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CPI MTS
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Convert CPI to MTS

Can you convert CPI to MTS?
Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Aug 21, 2026
QUICK ANSWER
Is it possible to convert CPI to MTS?
No - not a direct conversion.

The .mts file you are looking for already exists alongside the .cpi in the AVCHD folder structure - find it in the STREAM subfolder and use it directly. There is no video inside a .cpi to convert.

No direct path
Also to MTS: BDM · M4V · DIVX

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Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Oct 2026

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Why convert CPI to MTS?

A .cpi file (AVCHD Clip Information) is a binary sidecar written by Sony, Panasonic, and Canon camcorders storing resolution, frame rate, and seek-point data for the matching video clip. The actual footage is the .mts file with the same base name in the STREAM folder. The relationship is: one .cpi describes one .mts - converting .cpi to .mts is meaningless because the .mts already exists.

How to convert CPI to MTS

VLC FREE

Open the .mts file directly from the AVCHD STREAM folder in VLC to play or verify the footage without any conversion step.

About these formats

.CPI AVCHD Clip Information File

A CPI file is an AVCHD Clip Information file - a small metadata sidecar that your camcorder writes next to each recorded video clip. It holds no video itself; the actual footage is in the…

Open .CPI details →
.MTS AVCHD Video (MPEG-2 Transport Stream)

An MTS file is HD video recorded by an AVCHD camcorder - Sony, Panasonic, Canon or JVC. The free VLC media player opens it on Windows, macOS and Linux with no extra codecs. To share or edit…

Open .MTS details →

Quality & what to watch

  • The .cpi file is typically 5-20 KB of metadata; the matching .mts is the actual multi-gigabyte video stream - they are not interchangeable.
  • If the .mts is missing and only the .cpi remains, the video cannot be recovered from the .cpi alone.
  • Keep the full AVCHD folder structure intact when copying footage; some video editors require the .cpi and .mpls files alongside the .mts streams to import correctly.

Frequently asked questions

Why do I have `.cpi` files alongside my camcorder videos?
Every AVCHD recording produces a pair: the video stream (.mts in the STREAM folder) and a clip information file (.cpi in the CLIPINF folder); the .cpi lets the camera menu and video editors navigate each clip.
Can any software convert a `.cpi` to `.mts`?
No - the .cpi is 5-20 KB of index data with no video content; no software converts it because the operation is not meaningful.
I copied only the `.cpi` files by mistake. Can I get the video back?
Not from the .cpi alone - return to the source memory card and copy the .mts files from the STREAM folder, or use data-recovery tools on the card before writing anything new to it.