Convert Dahua DAV CCTV footage to MKV online so it plays in VLC and video editors. Upload files up to 20GB and download the converted result in a few clicks.
Drag & Drop your DAV file here
DAV files, up to 20GB
Files stay private.
Automatically deleted after 24 hours.
Link
20GB upload limit.
5.0/5
Trusted for 1,827,796+ conversions
HOW IT WORKS
Three steps, no account, nothing to install.
01
Upload your DAV files
Drag in .dav files exported from a Dahua recorder, SmartPSS or a USB backup.
02
Convert to MKV
Start the conversion. The file type is detected from its contents, Dahua's DHAV framing is removed and the video is copied into MKV.
03
Download the MKV
Download each MKV, or several clips together as one ZIP.
DAV
DAV is the recording format of Dahua DVRs and NVRs and of many security systems built on Dahua hardware.
MKV
MKV is the open Matroska container, able to hold any codec plus many audio and subtitle tracks in one file.
FILE FORMATS
SOURCE
Dahua Technology's recorders, and many own-brand systems built on Dahua hardware such as some Amcrest and Lorex models, export footage as .dav. Inside is H.264 or H.265 video, often with G.711 sound, wrapped in Dahua's DHAV framing with recorder timestamps. Windows Media Player and phones can't open it, so Dahua ships its own SmartPlayer.
TARGET
Matroska started in 2002 as an open, royalty-free container. An MKV can carry almost any video and audio codec, several language tracks, text and picture subtitles, chapters and even attached fonts. That flexibility makes it the favorite for film backups and recorders, though iPhones, Safari and some TVs won't play it.
| Feature | DAV | MKV |
|---|---|---|
| Developed by | Dahua Technology | Matroska (open standard) |
| File extension | .dav | .mkv |
| Usual video codec | H.264, H.265 | Any: H.264, HEVC, VP9, AV1 |
| Usual audio codec | G.711, AAC | Any: AAC, AC-3, DTS, FLAC, Opus |
| Subtitles | No | Yes, many tracks |
| Best for | Exporting CCTV evidence | Movies and multi-track archives |
| Plays on phones and browsers | Dahua's player only | VLC, most TVs; not iPhone |
USE CASES
When security footage needs to play outside Dahua's own software.
Send footage to the police or an insurer
Investigators can watch an MKV in VLC without installing Dahua's player.
Review an incident on a Mac
Dahua's player is Windows-only. The MKV plays on Mac, Linux and Windows.
Edit a clip for a report
Video editors import MKV, so you can trim and annotate the footage.
Share a doorbell or driveway clip
Convert a DAV export and share a file anyone can play.
Keep footage from a recorder that's being replaced
Save exports in a format that will open after the old NVR is gone.
Check footage from an Amcrest or Lorex system
Many own-brand systems built on Dahua hardware export DAV.
Archive evidence in an open format
MKV is an open format with wide player support.
Look at footage on a work computer
Play the MKV without installing security software.
Compare camera angles side by side
Load several converted clips into an editor at once.
Hand footage to a lawyer
Provide a file that opens without special software.
SUPPORTED FILES
DAV exports from Dahua and Dahua-based recorders are supported.
DAV files with Dahua's DHAV framing from USB backups and downloads.
Clips saved as DAV from Dahua's desktop software.
The video is copied into the MKV without re-encoding.
Recorders from brands that build on Dahua hardware often export the same DAV format.
Upload many DAV files and download the MKVs as a ZIP.
TROUBLESHOOTING
Most problems come from how the recorder exported the clip.
01
Some recorders encrypt exports. Export the clip again with encryption turned off.
02
The export may be empty, all zeros or audio-only. Export the clip again from the recorder.
03
Timing comes from the recorder's timestamps. A recorder with a wrong clock or frame setting can produce odd timing.
04
Damaged spots in the recording can lose frames up to the next key frame. The rest of the clip is kept.
05
CCTV footage often has a variable frame rate, which some editors handle less well. VLC and MPV play it smoothly.
06
Make sure the file is a Dahua DAV. Other brands use .dav for different formats that aren't decoded.
Dahua's SmartPlayer and SmartPSS play DAV files on Windows. dragdropdo turns DAV into MKV so the footage plays in ordinary players and editors.
| What matters | dragdropdo | The Recorder Maker's Player |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing to install | ✓Yes. Runs in any modern browser. | ~Yes, a Windows download from Dahua or your installer. |
| Works on phones and tablets | ✓Yes. Desktop, Android, iPhone and iPad. | ~No. Desktop players only. |
| Batch conversion | ✓Yes. Add many files and download one ZIP. | ~Clips are exported one at a time. |
| Share finished files | ✓Yes. Send a unique link from the result page. | ~You upload and share the files yourself. |
| Pricing | ✓Free with daily limits. $2.99 or $6.99 passes for unlimited use, no monthly plan. | ~Free. |
| Plays in normal players and editors | ✓Yes. The MKV opens in VLC, MPV and most editors. | ~No. The DAV still needs the maker's player. |
Other tools use different pricing, limits and workflows. This comparison describes dragdropdo's own features without assuming every other tool works the same way.
1.8M+
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Files kept
Auto-delete in 24h
WHY DRAGDROPDO
Convert DAV to MKV in your browser, with nothing to install and nothing kept after 24 hours.
Private by default
Files are encrypted in transit and deleted from our servers automatically after 24 hours.
No install required
Convert in any modern browser on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone or iPad. No app and no sign-up wall.
Big files and batches
Upload files up to 20GB each, add several at once, and download the results one by one or as a ZIP.
Share & download
Save finished files to your device or pass them on with a share link from the result page.
MORE DAV TOOLS
A DAV file is a video file created by DVR (Digital Video Recorder) security systems, especially those made by DVR365 or CCTV manufacturers. These files store video footage in a proprietary, often encrypted format to protect surveillance data.
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FAQ
Answers to common questions about dragdropdo's DAV to MKV converter.
