The Conversion Tab

This chapter describes the settings on the TSPlayer's Conversion Tab. Additionally it contains a step-by-step instruction for a typical conversion task.

General Remarks | MPG/TS Settings | Output Settings | Example

General Remarks

The TSPlayer is capable of performing the following conversions:

Transport stream (TS) to TS, MPG, MP2/AC3/AAC.

Program stream (MPG) to MPG with different settings, MP2/AC3/AAC.

Audio elementary stream (MP2/AC3/AAC/MP3/WAV) to MP2/AC3/AAC/MP3/WAV.

MPG to TS is not supported. The output format can be selected on the Player Tab.

A conversion with unchanged format is useful for cutting out a part of a file or joining files. Particularly a TS -> TS conversion enables extracting a program resp. channel out of a file containing more than one program, or extracting a specific audio stream out of a file that contains more than one audio stream. Additionally TSPlayer allows to decide whether teletext or subtitles (if recorded) shall be included or not.

If a TS file contains more than one channel, the one selected in the „Available Streams“ field on the Player Tab is written to the target file. The checkboxes related to specific streams in the „Available Streams“ field determine which of them are extracted.

You may leave playback switched on while converting. However, the conversion speed can not exceed playback speed in this case. Switch playback off by clicking the button to achieve the maximum speed.

The TSPlayer generates the output file name automatically. Usually it takes the name of the source file, but avoids overwriting existing files in any case by appending a number to the name, if necessary. If a source TS file contains more than one channel, the TSPlayer adds the channel name or service number to the destination file name.

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MPG/TS Settings

The settings in the upper part apply to the TS and MPG output format.

Set first video header to average bit rate (MPG): If this option is switched on, the TSPlayer replaces the bit rate in the first video header of MPG files by a calculated average value, after the conversion is done, thus helping media players to determine the correct length of the video.

Write AC3 substream headers (MPG): Lets the TSPlayer write AC3 (Dolby Digital Audio) data in the same way as they are stored on DVDs. If switched off, the DVD-like substream headers are left out, provided that only one AC3 audio track is selected for conversion. For distinguishing two or more AC3 tracks in an MPG file substream headers are mandatory.

Timestamp continuity correction (TS/MPG): This option triggers an automatic re-calculation of video / audio / teletext / subtitle timestamps if they jump forward an unusual amount of time, or even worse, jump back.

Possible causes for timestamp discontinuities: Temporarily interrupted recordings (e.g. due to bad weather conditions), concatenated files recorded at different times, broadcasts with discontinuous timestamps (e.g. demo loops, pay-per-view channels). Possible indications: TSPlayer and DVBViewer calculate a wrong duration, lots of error messages in ProjectX when demuxing the file, playback / seeking doesn't work in other players or doesn't work in in DVBViewer, if the DVBViewer Filter is deselected for playback (the DVBViewer Filter automatically adjusts the timestamps on file playback).

Adjust PAT/PMT to file content (TS): The PAT (Program Association Table) and PMT (Program Map Table) are a kind of directoy broadcasted as part of a transport stream. The PAT enumerates all channels resp. services thar are available on a transponder, and the PMT all streams belonging to a service (video, audio tracks, video text...). Usually recordings only contain a subset of these elements. However, an unchanged PAT/PMT specifying channels and streams that are not present in the file may confuse other software. Ticking “Adjust PAT/PMT to file content” lets the TSPlayer cut the PAT/PMT down to the actual output file content.

Recent DVBViewer versions write an adjusted PAT/PMT by default when recording as TS. In DVBViewer Pro it can be switched off (see „Options/ Recorder/ Adjust PAT/PMT“).

Discard packets up to first PES Header (TS). Applies to video / audio / teletext / subtitle streams. Discards all TS packets up to (not including) the first packet containing a PES header, thus letting streams start in a "clean" way with an access unit and a time stamp. This option also removes scrambled packets at the beginning of recordings that are affected by „lazy“ CAMs starting to work delayed.

Remove video filler data (TS/MPG): This option applies to MPEG2 and H.264 video. It removes filler data added by broadcasters to keep a minimum bit rate in order to avoid buffer underrun problems with certain receivers. For playback on a PC this data is useless. The TSPlayer displays the amount and percentage of removed filler data in the Output Settings field while converting.

The three Packet Size Options allow to select different packet sizes for MPG files.

Max. 8192 Bytes: The data packet size is only limited by the internal buffer size. Creates the smallest file size, but is not DVD compliant.

Max. 2048 Bytes: Splits the packets into smaller packets with a maximum size of 2048 bytes. Some of the resulting packets may contain less. Increases the file size a bit (since there are more headers), but less than 1%.

Always 2048 Bytes: Strictly DVD compliant size. Smaller, left over chunks of data are padded with stuffing bytes, that enlarge the file size considerably (about 10%). Should only be used for DVD players that won't do their job without it.

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Output Settings

The Output Settings section in the lower part displays the size of the converted file, provides automatic splitting and allows selecting the output directory:

Split Files After...: This option lets the TSPlayer automatically „cut“ the output file after a given file size has been reached. The conversion is continued with a second, third... file. The files carry the same name, but are numbered (except the first file).

The Split Now Button allows for splitting the output file manually at any time or size, while converting. In both cases the splitting is „lossless“ - no data gets lost at the cut point. The fragments can be concatenated without missing frames.

Output Directory specifies the path resp. folder in which the output files are stored. Use the Folder Button at the right to open a dialog window for selecting a (different) folder. If no directory is specified, the TSPlayer writes its output to the directory of the source file.

If you own two hard disk drives, it is recommendable to convert from one drive to the other, in order to speed the process up. In case of a single drive the read/write head scampers between the files all the time, which takes time.

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An Example

Let's assume you have recorded a channel as TS file containing two audio streams, MPEG audio and AC3 (Dolby Digital). Now you want it as MPG file with the AC3 stream only. The first and last few minutes shall be cut off. Proceed as follows:

Launch the TSPlayer and select the source file via the button.

Select „Audio/Video PS (.mpg)“ as output format on the Player Tab.

Untick the unwanted MPEG audio stream in the Available Streams Treeview.

Click to start playback.

Search the desired start position by using the Position Slider or the forward/back toolbuttons. Let the TSPlayer pause at this position, if you like.

Click to set the conversion start point.

Now, in the same way, search the desired end position. Click to set the conversion end point.

Click to start conversion. It will let the slider jump to the conversion start point.

Click again to switch playback off, in order to achieve the maximum conversion speed.

The conversion stops automatically after having reached the conversion end point... done!

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