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View Full Version : Why does hi-def video jutter on my macbook?



Melan
Jan 14, 2009, 09:10 AM
I just can't get smoothe hi-def video on my comp, streaming or downloaded. What spec is it related to? Are macbooks just downright not capable of smooth hi-def?


Cave Man
Jan 14, 2009, 09:24 AM
Not all high-def is the same. What is the codec used for the audio and video, bitrate of the video, dimensions of the video, and what software are you using to play it back?
the Western zoo
Jan 14, 2009, 10:09 AM
I too sometimes have a little judder on HD video, but since the CPU and RAM is nowhere near maxed out I just thought it was because of the ****** GPU... :)
stevo8
Jan 14, 2009, 10:17 AM
I too sometimes have a little judder on HD video, but since the CPU and RAM is nowhere near maxed out I just thought it was because of the ****** GPU... :)

Thats exactly what I thought about my situation.
kastenbrust
Jan 14, 2009, 10:39 AM
are you talking about flash video? videos on apple site, youtube etc
NewMacbookPlz
Jan 14, 2009, 10:56 AM
I just can't get smoothe hi-def video on my comp, streaming or downloaded. What spec is it related to? Are macbooks just downright not capable of smooth hi-def?

What's the source of the video? What model of Macbook are you running?
the Western zoo
Jan 14, 2009, 10:56 AM
No High Definition video like 720p... But not all, and not even all the time...
Cave Man
Jan 14, 2009, 11:13 AM
Even a Mac Mini will play 1080p Blu-ray m2ts files, which are very high bit rate, so a MacBook should as well, provided it's in a supported codec and you have Plex or XMBC.
finnschi
Jan 14, 2009, 11:17 AM
I too sometimes have a little judder on HD video, but since the CPU and RAM is nowhere near maxed out I just thought it was because of the ****** GPU... :)

I wish, HD video is encoded solo thru the CPU, but I think some GFX cards have some extra features like the Radeon HD... and stuff :D
Melan
Jan 14, 2009, 11:32 AM
My macbook is 2.2GHz with 4GB ram. As to what HD videos i've had this with, it's pretty much all the videos I've tried to run on my comp. That includes trailers download from apple (usually 720) and played on quicktime (i have perian installed if that makes a difference), videos streamed on hulu at 480p, and the thing which reminded me of the problem, a Macbreak HD video podcast I just watched on itunes. I just realised I've never as far as i can remember watched an HD video on VLC, might that make a difference?
Melan
Jan 14, 2009, 05:43 PM
I also get it on youtube HD
Any help with this would be much appreciated!
bozz2006
Jan 14, 2009, 05:57 PM
flash drivers for mac suck. that's why high definition on youtube, for example, doesn't play as well as you'd like.
mkrishnan
Jan 14, 2009, 06:02 PM
flash drivers for mac suck. that's why high definition on youtube, for example, doesn't play as well as you'd like.

OTOH, particularly with the 720p Apple Quicktime trailers, I can't think of any good reason why you should be seeing stutter... far lesser computers play those fine.
bozz2006
Jan 14, 2009, 06:04 PM
true. are the 720p quicktime trailers fully downloaded? could it be that your internet just can't keep up? i know that mine can't.
kastenbrust
Jan 14, 2009, 06:19 PM
basically its 2 problems. 1) Apple rarely updates video drivers, 2) flash depite being designed for the Mac sucks.

A) How many people on this thread with this problem have actually submitted a bug report on the Apple site?

B) How many of you expect this problem to be fixed with an update tommorow?
tubbymac
Jan 15, 2009, 01:33 AM
It's definitely a driver or software issue and not the machine itself. I get the stutters on OSX but not in Windows on the exact same machine when tested on the same videos.
the Western zoo
Jan 15, 2009, 01:47 AM
On my MacBook it does follow any pattern it's just random... Sometimes I'll get stutter on 720p trailers from Apple's homepage but most often I won't. (and I know it's not my internet connection :) )
Could it be that the video is just "compiled" wrong?
Melan
Jan 15, 2009, 07:16 PM
Hmm so does anyone know if this is a OSX-wide problem or just a macbook problem or what? And (noob question) does anyone know if it's possible to update drivers on macs?
Gonna submit bug report as kasten suggests
bozz2006
Jan 15, 2009, 07:18 PM
affects all macs. no.
tdream
Jan 15, 2009, 07:47 PM
basically its 2 problems. 1) Apple rarely updates video drivers, 2) flash depite being designed for the Mac sucks.

A) How many people on this thread with this problem have actually submitted a bug report on the Apple site?

B) How many of you expect this problem to be fixed with an update tommorow?

You forgot 3) video processing is done by the CPU. So better CPU = higher def video.
Cave Man
Jan 15, 2009, 08:17 PM
Hmm so does anyone know if this is a OSX-wide problem or just a macbook problem or what? And (noob question) does anyone know if it's possible to update drivers on macs?
Gonna submit bug report as kasten suggests

OK, let's clear this up. I've already told you that even a puny little Mac Mini (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=548905&highlight=yes+virginia) can play 1080p video, so it clearly isn't a systemic problem with the MacBooks. Download Plex (http://www.plexapp.com/) and see how the file plays with it. If Plex cannot play it, then there's something wrong with the file. If Plex does play it, then the problem is the crappy playback software you've been using (Quicktime, VLC, etc.). Then you'll know.