<p><a href="https://docs.fileformat.com/video/mts/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">mts</a> and <a href="https://docs.fileformat.com/video/mp4/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">mp4</a>, in this case, are file containers. In each mts video/audio frame has a presentation timestamp or PTS embedded in a packetized elementary stream or PES whereas mp4 video/audio frames don't. Each frame, in mp4, is a raw video/audio content depends on the encoding configuration, and it does not have a timestamp; the timestamp is the frame number/count divides by the frame per second.</p>
<p>I am not sure where does the statement or question</p>
<blockquote>
<p>for editing .mts files in a video editor</p>
</blockquote>
<p>come from, but if I evaluate video contents against audio contents, I need to extract timestamps for those target video and audio contents. If the file contatiner is mp4, it would be pain in the neck since I need to know the frame number of the target contents and estimate the timestamps of them.</p>
<p>But it's just the challenges of handling/validating stream content from scratch; talking of video editing, even Kdenlive and Openshot can handle a mp4 file well. I think the statment was about the early version of video editor, not for today.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-13T13:57:15.503Z
Thanks for your reply. first you say that mp4 is a pain to edit video-to-audio, but then you say Kdenlive and Openshot can edit mp4s well. Are these statements somewhat contradictory? and where does .mts fit in all this
user610620
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-13T23:44:01.233Z
As i mentioned "it's just the challenges of handling/validating stream content from scratch", those video editors handle those tedious preparations and get everything easier.
xer-rex
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-13T23:59:07.903Z
Is it bad practice to edit an .mts file without accompanying auxiliary files that a camcorder saves on-drive with it? Should someone convert the .mts to .mp4 or another format before editing?
user610620
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-14T00:42:37.633Z
I'm not sure what kinda information happen in auxilliary files; i suspect they are thumbnails plus timestamps help you preview/fast-forward on your device/camcorder. You can try playback the mts on VLC,https://www.videolan.org/vlc/. if it's doing fine on VLC, the file should be self-contained.
xer-rex
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-17T21:26:10.187Z
So final verdict is it's better to edit an `.mts` file isntead of a `.mp4` file?
user610620
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-12T03:02:34.290Z
2021-12-12T03:02:34.290Z
xer-rex
<p>I know that <code>.mts</code> video files use MPEG-4 video compression. But why then don't they just have the <code>.mp4</code> file name extension?</p>
<p>Since they don't, this means they are not digitally nor conceptually equivalent, given that one is just an advanced version of the other (&quot;Advanced Video Coding High Definition (AVCHD) format&quot; if that means anything), so what really is the difference between <code>.mts</code> and <code>.mp4</code>?</p>
<ul>
<li>And what does it mean for editing <code>.mts</code> files in a video editor? Is
there some sort of advantage to cutting and adding effects to them
compared to <code>.mp4</code></li>
</ul>

<editing><codec><mp4><file-formats><compression>
What is the difference between .mts and .mp4 video files, and which is better to edit?
user610620
# What is the difference between .mts and .mp4 video files, and which is better to edit?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-02-25)

I know that `.mts` video files use MPEG-4 video compression. But why then don't they just have the `.mp4` file name extension?

Since they don't, this means they are not digitally nor conceptually equivalent, given that one is just an advanced version of the other ("Advanced Video Coding High Definition (AVCHD) format" if that means anything), so what really is the difference between `.mts` and `.mp4`?

* And what does it mean for editing `.mts` files in a video editor? Is
  there some sort of advantage to cutting and adding effects to them
  compared to `.mp4`

**Tags:** editing, codec, mp4, file-formats, compression


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-12-12. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

[mts](https://docs.fileformat.com/video/mts/) and [mp4](https://docs.fileformat.com/video/mp4/), in this case, are file containers. In each mts video/audio frame has a presentation timestamp or PTS embedded in a packetized elementary stream or PES whereas mp4 video/audio frames don't. Each frame, in mp4, is a raw video/audio content depends on the encoding configuration, and it does not have a timestamp; the timestamp is the frame number/count divides by the frame per second.

I am not sure where does the statement or question

> for editing .mts files in a video editor

come from, but if I evaluate video contents against audio contents, I need to extract timestamps for those target video and audio contents. If the file contatiner is mp4, it would be pain in the neck since I need to know the frame number of the target contents and estimate the timestamps of them.

But it's just the challenges of handling/validating stream content from scratch; talking of video editing, even Kdenlive and Openshot can handle a mp4 file well. I think the statment was about the early version of video editor, not for today.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for your reply. first you say that mp4 is a pain to edit video-to-audio, but then you say Kdenlive and Openshot can edit mp4s well. Are these statements somewhat contradictory? and where does .mts fit in all this  
> **username_1**: As i mentioned "it's just the challenges of handling/validating stream content from scratch", those video editors handle those tedious preparations and get everything easier.  
> **username_0**: Is it bad practice to edit an .mts file without accompanying auxiliary files that a camcorder saves on-drive with it? Should someone convert the .mts to .mp4 or another format before editing?  
> **username_1**: I'm not sure what kinda information happen in auxilliary files; i suspect they are thumbnails plus timestamps help you preview/fast-forward on your device/camcorder. You can try playback the mts on VLC,https://www.videolan.org/vlc/. if it's doing fine on VLC, the file should be self-contained.  
> **username_0**: So final verdict is it's better to edit an `.mts` file isntead of a `.mp4` file?  

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