1080P mkv lagging when connected to TV

[Ryvius819]

When playing 1080P mkv using the macbook screen, it will only lag a bit during fast action scene, but when I connect it to a LCD screen, the video will lag behind the audio a few seconds. I tried both quicktime and mplayer, is there some codec that I have to install to make 1080P mkv watchable on TV?

[The Samurai]

Try VLCPlayer. Works perfect for me.

[Philflow]

+1 for VLC player.

[Knolly]

Or Plex.

[NeoMayhem]

+2 for VLC

[Ryvius819]

I tried VLC, but movies will lag even more than mplayer and quicktime. Plex can play a movie perfectly, but I can't get my mouse and trackpad to work with the program, only my keyboard can control the program. Is there something wrong with my video card? When I opened up the activity monitor, I noticed that the CPU activity is only around 50% while playing the mkvs.

[wallstreetcrash]

I tried VLC, but movies will lag even more than mplayer and quicktime. Plex can play a movie perfectly, but I can't get my mouse and trackpad to work with the program, only my keyboard can control the program. Is there something wrong with my video card? When I opened up the activity monitor, I noticed that the CPU activity is only around 50% while playing the mkvs.

Nothing is wrong with your video card.
Plex can not utilise your video card when playing HD mkvs, unfortunately. Actaully not many, if any video prgrammes can utilise it.

[Cave Man]

I tried VLC, but movies will lag even more than mplayer and quicktime.

Screw VLC, it's almost as bad as Quicktime.

Plex can play a movie perfectly,

Best app out there for video playback on the Mac.

...but I can't get my mouse and trackpad to work with the program, only my keyboard can control the program.

You need to set plex up in the settings menus to work with your mouse. Personally, I just use my Apple Remote in library mode. No need to do any of that other stuff.

Is there something wrong with my video card? When I opened up the activity monitor, I noticed that the CPU activity is only around 50% while playing the mkvs.

Your video card has virtually nothing to do with video playback on Macs. It's all done by the cpu.

[alphaod]

When playing 1080P mkv using the macbook screen, it will only lag a bit during fast action scene, but when I connect it to a LCD screen, the video will lag behind the audio a few seconds. I tried both quicktime and mplayer, is there some codec that I have to install to make 1080P mkv watchable on TV?

So what film is this that you're trying to watch? AKAIK some are encoded poorly and will result in lag.