Question with harddrives, formatting, big files, etc.

[3 Justin 3]

So after googling to find an answer to my question I have another one:

Is there anyway to put a file bigger than 4GB on a FAT32 drive, WITHOUT formatting it?

My external HDD is a TB, but I have over 300GB on it already, and it is FAT32. That isn't the problem, it would take me a day to transfer all my files to another harddrive, then format it, then put all the files back, so unless I get another one, and have a Sunday off, I won't bother.

The problem is I want to put a 5.32GB HD movie file onto my iPod, using the iPod as a flash drive. I use it to watch HD movies that I download (Top Gear) on my PS3. The iPod is formatted in FAT32, but I am not sure if I format it to NTFS if the iPod will break, or something go wrong?

Anyone have any suggestions/advise? Is there anyway to break up the file into like two files, then put each file separately on the iPod, then put them back together?

Help!

Edit: Upon further reading, (talking about the iPod), could I partition the disc, and have 140GB FAT32, and the other 20GB NTFS?

[BlackEleven]

Splitting the file in two is the easiest way, and have it appear as two separate moves on the ipod. If's its an avi file you can use avisplit to do this, but whatever the format is there's definitely some tool out there to split it.

I wouldn't screw with the iPod filesystem either. Anyway, I doubt the PS3 would read ntfs in the first place.

[3 Justin 3]

Is there anyway to split the file into two, then copy them both on to my iPod, then re-merge them on the iPod to 1 file again?

[Bob]

So long as your iPod remains FAT32 formatted, there is no way to have a file > 4 GB. You're just using it to transfer files? You can split the file using any decent compression tool (don't compress, just store+split--WinRar or 7-Zip can do this). Recombining on the PS3 will be tricky, if not simply impossible. PS3s, as I understand it, can only read FAT32 externally (it uses something else internally), and there doesn't seem to be a way to transfer via network either (that doesn't involve crap like web servers).

You may have to re-encode with Handbrake and fix the file size to < 4GB.

[Jimmy Stang]

What about streaming the file to your PS3? I use "PS3 Media Server" on my PC which is free, and I stream some video to my PS3.

Of course, if this video was purchased on iTunes, it is laden with DRM so you won't be able to stream it. But, as I understand it, pretty much any other video file can be streamed via the PS3 Media Server.

[BlackEleven]

Originally Posted by 3 Justin 3

Is there anyway to split the file into two, then copy them both on to my iPod, then re-merge them on the iPod to 1 file again?

I thought PS3 may support ext3 or something (obviously they're not going to support ntfs), but I just checked on google and PS3 supports only FAT32, so there's no way to get it to read files bigger than 4GB no matter what you do.

You'll have to split it in two and play the two files separately if you want to view it on ps3 from an external filesystem.

Streaming should work too as someone else suggested, but if you're doing it wirelessly you'll need wireless-N for a file that size. A wired connection would be better if possible.

[3 Justin 3]

Well I am screwed then.

Unless I can compress a 1080i movie from 5.36GB to under 4GB I won't be able to watch it. The point of NOT streaming is so I don't have my computer on at the same time.

[sclitheroe]

I don't think the PS3 can handle 64 bit MP4 videos anyways (ie. MP4's larger than 4 gigs), so its a moot point.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by 3 Justin 3

Well I am screwed then.

Unless I can compress a 1080i movie from 5.36GB to under 4GB I won't be able to watch it. The point of NOT streaming is so I don't have my computer on at the same time.

Damn that's a long porno.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by 3 Justin 3

Is there anyway to split the file into two, then copy them both on to my iPod, then re-merge them on the iPod to 1 file again?

IF you put them together in a playlist, there's no need to merge them. Just play the playlist with the 2 files.

[gottabekd]

Download http://www.7-zip.org/

There is a split file function. Then you can use to combine the file.

I've never actually used it, but there is a high likely hood it will work.

[slots881]

I use "PS3 Media Server" to copy movie files from my laptop to my PS3. I find that streaming smaller files(tv shows) is no problem, but larger movies tend to lag and stutter. Copying a 4gb file to my PS3 takes about an hour.