> What does it capture? Analog video? Or is it maybe a DVB-S or -C card?
It, whether the Colussus I which I have or the USB-based PVR-2 or the new Colussus II which I may get one day, captures from composite (analog), HDMI or component. Very high quality.
http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_colossus.html> M2TS has 4 bytes in the header of each packet for arrival timestamps thus dealing better with VBR streams and even allowing variable frame rate video streams. If the capture card doesn't use any of these features, there is no reason for M2TS as container format.
I'm sure there's no VFR, but the bitrate can be set to VBR or CBR. So even though there wouldn't be any VFR, it seems that M2TS is a bit smarter.
Btw, while I can follow code, I cannot re-compile anything.
> Are you sure both video and audio encoders in Avidemux were set to the copy mode?
I've ALWAYS used copy/copy except for very rare experimentation and also a few sound track conversions. I found Avidemux primarily as a way to edit out commercials. Even though it's gop-only, the gop size generated by Colossus I is about 15 frames, so a half second is good enough for me.
> "Are you telling me that I have NEVER gotten 192-sized packets out of Avidemux?" Well, I am not quite sure. Mean, the author of Avidemux, knows the code and could give a precise answer.
If you're saying that the extension I type in for the output filename does not affect how the program works (in generating a muxed output file), then it has to be one or the other. I'm guessing he would say "it never generates 192-sized packets, therefore it's not an M2TS file". But I do wish he would say it here or somewhere in the docs. If it's in the docs, I'd like to see it and humbly admit I missed it.
> "If so, then what's the point of me capturing in M2TS instead of TS?" It all depends on the capabilities and features of the h264 encoder in the card.
The card docs say the H.264 (and whichever audio is specified, either ac3 direct or encoded aac) works the same no matter which of the 3 container options we pick.
Btw, while I can follow code a bit, I cannot re-compile anything. I leave that to the developer.