What is the REC file format?
The .rec file extension is native to Topfield PVR digital video recorders, and is created by this type of device by default whenever a broadcast programme is saved. The format was designed specifically to store video data captured with Topfield recording hardware.
Internally, a .rec file is an MPEG-2 Transport Stream prefixed by a proprietary Topfield header - reportedly up to roughly 2 KB in size - that carries channel name, EPG event data and service information. Once that header is stripped, the payload is a standard .ts stream identifiable by the sync byte 0x47 repeating at fixed 188-byte packet intervals.
Although .rec is a proprietary format, the file can be viewed using players or software other than that offered by Topfield. Community tools such as rec2mpg and tfrec2ts can strip the Topfield header and export a clean .mpg or .m2ts stream for further editing or archiving. Video data stored in .rec format is compressed using MPEG-2 to save storage space on the recording device and thus provide room for more video files. .rec files are sometimes referred to as Toppy files, since "Toppy" is short for Topfield.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWA genuine Topfield recording .rec is inert media, safe to play. The practical risk is indirect: 'REC viewer/converter' searches often surface bundled-adware downloaders and fake codec packs - stick to VLC/HandBrake/ffmpeg and the Topfield community tools. If a file named *.rec arrived unexpectedly by email/chat, confirm it is real video (it should play in VLC after de-headering) and never trust a .rec with a double extension like file.rec.exe.
Format details
in a nutshell- CCTV / DVR security recording - Proprietary surveillance-recorder container (often wrapping H.264/H.265) that usually opens only in the manufacturer's bundled player or via its export-to-MP4/AVI feature.
- Generic recorded-data file - Non-video .rec logs/telemetry/voice written by assorted PC programs that need their originating application.
Programs that open REC files
Windows4 apps
VLC media player
Open-source Drag the .rec onto VLC; it plays many Topfield/TS-based recordings directly. If it fails, the file likely needs header stripping first. 
HandBrake
Open-source Convert a playable/de-headered .rec (or its .ts/.mpg output) to MP4 for phones and editors. 
rec2mpg / tfrec2ts (Topfield community tools)
Free Run the tool to strip the Topfield header, producing a clean .mpg/.ts you can play or convert anywhere.
VideoReDo TVSuite
Paid Edits/recodes MPEG/TS recordings; can open many Topfield .rec files for cutting ads and exporting. Note: VideoReDo was discontinued/abandoned around 2021 - legacy use only. 
macOS2 apps
Linux2 apps
VLC media player
Open-source 'vlc file.rec' - plays many transport-stream recordings; ffmpeg can de-header/convert if needed. 
FFmpeg
Open-source Inspect/convert: 'ffmpeg -i file.rec out.mp4' works once the stream is standard TS; for the Topfield header, de-header first. 
Android1 app
VLC for iOS
Open-source Transfer the file via Files/AirDrop and play in VLC; the built-in player won't open .rec. Technical details
deep spec| Format type | MPEG-2 Transport Stream with a proprietary Topfield prefix header (binary) |
| Header size | Proprietary Topfield header up to approximately 2 KB, prepended before the TS payload |
| TS packet size | 188 bytes per packet (standard MPEG-2 TS specification) |
| TS sync byte | 0x47 at the start of every 188-byte TS packet, visible once the proprietary header is stripped |
| Video codec | MPEG-2 Video, as received from the broadcast signal (DVB) |
| Audio codec | MPEG-1 Layer II (MP2) or Dolby AC-3, depending on the broadcast channel |
| Container character | Binary; not a text, XML or container-in-container format |
| Embedded metadata | Channel name, EPG programme title and service ID stored in the proprietary header |
| MIME type | video/mp2t |
| Recording source | DVB-T, DVB-S or DVB-C broadcast signals, depending on the Topfield tuner model |
| Device origin | Topfield PVR hardware (TF5000, TF5800, TF6000 series and similar models) |
| File identification | No fixed published magic bytes; identified by the Topfield device that produced it |
| Playback compatibility | Playable directly in VLC and other TS-aware players without header conversion |
| Header stripping tools | rec2mpg and tfrec2ts (Topfield community utilities) remove the proprietary header to yield a plain .ts file |
| Storage medium | Designed for direct-to-internal-HDD recording on the Topfield PVR |
| Community nickname | Informally called "Toppy files" - Toppy being a common shorthand for Topfield devices |
| Released | Topfield PVRs, early-mid 2000s |
REC conversions
Community Q&A
asked by usersNo questions yet - be the first to ask about REC files.
