What is DAV?

Dahua DAV, proprietary surveillance video format from Dahua DVR systems — stored as video/x-dahua — uses lossy encoding to handle surveillance footage conversion, dahua dvr playback, security video archiving. Typical file sizes: varies by content.

What is FLV?

FLV (Flash Video) was the standard format for web video streaming before the rise of HTML5 video.

When Should You Use DAV vs FLV?

DAV vs FLV: Key Differences

• •DAV uses lossy compression while FLV uses lossy compression — both take the same approach to file size management.
• •Since both DAV and FLV use lossy compression, the quality characteristics are comparable — differences in file size come down to how efficiently each format implements compression.
• •Transparency: N/A
• •FLV files tend to be differently sized than DAV
• •Use case fit: DAV targets surveillance footage conversion, dahua dvr playback, security video archiving and FLV targets legacy web video, online streaming — your choice depends on which workflow stage you are serving.

Advantages of DAV

• ✓DAV applies lossy compression specifically calibrated for Surveillance footage conversion, Dahua DVR playback, security video archiving.
• ✓DAV enjoys broad native support across operating systems, browsers, and creative tools alike.
• ✓DAV delivers impressive compression ratios, shrinking files dramatically while keeping visual quality high.
• ✓You will find DAV support built into virtually every tool that handles Surveillance footage conversion, Dahua DVR playback, security video archiving — no plugins or converters needed.

Advantages of FLV

• ✓FLV compresses data using lossy methods, keeping file sizes manageable for Legacy web video, online streaming.
• ✓Industry-wide support means FLV files open anywhere — from legacy systems to the latest devices.
• ✓Small file sizes make FLV ideal for email, web uploads, and cloud storage.
• ✓From VS Code to open-source alternatives, FLV works out of the box.

Common Use Cases for DAV to FLV Conversion

• Educational content
• Marketing videos
• Video archiving
• Broadcast production
• Video game cutscenes
• Product demonstrations

Industry Applications

Best Practices for DAV to FLV Conversion

• →For DAV to FLV: encode at the target platform's native resolution — upscaling or downscaling adds unnecessary artifacts
• →Test a short clip before converting the entire DAV file — this confirms FLV settings produce acceptable quality
• →FLV is widely supported but choose bitrate carefully to balance quality and file size
• →Use constant bitrate (CBR) for streaming delivery and variable bitrate (VBR) for archival storage
• →Keep the original file in case you need to re-encode with different settings
• →Check audio sync after conversion — container changes can sometimes cause drift

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Troubleshooting DAV to FLV Conversion

• !FLV won't play on target device → check codec compatibility (H.264 has broadest support)
• !Audio out of sync after DAV to FLV conversion → try re-muxing with a different container format
• !FLV quality is too low → increase the bitrate; for 1080p video, 8-15 Mbps is recommended
• !File size increased converting DAV to FLV → lossless or higher-bitrate outputs naturally produce larger files

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