Having trouble converting MP2s

[Craig Seeman]

MPEG2 Program, Transport, Elementary Streams?
Elementary wouldn’t have audio.
I’m not sure of AME’s ability to handle all the above nor what version you’re using.

You may want to test with a trail version of Telestream Episode or Sorenson Squeeze.

Compressing a heavily compressed file is always going to be a quality hit so do realize what you’re losing for the size reduction.

You’d probably want to use x264 codec CABAC Entropy High Profile for best possible quality .mp4 files if using either of the above.

You might also want to test using Handbrake to see if it can handle your source formats.

[Ariel Brothman]

Hey Craig, thanks for responding!

The size limit is non-negotiable, unfortunately 🙁 it’s the maximum that the database I’m using can handle. These files don’t have to be broadcast quality, but I am trying to keep them as HQ as possible. A few pixelated scenes here and there won’t hurt.

I’m relatively new to the world of formatting and video settings, so I just looked up the streams you mentioned. I believe I’ve actually had output files of all three stream types, depending on the program I’m using and the settings I try…

-Squeeze 6.5 -> divides into Transport streams when I import.
-Handbrake just closes when I try to encode.
-Telestream won’t even open for me, at the moment.
-Aimersoft -> Elementary
-MPEG Streamclip -> no video, no audio
-Adobe Media Encoder has varied results. It will sometimes output to Program…other times it’ll be Elementary, or it will just have really awful white noise. Or everything will be black and possibly silent. I’d say slightly upwards of 50% of files go through with Media Encoder.

You suggested a certain codec in Squeeze – do you know of a way to change the settings in Squeeze so that it imports as one file instead of one for audio and one for video?

Thanks again!

[Craig Seeman]

Both Squeeze and Episode have x264 codec. The encoders in both programs would generally allow you to switch from MainConcept H.264 to x264 (which is better quality).

Episode and, I believe Squeeze, support MPEG2 Program, Transport, Elementary Streams as sources. You may need to make sure you’re using current versions.

I means supported as input
https://www.telestream.net/pdfs/datasheets/Episode6_Format_Support.pdf

Input also listed
https://www.sorensonmedia.com/squeeze/squeeze-9/squeeze-standard/#requirements
Squeeze 9. Version 6.5 is an antique.

Episode is version 6.4.3.

So if you can’t open an MPEG2 source in either, either you source has an issue, may not be “standard” in some fashion or, you’re not using current version.

[Ariel Brothman]

I have a feeling it’s more than one issue – I definitely don’t have the latest version of Squeeze and I think something is wrong with my Episode, as it won’t even open. And perhaps some of the sources have issues, as I mentioned that some were converting or compressing and some were not.

I’ll work on it and post here if anything changes. Thanks again!