[iNvidious01]

What is the best format to convert all my .M2TS files to in TMPGenc?

It gives you a lot options including MPEG, MPEG2, HDV MPEG, AVI, DIVX, MOV and several others.

All i want though is to maintain most of the quality of the original 1080i footage, if not all of it. And to be able to edit the clips in some movie editing software.

[ChainsawDude]

Do you mind if the file grows in size? HDV Mpeg2 will give good editing support in TMPGENC software but will be larger than AVCHD.

[iNvidious01]

Well the clips in AVCHD are already 3.4GB, so i guess yeah i will mind
What about H264, will that be as good?

Thanks

[senu]

Originally Posted by iNvidious01

Well the clips in AVCHD are already 3.4GB, so i guess yeah i will mind
What about H264, will that be as good?

Thanks

AVCHD is H.264, the Hi def variety, exts are m2ts or mts ( HDV: mpeg 1080i is m2t)

If you turn the files to non HiDef H.264 (For PSP and MP4 players) you will suffer a significant loss of quality defeating the point of shooting hi def in the first place

Your aim is to turn them to another format and maintain quality , and also easily edit them
HDV is ideal despite the larger size . otherwise keep them as AVCHD and invest in a large ext HDD ( 750Gb = £60). It is editable even if you need a decent spec PC but there is no getting away from the size which compared to HDV is actually quite modest