How do groups like CTU and NBS encode their mkv files?

i have an hdtv tuner, and so after recording stuff and cutting commercials out,
i get .ts files that can range from 3.5gb all the way to 5gb for an hour long
episode. now how do i convert this to a .mkv file using h264? what do the groups
use? and what settings?

h t tp: //www.doom9.org/

should be able to help you a lot more than this forum... i don't think many
encoders come here.

avisynth + megui
then mux the audio with something like mkvmerge

dont use dr.divx

as far as encoding goes, xvid is better to use then divx because its more
customizable as far as compression and a lot easier to get the right file size
every time cause you can specify size instead of just bitrate.

and x264 compression is a lot better then mpeg-4 part 2 asp codecs like
xvid/divx (x/h264 = mpeg-4 part 10 avc) because it uses more advanced algorithms
or something like that. usa needs to start using h264 for hd satellite like uk
does and for hd cable too so that hd sat/cable is as good as ota. but knowing
usa broadcasters if they adapted h264 they would lower the bitrate even more so
its the same quality as the mpeg-2

guides - h**p://nwgat.net/guides.htm

just know that 1.07gb x264 files are lossy from the original 720p .ts (but still
look good)
1.43gb is closer quality to the original source

here are the scene release starndards for 720p tv encodes: