Convert WTV to MP4 — Free Online Converter
Convert Windows TV (.wtv) to MPEG-4 Part 14 (.mp4) online for free. Fast, secure video conversion with no watermarks or registration....
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Works Everywhere
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How to Convert
Upload your .wtv file by dragging it into the upload area or clicking to browse.
Choose your output settings. The default settings work great for most files.
Click Convert and download your .mp4 file when it's ready.
About WTV to MP4 Conversion
WTV (Windows TV) is the DVR recording format created by Windows Media Center, Microsoft's living room media platform that shipped with Windows Vista through Windows 8.1. WTV files store broadcast television recordings — MPEG-2 or H.264 video with AC3 or AAC audio — plus rich EPG metadata including program title, episode description, channel name, recording time, and parental ratings. The container uses an NTFS-like internal structure supporting multiple multiplexed streams. MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14) is the universal multimedia container, playing on every smartphone, computer, smart TV, and web browser worldwide.
Microsoft discontinued Windows Media Center in Windows 10, permanently ending the platform that created WTV files. No active software produces WTV recordings today, but millions of personal TV recordings still exist in home archives — entire seasons of favorite shows, sporting events, holiday specials, and family recordings that span the 2007-2015 Windows Media Center era.
Why Convert WTV to MP4?
WTV is the definition of a stranded format. Modern Windows 10 and 11 cannot play WTV files without third-party software, and macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android have never supported the format at all. MP4 is the universal solution — it plays everywhere, streams everywhere, and uploads everywhere. Converting WTV to MP4 is the single most important step in rescuing a Windows Media Center recording library.
MP4 with H.264/AAC is accepted by every platform: YouTube, Vimeo, social media, messaging apps, Plex, Jellyfin, Kodi, web browsers, and all mobile devices. This makes WTV-to-MP4 the standard conversion for making TV recordings permanently accessible.
Common Use Cases
- Migrating an entire Windows Media Center DVR library to a universally playable format before hardware failure
- Making recorded TV shows playable on smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, and streaming devices
- Uploading converted TV recordings to Plex, Jellyfin, or Kodi home media servers for whole-home streaming
- Sharing TV recording highlights with family and friends via messaging apps and social media
- Reclaiming disk space by re-encoding bulky MPEG-2 WTV recordings to efficient H.264 MP4 files
How It Works
FFmpeg demuxes the WTV container and processes the streams. For H.264 WTV sources, the video can be stream-copied directly into the MP4 container without re-encoding for instant, lossless conversion. For MPEG-2 sources, FFmpeg re-encodes to H.264 at the specified quality (CRF 18-23 recommended). AC3 audio is decoded and re-encoded to AAC stereo (128-256 kbps). Interlaced 1080i and 480i content is deinterlaced with yadif for progressive MP4 playback. The MP4 container receives moov atom optimization for streaming compatibility.
Quality & Performance
WTV recordings range from standard definition (480i MPEG-2 at 3-8 Mbps) to high definition (720p or 1080i H.264 at 8-19 Mbps), typically 1-8 GB per hour. For H.264 WTV sources, stream-copy to MP4 is lossless. For MPEG-2 sources, re-encoding to H.264 at CRF 20 produces visually identical quality at roughly half the file size — a 6 GB MPEG-2 WTV may become a 3 GB MP4. Deinterlacing 1080i content to progressive improves perceived quality on modern flat screens.
Device Compatibility
| Device | WTV | MP4 |
|---|---|---|
| Windows PC | Partial | Native |
| macOS | Partial | Native |
| iPhone/iPad | Partial | Native |
| Android | Partial | Native |
| Linux | Partial | Native |
| Web Browser | No | Native |
Recommended Settings by Platform
YouTube
Resolution: 1920x1080
Bitrate: 8-12 Mbps
H.264 recommended for fast processing
Resolution: 1080x1080
Bitrate: 3.5 Mbps
Square or 9:16 for Reels
TikTok
Resolution: 1080x1920
Bitrate: 4 Mbps
9:16 vertical, under 60s ideal
Twitter/X
Resolution: 1280x720
Bitrate: 5 Mbps
Under 140s, 512MB max
Resolution: 960x540
Bitrate: 2 Mbps
16MB limit for standard, 64MB for document
Discord
Resolution: 1280x720
Bitrate: 4 Mbps
8MB free, 50MB Nitro
Tips for Best Results
- 1Use stream copy for H.264 WTV sources — this produces identical quality MP4 files in seconds instead of minutes or hours
- 2Re-encode MPEG-2 WTV sources to H.264 at CRF 20 for the best quality-to-size ratio — expect 40-60% smaller files with no visible quality loss
- 3Always apply yadif deinterlacing for 1080i and 480i WTV content since modern screens use progressive scan
- 4Enable faststart (moov atom at beginning) so the MP4 files can stream progressively without waiting for full download
- 5Process your entire WTV archive at once — batch conversion is the most efficient way to migrate a Windows Media Center library
WTV to MP4 is the essential conversion for Windows Media Center TV recording archives. It transforms stranded DVR files into universally playable content that works on every device and platform.