Free online DAV to 3GPP converter

Security cameras and DVRs often save footage as proprietary .dav files that ordinary phone, editing, or messaging software cannot open. Converting an exported recording to .3gp can make it usable on older mobile devices or systems that specifically require the 3GPP container.

What the DAV format is

.dav is a video format used by many digital video recorders and network video recorders. It commonly contains CCTV footage with vendor-specific metadata, timestamps, audio, and sometimes encryption or a proprietary video stream.

Dahua, Hikvision, and other surveillance manufacturers use DAV variants, so the extension does not guarantee one universal codec or file structure. You usually encounter these files after exporting footage from a DVR/NVR, removing a storage device from surveillance equipment, or downloading a clip through the manufacturer's client software.

General-purpose players may not decode DAV correctly. Dahua Smart Player and Hikvision VSPlayer are examples of vendor software that can open or export compatible recordings. Use the player supplied for the camera or recorder model when a generic converter reports an unsupported input.

What the 3GPP format is

.3gp is a multimedia container defined for 3G mobile networks and older mobile phones. It commonly stores MPEG-4 Part 2 or H.263 video with AAC, AMR-NB, or AMR-WB audio.

3GPP files can be smaller and easier for legacy phones, embedded players, and some messaging or surveillance applications to handle than the original recording. Its limitations are low typical resolution, restricted codec support, and poorer quality at a given file size than modern MP4/H.264 exports.

How to convert DAV to 3GPP

The dependable workflow is to decode the proprietary recording with the vendor's software, export it to a standard intermediate file, and then encode that file as 3GPP. Direct conversion may work only when the DAV stream is compatible with FFmpeg or the online converter.

1. Open the DAV file in the recorder manufacturer's player. In Dahua Smart Player, use Open file and then the export or conversion function; in Hikvision VSPlayer, use the playback window's download or conversion controls.
2. Export the required time range as .mp4 or .avi. Select the original frame rate if the software offers that option, and keep the camera's aspect ratio.
3. Convert the exported file on 101convert.com for free without installing software, selecting 3GPP or .3gp as the output format.
4. For local batch conversion, install FFmpeg and run:

ffmpeg -i exported.mp4 -c:v libx264 -profile:v baseline -level 3.0 -pix_fmt yuv420p -c:a aac -b:a 96k -ar 44100 output.3gp

For an older device that rejects H.264 in a 3GP file, try MPEG-4 Part 2 instead:

ffmpeg -i exported.mp4 -c:v mpeg4 -tag:v mp4v -b:v 500k -c:a aac -b:a 64k output.3gp

If the original DAV file is rejected, export it first; FFmpeg cannot decode every vendor-specific DAV stream. To check the intermediate file before encoding, run ffprobe exported.mp4.

Quality and compatibility limitations

Conversion cannot restore detail already lost in the CCTV recording. Avoid enlarging the image; use the source resolution or reduce it only for the target device. A 176×144 or 320×240 output may be necessary for very old phones, while newer players generally accept larger 3GP video.

Keep the original DAV file as the evidentiary source. Exporting can remove recorder metadata, authentication data, or proprietary timestamps, and re-encoding changes the video stream. Check that the resulting file preserves the required camera time, audio channel, and evidence integrity before deleting the source.