If Iam shooting in FAT mode.. and down loading to a DOS MS FAT formatted drive.. do I still have to be concerned about the 4GB file size limit.. or is the camera splitting any files over the 4GB limit anyway.. recording to SXS cards.. down loading with content browser.. with MBP..

The reason to use FAT formatted drive is the editing end is PC windows.. short job not much footage..

The files when recorded to the card will be split before the 4gig mark.

You won't have any issues copying the card contents onto a FAT, NTFS, or HFS formatted drive.

The FAT32 formatting file size limit should not be an issue for transferring the SxS cards.
HOWEVER --- if you are doing long takes and your client is going to convert the files to MXF for editing -- the MXF files combine the camera original files into a single file for the full length of each take -- which could prove to be a problem if they try to do the conversion onto the same drive, since the MXF files could be larger than 4GB. If I think the client may want to use a drive for more than just camera original storage (ie - editing) I try to avoid FAT32 and go with NTFS for a PC.

The FAT32 formatting file size limit should not be an issue for transferring the SxS cards.
HOWEVER --- if you are doing long takes and your client is going to convert the files to MXF for editing -- the MXF files combine the camera original files into a single file for the full length of each take -- which could prove to be a problem if they try to do the conversion onto the same drive, since the MXF files could be larger than 4GB. If I think the client may want to use a drive for more than just camera original storage (ie - editing) I try to avoid FAT32 and go with NTFS for a PC.

Thanks for both replies..

This drive will just be for ingest ..

I know its not a new subject and Ive had this situation once before.. ie I use a mac for down loads so cant format to NTFS.. I know there is third party soft ware I can get will allow me to format a drive to NTFS. (any recommendations) will it effect anything else on my computer?
This time luckily the shoot was XDCAM EX so I set my PMW500 to FAT XDCAM EX mode.. for the first time and it creates the BPAV folders all well and good.
But I believe UDF 50Mbps footage wont go onto a MS DOS FAT formatted drive.. as the files will be too big. unless I keep them within 4GB..?
What sort of a headache is it for a professional editor or post house to receive mac formatted drive when they are PC based.. if I can instal software surely they can too..? every camera person I know down loads with a mac..or at least it must be a fairly large percentage.. should the onus be on the editing end to be able to deal with mac drives.. ?

It is likely easier to format your drives where you need to break the 4gig file limit with HFS. There are several solutions on the PC side to read MAC drives.

If you want to be able to read and write NTFS from your MAC you can get this:

Paragon NTFS for Mac OS X software (http://www.paragon-software.com/home/ntfs-mac/)

Its not free but it works and isn't expensive.

It is likely easier to format your drives where you need to break the 4gig file limit with HFS. There are several solutions on the PC side to read MAC drives.

If you want to be able to read and write NTFS from your MAC you can get this:

Paragon NTFS for Mac OS X software (http://www.paragon-software.com/home/ntfs-mac/)

Its not free but it works and isn't expensive.

Hi Chris

Thanks..yes I was just looking on the internet and Paragon program seems the best from what i read on mac review sites.. but still there were quite a few complaints about up dates crashing systems etc lack of customer support etc.. ofcourse some are operator faults but not all.. and there were many...
I keep my MBP free of any software i dont need.. just cant have computer trouble when your shooting and down loading on the road.. so I think it should be on the editing side to have the software.If they have a problem they always have the ext HDD,s down loaded from a mac with mac format in perfect working order surely this is the priority .. and they dont have to get up at 5am to shoot the next morning.. :)
Call me selfish but it does seem more logical that way round.. ?

Robin,
I agree that you should stay streamlined and comfortable on your workflow. But you should also be ready and able to deal with NTFS or HFS or Fat32 (or anything else that gets thrown at you) if you need to.
Being on a PC myself and working with an even 50-50 mix of MAC and PC clients, I use MacDrive from Media4 - which works beautifully. I've even had occasions where it could read and salvage damaged HFS drives after they were deemed unopenable on macbook pros.
But the real point is that you have to be ready for anything and everything. Including the day that your producer/client shows up with his own drives (already containing data, of course, so they can't be re-formatted), which are already formatted to a different system, or even two different systems. If you can't deal with their drives they won't be happy. (And if you tell them they need to change their workflow they won't be happy either.) So be ready... It's all part of client service.

Hi Dave..

Yes I guess your right of course .. I was fine with the idea till I read more than a few comments of people who were very computer savvy .. having big issues with.. in this case Paragon up dates,new versions.. actually rendering their computers totally useless.. this I can really do without !!.. of course sorting it out before the shoot is the way to go.. but yes stuff happens.. thanks for your advise and time..

We use Tuxera on our mac for NTFS drive compatiability.

Tuxera NTFS for Mac | Tuxera (http://www.tuxera.com/products/tuxera-ntfs-for-mac)

On the PC side Macdrive is famous.

Rajiv