Android 11 could finally let you record videos over 4G in size

26 December 2019
The limitation has been there since 2014, when the first phones supporting 4K recording were launched.

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Wasn't this due to the FAT32 limit for storage devices? I mean, FAT32 has a maximum file size of 4GB, and with exFAT, that limit is removed(Max file size on exFAT is 16 Exabytes, and we're nowhere near that number for personal storage). So, I guess the default format for android 11 and above will probably be exFAT.

    Everyone's been hating on Sony for overheating after recording an hour of continuous 4K video clip, whilst their Samsungs and Huaweis can't even get past 10-minute mark LMAO

      Anonymous, 27 Dec 2019Reading the source shows that its because of a couple of cl... moreWhatever process is involved to make that possible, the only damn thing that matters is that Sony was able to bypass this limitation many years ago already.



      But there will always be a bunch of haters to say that Sony is lacking innovation - clearly they have never tried using a Xperia before, or perhaps lack enough knowledge about them.

        Hilmawan, 27 Dec 2019If video recording on Android phone is limited to only 4GB ... morelol, they don't know that Sony is the best! ...as for 2019, i don't know if the samsung phones still have time limit in 4k recording! but it's so pathetic anyway! lol

          • ?
          • Anonymous
          • Kxu
          • 27 Dec 2019

          Hilmawan, 27 Dec 2019If video recording on Android phone is limited to only 4GB ... moreReading the source shows that its because of a couple of classes.

          How sony does it? Maybe they combine the pieces after finishing the task? Or maybe they use another class.

            Only Xperia smartphones can record 4K without time limit or file size split.
            the video recording can reach over 30GB in one file size without split which is AWESOME and INSANE! here is the proof: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WHT8GQKsJw&feature=youtu.be

              • ?
              • Anonymous
              • 7sq
              • 27 Dec 2019

              Hilmawan, 27 Dec 2019If video recording on Android phone is limited to only 4GB ... moreIt used to be a limitation of old MS based filesystems used for external storage. Their newer filesystems were more protected.

                If video recording on Android phone is limited to only 4GB then how can Sony phones record more than that?

                https://youtu.be/5WHT8GQKsJw

                  • W
                  • Wayne Morellini
                  • 7sq
                  • 27 Dec 2019

                  Let's get into this. I have been involved with camera development people. The truth is we are only scratching the surface as to what is possible on mobile phone filming. Most phones are pathetic to deal with, they can be designed, even programmed to record more pristine video. They are designed to record novel low end consumer video, and ones that make out differently don't do such a good job. The present software tends to be nowhere near what can be done.

                  There is enough processing power on a high end phone to record images in a professional compression codec, at higher professional datarates. These images you can put on the biggest screen, and they will look as good as you need. The current limitations are light h264/h265 hardware codecs and bad handling of the image levels and color. These can be fine right, and the compression engine can be complimented by software compression of alternative groups of pictures. These sorts of highly compressed consumer video codecs are known to be way more resource intensive then good pro codecs for the quality, but make really small files. Android just needs to make it easy to add any compression codec, like cineform, you want, auto distributed across all processing resources through something like OpenCL, or better. Also, pre allocated contiguous storage space with high speed and datarate serial and random file access writing and reading. As you need part of that high-speed storage for other files, blocks are taken off the end of it, and put back if needed, as well as defragmentation procedure as needed. Higher speed writing and transfer hardware interfaces are also needed, but just optimising existing phones would be a great improvement.

                  Datarates:. 250 mb/s h265 4:2:2 12 bit 4kp50 would be good professional quality, even 200mb/s. However, 8k requires around 600mb/s. Half the datarate would give you mediocre professional quality, but good for consumer. Pro images often require double the datarate to make the image better and allow more manipulation of the image afterwards to make it look better again. 80mb/s h264 is a joke, even on 4kp60, even h265 it scrapes through. These codecs do quality reducing tricks to get smaller sizes, which are not do apparent, but take away from the quality needed for professional image manipulation and quality distribution.

                  There was a a cheap option, to do Bayer raw compression. But allegedly manufactures don't because of a patent by Red cinema camera. A patent I would not have given if it was me, as Bayer raw compression was preexisting. However, there are ways to get similar quality, as seen in the Black Magic Raw video, and better than that using the latest jpeg codecs and adaptive techniques I've covered elsewhere and now used in the industry. Image sensors are often designed to transmit frames from the sensor uncompressed, which can get used with these codecs. The framerates and resolutions can be a lot better than the phone normally supports. If you put things together with simple open libraries, you will likely be disapionted. A number of phones with high end chipsets and Sony 48mp sensors can already do 8k video above the 15fps we read about, but are not officially supported. By bi-passing the slow filesytem and codec (or by compressing alternative groups of frames elsewhere in the phone) a lot better quality can archived. Certain Pro codecs can work at 800mb/s, even 400mb/s I think.

                  Android needs to mandate that these things and complete camera API be supported on camera feature phones, and at least to a good degree on others

                  Other items: external controls API, to add on external controls, even via Bluetooth. External controls re-assignable to any function by user. User definable and switchable configurations for controls and graphic user interface. Full manual and press to auto set (plus sloping and curves) controls for any picture or audio setting. High end recording is not the only thing needed, being able to control your shot in order to make your image look and feel a certain way is a big thing.

                  Now here is the rub, more well placed but nearly invisible discrete buttons on video feature phones, to use as controls instead of buying external controls. A black button that bearly sticks out of a black case, is not so intrusive. If you want people to pay $100-$500 more, all these features here are cheap enough.

                  Unlike what people think, good mobile image sensors and lenses have enough quality for professional use. Lattitude, sensitivity and color are there, just hobbled by recording and controls. Using multipoint filming and computational image processing where you can change focus properly and emulate lens effects, afterwards) gives you some more aswell (using an array of similar sensors to give the computational imaging software a wide width 3D sense of the scene in order to do changes more accurately).

                    • R
                    • Rave
                    • X}$
                    • 27 Dec 2019

                    Damn i have never even noticed that there was a 4 GB recording limit .Might be because i usually never shoot a continuous clip for more than 2 minutes but still considering that most higher end phones come with 128 GB base storage this limit should be increased to 16 GB IMO

                      Hold on, so it was a limitation in OS that was capping the maximum 4K video recording length on Android phones? Wow now that's surprising.

                        It should also be a standard that all flagship phones comes with a minimal/default storage of 256GB with an increase to 1.5 to 2TB amount of storage.

                          • K
                          • Kek
                          • GBh
                          • 27 Dec 2019

                          As market dominant as Android is, this is so dumb. Even old Windows Phone 8.1 didn't have those issues. This should have been updated way back in Android Oreo at least.