Humax - Export of Files > 4G

This section contains the analysis & URLs as the topic keeps arising, so I've documented it. I've been too busy to do an actual data transfer yet & don't personaly have a Humax to test it on, but I know 4 people who do have Humax's.

Facts

• Microsoft's FAT32 does not support more than 4G
• Linux does support more.
• Linux uses Ext2 & Ext3 file systems not Microsoft FAT 32
• Files > 4 Gig are already on Humax's
• Humax spec. claims to support FAT32 & Ext2 &/or Ext3

Deduction

• While in theory Humax could be running something else eg FreeBSD or some other BSD etc, & could support FAT32 & Ext2 &/or Ext3& BSD & just not mention BSD (or Solaris or whatever else), chances of that are remote & near irrelevant.
  ( FreeBSD has had support for Ext2 since FreeBSD 2.2, Ref man 5 ext2fs ).
• It is most likely to be running Linux inside the Humax.
• Chances are one could remove disc, connect to a Linux PC, & Linux would happily access it ...
  Except ... PC BIOS logical (not physical) Geometry problems (common to all of Microsoft, Linux, all BSDs (eg FreeBSD) etc)

So One Needs To

• Format a USB stick or external disc in Linux Ext2 &/or Ext3 format (I can not remember which, Humax spec & handbook say what's acceptable).
• Create a Linux file system on a stick or external disc, choose one of these alternates:

  • ---

  • Find a friend with Linux, Or
  • Run a free live bootable Linux CDROM ISO or USB stick image) direct from BIOS; Or
  • Install a free Linux on a spare partition of internal hard disk, or on an extra spare internal or external disk.; Or
  • Install Linuxtools to run under binary 'emulation' from another OS (eg FreeBSD), eg look at Linux Binary Compatibility under FreeBSD); Or
  • Run Linux as a virtual OS from within another OS
    Linux will run from various virtualizers eg VirtualBox (also available for FreeBSD). & vmware (also available for FreeBSD).
    Here's notes on a similar concept, running a virtual FreeBSD from inside another OS.; Or
  • Use Tools that run native on other operating systems to access Linux Ext2/3/4 file systems:
    • To run on BSD is covered above.
    • To run on Microsoft & Other OSs:

      • ext2fsd

        • http://www.ext2fsd.com Open source ext3/4 file system driver for Windows (2K/XP/VISTA/WIN7)
        • Source code: sourceforge.net
        • Binary executable: Download binary executable
        • Features "ext2/ext3 volume reading & writing" but question: Does it include a formatter to create file system ? let me know

      • e2fsprogs

        • FreeBSD ports/sysutils/e2fsprogs/
        • http://sourceforge.net/projects/e2fsprogs/
          "The Ext2 Filesystem Utilities (e2fsprogs) contain all of the standard utilities for creating, fixing, configuring , and debugging ext2 filesystems."
          I see source, but no .exe for Microsoft end users ?
        • http://e2fsprogs.sourceforge.net
      • Other tools maybe, if you search, but Cautions:
        • I saw one (not listed) flagged by Firefox as "Reported Attack Page!".
        • Microsoft users might search, download & gamble on binaries without matching source, but I would not trust sites that don't also offer matching source code.

  • ---

• Copy files using Humax from internal disc to Linux external media.
  (One could even physicaly remove the internal disc, mount on another OS eg Linux or BSD & have raw access to all files, not just video files, but the OS & all configuration files - Careful if you do, it would be outside warranty to change anything.)
• Read that stick & view videos on any of
  • Linux, BSD (with its inbuilt Linux access stuff), or Microsoft if ...
  • If Microsoft,
    • If latest Microsoft can import Linux media, else find a 3rd party file system importer program for Microsoft.
    • Maybe the free source code one I know also has binaries for Microsoft, See bleow.
    • Or once his Linux stick is on a friends Linux or BSD PC that PC could write a new stick in NTFS format
    • One could read NTFS on new Microsoft no problem.

You will need to export triplets of files per programme/ film whatever, not just the big .ts file. If you are just exporting to some other player, some devices (eg dreambox I recall) & some player tools (some of maybe mplayer vlc zine etc ? (to be checked later) do not need a triplet of files, & just one big .ts is sufficient.

(As eg Iomega streamer supports NTFS media but not Ext2/Ext3)
(Microsoft users can skip this indented section, as NTFS is a proprietary FS native to Microsoft):

• Freebsd /usr/ports/sysutils/fusefs-ntfs
  http://www.tuxera.com/community/ntfs-3g-download
  ("NTFS-3G is a stable, full-featured, read-write NTFS driver for Linux, Android, Mac OS X, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenSolaris, QNX, Haiku, and other operating systems. It provides safe handling of the Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 and Windows 7 NTFS file systems. A high-performance alternative, called Tuxera NTFS is available for embedded devices and Mac OS X.")
  Inc. for Mac.
• Obsolete: FreeBSD /usr/ports/sysutils/ntfsprogs
  https://sourceforge.net/projects/linux-ntfs/
  ("Development moved to https://sourceforge.net/projects/ntfs-3g/ ")