Windows 7 - Need free m2ts converter

Recently deleted a bunch of vids from my HD camera, have recovered now using a program ~ they are m2ts, which i can't play or watch in VLC properly. Need to convert them into ideally avi so i can edit in premier. Anyone know a good free program ~ one where there isn't a trial and watermark issues would be great. Thanks

I think handbrake does m2ts - HandBrake

Freemake Video converter. Free Video Converter| MP4 FLV 3GP AVI MKV DVD| FREE Download

i was thinking about that, kado, i'm a big freemake fan.

freemake can handle mts files - are they the same as m2ts?

I just had a look at the types it supports and m2ts was listed in the open videos dialogue. I'm a fan too.Mickey. It's so flexible, fast and gives a good quality conversion.

...and makes it easy to download youtube (and other sites) videos too.

you must have a different version to me, i can't see m2ts in my 'add video' dialogue.

i'm using 3.0.1.0

*edit* tell a lie, there it is, but it wraps around the end of the second line and start of third.

The Freemake video downloader is better for that but for YouTube and some others it does the job.

i've got the chrome browser extension for freemake video converter - i just have to click a little button in my browser and fvc starts up and does its thing. it works fine in my modded version of chrome too.

Me too.

so how is freemake video downloader better than the converter?

i don't like to bloat my system too much, and would rather have just the one program installed, but if you can convince me that the downloader's better, i may stick that on too!

does the downloader download the online video in its original format, so it doesn't need to convert it into another?