Free online DAV to DIVX converter

What the DAV format is

DAV is a proprietary surveillance-video format used by many Dahua DVR and NVR systems and by some rebadged camera recorders. The file normally contains H.264- or H.265-family video, optional audio, and recorder-specific metadata such as timestamps and camera information. DAV files are commonly created when footage is exported from a recorder or downloaded through its client software.

Standard players may identify a DAV file as unsupported because its container, codec implementation, or encryption is recorder-specific. Dahua Smart Player is the usual desktop application for opening and exporting these recordings; the exact conversion controls depend on the Smart Player version and recorder model.

What the DIVX format is

DivX is a video codec based on MPEG-4 Part 2, usually stored in an AVI container. It is intended for broad playback compatibility, particularly with older Windows software, media players, and hardware DVD or media devices that support DivX.

A file described as DIVX is normally an AVI file whose video stream uses the FourCC DIVX. DivX can produce smaller files than uncompressed or lightly compressed video, but it is an older codec and generally gives lower quality per megabyte than H.264 or H.265.

How to actually convert DAV to DIVX

The built-in converter at 101convert.com can convert the file online for free without installing software. Upload the DAV file, select DIVX or AVI with DivX video as the output when that option is available, start the conversion, then save the generated file. Do not upload sensitive surveillance footage unless the recording is permitted for external processing.

For footage that the online converter cannot decode, use the recorder manufacturer’s software first:

1. Install the version of Dahua Smart Player supplied for the recorder or obtain it from the recorder manufacturer.
2. Open the recording through File → Open or the application’s equivalent DAV import control.
3. Use the player’s Convert, Export, or Save as AVI function. Choose the entire required time range and disable cropping if the original camera view must be preserved.
4. Convert the resulting standard video to DivX with FFmpeg. For an input file that FFmpeg can decode, use:

ffmpeg -i exported.avi -c:v mpeg4 -vtag DIVX -q:v 4 -c:a libmp3lame -b:a 128k output_divx.avi

The -vtag DIVX option writes the DivX-compatible AVI video tag. Lower -q:v values increase quality and file size; values around 3–6 are a practical starting range. If the source has no audio, omit -c:a libmp3lame -b:a 128k.

Quality and compatibility limitations

Converting DAV to DivX cannot restore detail lost by the camera’s original compression. Re-encoding also introduces another generation of quality loss, so retain the original DAV file for evidence or archival use.

Some DAV recordings are encrypted, use proprietary indexes, or contain codecs that FFmpeg cannot read directly. In that case, a manufacturer export through Smart Player is required before FFmpeg can encode the video. Exporting may also remove recorder metadata, camera overlays, motion-search indexes, or synchronized multi-camera structure.

DivX AVI has practical limits: very large files may exceed the compatibility of older players, variable-frame-rate surveillance footage may play incorrectly on legacy hardware, and unusual audio formats may be rejected. If a target device does not specifically require DivX, H.264 in an MP4 container usually provides better quality and compatibility at the same file size.