DV file format (.dv)
Raw digital video from a MiniDV camcorder.
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What is a DV file?
In short: A DV file (.dv) is a video file in the DV format. DV is what MiniDV camcorders recorded: a fixed 25 Mbps stream where every frame is compressed on its own, which makes it very easy to edit but produces about 13 GB an hour. It can be converted to MP4, MOV or GIF for free in a web browser with iHateFiles, without uploading it.
The Digital Video standard agreed by a consortium of camcorder makers in 1995.
DV is what MiniDV camcorders recorded: a fixed 25 Mbps stream where every frame is compressed on its own, which makes it very easy to edit but produces about 13 GB an hour. It was the format that put usable digital video in ordinary hands.
What DV is good at
- Every frame stands alone, so editing is frame-accurate
- Consistent, predictable quality
- Read by every editor of its era and since
Where DV falls short
- About 13 GB per hour, fixed
- Standard definition and interlaced
- Nothing plays it on a phone or in a browser
When to use DV
Convert DV to MP4 to archive old camcorder tapes at a fraction of the size.
How to open a DV file
Video editors and VLC.
| Windows | VLC. DV came off tape and the capture software that read it is long gone. |
|---|---|
| macOS | VLC, or iMovie, which still imports DV. |
| Linux | VLC or mpv, through FFmpeg’s DV decoder. |
| Phone | VLC, though DV files are large for what they hold. |
| In a browser | No browser plays raw DV. |
The thing that usually goes wrong
DV is interlaced, so it shows horizontal combing on movement when played on a computer. Deinterlacing during conversion is what fixes it.
Questions
What is a DV file?
Raw digital video from a MiniDV camcorder. Files use the .dv extension.
How do I open a DV file?
DV is not widely supported any more. The reliable route is to convert it to a current format, which this page can do in your browser without uploading it.
Can I convert DV for free?
Yes. Every conversion here is free and unlimited, because your own device does the work rather than a server we have to pay for.
Is DV lossless?
That depends on the codec inside the container rather than the container itself. Everything written here is re-encoded, so expect one generation of loss.