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DAV RM
Not possible

Convert DAV to RM

Can you convert DAV to RM?
Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Aug 1, 2026
QUICK ANSWER
Is it possible to convert DAV to RM?
No - not a direct conversion.

No maintained tool encodes to RealMedia, and the format is effectively obsolete. Convert your .dav file to MP4 instead using Dahua SmartPlayer or VLC.

No direct path
Also to RM: RMS · META · DIVX

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Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Oct 2026

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Why convert DAV to RM?

DAV is a proprietary DHAV container holding modern H.264 or H.265 surveillance video produced by Dahua hardware and its OEM brands. RealMedia is a proprietary binary multimedia container introduced in 1997 for RealVideo and RealAudio streams designed for dial-up internet streaming, and no current encoder produces RM output. The two formats belong to incompatible eras and use cases.

How to convert DAV to RM

Dahua SmartPlayer FREE

Open the .dav file and use the Export function to save as MP4, the correct modern target format for all real-world surveillance footage use cases.

VLC FREE

Use Media > Convert/Save, add the .dav file, select an MP4 output profile, and convert - works for non-scrambled DAV exports.

About these formats

.DAV DVR365 / Dahua DVR Video File (DHAV stream)

A DAV file is surveillance footage exported from a Dahua DVR or NVR, also sold under brands like Amcrest, Lorex, Q-See and DVR365. Open it with the free Dahua SmartPlayer (Windows and Mac),…

Open .DAV details →
.RM RealMedia File

An RM file is a RealMedia video or audio clip created by RealNetworks, common in internet video from the late 1990s and 2000s. VLC media player opens it for free on Windows, macOS, Linux,…

Open .RM details →

Quality & what to watch

  • No current encoder supports RealMedia output in a maintained way; encoding to RM is no longer available in any general-purpose tool.
  • The practical alternative for surveillance footage is MP4, which is accepted by every device, platform, police department, and insurer.
  • Keep the original .dav file alongside any MP4 copy if handing footage to authorities - it preserves Dahua's embedded tamper-detection watermark.

Frequently asked questions

Is there any tool that converts DAV to RM?
No maintained tool encodes to RealMedia; the few converters that claimed RM output in the 2000s are abandoned and do not handle modern H.264 or H.265 video.
My recorder is an Amcrest or Lorex model - does that change anything?
No - Amcrest and Lorex recorders are rebranded Dahua hardware and produce the same DAV format; Dahua SmartPlayer handles them.
What format should I convert DAV to instead?
MP4 is the universally accepted target for sharing, editing, archiving, and submitting DAV footage as evidence.