None of those options are available in the HDV spec. It is a tape acquisition format, nothing more.
What you want is "closer" to DVD spec, except 4:3 is anamorphic 720x480.

As far as I know, .ts and .m2t are the same MPEG2 transport stream container.

Note that .m2ts and .MTS are the same as each other but differ from the first two by a few extra bytes in the header to improve playback performance.

Are you sure that you can't use program stream video (normally .mpg extension)?

I am streaming the file using vlc to my device. The device is a set top box.

Can I add the 5.1 surround sound to the program video stream? I didn't see that option for the audio. I have an original m2t file and all I am doing is trying to change the video. When I load that into Vegas Pro, I get these file properties:

General
Name: HDMI480.m2t
Folder: C:\Projects\SourceFiles
Type: MPEG-2 Transport Stream
Size: 712.54 MB (729,645,672 bytes)
Created: Wednesday, June 25, 2014, 11:07:29 AM
Modified: Thursday, March 31, 2011, 1:37:48 PM
Accessed: Wednesday, June 25, 2014, 11:07:29 AM
Attributes: Archive

Streams
Video: 00:05:00.033, 29.970 fps progressive, 640x480x12, MPEG-2
Audio 1: 00:05:00.033, 48,000 Hz, 5.1 Surround (stereo downmix), Dolby AC-3
Audio 2: 00:05:00.033, 48,000 Hz, 5.1 Surround, Dolby AC-3

ACID information
ACID chunk: no
Stretch chunk: no
Stretch list: no
Stretch info2: no
Beat markers: no
Detected beats: no

Other metadata
Regions/markers: no
Command markers: no

Media manager
Media tags: no

Plug-In
Name: compoundplug.dll
Folder: C:\Program Files\Sony\Vegas Pro 13.0\FileIO Plug-Ins\compoundplug
Format: MPEG-2 Transport Stream
Version: Version 13.0 (Build 428) 64-bit
Company: Sony Creative Software Inc.

I just want to replace the video with my image and recreate the file. The only problem I am having is with the audio. I am not sure how to render the file.

Thanks everyone for your help.

Does the device have a brand and model number that someone can search to find what media types it could possibly play?

While many of us here are tinkerers and your goal may keep you intellectually entertained for some time there are likely much better ways to stream video over a network for display on your TV. A few that come to mind are Roku, WDTV Media Player or any network capable Blu-ray player sold in the last two years.

It appears that you are trying to conform your video to an unusual pixel dimension (640x480) and wrapper (M2T) for a reason that is hard for us to understand. Please ellucidate.

This is part of a test system and the unit is running special test code and not the code that is used in the field. I don't mind changing the pixel dimension, but need the audio described in the file parameters. I am under an NDA and can't talk about the specifics of the unit being tested. I am not trying to be difficult. I inherited the test system and need to change the video so I can greatly reduce the test time. The video streams I was given were m2t files, which works with this unit. I have tried a couple of other file formats, but the unit doesn't show any video. I can get the m2t files to play video, just need to get the audio added somehow.

Download and try these two files. If they work, I'll explain how I did it.

File 1

File 2

MediaInfo for File 1:

General
ID : 1 (0x1)
Complete name : C:\Users\John\Desktop\M2T Test\Rendered Output\M2T Test-ts.M2T
Format : MPEG-TS
File size : 8.65 MiB
Duration : 9s 985ms
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 7 253 Kbps
Maximum Overall bit rate : 35.5 Mbps

Video
ID : 4113 (0x1011)
Menu ID : 1 (0x1)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@High
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, Matrix : Default
Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=15
Codec ID : 2
Duration : 10s 10ms
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 6 442 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 12.0 Mbps
Width : 640 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.700
Time code of first frame : 00:00:00:00
Time code source : Group of pictures header
Stream size : 7.69 MiB (89%)

Audio
ID : 4352 (0x1100)
Menu ID : 1 (0x1)
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Format settings, Endianness : Big
Codec ID : 129
Duration : 10s 16ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 448 Kbps
Channel(s) : 6 channels
Channel positions : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 548 KiB (6%)
Language : English

Download and install this application to display the media properties: Mediainfo. Select text mode as a View Option and paste the characteristics of your working file here.
Don't accept and install any crapware with this application.

"Can I add the 5.1 surround sound to the program video stream? I didn't see that option for the audio. I have an original m2t file and all I am doing is trying to change the video. When I load that into Vegas Pro, I get these file properties:

I'm not sure what you're testing and I won't bother to ask because of the NDA, but Vegas doesn't offer that option because it is not a legal one. Now it can be done as as john dennis points out, but you should be aware that ac3 is not an open format/codec. It is owned by Dolby Labs and there are certain licensing restrictions which come along with the use of that format/codec.

Soooo, long story short, if what you're testing needs to be legal then you may have to go back to the drawing board because a M2T with ac3 audio is not actually legal (at least not without Dolby's permission)

Those did not work as I didn't see any video. I downloaded the MediaInfo app and read the video we are using and here is what it says:

General
ID : 0 (0x0)
Complete name : C:\Projects\VideoStreams\SourceFiles\HDMI480.m2t
Folder name : C:\Projects\Evalue8\VideoStreams\SourceFiles
Format : MPEG-TS
File size : 696 MiB
Duration : 300978.788481
Duration : 5mn 0s
Overall bit rate mode : CBR
Overall bit rate mode : Constant
Overall bit rate : 19.4 Mbps

Video
ID : 4096 (0x1000)
Menu ID : 1 (0x1)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@High
Format settings : CustomMatrix / BVOP
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, Matrix : Custom
Format_Settings_Matrix_Data : 10111112121213131313141414141415151515151516161616161616171717171717171718181818181818191A191A1A191B1B1B1A1B1C1C1C1C1E1E1E1F1F21
Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=15
Codec ID : 2
Duration : 5mn 0s
Bit rate : 18.0 Mbps
Maximum bit rate : 6900000
Width : 640 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 1.953
Time code of first frame : 00:00:00:00
Time code source : Group of pictures header
GOP, Open/Closed : Closed

Audio
ID : 4097 (0x1001)
Menu ID : 1 (0x1)
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Format settings, Endianness : Big
Codec ID : 129
Duration : 5mn 0s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 448 Kbps
Channel(s) : 6 channels
Channel positions : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 16.0 MiB (2%)
Language : English

Some of this info I understand, but to be honest a lot of it I don't. Looks like the main differences are the ID codes and the custom matrix.

Thanks for all the help.

Now that I have this data, I'll try again tonight.

Try this file:

File 3

Changes:

So far, unable to affect the "Matrix".

General
ID : 1 (0x1)
Complete name : C:\Users\John\Desktop\M2T Test\Rendered Output\M2T Test -2-ts.M2T
Format : MPEG-TS
File size : 22.5 MiB
Duration : 9s 985ms
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 18.9 Mbps
Maximum Overall bit rate : 35.5 Mbps

Video
ID : 4113 (0x1011)
Menu ID : 1 (0x1)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@High
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, Matrix : Default
Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=15
Codec ID : 2
Duration : 9s 943ms
Bit rate : 17.5 Mbps
Width : 640 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 1.898
Time code of first frame : 00:00:00:00
Time code source : Group of pictures header
Stream size : 20.7 MiB (92%)

Audio
ID : 4352 (0x1100)
Menu ID : 1 (0x1)
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Format settings, Endianness : Big
Codec ID : 129
Duration : 10s 16ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 448 Kbps
Channel(s) : 6 channels
Channel positions : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Delay relative to video : -67ms
Stream size : 548 KiB (2%)
Language : English

That worked! The only difference I noticed is when I measured the video with my instruments is that the encryption bit is not set and it is on my video. That is not big deal to me as it is not a requirement.

So how did you make it?

Download and place this custom Mainconcept render template in C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Sony\Render Templates\mpeg2-mc (This template was created in Sony Vegas Pro 13.)

You'll have to turn on hidden and system file view in Folder Options.

Using the custom render template, render your video as a video-only elementary stream. The video file will have an .m2v extension.

Download and run a program called tsMuxer to multiplex your video and audio into a transport stream, .ts.

Change the file extension from .ts to M2T.

That got it. I am able to stream and the unit sees the stream and I can measure the audio too. Just need to adjust the audio levels.

Thanks for your help, it is appreciated. I would not have gotten there by myself.