Playing MPEG2/M2T on Windows

scstev wrote on 9/10/2007, 10:49 PM
I use VMS Platinum 7.0a to process home movies from a Canon HV20... shooting in 1080i.

I want to edit clips and then archive them in as high quality as possible (on DVD or hard drive, not tape). The WMV at 8Mbps HD1080 is definitely not as good as direct playback on my HD TV via the camera.

I would like to render MPEG2 files for maximum quality and then be able to actually play them. These MainConcept MPEG2/M2T files will not play on my Vista/WMP 11, even if I manually open the files.

I assume this is because the MainConcept codec is not available for decoding in WMP. I suppose I should go out and look for a plug-in for with VMS that will actually render an MPEG2 that I can play on a 'standard' windows machine. Or find a codec to install in WMP that will decode the M2T.

Please tell me I am just overlooking something. How can I create a file similar quality to what comes out of my camera to TV that I can playback on my computer.

I recognize my comp may not be able to handle playback of 25 Mbps MPEG2 stream right now, but this is archival. I expect another 2-3 years and that should be no problem and that's all I care about.

THANKS IN ADVANCE

Comments

Eugenia wrote on 9/10/2007, 11:09 PM
Download some extra codecs for Windows, because it does work for me. All the MainConcept .m2t files do playback on my WMP11 under XP. Please note that I use VMS 8.0b though, not 7.0.
Eugenia wrote on 9/10/2007, 11:30 PM
Apparently it plays on my WMP via "Arcsoft's media decoder" (I have an Arcsoft app in my system).

Alternatively, you can compress in h.264 using FFMPEG at about 10 mbps, or using Lagarith you can compress in a lossless format (although you will be for 1 GB per minute).
4eyes wrote on 9/10/2007, 11:30 PM
I just rename them to mpg.
I leave the extension m2t in tack to remind me they are in the TS format.
So my videos read "Tape0001.m2t.mpg"

This works on my Vista Home premium with no other software installed. WMP11 plays them great.
Don't know your version of Vista. Try renaming them to mpg.

After I do install the other commercial programs then the m2t files will natively load because the other commercial programs install hdv mpeg2 codecs and all.
Also under the advanced Options of WMP11 you can disable any other codecs installed and tell WMP11 which one to use. That option may have been in one of the updates, not sure.
When it's working correct you can play the hd-mpeg2@25Mbs in WMP11 using just one core on a fast machine, my usage is about 9% running on only one core.I recognize my comp may not be able to handle playback of 25 Mbps MPEG2 stream right now, but this is archival. I expect another 2-3 years and that should be no problem and that's all I care about.Could be a problem, don't know your machine specs.
scstev wrote on 9/11/2007, 9:48 PM
I did previously try renaming (actually first just manually opened the file with WMP) but that isn't the problem.

From http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316992 :

"Because Microsoft Windows operating systems provide only an MPEG-1 video decoder, Windows Media Player cannot play MPEG-2 program streams without an additional MPEG-2 video decoder (also known as a DVD decoder pack) installed. For more information about purchasing DVD decoder packs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/plugins.aspx "

For those who said it did work for them, likely you received an MPEG2 decoder from some other software install other than Windows or WMP. I have Vista Ultimate, which according to the MS plugins page "includes full DVD capabilities". I guess it's just broken on my system then?

I didn't, so I have to go download my own. It's a pain because if I want to mail for example, DVDs with the full quality MPEG2 files to my family, now I have to explain to them how to go download a codec. If you have family, you understand why I don't want to do this.

Also, in process of working on this, I found LOTs of people with problems with Vista/WMP11. This includes that there is no way to uninstall/reinstall on Vista. Great, another reason why it was stupid to upgrade to Vista. See this guy's site http://jacksthoughtrack.wordpress.com/2007/07/17/windows-media-player-11-with-vista/.

I fixed my immediate problem with WMP by downloading k-lite codec pack, for now anyway.
athomasl wrote on 9/13/2007, 6:19 PM
Search for "Media Player Classic" and download that. It can play .m2t files.