It's their converter app.  It's locked at 1500kbps.  So even if your original file is lower than that, it will re-encode the video at that higher bitrate, causing the file size to increase.

I had to find another program to let me choose my own bitrate, to shrink the file size.

What program are you using instead and what settings are you using?

google search "FFmpeg Batch AV Converter"  You should find a link to soureforge.   A guy named eibol made it.  It's just a GUI interface to use all the features of FFmpeg.

As for my settings,  I'm using....

-r 24 -pix_fmt yuv420p -filter_complex "[0:a]compand=attacks=0:points=-80/-900|-45/-15|-27/-9|0/-7|20/-7:gain=2,speechnorm=e=25:r=0.0001:l=1,aresample=10000,aresample=async=1000,aresample=osf=u8,asetnsamples=n=210:p=0[a];[0:v]scale=210:135,hqdn3d[v]" -map "[v]" -b:v 800k -c:v mjpeg -map "[a]" -ac 1 -acodec pcm_u8 -y

Just Add your mp4's, Then in the parameters box, put the commands I posted above.  And to the right of that box, Set the format to avi.   It's literally that simple.

That does the fill / stretch for the video,  Lowers the quality to 800k instead of 1500k.   And all the beginning stuff is for boosting audio.  Can find on page two of these forums, a guy posted those commands.   I did manually change the Gain=0 to Gain=2 to get a bit more of a volume boost.   

But I can now take a 415MB MP4 cartoon, and convert the episode to about 140MB, instead of the 250MB that Tinycircuits app will output.    You can always raise or lower the bitrate or raise it if you want.   Just change the the 800k to 600k or 1000k, or whatever.    On such a small screen, At least with an old 80's cartoon, I don't really notice the quality drop from 1500k to 800k.   When watching the video file on my PC, and making the video full screen, it's noticeable.  But when displayed on a 1" screen at a distance of a few feet away, I honestly can't see the blocking. 

quite simply...........I have no idea where to put all the fimware files.   The instructions on the site just says unzip the libraries, and put the folders inside the src, into the libraries folder of arduino.   But what about the 3 zip files?  And what about all the files NOT in src folder?    I keep getting "file does not exist" type of errors, for things like TinyIRReceiver.h or .hpp, or a JPEGDEC.h or .cpp does not exist.  etc. 

That's the part that I'm basically stuck on.   I want to simply test if I can go to 999.  Since it can do 100 files, and that's 3 digits, I want to see if it can do 999.   If not, I can just combine my video files, and make entire channels for individual shows.  But if I can raise the limit, then I can have each channel be an episode. 

I just tested a 7 hour and 51 minute video file that I made.   It plays the video with no problem.  BUT, It doesn't seem to want to do the start at a random point in the video.   I have 3 video files on the TV 2.  7 hours 51 minutes,  10 hours 38 minutes, and 9 hours 49 minutes.   They all play, but they all start at the beginning, both when I boot the device, and when I do a channel change.   For the record, each video file is 2.96 gigs, 3.95 gigs, and 3.66 gigs.   

Not sure if having such large video files breaks the random time playback.   But, the files DO work.   They just start at the beginning every time.  Hope I can figure out how I can get the random point to work. 

Actually, I am having one strange phenomenon after having upgraded the microSD card: even with the volume turned all the way off, there's now a noticeable sound whenever the TinyTV reads from the disk; buzzes when changing channels, and regular ticks during video playback.  (I can tell it's disk access, because it buzzes for longer when switching to a longer channel, and it ticks more frequently when playing higher-bitrate video....)   It's only noticeable when holding the TinyTV close to my face, though.   I tested switching back to the original microSD and that indeed made the noise stop.

Hmm, I'm not noticing any extra weird sounds.  But I'm using the commands another user posted about boosting the audio here on these forums, and one of the commands i believe kills the audio for any sounds under a certain range.  So if I am getting that same sound effect, It might be getting cut out.    His commands are on page 2 of these forums, in a thread called "Louder audio when converting media suggestion"    I'm using the 2nd one he posted, the one for fill / stretch for video aspect ratio.   I also changed the gain=0 to gain=2 to get a bit more volume from the TV.

EDIT:  Actually, While testing I DID notice a very very tiny "hissing" sound coming from the speaker when I pressed the power button.  I changed the powerOffSecs from 300 to 5.   After 5 seconds, I can hear the hissing click off.   Not sure if it's the SD card, or just the unit itself.  But it's VERY quiet.  had to put it up to my ear to even notice it.   

It's their converter app.  It's locked at 1500kbps.  So even if your original file is lower than that, it will re-encode the video at that higher bitrate, causing the file size to increase.

I had to find another program to let me choose my own bitrate, to shrink the file size.

Does anyone know where to find advice from these "brave users"?  I'm interested in trying to expand my storage, and would like some advice about where to start disassembling the TinyTV2, even if it isn't "supported"...

It's actually pretty easy.  First off, BUY A GOOD QUALITY MICRO-SD CARD!   Not a cheap amazon basics or some no-name brand.  Get a Samnsung.   I am using a Samsung EVO SELECT, 512Gigs. 

So buy a good micro-SD card.   Then, Find a program that can format large partitions into FAT32.    Personally, I just used the free version of " IM-Magic Partition resizer ".  Just turn format the entire volume as FAT32.   

Make sure you copy your settings text file from your original micro-SD card to the new one.

I do have ONE weird issue, where I have to take the micro-SD card out of the TV, and put it into a Micro-USB to USB adapter, for my PC to read it.   Otherwise, explorer often hangs on me.   I got it working for a bit, then it started doing it again. 

Oh, and to open the TV2,  Just unscrew the two phillips screws in the back.  It will come apart.  Watch out for the power button.  It will fall out.  To put the TV back together, hold it upside down, and put the power button in place, then put the screen in.    But once you open it, just pull out the SD card.   And install your new one.   

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.   I also found a program to convert videos in batches, and can input a custom bitrate to save on filesize, or combine videos, or split them...etc..etc.   Totally works with the TV2, as long as you have the correct commands.

Quite simply,  I want to test raising the file limit from 100, to a higher number on the TinyTV2.    I've been trying to figure out how to use Arduino IDE,  but i just keep getting errors.  I figured out how to batch convert my own mp4's to .avi at a lower bitrate to save on file space.  But more than that, and i'm out of my league.

Anyone know of any video's that gives a good tutorial on how to use Arduino IDE, or more detailed instructions on how to edit the firmware myself, and then upload it to the TinyTV2? 

I have already opened my TinyTV2, replaced the micro-SD card.  Have have zero fear of messing something up, or bricking my TV.  I just want test higher file limits, so I don't have to turn entire seasons of shows into single files.