Free online IFV to DAT converter

Security DVR software may save recordings as IFV, while Video CD players and some legacy applications expect MPEG-1 video stored with a .dat extension. Converting normally requires exporting the proprietary recording first, then encoding the result as a Video CD-compatible MPEG-1 stream.

What the IFV format is

IFV is commonly used by CCTV and DVR systems for recorded surveillance video. The exact container and codec depend on the recorder manufacturer, so an IFV file may open only in the vendor’s playback or backup software. IFV files are usually encountered after copying footage from a DVR, NVR, surveillance camera, or its memory card.

Because IFV is not a single, consistently documented standard, general-purpose video applications may identify the file incorrectly or fail to decode it. The recorder’s supplied player is usually the most reliable way to view and export it.

What the DAT format is

For video conversion, DAT usually means the MPEG-1 program stream used by Video CDs. A Video CD DAT file commonly contains MPEG-1 video at 352×288 pixels for PAL or 352×240 pixels for NTSC, with MPEG-1 Layer II audio at 44.1 kHz. The .dat extension describes the file’s use in a Video CD structure; the actual content is an MPEG program stream.

DAT is useful for legacy VCD players and software that expects Video CD data. It is not a general-purpose improvement over MP4 or AVI: MPEG-1 produces larger files and lower image quality at comparable sizes, and changing an extension alone does not convert the video.

How to actually convert IFV to DAT

Export the IFV with the DVR software

1. Open the IFV in the camera or DVR manufacturer’s playback application.
2. Select the required recording interval and use Export, Backup, or Save as.
3. Choose a broadly supported intermediate format such as AVI or MP4. If the software offers a codec choice, use H.264 in an MP4 container or a standard AVI export.
4. Play the exported file before converting it. Confirm that the required image, timestamps, and audio are present.

Encode the exported video with FFmpeg

Install FFmpeg, then inspect the intermediate file with:

ffprobe exported.mp4

For a PAL Video CD-compatible MPEG-1 DAT file, use:

ffmpeg -i exported.mp4 -vf "scale=352:288:force_original_aspect_ratio=decrease,pad=352:288:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2" -r 25 -c:v mpeg1video -b:v 1150k -c:a mp2 -ar 44100 -b:a 224k -f mpeg output.dat

For NTSC material, use 352×240 and approximately 29.97 frames per second instead:

ffmpeg -i exported.mp4 -vf "scale=352:240:force_original_aspect_ratio=decrease,pad=352:240:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2" -r 30000/1001 -c:v mpeg1video -b:v 1150k -c:a mp2 -ar 44100 -b:a 224k -f mpeg output.dat

If FFmpeg cannot read the IFV directly, convert the file through the DVR player first. If the source has no audio, remove the audio options and add -an; the resulting stream may not meet the requirements of every physical Video CD authoring program.

Convert without installing software

You can use the free converter on 101convert.com by uploading the IFV file, selecting DAT as the output format, and downloading the result. Proprietary IFV files may still require export through the DVR manufacturer’s software if the converter cannot decode their specific variant.

Quality, compatibility, and limitations

Encoding surveillance footage as MPEG-1 is lossy and can reduce fine details such as faces, license plates, and timestamp text. Keep the original IFV and the vendor-exported file for evidentiary or archival use; treat DAT as a compatibility copy.

A file named output.dat is not automatically a valid Video CD asset. A physical VCD also requires the appropriate disc directory structure and authoring process. Test the generated stream with an MPEG-aware player, and use Video CD authoring software if the destination is a standalone VCD player.

Some DVR exports include proprietary watermarks, encryption, or timestamp overlays that cannot be removed during conversion. Renaming IFV to DAT only changes the filename and will not decode or re-encode the recording.