), pick a preset (1080p, 720p, 480p), enter custom width/height, or scale by percentage.
4. Trim and Download: Click "Trim." Files process in your browser session — no sign-up, no watermark, source files never leave your device after the job completes.

Why Trim MTS Files?

MTS is the file extension Sony, Panasonic, Canon, and JVC HD camcorders write to the SD card when recording AVCHD video. AVCHD was developed jointly by Sony and Panasonic in 2006 and packages H.264/AVC video with Dolby AC-3 or linear PCM audio inside an MPEG-2 transport stream. Camcorder takes routinely include setup time, dead air, and footage you don't need in the final cut — trimming MTS in-place keeps the AVCHD codec untouched for downstream tools that expect it (Blu-ray authoring, Sony Catalyst, Panasonic HD Writer, AVCHD-aware NLEs).

• Wedding and event highlights — A typical 1080i ceremony shot at 17 Mbit/s runs around 7.5 GB per hour. Trim to the vows and rings exchange, drop file size from gigabytes to a few hundred megabytes, and keep MTS so the AVCHD audio track (often AC-3 5.1 from a shotgun mic) stays intact.
• Joining spanned recordings before editing — AVCHD files are typically split into ~2 GB segments at recording time (a constraint inherited from the AVCHD spec and FAT32). Trim each segment to the in/out points you actually need, then concatenate downstream — much faster than re-encoding the full 4–8 GB take.
• Removing camcorder leader and tail — Most camcorders capture a few seconds of pre-roll while autofocus settles and post-roll after you press stop. Trimming those off cleans up the clip without converting away from MTS.
• Sports and action highlights — Pull the goal, the dunk, the lap from a 60i recording. AVCHD's 1/60s temporal resolution is enough for slow-mo retiming in Premiere or DaVinci Resolve.
• Interview pickup edits — Strip the slate, the false starts, and the "wait, can we do that again" without round-tripping through a heavier intermediate codec.
• Email and upload-friendly clips — A 30-second 1080p MTS at 8 Mbit/s sits around 30 MB, which fits Gmail's 25 MB cap once you drop bitrate slightly or pair the trim with MTS to MP4 for broader inbox compatibility.

MTS vs M2TS — Format Comparison

Property	MTS (camcorder)	M2TS (Blu-ray / imported)
Where you see it	SD card / camcorder internal storage	BDMV/STREAM folder on Blu-ray, or after import to PC
Encryption	Unencrypted	Often AACS-encrypted on commercial discs
Container	MPEG-2 transport stream	MPEG-2 transport stream (same bytes, different extension)
Video codec	H.264/AVC (also MPEG-2 on older models)	H.264/AVC, MPEG-2, or VC-1
Audio codec	Dolby AC-3 (most common), LPCM	Dolby AC-3, DTS, LPCM, Dolby TrueHD
Typical bitrate	17 Mbit/s (consumer 1080i), up to 28 Mbit/s (AVCHD 2.0 1080p60)	18–40 Mbit/s for HD Blu-ray
Max audio channels	Stereo or 5.1 surround	Up to 7.1 surround
Renaming	Can be renamed .m2ts and still play	Can be renamed .mts and still play

AVCHD Recording Specs Quick Reference

Mode	Resolution	Frame rate	Typical bitrate	Codec
AVCHD HQ (1080i)	1920x1080	60i / 50i	17 Mbit/s	H.264 + AC-3
AVCCAM / Pro 1080i	1920x1080	60i / 50i	24 Mbit/s	H.264 + AC-3
AVCHD Progressive (2.0, 2011+)	1920x1080	60p / 50p	28 Mbit/s	H.264 + AC-3
720p	1280x720	60p / 50p / 24p	8–17 Mbit/s	H.264 + AC-3
AVCHD Lite	1280x720	60p / 50p	~12 Mbit/s	H.264 + AC-3

Frequently Asked Questions

Which camcorders produce MTS files?

Sony Handycam (HDR-CX, FDR-AX, NEX-VG), Panasonic HC-V, HC-X, and AG-AC series, Canon VIXIA / LEGRIA HF, and JVC Everio GZ models record to MTS in AVCHD format. The recording is H.264 video plus Dolby AC-3 audio, written into a BDMV/STREAM folder structure on the SD card.

Why are my camcorder recordings split into multiple MTS files?

AVCHD camcorders typically segment a single take into ~2 GB chunks because of the AVCHD specification's file size limit (also reinforced by FAT32 on older cards). A 30-minute 1080i recording at 17 Mbit/s often produces three or four MTS files. They are designed to play back as one continuous clip when the camcorder loads the BDMV folder, but most editors see them as separate files. Trim each segment to its useful section and join downstream, or merge first with a tool like tsMuxeR before trimming.

Will trimming preserve the AVCHD folder structure?

No. The output is a standalone trimmed MTS file. The full BDMV/PRIVATE/AVCHD/STREAM directory hierarchy, the .CPI clip-info files, and the .MPL playlist are not reconstructed. The trimmed MTS will still play in VLC, MPC-HC, Sony Catalyst, and most NLEs, and you can rename it to .m2ts and feed it to a Blu-ray authoring tool, but it won't behave as part of a camcorder-imported AVCHD project.

Can I trim without re-encoding?

This online tool re-encodes during trim, which gives you frame-accurate cut points and the ability to change bitrate or resolution in the same step. If you specifically need a no-re-encode cut (lossless, but only at GOP boundaries — typically every 12–15 frames in AVCHD), use a stream copy tool like tsMuxeR or ffmpeg -c copy. The tradeoff: GOP-boundary cuts can land up to half a second off your intended frame.

Can I compress while trimming to fit an email or upload limit?

Yes. Trim and compress in one pass. Pick "Specific file size" and target 25 MB for Gmail or 100 MB for most messaging apps; or use "Target file size (%)" to scale relative to source. A 1-hour 1080i take (4–8 GB) trimmed to a 5-minute clip at 720p typically lands well under 100 MB. For maximum platform compatibility consider MTS to MP4 instead — most inboxes and chat apps handle MP4 better than MTS.

Will the AC-3 5.1 surround audio survive the trim?

Yes if the source is 5.1 — the audio track is re-encoded alongside the video and the channel layout is preserved. AVCHD AC-3 is typically 256–640 kbit/s for 5.1 and 192–256 kbit/s for stereo, and the trimmed output keeps the same channel count unless you explicitly change codec.

Can I trim 1080p60 AVCHD Progressive or just 1080i?

Both work. AVCHD 2.0 (the 2011 amendment) added 1080p50/60 at up to 28 Mbit/s and stereoscopic 3D modes; the trim handles them the same way as 1080i. If you don't need 60p smoothness in the final clip, dropping to 1080p30 cuts file size roughly in half.

Should I trim as MTS or convert to MP4 for sharing?

Keep MTS if the next step is Blu-ray authoring, Sony Catalyst Browse, Panasonic HD Writer, or any AVCHD-aware NLE that prefers the native container. Switch to MP4 (MTS to MP4) for sharing on YouTube, Discord, Slack, Gmail, iMessage, or any platform that doesn't natively recognize the .mts extension. The underlying H.264 video can be remuxed without re-encoding when going MTS→MP4.

What's the difference between trim, cut, and split for MTS?

Trim usually means keeping one continuous segment (set start + duration). Cut/split means producing multiple output files from a single source — for that workflow, run trim multiple times with different time ranges, or use Video Cutter which is designed around extracting multiple clips from one source.