DV to MKV converter
Convert DV to MKV in seconds, free and unlimited. No upload, no sign-up, no watermark: your video never leaves your device.
Last updated
Quick answer: To convert DV to MKV, add the DV file to the iHateFiles DV to MKV converter and press Convert. The conversion runs in your browser, so the file is never uploaded, and it is free with no sign-up, watermark or size limit. DV is a format most software has stopped opening. MKV is not.
Should you convert DV to MKV?
Yes. DV is a format most current software no longer opens, so converting it is the reliable way to keep watching it. MKV is a reasonable target; MP4 is the safest.
The picture is re-encoded
A DV usually holds interlaced DV video at about 25 Mbps with uncompressed sound, straight off a MiniDV tape. This writes H.264 video with AAC sound into the MKV. Both sides are compressed with loss, so this is a second generation: leave the quality at its default or higher, because the encoder is working from DV artefacts rather than the original.
Expect a smaller MKV
H.264 video is a much more efficient codec than what a DV holds, so at the same visual quality the MKV is usually a third to a half of the size.
Watch for interlacing
DV video from a DVD, camcorder or broadcast is often interlaced, which shows up in the MKV as comb-like tearing on anything that moves. Restore Old Video removes it and can write the MKV in the same pass.
Where the MKV will play
MKV plays on VLC, Plex, most smart TVs and Android, but not the iPhone Photos app or QuickTime.
DV and MKV side by side
| DV | MKV | |
|---|---|---|
| Inside the file | interlaced DV video at about 25 Mbps with uncompressed sound, straight off a MiniDV tape | H.264 video with AAC sound |
| Compression | Lossy | Lossy |
| Carries sound | Yes | Yes |
| Plays on | Needs converting first | VLC, Plex, most smart TVs and Android, but not the iPhone Photos app or QuickTime |
| Here | Read only | Read and write |
What usually goes wrong
About the DV. DV is interlaced, so it shows horizontal combing on movement when played on a computer. Running it through Restore Old Video, which deinterlaces while it converts, is what fixes it.
About the MKV. MKV and WEBM share a signature because WEBM is a restricted Matroska, so tools sometimes report one as the other. What matters is the codecs inside.
How to convert DV to MKV
- Add your DV file. It is read from your disk and stays there.
- Check the settings. The output format is already set to MKV.
- Press convert and the MKV file is saved back to your device.
Questions
How do I convert DV to MKV?
Open this page, add your DV file, and press convert. The file is decoded and re-encoded by your own browser and saved back to your device. Nothing is uploaded.
Is this DV to MKV converter free?
Yes, completely. There is no account, no sign-in, no watermark and no daily limit, because there is no server doing the work. Your own device does it.
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. There is no upload endpoint. The conversion runs inside this browser tab, so your file never leaves your device. You can open your browser's network panel and watch: nothing carrying your file is sent.
Is there a file size limit?
No fixed limit. Because the work happens on your machine there is no server quota. The only ceiling is your own device's memory, which for video means very large files may be slow.
Will converting to MKV lose quality?
MKV is a lossy format, so some detail is discarded. The quality control on this page decides how much. The default is set high enough that most people cannot see the difference.
Can I convert several DV files at once?
Yes. Add as many as you like and they are converted one after another, then offered as a single ZIP.