Fat 32 Limitations at DVinfo.net

Dennis Dillon · October 12th, 2012, 09:09 AM

Dan,
Is CD Nano limited to Fat 32 due to it s own design, or is the limitation due to the media?
I ask only because I'm receiving requests for workflow improvements with my network clients.
Thank you in advance.
I have additional questions regarding intergrating Gemini into the same client base. I will post soon at the Gemini site.

Ok I found your post from 2009 with Paul C. Is their a stitch utility for this?

Dear Paul,

We wanted our system to be compatible with both Mac's and PC's. Thus, we wanted our CompactFlash cards to be readable in a wide range of operating systems.

FAT32 (File Allocation Table, with a 32 Bit word) is one way of formatting a card that allows both Mac's and PC's to read the file.

FAT32 has a limit of 4 GB for any one file.

We limit our file sizes to around 3.5 GB. If there is a technical reason why we choose 3.5, I do not know what it is.

So, we may be able to increase it from 3.5 to almost 4.0 GB.

But, I assume that you want a dramatic increase in file size, as opposed to a small incremental increase.

I spoke to Mike today about a utility to "Stitch" our files together, via a utility. This utility would merge our multiple files into one. We have this under consideration.

Please note that it does not matter how we store the data internally, if we provide a "Copy or Transfer" utility that creates one output file for your editor.

A small side benefit of us using the 3.5 GB or 4.0 GB file sizes is that they fit on a SD DVD easily, but this is not our overridding consideration.

However, we have another project in work in which the multiple files will be treated as one file in Final Cut Pro. We would like to get further along on this project before we discuss it in detail, or release when we will have it ready.

We have other projects in work which relate to our File Converter utility.

(So many projects, only 24 hours in a day!)

Dan, The manual clearly instructs one to drop the files into a sequence/timeline and proceed. My question above is in the case of delivering XD Optical from thew field
__________________
Dan Keaton
Augusta Georgia

Chris Medico · October 12th, 2012, 10:13 AM

While you wait for the answer from Dan you will want to use the "Concatenator" listed on this page to join the files:

nanoFlash Software Downloads

Dennis Dillon · October 12th, 2012, 10:24 AM

Chris,
Thanks, Im aware of the utility, but I should have mentioned my OS is Mac 10.7.4, which will not operate QT 7, which is required for the CD utility.
So now Im pulling out my old 17 MBP. Lets see if I can work this out. Sure hate to go backwards and leave Thunderbolt. Perhaps an updated ConcatX and File Converter would do the trick ;)

Let me add, I need to end up with 50Mb MXF. Perhaps I can record in mov and use ConcatX to make one file then use file converter QT to MXF, then on to Optical disk.

Greg Booth · October 12th, 2012, 03:17 PM

Hi Dennis,

QT Player 7.6 should work fine on Lion (or Mountain Lion) and can co-exist with QT Player X. I use it all of the time.

You can download QT Player 7.6 from Apple here:

QuickTime Player 7 for Mac OS X v10.6.3 or later

And it will install to your /Applications/Utilities folder.

Cheers
Greg

Calibrated Software

Dennis Dillon · October 13th, 2012, 10:46 AM

Greg,
Thank you for the lead. Yes QT 7.6 does indeed work in Lion.
My original intent is to find a way to merge the Fat 32 files and then drop into a Sony Optical Disk.
I need to test this out, but first I found a Release_Notes PDF file for File Converter, and it appears the conversion from one large mov to MXF would break up my files back to FAT 32.

"Added support for up to 64 Gbyte files, broken into 4 Gbyte increments upon conversion. "

Sigh :(
The Read Me has this

The generated MXF files are Flash XDR / nanoFlash
compatible – see below for details on playing such files
out of the recorders.
The FileConverter tool also can make non-fragmented copies
of originally recorded files onto a CompactFlash card for
playing out of the recorders.

My wish would be that the above note, re non-fragmented copies would result in a single clip. but Im afraid it means that the Nano, when playing back will act as if it is one clip.

Double Sigh :( :(
But wait, I see there is an option in the converter utility for Non-Fragmented Copy. Ill report back.

Dennis Dillon · October 13th, 2012, 12:46 PM

Report Back.
No luck with the non Frag option. Seems to be to return MXF file to CF for continuous playback.
Work around so far is record mov, concatX to obtain a single file, import into NLE, output XD 50 Mb to Optical. Not a field option due to the long processing time for the NLE to export the MXF

October 12th, 2012, 09:09 AM	#1
Dennis Dillon Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Hobe Sound, Florida Posts: 213	Fat 32 Limitations Dan, Is CD Nano limited to Fat 32 due to it s own design, or is the limitation due to the media? I ask only because I'm receiving requests for workflow improvements with my network clients. Thank you in advance. I have additional questions regarding intergrating Gemini into the same client base. I will post soon at the Gemini site. Ok I found your post from 2009 with Paul C. Is their a stitch utility for this? Dear Paul, We wanted our system to be compatible with both Mac's and PC's. Thus, we wanted our CompactFlash cards to be readable in a wide range of operating systems. FAT32 (File Allocation Table, with a 32 Bit word) is one way of formatting a card that allows both Mac's and PC's to read the file. FAT32 has a limit of 4 GB for any one file. We limit our file sizes to around 3.5 GB. If there is a technical reason why we choose 3.5, I do not know what it is. So, we may be able to increase it from 3.5 to almost 4.0 GB. But, I assume that you want a dramatic increase in file size, as opposed to a small incremental increase. I spoke to Mike today about a utility to "Stitch" our files together, via a utility. This utility would merge our multiple files into one. We have this under consideration. Please note that it does not matter how we store the data internally, if we provide a "Copy or Transfer" utility that creates one output file for your editor. A small side benefit of us using the 3.5 GB or 4.0 GB file sizes is that they fit on a SD DVD easily, but this is not our overridding consideration. However, we have another project in work in which the multiple files will be treated as one file in Final Cut Pro. We would like to get further along on this project before we discuss it in detail, or release when we will have it ready. We have other projects in work which relate to our File Converter utility. (So many projects, only 24 hours in a day!) Dan, The manual clearly instructs one to drop the files into a sequence/timeline and proceed. My question above is in the case of delivering XD Optical from thew field __________________ Dan Keaton Augusta Georgia Last edited by Dennis Dillon; October 12th, 2012 at 09:46 AM.

October 12th, 2012, 10:13 AM	#2
Chris Medico Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Efland NC, USA Posts: 2,322	Re: Fat 32 Limitations While you wait for the answer from Dan you will want to use the "Concatenator" listed on this page to join the files: nanoFlash Software Downloads __________________ http://www.LandYachtMedia.com

October 12th, 2012, 10:24 AM	#3
Dennis Dillon Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Hobe Sound, Florida Posts: 213	Re: Fat 32 Limitations Chris, Thanks, Im aware of the utility, but I should have mentioned my OS is Mac 10.7.4, which will not operate QT 7, which is required for the CD utility. So now Im pulling out my old 17 MBP. Lets see if I can work this out. Sure hate to go backwards and leave Thunderbolt. Perhaps an updated ConcatX and File Converter would do the trick ;) Let me add, I need to end up with 50Mb MXF. Perhaps I can record in mov and use ConcatX to make one file then use file converter QT to MXF, then on to Optical disk.

October 12th, 2012, 03:17 PM	#4
Greg Booth Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 36	Re: Fat 32 Limitations Hi Dennis, QT Player 7.6 should work fine on Lion (or Mountain Lion) and can co-exist with QT Player X. I use it all of the time. You can download QT Player 7.6 from Apple here: QuickTime Player 7 for Mac OS X v10.6.3 or later And it will install to your /Applications/Utilities folder. Cheers Greg Calibrated Software

October 13th, 2012, 10:46 AM	#5
Dennis Dillon Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Hobe Sound, Florida Posts: 213	Re: Fat 32 Limitations Greg, Thank you for the lead. Yes QT 7.6 does indeed work in Lion. My original intent is to find a way to merge the Fat 32 files and then drop into a Sony Optical Disk. I need to test this out, but first I found a Release_Notes PDF file for File Converter, and it appears the conversion from one large mov to MXF would break up my files back to FAT 32. "Added support for up to 64 Gbyte files, broken into 4 Gbyte increments upon conversion. " Sigh :( The Read Me has this The generated MXF files are Flash XDR / nanoFlash compatible – see below for details on playing such files out of the recorders. The FileConverter tool also can make non-fragmented copies of originally recorded files onto a CompactFlash card for playing out of the recorders. My wish would be that the above note, re non-fragmented copies would result in a single clip. but Im afraid it means that the Nano, when playing back will act as if it is one clip. Double Sigh :( :( But wait, I see there is an option in the converter utility for Non-Fragmented Copy. Ill report back.

October 13th, 2012, 12:46 PM	#6
Dennis Dillon Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Hobe Sound, Florida Posts: 213	Re: Fat 32 Limitations Report Back. No luck with the non Frag option. Seems to be to return MXF file to CF for continuous playback. Work around so far is record mov, concatX to obtain a single file, import into NLE, output XD 50 Mb to Optical. Not a field option due to the long processing time for the NLE to export the MXF