EDIT: According to a comment from vain below, this is no longer available in the retail version of Windows 7. I have been able to confirm that it does, in fact, still work with Windows 7 Ultimate RTM. Not sure if it works with Home Premium but I would assume that it does.
Wow…if only I would have realized this earlier on. Apparently Microsoft decided to implement a VERY easy way to convert those nasty .wtv files to .dvr-ms files so you can edit and do all the things you used to be able to do prior to TV Pack and Windows 7. I’ve been wanting an easy way to convert some of those .wtv files because I like to edit some shows that I want to keep. So I subscribed to a few threads on The Green Button and received an email yesterday for one of them and user x219c on The Green Button discovered an easy way to do just that. All you have to do is right-click on a .wtv file and you should see a “Convert to .dvr-ms Format” option. Once you click on it, it just make a copy in your Recorded TV folder so you will have both the .wtv file and the .dvr-ms file.
I was also pleasantly surprised that you can run multiple conversions at once without much strain on your PC. In the image below, you can see that I am running three conversions at once and the CPU usage is staying fairly low.
If you’re hoping to convert those copy protected files (such as those recorded via CableCARD tuners), you’ll be out of luck with this utility. I tried to convert a movie that I recorded on Starz and got rejected.
I’m currently using the Windows 7 Release Candidate on all my PCs so I’m not sure if this utility works on any beta version prior to the RC. I hope this helps some others out…I know it’s going to help me to finally be able to edit some of those shows I’ve been saving for a while. Thanks again to x219c on TGB for discovering this simple solution and posting it up.
50 Comments until now.
Cool!
I wish I’d have seen this before…
Nice trick!
BUT how do you U edit the DVR-MS files??? I cant find any windows movie maker in windows 7 and the movie maker 2.6 you can download doesnt support dvr-ms… HELP
@KWood
Check out the link to download the DVR-MS sample code in this article. http://www.mcesoft.nl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=95&Itemid=2
This is the program I’ve used for a few years now and it’s really simple and works wonderfully!
So after converting to DVR-MS you convert to Wmv and then edit the video?
and that converting is from win7 mediacenter?? why not just go from win 7 to wmv then?
@KWood
I have been using this DVR-MS editor ever since Media Center 2005 and I’ve always loved it for it’s simplicity. Once I discovered you could easily convert .wtv to .dvrms there was no need for me personally to look for another app to convert to .wmv.
Hi
but As far as I can see the ” DVR-MS sample code” is a converter to convert from dvr-ms to wmv and not a editing tool???
Found It!!
it’s booth
thanks will play a little around with it
It just installs some folders to a directory on your PC (likely in My Documents). There is a folder titled “Applications” that contains a bunch of different programs. Look for “DvrmsEditor.exe” in that folder and that will allow you to edit your DVR-MS files.
Just wanted to know what you are using to display that CPU usage meter.
It is the All CPU Meter V1.0 by Addgadget.com
I have the full version (legit) of windows 7 Pro and this feature does not exist. There is no built-in shell extention of any kind like that. Appearently it was removed from the retail version.
@vain
That’s unfortunate. It was a nice little feature but I’m guessing they had it in there during the beta for people who decided to go back to Vista. Maybe someone will figure out a way to replicate this to develop a similar simple way of converting .wtv to .dvrms.
well, i copied wtv2dvrms.dll and WTVConverter.exe from C:\Windows\ehome. hopefully i will be able to just paste into retail 7 in the same folder? If the right click option will not be available, the cmd line route should work… then we could .bat for multiples, even as soon as they’re recorded and enter the Recorded TV folder.
I have a Windows 7 Ultimate legit copy from MSDN and that context menu option is available.
Also the WTVConverter.exe works great. I’ve just written a proof of concept C# program to automatically convert all my WTV to DVR-MS using this, followed by a call to HandbrakeCLI to convert the DVR-MS to MP4 which is playable on my iPod. So I’ll just refine that a bit and have an automatic service to convert all the bloated WTV content into the much leaner and more portable MP4 that is playable almost everywhere. I will put the converted files to a folder called “Recorded TV” that is added to the media library and watch the videos under the video library menu instead of the recorded TV menu, since Media Center plays MP4’s just fine and takes up about 1/4 of the space.
The converter that MSFT includes in Windows 7 doesn’t handle multiple audio streams correctly: it keeps only one of the audio streams, and there have been many cases where it kept the alternate visually-impaired audio stream or Spanish stream instead of the main English stream. It’s incredible that they’d go RTM with something as broken as this!
I don’t know if this will help you, but I ran into the same problems. I wrote a utility to automate the built-in wtvconverter.exe program. You can check it out at:
http://wtvwatcher.codeplex.com/
I’m running the retail version of Windows 7 now and just converted it using your method, thank you! I can approve that it DOES work.
Have you guys seen MCEBuddy? It runs as a service, automatically converts (divx, wmv, or h.264) and even incorporates commercial removal… http://mcebuddy.com/
I recently purchased a new HP pavilion w/ Windows 7 home premium and I do not have the option to convert from WTV
Since the Windows 7 conversion tool takes no time at all to convert an hour long show, my guess is that there is no actual video conversion that takes place. I think the only real difference is the encapsulation and (better?) copy protection options.
thanks for the easy way to convert- i spent hours and luckily no money to find a way to convert
I have a full, legal version of Windows 7 Ultimate. I can confirm that the rigt-click convert to dvr-ms is available. Maybe that’s one of the lesser-known differences between Pro and Ultimate versions.
FYI, I am running Windows 7 Professional and I’ve got the right-click “Convert to .dvr-ms Format” option. Just used it. Works perfectly.
Running Windows 7 Home Premium, and I DO have the option “Convert to .dvr-ms format.”
I am running Windows 7 Ultimate Professional and I’ve got the right-click “Convert to .dvr-ms Format” option. Just used it. Works perfectly
I think you need to have Windows Media Center set as the default program in order for this option to be present. I have Windows 7 Ultimate and did not have the option until I set the default program for wtv files back to windows media center.
works fine on my win 7 home 64bit,
but with all mpeg4 recordings I get the error on converting.
Only mpeg2 recording works
[...] I decided to see if I could easily convert one of the .wtv files to .dvrms so that I could use DVRMSEditor to easily edit commercials and such. Sure enough, it worked [...]
I Use VideoRedo TV Suite. You can easily edit/convert/trim files. V3 only works with MS-DVR files, but the new v4 works with WTV now as well! It’s expensive, but you can find v3 out there for “cheaper”
Hopefully v4 turns up soon. Cyberlink PowerDirector 8 works as well
The right click ‘convert to .dvr-ms format’ (in Windows 7) is only available if the video is associated with windows media center.
If another program hijacks the association the right click option disappears.
This works and many programs can edit .dvr-ms, only problem I have is that the converted all files converted this way have an audio sync problem and this has led me to ask if it’s work the hassle of having to stretch or resync the audio in the edited file, Video Redo TV pack can edit .wtv , but that program is expensive and when I was experimenting with converting to H.264 it crashed and after 2 days trialing how to get the program to launch again I gave up and rolled back my system to before the problem (trial version, 14 days only before I decide to pay or look elsewhere).. this is frustrating!
You need to have Windows Media Center enabled in Control Panel > Programs in order to see “Convert to DVRMS” option in right-click menu.
I experience the same issue as Johnus - I can convert from .wtv to .dvr-ms fine (Win 7 Home Premium) BUT the converted files have audio stutter issues. It seems to depend on the player - WMP seems OK, but WMC and VLC are not. WMC is my main issue - what’s the point of editing out commercials etc if the content won’t play back properly on Windows Media Center.
I edited .dvr-ms with this: http://jeffreygriffin.com/files/folders/dvr_ms_conversion/entry153.aspx
Right now I am experimenting with .wtv via Windows Live Movie Maker 2011 - which is a much slower workflow
I am loathe to spend $50 for VideoReDo for the privilege of editing Microsoft’s new file format
Hallo James
The converter does not work on TV recordings from a MPEG4 station such as DR K and DR HD. How to make a useable DVD for an other machine eg XP
I have Window 7 Home Premium on an HP Pavillion laptop. I have Media Center enabled, I have it associated with file ext WMV an still no option to convert with right click. My real issue is that Windows Live Movie Maker does not play audie, the sound is muted ( you can see in the edit display the mute symbol in red). How in the heck do you get Microsoft to solve an issue? This is reported by many others but there does not seem to be a publishedresolutuion anywhere.
@Lizzy, the option to convert is for .WTV extensions and not .WMV.
I ran across the same problem with the convert option not available till I reassociated WTV with WMC again. I too am looking at a way to easily edit DVR-MS files to keep, not even necessarily converting. Good luck to all.
I half-way don’t even want to post this because i’m afraid to “jinx” it…
But…
I’m able to not only convert HBO content on Windows 7 from .wtv to .dvr-ms …
and i can then use something like handbrake to convert to mp4…
that’s right. DRM content, STRAIGHT out of Windows Media Center, using a cable card, ATI USB tuner, on Verizon Fios HDTV Cable.
Should i make backups of my OS? Is this some sort of freak accident? Can anyone else try this and let me know if they can as well???
My setup is Ceton tuner with Win7 - 64 bit. Was able to record and convert to dvr-ms and then to mp4 (for Ipod) until recently. Now all the Doctor Who, Being Human, etc shows are suddenly copyrighted and can’t be converted. Even Rick Steves of PBS is holding out now! So, no more ipod viewing on train it seems….
Interesting, Longshanks. I wonder if this is on the content providers’ side or Microsoft updates? I have not installed Win updates in a long time but I have started noticing a significant decrease in the video quality of my recorded and live TV. Don’t know if more CR protection in the programming would contribute to this or not.
It would be great if someone could let us know if their old recordings still convert OK as compared to recent shows.
This wtv issue has me searching for alternatives to media center. All I want to do is compress some cooking shows and make some room on my disk. Who needs this bother??? I am tired of spending my time trying to work around what Microsoft wants.
@jono - shows being copy protected is dependent upon your cable provider. In other blogs/forums users have listed FIOS as not protecting all content which is why you don’t have a problem converting your shows (but you may at times).
@gggirlgeek - Not sure what you mean by ‘wtv issue’. There are a few other TV recording applications. Currently there are no other offerings besides Media Center that support cable cards with SDV. If you don’t require that then you have more options.
In my personal opinion, Media Center is a pretty solid TV recording product if it’s coupled with a Ceton or ATI tuner with cable card. I’ve been using my for months now with a 1TB drive.
I just upgraded to W7 Home premium and while I have the option available to convert, I tried it and it won’t convert the recorded show from Media Center. I get the copyright protected message. I tried my VideoReDoTVSuite and it says it doesn’t support .mtv so I tried my Cyberlink PowerDirector 8 and it doesn’t work either.
I screwed up my email on the first message, sorry.
Posted this:
I just upgraded to W7 Home premium and while I have the option available to convert, I tried it and it won’t convert the recorded show from Media Center. I get the copyright protected message. I tried my VideoReDoTVSuite and it says it doesn’t support .mtv so I tried my Cyberlink PowerDirector 8 and it doesn’t work either.
@Nelis - I think you’re right… JUST recently my Fox affiliate and a few other odd stations started showing “Copy Protection” when i tried to convert from .WTV to .DVR-MS.
Strange thing is that my “Premium” stations (HBO, SHOWTIME, etc.) STILL don’t have copy protection. But i bet it’s only a matter of time… which sucks… because i really like being able to convert to h.264 for both space and mobile purposes.
How are others doing this… ie: people who publish *cough* ‘torrents’ of TV shows? Are they ONLY converting shows that are on services like Fios (who apparently doesn’t copy protect everything)… ?
Does anyone have a problem where WTV Converter just stops working in the middle of converting a file to dvr-ms? It happens on one of my 3 drives (the C: drive), but is okay on the others. This has been working fine for over a year and suddenly started doing partial conversions. Thanks for any help!
@Dave Stein:
Check if you have sufficient disk space free on your C: drive.
Maybe, while converting it is running out of disk space trying to keep both .wtv and .dvr-ms versions on disk and when you cancel the convertion, the partially converted file is erased and you see some disk space free.
Just a thought.
***Following up on an old post for posterity’s sake.***
So if you look above at my first comment in this thread you’ll read my bewilderment about being able to record would SHOULD be copy protected content with Windows Media Center and then convert it to .mp4 with Handbrake…. well, i have more information.
1. I now have both my original ATI TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner AND the new Ceton InfiniTV 4 USB.
2. If i record HBO (or anything that SHOULD be copy protected) with the Ceton device, it IS copy protected. Can’t even convert .WTV to .DVR-MS.
3. HOWEVER, IF i record the EXACT SAME SHOW that IS copy protected with my ATI device… i CAN CONVERT it to ANY other media type, i CAN transfer/play it on other devices (like iPhone).
So I’m guessing either ALL ATI TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuners have this loophole around cable drm… OR i’ve got a rare gem that somehow is stripping DRM even when i use Windows Media Center to record shows.
Thoughts? Questions? Ideas for experimentation? I’m all ears…err… all eyes i guess…
This is, indeed, interesting! I am about to buy a new card but only because I want more than one tuner. From what you’re saying I might not want to chuck my old one so fast. I’ve never had a DRM issue, but I’m only recording ATSC OTA with it. It sounds like others are saying some OTA local networks have added DRM too.
My current card is a Pinnacle USB HDTV 800e. Maybe other could list their card and experience with it?
gggirlgeek, not exactly… i’m specifically talking about using a CableCard device like my ALL ATI TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner. Your Pinnacle isn’t a cablecard tuner, right?
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