How do I view .wtv files in OS X?

I have a Windows 7 Media Center machine for our family's DVR. It creates recorded TV files in a .wtv format (used to be .ms-dvr in the Vista days). We have a laptop running Lion that I'd like to watch TV shows on occasionally. Obviously it has no idea what .wtv files are. I checked out Adapter, but it doesn't look like .ms-drv or .wtv are supported for conversion. What's the easiest approach to getting these files to play on my Mac? I'd prefer to run a converter on the Mac if possible rather than the DVR just because it's not often that I'd want to watch a show that way.


How to watch a wtv file on a Mac without using VLC

  1. Install WtvWatcher on the PC - this will convert all of your wtv files into dv-rms by changing the packaging, not be re-encoding, so it is really quick and deletes the useless wtv file.
  2. Share your recorded folder with your Mac. I simple turned on sharing on my PC and then connected to it over SMB://192.168.x.x
  3. Use Handbrake to convert the file to m4v, then add it to iTunes, or watch in in quicktime player or whatever takes your fancy.

How to watch a wtv file on the iPad/iPhone.

  1. On the PC install WtvWatcher as above.
  2. Share your recorded folder with your mac as above.
  3. Install "Air Video Server" on your Mac and tell it to share the shared folder from the networked PC
  4. Install Air Video player on your iPad, iPhone etc.
  5. Enjoy.

iPad/iPhone alternative solution

Just use Handbrake to convert the video file into a iPad/iPhone version.


You can use VLC player which supports playing this file type and gets updates for new file types all the time.