Whereas people are watching TV shows on TVs, some of them want to record their favorite contents so as to save and watch over again. Subsequently, the recording devices could create multiplex formats according to each recorder model. Likewise, the Windows system also introduced its own format for storing the recorded TV shows. As you may have seen such files in your Windows folders after recording by the Windows Media Centre, they are WTV format files. What are those WTV files and can VLC play WTV? With those questions in mind, we will solve them one by one as following.

Part 1: About WTV File

Long-time ago, when TV fans like to make a record of the TV contents on Windows, the WTV format was born. As the short background of WTV format file unveils, the brief information about WTV file is also easy to understand. The Windows Media Centre defines the WTV format file as an audiovisual container for Windows Recorded TV Show. As for the Windows Media Centre, it is a Windows native program with the full codec packs for WTV files and involving formats. Thus, the program supports some of the media format contents but mostly recorded TV shows.

inborn within the Windows Media Centre while initiating the record of TV shows. In other words, this software will execute the compressing process to wrap up the media data from all aspects in audio and video into the container format, and then mark the format with by its special compression form. In this case, the file extension of WTV is what the program uses to label out such format. In general, video data is compressed through MPEG-2 codec while audio contents are compressed by MPEG-1 Layer II or Dolby Digital AC-3 codec. MPEG encoding formats are not rare as there are many sound MPEG players supporting these kinds of videos. However, the WTV does not belong to the common video formats. Some people believe that VLC play WTV on Windows, we will talk about this in the next part.

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Part 2: Can VLC Play WTV Files

Back to the topic that can VLC play WTV? The VLC is known for the universal format availability including AVI, MPEG, WMV, ASF, FLV, MKV, MP4, M4A, OGM, and so on. However, when I checked the full list of what VLC supports, there seemed to be no signs of WTV format files. If you go to find more from the VLC forum, the results will also be disappointed as the fact is that VLC is not available for WTV files within its original codec library. So there is not possible for VLC play WTV directly. Is there any way to make VLC play WTV? If you have some knowledge about VLC media player, then you should guess that users can install extra codecs onto the VLC program due to the open-source code.

Hence, here is the solution for you to obtain a WTV VLC player on the computer to play WTV videos for free. Each step is well illustrated for you to follow.

Step 1. Download and install the VLC media player if your computer is not prepared with one.

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Step 2. Although there are a couple of good codec packs online, here you can try to search the K-Lite Codec Pack as the recommendation. It is free for download and with a massive codec source.

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Step 3. During the installation of the WTV codec packs, there are settable components for you to choose. If you need some specific codecs, scroll down the whole list then check them out. For sure, the instruction can be set in default when you have no clues about media formats. Click on the "Next" after making your decisions.

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4. Wait until the installing process is finished. Then you can click on the "Finish" button to call off the codec packs window. Now you can just open the VLC media player and load your WTV videos into the player. All the VLC WTV files are available for playback, also, the "Tools" button with the "Preferences" can help control multiple settings of VLC player WTV.

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Of course, installing the codec packs is not always the plan A, because you may meet the VLC issue that you are not even able to play some files with popular formats. We always have your back with the perfect plan B, which is the best alternatives with inbuilt WTV codec packs.

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Part 3: 3 WTV Player Alternatives for VLC

Alternative 1. Leawo Blu-ray Player

The WTV VLC player can be completely replaced by this versatile software, Leawo Blu-ray Player due to its optimum performance for all the WTV playbacks. That is to say, it is fully compatible with the WTV format files while the WTV videos are displayed in the best image and audio quality like in the cinema. Without the need for additional codec packs, users are enabled to watch all the common videos including AVI, MPEG, WMV, ASF, FLV, MKV, MP4, M4A, AAC, NUT, OGM, etc. On top of that, 4K and HD contents can be played smoothly in its original quality as well. Whilst being as a free WTV player, it acts as a regional free player for hard discs of Blu-ray and DVD. The amazing technology allows users to control every parameter in the subtitle, audio, and video settings. Skins, languages, and themes are provided in different styles for you to personalize. Meanwhile, it features multiple handy tools such as virtual remote controller, power manager, the snap screenshots, and even more. Both Mac and Windows are offered for WTV playback.

Alternative 2. PotPlayer

Secondly, we picked up the PotPlayer also because of the raw WTV format compatibility. Since this player is capable of playing WTV videos on Windows needless to install another codec pack, you can trust this program to playback a vast number of video formats like AVI, MPEG, WMV, FLV, MKV, MP4, M4A. The audio delivery also stands out among multiplex player programs if you like to treat your ears luxury. The interface is neat to read and navigate, and most of the color themes are changeable. And the awesome feature of this application is the DXVA video codecs support.

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Alternative 3. 5KPlayer

The innovative software has equipped the WTV solution including what VLC player WTV lacks. It serves to playback input video formats in MKV, MP4, DivX, F4V, M4V, MJP, MOV, MTV, WAV, RMVB, and of course WTV. There are plenty of audio formats available within this application. Besides, it is functioning advanced DLNA technology to connect diverse platforms for streaming the contents you like to share. Those platforms cover smartphones, Andriod TV, Mac OS computers, Windows systems, and other devices.

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Part 4: Burn WTV Files to Blu-ray and Enjoy High Quality Watching Experience on Blu-ray Player

Plus to the backup plan for VLC player WTV, you should try to optimize the WTV video watching experience. Here is the method we strongly recommend, which is to burn WTV files to Blu-ray discs for better storage and delivering quality. Common sense tells us that Blu-ray brings superior visual effects, why not have a shot? Therefore, a perfect Blu-ray burning tool is sincerely pivotal. Nothing can get this done better than Leawo Blu-ray Creator . Let me show you how simple it is to finish the task.

Step 1: Download the Leawo Blu-ray Creator and install the powerful burning program on your computer.

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    - Burn videos to Blu-ray/DVD disc, folder and/or ISO image file simultaneously.
    – Create photo slideshows from various photos and burn to DVD/Blu-ray disc easily.
    – One click operation to burn ISO image file to Blu-ray/DVD disc.
    – Edit output videos to add image or text watermark, trim video size, adjust effect, etc.
    – Create 3D Blu-ray/DVD movies with 6 different 3D effects.

Step 2: Launch the program and load up the WTV video files. Literally, you can just drag WTV files over the home interface and release, it can read WTV format automatically and put the file on the list.

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Step 3: After the WTV file sources are imported and listed on the main window, you can change the output settings in multiple sections. To select the subtitles and soundtracks, there are two options on the WTV file information bar next to the title area. Down the bottom, you can choose the Blu-ray disc type, the aspect ratio, and quality mode. Moreover, the bar next to them will reveal the usage of the disc as how big the WTV file is.

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Step 4: Next, return to the home interface and you can notice the green "Burn" button above the menu sidebar. Call out the Burning sidebar by clicking on the "Burn" option. There you enter the final stage of setting parameters for making the Blu-ray from VLC WTV files. Make sure you have inserted a blank Blu-ray disc into the Blu-ray drive, then choose the disc name from the third option in the "Burn to" section. All you need at last is clicking the white "Burn" button at the bottom of the sidebar.

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Part 5: Conclusion

Since we are breathing with digital devices every second in this day and age, TV and the internet are the two main media sources we take advantages of most of the time. Since we might all have some WTV videos for fun, hope you get the answer of can VLC play WTV on your computer. Maybe DIY a WTV VLC player sounds like a fair method. However, a better solution could possibly be a multifunctional replacement of VLC player WTV, like Leawo Blu-ray Player. Furthermore, using Leawo Blu-ray Creator to burn Blu-rays helps play WTV files within other Blu-ray players in finest quality.

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