How to convert MTS/M2TS video to popular video formats and upload to YouTube?

As Sony camera users, I’d like to share my experience on how to convert Sony MTS/M2TS videos into standard video formats and play them on a computer, TV, or portable devices such as an iPod, iPhone, Zune, PSP, as well as upload videos to share online.

Summary: This article consists of three chapters:

Chapter 1: Basic knowledge about MTS/M2TS

Chapter 2: Why Convert MTS/ M2TS to Popular Video Formats?

Chapter 3: How to Convert MTS/M2TS to Popular Video Formats and Upload to YouTube?