How to convert TV recordings in TS format to MP4
Recordings from a PVR, set-top box or TV tuner are saved as .ts transport streams. How to turn one into an MP4 that plays on a phone or laptop.
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In short: A .ts file is a broadcast transport stream, recorded exactly as it came off the air. The TS to MP4 converter rewrites it as H.264 MP4, usually much smaller, which plays on any phone, laptop or tablet.
Why recordings are so large
A broadcast is sent at a generous, constant bitrate, often in MPEG-2 for standard definition. An hour can be several gigabytes. Re-encoding as H.264 typically cuts it to a third.
Encrypted recordings
Some boxes, especially pay-TV ones, encrypt what they record so it only plays on that box. Those files cannot be converted by anything on this site; the stream inside is scrambled.
Extra audio tracks
Recordings can carry an audio description track alongside the main sound. The conversion takes the first track, which is normally the main one.
Cutting the adverts and padding
Recordings usually start early and run late. Trim Video cuts the ends off; Split Video divides a long recording into parts.
Questions
What plays TS files?
VLC, most smart TVs and set-top boxes. Convert to MP4 for everything else.