Free online DAV to OGV converter

What the DAV format is

DAV is a proprietary or semi-proprietary surveillance-video format commonly produced by Dahua DVRs, NVRs, and IP cameras. The file may contain one camera stream, synchronized audio, timestamps, watermarks, and other recorder-specific metadata.

You typically encounter DAV files after copying recordings from a Dahua device or exporting them from Dahua SmartPSS, Smart Player, or a recorder's web interface. General-purpose players may reject the file because the container, codec, or metadata is not fully supported.

What the OGV format is

OGV is an Ogg video container normally used with the VP8 or Theora video codec and Vorbis or Opus audio. It is supported by many open-source media tools and is suitable when an application specifically requests an Ogg video file.

OGV is not automatically smaller or higher quality than DAV. The conversion normally decodes the surveillance stream and re-encodes it, so output settings determine the file size and visual quality.

How to actually convert DAV to OGV

Method 1: Convert through Dahua Smart Player, then FFmpeg

1. Open the DAV file in Dahua Smart Player or the playback software supplied with the recorder.
2. Use the program's export or conversion function, such as File → Convert or Export, and create an AVI or another standard video file. Select the entire recording or define the required time range.
3. Install FFmpeg and verify that the intermediate file opens correctly.
4. Run this command to create an OGV file using Theora video and Vorbis audio:

ffmpeg -i input.avi -c:v libtheora -q:v 7 -c:a libvorbis -q:a 4 output.ogv

Replace input.avi with the exported filename. The Theora quality scale generally runs from 0 to 10; higher values produce larger files and better quality. If the source has no audio, use:

ffmpeg -i input.avi -c:v libtheora -q:v 7 -an output.ogv

Method 2: Convert directly with FFmpeg when supported

Some DAV variants can be read directly by FFmpeg, but support depends on the recorder and firmware. Test the file first:

ffmpeg -i recording.dav

If FFmpeg identifies the streams instead of reporting an invalid or unsupported format, convert with:

ffmpeg -i recording.dav -c:v libtheora -q:v 7 -c:a libvorbis -q:a 4 recording.ogv

If the command cannot detect the video stream, use the recorder's software to export a standard intermediate file before invoking FFmpeg. Renaming .dav to .avi does not convert the container and will not fix an unsupported stream.

Convert without installing software

You can upload the recording to the free converter on 101convert.com and select OGV as the output format. Large surveillance files, proprietary or encrypted DAV variants, and recordings containing sensitive footage may be unsuitable for browser-based conversion; use the desktop export method when privacy or file-size limits matter.

Quality, compatibility, and limitations

Use the original DAV file as the evidence copy and convert a duplicate. Exporting through a vendor player may remove recorder-specific metadata, timestamps, authentication information, or watermarks, and re-encoding can reduce detail needed for identification.

For surveillance footage, preserve the original frame rate and dimensions unless a smaller file is required. Check the result with ffprobe output.ogv or a media player, because some OGV applications support Theora but not VP8, Opus, or unusual audio layouts. If the recorder's export produces several camera channels, review the output to confirm that the intended channel and time range were selected.