USB formatting & Video formatting

[twhite87]

Okay, so I have a bit of a double whammy question here for you folks.

I'm looking to provide a USB to my customers that has images and a slideshow on.

My first question is how do you format a USB so that it can be viewed on both Mac and Windows operating systems and also a TV if possible? (I'm using a Mac, so if anyone has a step by step guide that would be good)

And second of all, how do you produce a video file format that will work on both type of computer systems and preferably when you plug the USB into a TV? (If anybody has any software that they use and could give me the name that would be good too).

Thanks,

Tim

 

[john.margetts]

My experience of Windows is that it will only recognise Windows format discs. I have never used Apple computers but I suspect they have to be able to read Windows discs ('discs' includes USB memory sticks which is what I assume you mean by 'USB' which is actually a connection protocol).

As you have a Mac, format the USB stick on the Mac, in Fat format and it should work on all computers (including Liunux).

 

[haggis]

I'm on Mac and format as Fat32 to be sure it will work cross platform. If you format Mac native it won't be seen on a Windows computer.

 

[twhite87]

Cheers guys. Got it all sorted now I think.

 

[swanseamale47]

Macs tend to add files windows can see but cant open, so I don't know if that'll confuse a tv.

 

[twhite87]

I formatted the USB to ExFat and then the video files to MP4 and that seemed to work on both mac and windows and also plays on my TV so hopefully it will work for my clients. I'm not too worried about the TV part so long as they can access the files from a windows or mac then I'll be happy. The TV is just a 'nice to have' bonus'.