AVI file limit under Windows Vista

[kb1985]

There was file size limit of 2 GB and/or 4 GB for AVI files under older versions of Windows. Is it the same with Vista or can AVI files under Vista exceed the 2/4 GB limit?

[guns1inger]

There hasn't been an AVI filesize limit in a long time. Even under XP you can happily capture to very large AVI files. I have often captured well beyond 60 GBs. Yes, the original AVI spec had a limitation, but that has not been an issue for many years.

There are still some limitations for playback on standalone devices. Many DVD players with AVI capabilities will not play back files that are 2GB or larger. Some won't load them at all, some will play up to the 2GB mark, then stop.

What is the context for your question ?

[Browncoat]

I think you're referring to the Fat32 4Gb file size limitation which had nothing to do with the versions of windows except what file system format is used prior to installing the operating system. Install your operating systems on a NTFS formatted drive and no such limitation exists.

[redwudz]

There are some size 'limits' with some set top Divx players for Divx files, I think 2GB. 4GB is a size limit for files on a FAT 32 formated drive, such as a USB thumb drive. Computer drives are NTFS mostly these days. There's a size limit, but it's very, very big. I have quite a few 20+ GB AVI type files and never had any problems with XP, Vista or W7.

EDIT: Lots of answers.

[kb1985]

Thank you for your reply! It seems that I'm quite retro I've been splicing my files during capture to smaller parts for many years and just got used to it. I did it to prevent the 2/4 GB errors and also to be able to record it to DVD (it does not accept files larger that 2 GB unless I change the way that DVD is recorded). The context of my question is that I forgot to capture it as smaller chunks this time but everything seems normal with the file, so I decided to ask if there is still that 2/4 GB issue.

[guns1inger]

OpenDML is an extension to the AVI container format that added, amongst other things, the ability to have file sizes greater than 1GB. It is pretty much the default format nowadays.

ISO9660, which is the format used for data CD/DVD burning, has a 4GB filesize limit, even if combined with UDF 1.02

[Cornucopia]

Most PCs (and the modern apps that run on them) support OpenDML for creation and playback. Devices are different, and I would say that most of them DON'T support OPENDML, which is why many run into this problem of filesize.

If you were to create a AVI file (in, say, Virtualdub) that still is based on the original AVI spec (you have the option to do that in Vdub) it will STILL have that file limitation - EVEN on NTFS, and EVEN on Vista/Win7 - because it's built into the structure of the filetype itself. Similar problem to original WAV filetype. They're both based on RIFF container, which was created originally on Amiga computers back in 16bit computing days. At that time (mid-late '80s), the idea of 2GB was rediculously huge! Heck, even CD size was considered giant.

Scott

p.s.: I remember in '93 getting a 10GB HD for $2k! And at the time, it was well worth it for longform audio editing needs.