PS3, X360 & an external HDD...

[DuckThor Evil]

Sorry for the resurrection, but I could use some help...
I bought a 500GB external Seagate HD and I would like to use it with X360 and PS3 as a media storage/player until I can afford Mac Mini or some other cute little HTPC as my main PC is no longer connected to my LCD-TV.

So my first problem is that it seems that neither of these machines understands ntfs-file format so I quess I have to format it to FAT32 or to some other file format? How can I do that BTW? When I click right button on the HD and choose format, it only shows ntfs-option. Do I have to put in the XP-installation CD for that? My PC is using ntfs-file format so if I format my external HDD into FAT32 are they still compatible, so I can transfer files back and forth to my PC?

Is it possible to get H.264 decoded files to run on either of these machines from this HDD, I know you can convert those files to some other format for PS3, which it can play, but what about X360. And is the overall process pain in the ass?

 

[djskribbles]

for the PS3, i believe it has to be formated to FAT32, yes. but i dunno how to do this... sorry.

the PS3 will play H.264 MPEG-4/AVC videos, but most of the videos you see floating around are using a profile in which the PS3 does not support (5.1 - PS3 supports up to 4.1). if the video you have is in an .mkv container, you can use either mkv2vob or GOTSent. both tools do essentially the same thing (for MPEG4/AVC videos, it basically changes the container to mpeg2/vob while changing the profile to 4.1 so its compatible with the PS3). using these tools, no transcoding is done (unless the video contains DTS, in which these tools will convert them to AC3 6ch).

if it is an H.264 MPEG-4/AVC video, but for whatever reason, its not in an .mkv container, you might be able to load it up into mkvmergegui (included with mkvtoolnix - google it and youll find it) and you might be able to mux it to an .mkv container, then load it up into one of the aforementioned tools.

as for the 360, i don't think it will play such files. i believe it will play .mp4 files, so you might have to convert them. in this case, i would recommend ripbot264, however this process will take much longer. if you have a PS3, the above method is probably the best way to go.

 

[V3]

Sorry for the resurrection, but I could use some help...
I bought a 500GB external Seagate HD and I would like to use it with X360 and PS3 as a media storage/player until I can afford Mac Mini or some other cute little HTPC as my main PC is no longer connected to my LCD-TV.

So my first problem is that it seems that neither of these machines understands ntfs-file format so I quess I have to format it to FAT32 or to some other file format? How can I do that BTW? When I click right button on the HD and choose format, it only shows ntfs-option. Do I have to put in the XP-installation CD for that? My PC is using ntfs-file format so if I format my external HDD into FAT32 are they still compatible, so I can transfer files back and forth to my PC?

Is it possible to get H.264 decoded files to run on either of these machines from this HDD, I know you can convert those files to some other format on the PS3, which it can play, but what about X360. And is the overall process pain in the ass?

go to command promt and type like:

format e: /FS:FAT32

That's if your external drive is called e drive. I think if you format using XP, you may be limited to 32 GB size partition on FAT32. Windows should be able to handle any size partition up to the limit of FAT32. So it shouldn't matter if all your other drives are NTFS.

Edit: if you want partition greater than 32 GB you may have to resort to third party formatting software. I guess google is your friend.

 

[StefanS]

go to command promt and type like:

format e: /FS:FAT32

That's if your external drive is called e drive. I think if you format using XP, you may be limited to 32 GB size partition on FAT32. Windows should be able to handle any size partition up to the limit of FAT32. So it shouldn't matter if all your other drives are NTFS.

Edit: if you want partition greater than 32 GB you may have to resort to third party formatting software. I guess google is your friend.

Yeah, FAT32 support in XP is bugged. It can read partitions larger than 32GB, but it cannot format them. I can only recommed G Parted (A Gnome Live CD partition editor). Small size nice interface (iso ~50MB), works perfect and most importantly entirely free.

 

[_phil_]

Yeah, FAT32 support in XP is bugged

Limited.It's a feature ,not a bug.
Partition magic shoudl be able too.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

Ok thanks for the help everybody! :smile:

 

[macabre]

Had the same prob a while ago, I did format mine with freeware Swissknife:

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Hard-Disk-Utils/SwissKnife.shtml

 

[-tkf-]

I used this:

http://www.ridgecrop.demon.co.uk/index.htm?fat32format.htm

Only problem now is the File Size cap. Well one of the problems at least

 

[sir doris]

Quick question, I have a PS3 and will be getting a 1TB MyBook.

I want to use the MyBook with my PC/ my Girl Friends laptop and the PS3.

I understand that the PS3 can only read FAT32 partitions but can I partition the MyBook with a mixture FAT32 and NTFS partitions?

say;

750GB: FAT32 - wavs, pictures, video for the PS3.
250GB: NTFS - General PC documents/ games/ apps/ etc. which the PS3 has no need to access?

Cheers

 

[V3]

Sure can, but you better check, what size partition can PS3 read. Like Windows 98, can't read above ~120 GB or so. Anyone know what size cap partition of FAT32 PS3 can read ?

I am also hearing some limit cap with Sony own format. If I were to put 320 GB in the PS3, can the PS3 format use all the space ?

 

[StefanS]

I understand that the PS3 can only read FAT32 partitions but can I partition the MyBook with a mixture FAT32 and NTFS partitions?

Quick Googling says yes. The MyBook comes with FAT32, but you can partition it as you see fit.

 

[-tkf-]

Sure can, but you better check, what size partition can PS3 read. Like Windows 98, can't read above ~120 GB or so. Anyone know what size cap partition of FAT32 PS3 can read ?

I am also hearing some limit cap with Sony own format. If I were to put 320 GB in the PS3, can the PS3 format use all the space ?

I usea 500GB disk on my PS3 and PC and it works perfectly.

From the page i linked:

As of now, fat32format has worked on disks from 40GB to 2TB

I would skip NTFS and just use FAT32 with the cap on File Size in mind.

So 1TB shouldn´t be a problem. Regarding the internal drive, i have no idea

 

[sir doris]

Thanks,

I've read on other forums of people with 2.5" 320GB HD's in PS3's.

There is also someone with a 750GB SATA 3.5" HD connected to there PS3's internal HD connector and held in a scratch-built enclosure with the PS3, which works fine too, appartently.

 

[Red Herring]

With Windows Vista SP1 Microsoft will be adding exFAT support which will allow large HD's to be formatted without the 32GB limit and it permits file sizes over 4GB. It's conceivable the Xbox 360 may get exFAT support at some point too.

If you want cross H.264 compatibility between the PS3/Xbox 360 try my AutoMKV H.264 guide on the topic it works great for me (assuming you can live with 2 channel audio).

 

[DuckThor Evil]

I basically got everything working at a satisfactory level, I just wish PS3 would support sub folders!!

 

[Arwin]

I basically got everything working at a satisfactory level, I just wish PS3 would support sub folders!!

It supports them, just press triangle on a folder to show them all. I just wish that we could also create/manage them also ...

 

[DuckThor Evil]

It supports them, just press triangle on a folder to show them all. I just wish that we could also create/manage them also ...

Do I have to put the other folders under the video folder or can they be separate?

edit: I mean if I want two or more video folders containing different material.

 

[Arwin]

I'm not sure this is what you were going for, but I meant when selecting the external HDD, not making it so that the PS3 thinks they are like internally supported video folders, because those can only be virtual, based on 'album information' and sorting. I just mean that you can browse any level of folders on any external storage device by pressing triangle. So you can use a general folder structure for your videos that you can access the same way on the PS3, 360, PC, etc.

 

[makaveli87]

Arwin is right, just go to the hdd press triangle then display all.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

I'm not sure this is what you were going for, but I meant when selecting the external HDD, not making it so that the PS3 thinks they are like internally supported video folders, because those can only be virtual, based on 'album information' and sorting. I just mean that you can browse any level of folders on any external storage device by pressing triangle. So you can use a general folder structure for your videos that you can access the same way on the PS3, 360, PC, etc.

My different video folders weren't at first under the main video folder, but all over the place, so once I moved everything under the Main video folder, all is well. I have to say that I'm really satisfied with it right now!