Playing MP4s on TV from FAT32 USB Hard Drive

diverG wrote on 5/29/2019, 9:12 AM

Files are mp4 so OK there. 1280x720p or 1920x1080i NTSC(59.97fps) or maybe PAL(50fps) if in PAL-land.

Some TV's will take 1920x1080p most will report an error.

j-v wrote on 5/29/2019, 9:27 AM

My TV from signature ( 2 years old now) plays everything also in mp4 untill 4K AVC (H264) and HEVC (H265) in every bitrate without a complaint from sticks and harddrives in each (normal) format.

Stivi wrote on 5/29/2019, 11:32 AM

Hello,

This may not be the answer, but:

Why FAT32? I think Macs can read NTFS, but not write on it without Paragon, for example?
Some TVs don't read HDDs over xTo (<2To for mine)

Have a good day

Musicvid wrote on 5/29/2019, 1:38 PM

@PeterWright

You may have fallen prey to the oldest and most widespread marketing lie in the history of computing.

The actual size of a FAT32 file is 4 GiB, not 4 GB, as is commonly misrepresented. Same goes for optical discs and hard drives.

The actual limit is 4 x 2^30, or 4 x (1/1.074) = ~3.725 GB. Reserve a little more for headers and headroom, and you should be safe at 3.5 actual GB -- most of the time.

Rule #2 of computing -- never push the stated limit on anything that was sold to you.

Former user wrote on 5/29/2019, 2:54 PM

@PeterWright

In the past i’ve usually found it a bit hit and miss, playing mp4's on tv. If the file is bigger than fat32 can manage then it simply won’t copy from your PC to the fat32 drive, re: @Musicvid 's comments. So if its already on the drive, and its fat32, its some other issue, maybe data rate too high, different audio codec, clip resolution? I would assume though that you would keep the same codecs and data rates and resolution for all of the clips?

It might not play on your tv but may play on the clients. The tv's will normally have a specific list of what will play in the TV manual, .pdf.

PeterWright wrote on 5/29/2019, 8:23 PM

Thanks guys. I have some around 1.8Gb that won't play - but I suspect it may be a problem with rendering - either bitrate or something else. A couple of re-renders have corrected the situation, so that could mean I have about 25 to redo.
Incidentally, my TV could not find the MP4 files inside folders on the HD, so as I had plenty of space I've also put second copies of all video on the root directory, and that works better, except for the clips that wouldn't play ,,,, back to rerendering ... thank goodness for Ultimatte S Batch Render.

PeterWright wrote on 5/29/2019, 10:59 PM

Well this is the strangest thing. As I alluded to earlier, my TV would not detect the MP4 files when they were inside folders, which I had created to help my client locate clips, and they of course work fine on computer - so I put a second copy of each MP4 onto the root directory of the same HD. Some played, some didn't.
Then I noticed that, on my PC, the ones that didn't play displayed the VLC Player "Witches Hat" icon, whereas those that DID play displayed a Video Frame icon. When I looked inside the original folders they ALL displayed a Video Frame icon, so I copied one of these to replace the Witches Hat one on the Root directory, and it now plays on TV !!!
So, I am going through doing this to all the non-players, and hopefully it will be case solved, although I have no idea why some did and some didn't!
Cheers

PeterWright wrote on 5/30/2019, 12:28 AM

And ... to complete my learning curve, I have now found out how to access the contents of Folders on my TV.
I was previously clicking on "Movies" and got nothing, unless MP4 were on Root Directory.. Just noticed another choice to the right - "FILE" Clicking on this enabled me to open any folders, including Stills, Audio, Video etc.
Life is an education .....

klt wrote on 5/30/2019, 2:45 AM

When I have to give to client longer video on USB drive, I format it to ExFAT.

It can hold practically any size of file (at least there's no 4 GiB limit).

So far, no problem reported back to me...

PeterWright wrote on 5/30/2019, 2:50 AM

I'm not sure about all TVs, kit, but mine only recognises FAT32 - I've tried ExFAT without success.

Musicvid wrote on 5/30/2019, 10:36 AM

want to enable viewing on three devices - PC, Mac and TV,

That's a tall order.

Teevees are a crapshoot. No two models are the same. What doesn't play on yours may be perfectly fine on your client's. And vice versa.

Suggest you target your client's set, and make dedicated renders, not try to make a universal product, because no such standards exist for televisions.

If they play on Mac and PC, you would expect them to play on TVs and DLNAs. They don't.

PeterWright wrote on 5/30/2019, 11:21 PM

I agree Musicvid, it is a crapshoot, but so far I've got things going ok on 2 out of 3 of my TV's, and of course on PC.
I'll find out soon how it goes on the client's TV and on his Apple......

Grazie wrote on 5/30/2019, 11:36 PM

Suggest you target your client's set, and make dedicated renders, not try to make a universal product, because no such standards exist for televisions.

@PeterWright, apologies to wander off topic, but for others reading this, having a Belt n Braces attitude to The Client’s Equipment is the only way.

Typically, after spending months on a client’s project, my request that I needed to go to the Presentation Venue to checkout the Tech and equipment has sometimes been met with incredulity. My hard-won experience, I still have the mental scars, of that which was promised was NOT apparent at the Venue, both in terms of A/V kit and the personnel that were “supposed” to be available to operate the stuff! And yes, for this making several Renders in several formats was the only assured way.