Correct settings for large MPEG-4 HD (1080p) file playable on Windows?

Hi all,

I've a FCP X project with about 53 minutes length that I have shared as MPEG-4 file using the preset "Apple devices 1080p". The estimated size is about 4GB (BTW, when switching "Format" to "Computer", the estmated size doubles to about 8GB !?!).

The exported file plays nicely on Mac OS X using Quicktime Player and QT7 player.

However on Windows 7 the Windows Media Player stops playback at about the point where 2GB are reached (I have tested it with different lengths of the movie project, it seems to be always the point, where about 2GB are reached).
More accurate: Windows Media Player either brings an error box or simple restarts the movie from the beginning. Quicktime Player 7.7.6 shows a white screen at this point, the display with the elapsed time progresses normally.

Also VLC player (videolan.org) stops playing when reaching this point.

Up to now I haven't found any proof that Windows player might have a problem with MPEG-4 files larger than 2GG. The file system is NTFS so the file size is not the problem. I'm a bit astonished that there are still such problems when playing back video on Windows...

My goal is to provide the HD movie (1920x1080, 25fps) as single file that can be played with Windows Media Player. I wanted to avoid burning a bluray disc or a HD-DVD disc.

Thanks in advance for your comments!

Uli

I'd never use the Apple Devices preset for sending something to Windows. Use the Computer preset. Test that, see how it works.

ulit wrote: …The file system is NTFS …

How do you manage to let MacOS write NTFS?
Out-of-the-box it's read-only…

I frequently use that 'trick' (=Share AppleDevice/Option: Computer) to generate large (~6GBs) mp4s, saved on exFat formatted sticks - works like charm on (actual) Windows machines......

That '2GB barrier' could be caused by the OS, your NAS (or whatever you're using for exchange…) uses... Some of those network drives/personal clouds split larger files internally…

Thank you both for your replies.

The video file has been transfered to the Windows machine using a DVD-R.
I used Toast for burning a Data-DVD with setting "Mac + PC". The ISO part of the DVD can handle only 2GB files (Toast displays no warning). Also Windows does copy the file to the local hard disk (I think it has reported the complete file size during copying, but I'm not sure).

That's why all players stopped at 2GB

Sorry for confusion. Burning a DVD with UDF solved the issue.

Although I'm still astonished that the "Computer" preset for sharing an MPEG-4 file has twice the size than the "Apple device" preset. The compatibility list (on the bottom right of the sharing dialog) for the latter lists explicitly "PC" and indeed Windows Media Player 12 plays nicely this file! Might be worth to try both presets, especially if you save some space...

Thank you again!
Uli

Apple device is also compressing as small as possible with the least image quality loss, for small mobile screens. Computer is not compressing as much, allowing for better quality (and compatibility) to play on larger screens. All depends on your needs. Smaller is not better, just more convenient (with sacrifices).