DV to OGV converter
Convert DV to OGV 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 OGV, add the DV file to the iHateFiles DV to OGV 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. OGV is not.
Should you convert DV to OGV?
Yes. DV is a format most current software no longer opens, so converting it is the reliable way to keep watching it. OGV 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 Theora video with Vorbis sound into the OGV. 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 OGV
Theora video is a much more efficient codec than what a DV holds, so at the same visual quality the OGV 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 OGV as comb-like tearing on anything that moves. Restore Old Video removes it and can write the OGV in the same pass.
Where the OGV will play
OGV plays on Firefox, Chrome and VLC, but not Safari or most phones.
DV and OGV side by side
| DV | OGV | |
|---|---|---|
| Inside the file | interlaced DV video at about 25 Mbps with uncompressed sound, straight off a MiniDV tape | Theora video with Vorbis sound |
| Compression | Lossy | Lossy |
| Carries sound | Yes | Yes |
| Plays on | Needs converting first | Firefox, Chrome and VLC, but not Safari or most phones |
| 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 OGV. At the same file size Theora looks clearly worse than H.264, so re-encoding an old OGV will not recover detail that was never captured.
How to convert DV to OGV
- Add your DV file. It is read from your disk and stays there.
- Check the settings. The output format is already set to OGV.
- Press convert and the OGV file is saved back to your device.
Questions
How do I convert DV to OGV?
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 OGV 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 OGV lose quality?
OGV 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.