As a follow up to my previous post on Convert to .dvr-ms option on the .wtv context menu in Windows 7 Build-7057, and in response to some of the comments, I’ve looked a little deeper into the conversion process. Keeping an eye on Windows Task Manager and firing up a conversion reveals that this runs a process called “WTVConverter.exe” (located in the C:\Windows\eHome folder). I ran that with a /? switch and this revealed that it is possible to call this from a command line:
Converts a recorded TV file from .wtv to .dvr-ms format.
Usage:
WTVConvrter path_to_sourcefile [path_to_targetfile] [/ShowUI] [/?]
path_to_sourcefile: Specifies the path to the .wtv file to convert.
path_to_targetfile: Specifies the path to the .dvr-ms file to create.
/ShowUI: Displays a progress bar dialog box during the conversion process.
/?: Displays usage information.
Notes:
– You must specify a path to an existing folder for path_to_targetfile.
– You can use the wildcard ‘*’ when converting multiple source files.
The .dvr-ms files will be created with the same name as the .wtv files.
– If you do not specify path_to_targetfile, the .dvr-ms file is created in the same location as the .wtv file.
Examples:
WTVConverter d:\RecordedTV\Arthur.wtv d:\ConvertedTV\Arthur.dvr-ms /ShowUI
WTVConverter d:\RecordedTV\*.wtv d:\ConvertedTV\
WTVConverter d:\RecordedTV\*.wtv
I’m sure it won’t take much effort from clever people that make tools like DVRMSToolbox to automate the conversion process using this tool (which will hopefully make it all the way through to Windows 7 RTM).
DatabaseJase
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FANTASTIC!
This is exactly what we need!
Amazing! – Well spotted
Setting up DVRMSToolbox to do this automatically doesn’t require anyone cleaver, in fact it is about as easy as you can get.
I have been testing a script out based on this with mixed results. I am using Lifextender to cut the ads but most are coming out corrupt. Not sure if it is an issue with wtvconverter.exe and how it converts the file but I tried todvrms.exe and had some success but todvrms.exe does not always convert .wtv correctly in the first place.
I think we have a way to go before we get stable ad removal in W7
Anyone try the binary on Vista to see if it runs there?
Also, I know todvrms.exe will fail if there are any copy protection bits on the recording. Even with Clear QAM broadcasts. I assume the W7 tool has the same limitation, otherwise you’d loose the DRM.
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/