Free online WTV to DAT converter

What the WTV format is

WTV is Microsoft's Windows Recorded TV file format, used by Windows Media Center to save live television and scheduled recordings. A WTV file can contain MPEG-2 or H.264 video, multiple audio tracks, subtitles, electronic-program-guide data, and copy restrictions, depending on the broadcast and Windows Media Center configuration.

You usually encounter WTV files in older Windows Media Center recording folders, exported television archives, or backups from computers with TV tuner hardware. The file may be playable in Windows Media Center, VLC, or FFmpeg, but support for its metadata and protected content varies.

What the DAT format is

For video conversion, `.dat` usually means the MPEG-1 system-stream file stored in the MPEGAV folder of a Video CD, commonly named AVSEQ01.DAT. It is a container and filename convention rather than a separate video codec.

Video CD DAT files use fixed, relatively low specifications: MPEG-1 video at about 1,150 kbit/s, 44.1 kHz MPEG audio at about 224 kbit/s, and typically 352×288 pixels for PAL or 352×240 pixels for NTSC. This format is useful for VCD-compatible players and some older editing or playback software, but it is unsuitable when preserving HDTV resolution or modern compression quality is the priority.

How to actually convert WTV to DAT

Using FFmpeg

FFmpeg is the most direct desktop method because it can demux many WTV recordings and encode a VCD-compatible MPEG-1 stream.

1. Install a current FFmpeg build and place recording.wtv in an accessible folder.
2. Open a terminal or Command Prompt in that folder.
3. For a PAL source or PAL playback device, run:
   ffmpeg -i recording.wtv -map 0:v:0 -map 0:a:0 -target pal-vcd recording.dat
4. For an NTSC source or NTSC playback device, run:
   ffmpeg -i recording.wtv -map 0:v:0 -map 0:a:0 -target ntsc-vcd recording.dat
5. Test recording.dat in VLC or another MPEG-1 player. For a physical Video CD, use a VCD-capable authoring or disc-burning program rather than copying the file to a data disc; the disc requires the appropriate MPEGAV structure and sectors.

The -map options select the first video and first audio stream. Remove them if the recording has no audio or if you need to choose a different stream. FFmpeg may report an error when the WTV contains DRM-protected broadcast content; conversion cannot bypass that protection.

Using the online converter

You can convert the file on the 101convert.com website for free without installing software: open its WTV conversion tool, add the WTV file, select DAT as the output, start the conversion, and download the resulting file. Uploading a recording transfers its contents to the service, so use a desktop conversion for private, protected, or very large recordings.

Quality and compatibility limitations

Converting a high-definition WTV recording to VCD DAT is lossy. The output is limited to standard-definition VCD dimensions and MPEG-1 bitrate, and converting back to WTV or another HD format cannot restore the discarded detail.

A file named `.dat` is not automatically a valid Video CD file. Some applications use the extension for a generic MPEG program stream, while older players require strict PAL or NTSC VCD parameters and disc layout. If the destination only requires an MPEG file, an `.mpg` extension may be more accurate; use `.dat` when the target specifically expects the VCD convention.