To convert M2TS to MKV, open a video converter (MiniTool Video Converter, HandBrake, Leawo Video Converter, and CloudConvert), import the M2TS file, choose MKV as the output format, and start the conversion. Afterward, open the converted MKV file with VLC, KMPlayer, SMPlayer, or 5KPlayer.
How to Convert M2TS to MKV
Fast steps:
- Open a video converter.
- Import the M2TS file.
- Select MKV as the output format.
- Choose a save location.
- Start the conversion.
- Find the converted MKV file.
Next, I will show you how to use MiniTool Video Converter, HandBrake, Leawo Video Converter, and CloudConvert to convert M2TS to MKV step by step.
1. MiniTool Video Converter
MiniTool Video Converter is a professional video converter and audio converter. This software supports a wide range of video &audio formats, including M2TS, MKV, MP4, AVI, MP3, and others.
This converter supports changing video quality, resolution, frame rate, bitrate, and encoder during conversions. By the way, it also supports batch conversion.
Take the following steps to convert M2TS to MKV.
MiniTool Video Converter-
Batch convert video/audio files among 1000+ formats. - Quickly compress videos for easy storage and transfer.
- Accurately extract subtitles from video/audio files.
- Effectively enhance video quality.
1. Download and install MiniTool Video Converter.
Download MiniTool Video Converter, run the installation package, and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. Then open this program.
2. Import the M2TS file.
Click Add Files to import the M2TS video file from your computer.
3. Select MKV as the output format.
After adding the M2TS file, click the gear icon to open the output window. In the output window, click Video. Then select the MKV format and choose the video quality that you want to save the video in.
4. Choose a save location.
To change the save path, go to Output in the lower-left corner and click the down arrow icon. Choose Browse to change the save folder.
5. Start the conversion.
Click the Convert option. MiniTool Video Converter starts converting the M2TS video to MKV.
5. Find the converted MKV file.
Once done, you can find the converted video file in the Completed section. Click the folder icon to locate the MKV file on your hard drive.
2. HandBrake
HandBrake might be a good option to convert files on Windows, Mac, and Linux. It is an open-source video converter that can convert any common video format into MKV, MP4, or WebM. It has a variety of built-in presets optimized for devices, web, Matroska, and production. It also allows you to create a new preset if needed.
Here’s how to convert M2TS to MKV using HandBrake.
1. Download and install HandBrake.
Open the HandBrake website. Click Other Platforms and choose the right version for your operating system. Download and install HandBrake, then launch the program.
2. Import the M2TS file.
Under Source Selection, click File, select your M2TS video, and click Open. Or drag and drop the M2TS file from the folder into the program.
3. Select MKV as the output format.
After loading the M2TS video, go to the Summary tab and click the Format box to display the output format list. Then select MKV from the drop-down list.
4. Choose the save location and adjust the video.
Click Browse in the lower right of the window to specify a default save folder. If you want to crop the video, click Dimensions and set the video’s width and height.
5. Start the conversion.
Click on Start Encode to convert M2TS to MKV.
In addition to converting videos, HandBrake lets you set the output display size, apply filters to video, add a new audio track to video, burn subtitles into video, add chapters to video, and so on.
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3. Leawo Video Converter
Leawo Video Converter can function as an HD video converter and 4K video converter. It preserves the original quality when you convert HD and 4K videos. Powered by GPU-accelerating technology, this software can convert video and audio files at 6X the speed, which saves you a lot of time.
The free version of Leawo Video Converter can only convert for 5 minutes. A one-year license for one PC costs $29.95/Year. A lifetime license for one PC costs $39.95.
Here’s how to use Leawo Video Converter to convert M2TS to MKV on Windows.
1. Download and install Leawo Video Converter.
Go to the Leawo website and download Leawo Video Converter. Install it on your computer and run it after finishing the installation.
2. Import the M2TS video.
Tap on the Convert tab and click Add Video. From the drop-down menu, select Add Video and import the M2TS video that you want to convert.
3. Select MKV as the output format.
Click on Output Profile and click Change to change the output format as MKV.
4. Choose and customize the MKV profile.
In the Common Video tab, choose MKV Video. To edit the output profile, click MKV Video > Edit and you are able to change the video codec, bit rate, resolution, frame rate, and aspect ratio. When you are done, click OK to save the changes.
5. Start the conversion.
Finally, click the Convert button. Change the destination folder as needed and then click Convert.
Aside from that, Leawo Video Converter supports 2D to 3D conversion and offers you a 3D depth range and 6 different 3D models. It provides a number of video editing features such as trimming, cropping, noise elimination, color correction, and watermarking, which makes it stand out from other video converters.
4. CloudConvert
CloudConvert is the last one on the list of the 4 best M2TS to MKV converters. It’s free and web-based, there’s no need to install third-party software on your computers. CloudConvert is not just a video converter. It also has the ability to convert audio files, images, presentations, eBooks, and other kinds of files.
This online converter gives you options to trim the start/end part of a video, add subtitles to video, and configure settings for output video & audio.
But the biggest disadvantage of CloudConvert is that you can only perform 25 conversions per day.
How to convert M2TS to MKV online for free? Take the following steps!
1. Open CloudConvert.
Visit the CloudConvert website: https://cloudconvert.com.
2. Upload the M2TS file.
Click the download arrow next to Select File and select the M2TS file from your computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, or a URL.
3. Select MKV as the output format.
Click the three dots and choose MKV from the drop-down window.
4. Adjust the output settings.
Tap on the wrench icon next to MKV and adjust the output settings. Click Okay to save the changes.
5. Convert and download the file.
Hit the Convert button to start the M2TS to MKV conversion. CloudConvert will take a few minutes to complete the conversion. Once finished, download the MKV file from this website.
MKV vs M2TS
Overall, MKV is better than M2TS.
| MKV | M2TS | |
| File Size | Small | Large |
| Video Quality | Good | High |
| Compatibility | Widely supported by media players | Less widely supported |
| Common Uses | Movies and TV shows | Blu-ray discs and HD camcorders |
An MKV file is a video file stored in the Matroska multimedia container format. It supports lots of audio and subtitle tracks. MKV is not as common as the MP4 format, but it’s still supported by many media players, including Windows Media Player, VLC media player, and more. It’s often used for storing movies and TV shows.
A file with the .m2ts file extension is a MPEG-2 transport stream file. Videos on Blu-ray discs are saved in M2TS, and most HD camcorders record videos in M2TS format.
MKV vs M2TS: which is better? MKV takes up less space, while M2TS preserves high-quality resolution in videos and takes up much more space. What’s more, MKV files are more compatible with media players.
4 Best M2TS Players
- VLC
- KMPlayer
- SMPlayer
- 5KPlayer
Since M2TS is unable to open on some devices, this section introduces several M2TS players to you.
# VLC
VLC is the most popular media player that works on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. It plays videos and audio files in any format, streams videos from online websites, and lets you convert video & audio from one format to another.
VLC has other features that you can use, such as recording, looping, downloading web videos, loading external subtitles, synchronizing video and audio, and so on.
# KMPlayer
KMPlayer also supports playing M2TS files without quality loss. It can play videos in 4K, 8K, UHD, 60FPS and supports other media file formats such as MKV, AVI, MP4, TS, FLV, OGM, WMV, MP3, etc.
This video player runs on Windows, Android, and iOS.
# SMPlayer
Another video player that can open M2TS files is SMPlayer. It’s a free video player for Windows, macOS, and Linux, supporting all video and audio formats. It can play YouTube videos and download subtitles for movies.
SMPlayer is a great M2TS player, but its user interface is outdated.
# 5KPlayer
This is a free music and video player for Windows and macOS. It not only can play 4K/5K/8K/HDR/360 videos but also allows you to watch online streams. It supports 300+ video & audio hosting sites and lets you download videos and music from these websites.
Conclusion
When you can’t open M2TS files on your device, converting them into MKV format could solve this problem. After the conversion, VLC, KMPlayer, SMPlayer, and 5KPlayer can be used to play the resulting MKV file.
Contact support@minitool.com by email for assistance with MiniTool Video Converter.
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