Free online DAV to TS converter

CCTV and DVR recordings are often saved as DAV files that ordinary video editors and playback devices cannot open. Converting the recording to MPEG transport stream (TS) makes it easier to process with broadcast tools, stream over networks, or archive alongside other MPEG-based video.

What the DAV format is

DAV is a proprietary surveillance-video container used by DVRs, NVRs, and security-camera systems, especially equipment from Dahua and some related manufacturers. It commonly contains H.264 or H.265 video, camera timestamps, and sometimes audio or proprietary metadata.

You usually encounter DAV files after copying recordings from a recorder, exporting footage from surveillance software, or removing a storage drive from a CCTV system. A normal media player may reject the file even when its underlying video codec is standard, because the container or indexing data requires the manufacturer’s decoder.

What the TS format is

TS, or MPEG transport stream, stores packetized audio and video for reliable transmission. It is used by digital television, IPTV, broadcast workflows, network streaming, and some Blu-ray-related processes.

TS can carry H.264 and H.265 video, so a conversion may only require remuxing rather than re-encoding. Remuxing preserves the encoded picture and avoids generation loss, but it cannot solve a DAV file that is encrypted, damaged, or unsupported by the decoder.

How to convert DAV to TS

Use the built-in online converter

You can convert the file on the 101convert.com website for free without installing software. Select the DAV file, choose TS as the output format, start the conversion, and download the resulting file when processing finishes.

Do not upload recordings containing sensitive locations, identifiable people, or private security footage unless the service’s handling of uploaded files is acceptable for your use. Large DVR files may also take longer to upload than to convert locally.

Try FFmpeg locally

FFmpeg can directly remux a DAV file when it recognizes the container and embedded streams:

ffmpeg -i input.dav -map 0:v:0 -map 0:a? -c copy output.ts

The -c copy option avoids re-encoding. If FFmpeg reports an unknown format, invalid data, or no usable streams, open the recording in the DVR manufacturer’s player first.

Export through the recorder manufacturer’s software

1. Open the DAV file in the manufacturer’s desktop player, such as Dahua Smart Player or the equivalent software supplied with the recorder.
2. Use the player’s Convert, Export, or Save as function and create an intermediate MP4 or AVI file.
3. Convert that exported file to TS with FFmpeg:

ffmpeg -i exported.mp4 -map 0:v:0 -map 0:a? -c copy output.ts

If stream copying fails because the audio codec is not suitable for MPEG-TS, encode compatible H.264 video and AAC audio:

ffmpeg -i exported.mp4 -map 0:v:0 -map 0:a? -c:v libx264 -preset medium -crf 18 -c:a aac -b:a 128k -f mpegts output.ts

Quality and compatibility limitations

Remuxing with -c copy keeps the original resolution, frame rate, bitrate, and compression quality. Transcoding changes the video and can remove recorder-specific metadata, overlays, authentication data, or event indexes.

Some DAV recordings are encrypted or rely on proprietary timestamp and audio handling. In those cases, only the recorder’s software may be able to decode them; changing the filename extension to .ts does not convert the file.

Check the output with ffprobe output.ts or a TS-capable player. If the file has video but no audio, the source may contain an unsupported audio codec or no audio stream at all. Preserve the original DAV file because conversion can discard evidence metadata and may alter the timing information used by surveillance software.