Combining FS-C M2T Files for use in an NLE at DVinfo.net

Julian Frost · May 7th, 2010, 09:23 PM

I haven't used my FS-C in a while, and forgot that it splits the M2T files into 2GB chunks (8min 42sec 29 frames) due to the FAT32 file system used. I also forgot that when you import these chunks into an NLE (like Premier Pro), you end up with missing frames due to the open GOP.

You can manually type in the command...

COPY /B FILE1.M2T +FILE2.M2T +FILE3.M2T... ... +FILE99.M2T DESTINATION.M2T

...but that's long, and laborious. So I wrote a batch file which combines all the M2T files in a folder and outputs a single "combined.m2t" file, ready for ingestion into your NLE. Open Notepad to create a new file, copy the code below into the notepad document, and save it as COMBINE.BAT. Copy this BAT file into the folder where you have the M2T files, and run it. It parses the folder, gets the filenames of all the M2T files and creates the copy command (above) for you, which it puts in a second batch file. It then runs that batch file, joining all the files together, and finally, it deletes the temporary files.

echo off

rem Delete old files, if they exist...
if exist combineit.bat del combineit.bat
if exist nullfile.tmp del nullfile.tmp
if exist combined.m2t del combined.m2t/p

rem Create some temp files where we store the names of the files to be joined...
type nul > combineit.bat
type nul > nullfile.tmp

echo Combining all M2T files in this folder to "combined.m2t"
echo This may take a while...

rem Create the 2nd batch file containing the command which will join the M2T files...
echo copy /b nullfile.tmp^^>> combineit.bat
for /f %%a IN ('dir /b *.m2t') do echo +%%a ^^>> combineit.bat
echo combined.m2t>> combineit.bat

rem Run the newly created batch file...
call combineit.bat

rem Tidy up!
del nullfile.tmp
del combineit.bat

There's also a Windows GUI version (which I did not write), that I'll most likely use, but didn't find until after I wrote the batch file, above! It's called TSSplitter. It has a join feature too: TSSplitter - Official Website

Wayne Phillips · June 5th, 2011, 09:47 AM

I know its been a year since this was posted, but I just stumbled upon it while reading through the forum.

I just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU for introducing me to tssplitter.

I have been just dealing with the split files on the FS-C in editing for over a year now...

I just tried tssplitter for the first time after seeing your post and cant thank you enough!

thank you thank you thank you

Julian Frost · June 5th, 2011, 11:55 AM

Hahaha! You're welcome, Wayne. It's a very useful program.

May 7th, 2010, 09:23 PM	#1
Julian Frost Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: California USA Posts: 576	Combining FS-C M2T Files for use in an NLE I haven't used my FS-C in a while, and forgot that it splits the M2T files into 2GB chunks (8min 42sec 29 frames) due to the FAT32 file system used. I also forgot that when you import these chunks into an NLE (like Premier Pro), you end up with missing frames due to the open GOP. You can manually type in the command... COPY /B FILE1.M2T +FILE2.M2T +FILE3.M2T... ... +FILE99.M2T DESTINATION.M2T ...but that's long, and laborious. So I wrote a batch file which combines all the M2T files in a folder and outputs a single "combined.m2t" file, ready for ingestion into your NLE. Open Notepad to create a new file, copy the code below into the notepad document, and save it as COMBINE.BAT. Copy this BAT file into the folder where you have the M2T files, and run it. It parses the folder, gets the filenames of all the M2T files and creates the copy command (above) for you, which it puts in a second batch file. It then runs that batch file, joining all the files together, and finally, it deletes the temporary files. echo off rem Delete old files, if they exist... if exist combineit.bat del combineit.bat if exist nullfile.tmp del nullfile.tmp if exist combined.m2t del combined.m2t/p rem Create some temp files where we store the names of the files to be joined... type nul > combineit.bat type nul > nullfile.tmp echo Combining all M2T files in this folder to "combined.m2t" echo This may take a while... rem Create the 2nd batch file containing the command which will join the M2T files... echo copy /b nullfile.tmp^^>> combineit.bat for /f %%a IN ('dir /b *.m2t') do echo +%%a ^^>> combineit.bat echo combined.m2t>> combineit.bat rem Run the newly created batch file... call combineit.bat rem Tidy up! del nullfile.tmp del combineit.bat There's also a Windows GUI version (which I did not write), that I'll most likely use, but didn't find until after I wrote the batch file, above! It's called TSSplitter. It has a join feature too: TSSplitter - Official Website

June 5th, 2011, 09:47 AM	#2
Wayne Phillips New Boot Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Jax, FL Posts: 9	Re: Combining FS-C M2T Files for use in an NLE I know its been a year since this was posted, but I just stumbled upon it while reading through the forum. I just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU for introducing me to tssplitter. I have been just dealing with the split files on the FS-C in editing for over a year now... I just tried tssplitter for the first time after seeing your post and cant thank you enough! thank you thank you thank you

June 5th, 2011, 11:55 AM	#3
Julian Frost Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: California USA Posts: 576	Re: Combining FS-C M2T Files for use in an NLE Hahaha! You're welcome, Wayne. It's a very useful program.