Video Conversion & MP4 Replay

What is Video Conversion?

eConsent captures session recordings as DOM-based replays using rrweb technology. Video conversion transforms these recordings into standard MP4 video files that can be played in any media player, shared in legal proceedings, or attached to compliance documentation.

Why MP4 Conversion Matters

While rrweb-based session replays provide pixel-perfect reconstruction of what the consumer saw, there are situations where a standard video file is more practical:

• Legal proceedings — Courts and attorneys may require video evidence in standard formats. MP4 is universally supported and does not require specialized replay software.
• Compliance audits — Auditors can review MP4 files without needing access to the eConsent dashboard.
• Long-term preservation — MP4 is a stable, widely supported format that will remain playable for years, independent of any particular software.
• Sharing with third parties — Share consent evidence with partners, legal teams, or regulators without granting dashboard access.

How It Works

1. A consent certificate is generated with a session recording
2. The recording is queued for MP4 conversion
3. eConsent renders the DOM-based replay as a video and encodes it as MP4
4. The MP4 file is stored alongside the certificate in S3 with the same Object Lock COMPLIANCE mode protections
5. The video becomes available on the certificate page for download or playback

Auto-Retain and Video Conversion

When a certificate is retained (stored for long-term compliance), the MP4 conversion is triggered automatically. This means:

• Auto-retain — When your plan automatically retains certificates, the MP4 conversion happens as part of the retention process
• Manual retain — If you manually retain a certificate from the dashboard, the MP4 is generated at that point
• No extra cost — MP4 conversion is included in your plan. There is no additional charge for generating video files.

The MP4 file is stored with the same retention duration and immutability protections as the rest of the certificate.

Viewing and Downloading MP4 Files

1. Open any retained certificate in your dashboard at app.econsent.org
2. In the Session Replay section, you will see both the interactive rrweb replay and an MP4 download option
3. Click Download MP4 to save the video file
4. The MP4 can also be accessed via the certificate’s shareable URL

When to Use Each Format

Format	Best for
rrweb replay	Interactive review in the dashboard, inspecting specific moments, verifying field captures
MP4 video	Legal evidence, compliance audits, sharing with third parties, offline viewing

Both formats are generated from the same underlying recording data and show identical content.

Retain API: Selective Video Conversion

Instead of auto-retaining every session, you can use the Retain API to programmatically choose which sessions get converted to MP4. This is particularly useful for lead generation companies who only want to retain recordings for leads that were actually sold.

With the Retain API, you call a single endpoint after a lead is sold, and only that session is queued for MP4 conversion at $0.10 per session. This gives you full control over which recordings are kept and converted, rather than paying for auto-retention on all sessions.

• Single session — POST /api/integrations/:companyId/retain/:sessionId
• Batch — POST /api/integrations/:companyId/retain/batch (up to 100 sessions per request)

See the full Retain API documentation for authentication, request/response examples, and error handling.

Learn More

• See the Session Replay documentation for details on how recordings work
• See the Retention Management documentation for auto-retain settings
• Contact support@econsent.org for questions