DV File Format (.dv)
A DV file holds the raw digital stream a MiniDV, DVCAM or DVCPRO tape camcorder writes, video compressed frame by frame at a fixed rate of about 25 megabits per second with uncompressed PCM audio alongside it.
DV at a glance#
| Full name | Digital Video |
|---|---|
| File extension | .dv |
| Category | Video Files |
| Developer | DV Consortium (led by Sony and Panasonic) |
| First released | 1995 |
| MIME types | video/dv |
| Other extensions | .dif |
| Compression | Lossy |
| Specification | IEC 61834 |
| FileFlip support | FileFlip reads and writes this format |
What a .dv file can hold#
These are the things a DV file either supports or does not, and they are what decides whether a conversion keeps everything or quietly drops something.
| Embedded metadata | Yes |
|---|---|
| Audio | Yes |
| Video | Yes |
Strengths and limitations of DV#
What DV does well
- Every frame compresses independently, so scrubbing and frame-accurate editing cost nothing extra the way they do with long-GOP formats
- The fixed 25 Mbit/s rate makes file size trivially predictable: about 13GB per hour
- Tape-sourced DV survives repeated capture and re-capture from the same source without generation loss, since each capture just copies the same bitstream
Where DV falls short
- A file is roughly five times the size of an equivalent-quality H.264 file, because there is no compression across frames
- 4:1:1 chroma subsampling (4:2:0 in PAL) limits color detail compared to modern intraframe formats
- Standard-definition DV tops out at 720x480 or 720x576, well below anything shot on modern cameras
Keep footage as DV while it is still being captured from tape or edited in a program built around DV's frame-independent structure.
Convert DV to H.264 or H.265 once editing is finished, since the fixed high bitrate has no purpose for delivery or archiving where a modern codec gets the same quality in a fraction of the space.
How to open a .dv file#
A .dv file opens in the programs below, grouped by the platform you are on. If you would rather not install anything, FileFlip converts DV into a format your machine already opens, and it does it in the browser tab rather than on a server.
| Platform | Programs that open it |
|---|---|
| Windows | Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, VLC |
| macOS | Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro, VLC |
| Linux | Kdenlive, VLC |
| Web | FileFlip |
DV questions people ask#
Why are DV files so large?
A DV file runs at a fixed bitrate of about 25 megabits per second no matter what is on screen, because the format compresses each frame on its own instead of predicting one frame from the next. That works out to roughly 13GB for an hour of footage, several times larger than an H.264 file of the same length and quality.
What is the difference between DV and MiniDV?
DV is the data format; MiniDV is the tape cassette it was recorded to. Capturing a MiniDV tape over FireWire produces a DV file, which is the same bitstream that was on the tape, just moved to a hard drive.
Can I edit a DV file directly, or does it need converting first?
DV files edit natively in Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve without any conversion, since every frame is independently decodable and the format was designed around exactly this kind of editing. Converting only becomes necessary for final delivery, where the file size has no benefit.
Converting DV files#
Convert DV to another format
Convert another format to DV
Every conversion runs inside your browser. The file is read from your disk, the work happens on your own machine, and nothing is uploaded. How FileFlip works names the engine behind each family and how to verify that for yourself.