Mac Mini Problem.. QuickTime 7.0 playing HD Trailer. Video very choppy

[Dr. Jones]

Hi,

This my first post and first mac. I am a long time pc user and finallly bought a mac! I love it and it works plenty fine for the basic stuff I use it for. I like using is to watch dvd's and I'm hoping I could view HD video on my mini mac. I have a 1.25 Mac Mini with 512 Ram. I'm using a DELL 2005FPW monitor the resolution is 1680x1050. Question is do you guys think this is a bug in QT in 7.0? I'm afraid the mac mini can't handle HD video. Any input is really appreciated. Is it the video card?

Thanks!

[MacTruck]

Hi,

This my first post and first mac. I am a long time pc user and finallly bought a man. I love it and it works plenty fine for the basic stuff I use it for.

Why use him for basic stuff? You can get him to help with the finances, mow the lawn, build shelves, clean out the fridge, and give that car a needed tune up. A good man has many uses.

[Dr. Jones]

Damn I can't edit my post! lol ok well I just found this so never mind.


QuickTime 7 System Requirements for Mac OS X
400 MHz Power PC G3 or faster Macintosh computer
At least 128MB of RAM
Mac OS X v10.3.9 or later
Recommended Hardware Configurations for H.264 High Definition (HD) Playback
To play high definition video, a large amount of data must be processed by your computer. A powerful system will deliver the best playback experience.

For 1280x720 (720p) video at 24-30 frames per second:
1.8 GHz PowerMac G5 or faster Macintosh computer
At least 256 MB of RAM
64 MB or greater video card
For 1920x1080 (1080p) video at 24-30 frames per second:
Dual 2.0 GHz PowerMac G5 or faster Macintosh computer
At least 512 MB of RAM
128 MB or greater video card

So I guess I need to start saving for a powermac. How can people use the mini's on there HD entertainments systems with out problems?

[MacTruck]

HD is all hype. I have it on my tv at home and could care less. Don't worry about it.

[Lacero]

Hi, I... finallly bought a man. I love... guysErm.. whatever floats your boat. Just don't tell us about it. http://www3.telus.net/poojja/s/blink.gif

[DakotaGuy]

To play it well you will need a G5.

[nagromme]

Hype? I don't think so.

Check out a still frame from the Serenity trailer (http://apple.com/trailers/universal/serenity):

http://www.fireflymovie.com/media/serenity_1080p.jpg

Yes, you need a G5 to play that quality at full framerate, and yes, HD content isn't much yet. But all hype?

That's 1920x816 full-speed video. 2.25 minutes in under 130 MB of data! :eek:

I'm realizing that QT7 is bigger news than I thought.

I'm going to try it on my PowerBook G4 and I expect the same results as the Mini - stuttering. But I want to check out the detail anyway. One day I'll have a G5 or G6!

And congrats on the new machine, Dr. Jones :) It will be a very capable machine--1080 video may be too much for it, but that's REALLY on the high end of processor demands.

[Fredstar]

I have downloaded some of the HD trailers and it is stunning, (http://www.apple.com/quicktime/hdgallery/) i am excited about the potential of having an Itunes high def movie store, will be excellent. The quality is just phenomable.
Although unfortunately my iMac can only play the high def 1280 X 544 material (although not completely smooth), it chokes when playing 1080p. I guess it is just frustrating when you get a computer (state of the art) like 4 months ago but it can't play the latest format, i know HD is a long way off but i wish my iMac was capable of delivering it comfortably. I thought this machine was going to last me like 3 years, i am starting to rethink about that :(.

[AdamZ]

I know HD is a long way off but i wish my iMac was capable of delivering it comfortably. I thought this machine was going to last me like 3 years, i am starting to rethink about that :(.

Don't sweat your purchase at all man. I got me an iMac flat panel 700 way back in Februaary of 2002, over 3 yrs old now. It does nearly everything I want it to do, only slower than I would like it these days. I have used it for school and play, mostly using Photoshop, Final Cut Suite of apps, iLife, and Vectorworks, a CAD program that also does high detailed renderings. This baby has pulled its load. When I use the schools G5's it's like living n another world in terms of speed. But my iMac still DOES everything I want it to doNow, the iMac you have is so much faster than mine, and yes tech will continue to grow at a quicker pace, but your machine will last a very long time. Much much longer than a throw away PC. My daughter will use this once I get a G5 in the house, and life will be nice, but remember there are ALOT of folks using G3's out there who are still content with there computning habits. Be good.

[Lacero]

I thought this machine was going to last me like 3 years, i am starting to rethink about that :(.Don't sweat it. As a content producer, even HD footage is quite a handful even for my Dual 1.8Ghz G5. H.264 and HD 1080i content is just the tip of the iceberg right now. It'll be another 2 years before there are enough consumer computers can handle HD content.

[ryan42]

I have a Dual 1.25 which played the 1080p BBC clip at near full speed. (at least that's the way it looks) this is really really cool.

[hvfsl]

Well you really need around a 2Ghz Athlon or 3Ghz P4 on the Windows side to play 720p or 1080i video, so I wasn't expecting much when I tried the video on my PowerBook, but I am still a bit disapointed. :(

Although I expect the video card isn't being used to it's fullest in helping to decode the video, so Apple might improve the speed in the future.

Or maybe someone will make a PC-card that can decode the video (a bit like the MPEG2 decoder cards Apple used to make).

[Fredstar]

Yeh i know, my iMac is great for using Photoshop/all the iLife apps e.t.c and when i start using Final Cut Express and Dvd studio i am sure it will cope fine with both of them.
Maybe Quicktime 7 will become more efficient at handling high def as it gets updated. But i really don't think it is the cpu that is choking my iMac, when i look at activity monitor i still have like 10-20% cpu free - so i guess this points to the FX 5200 :rolleyes:
Very kewl stuff, the quality is really excellent. Oh when i finish Uni in 2008 and i get my first proper job i am getting one of the best high def projectors and it should be great - by then high def will be standard on broadcasts (at least in UK)/games (Xbox 2/PS3) and maybe even dvd's.

[Platform]

Well you really need around a 2Ghz Athlon or 3Ghz P4 on the Windows side to play 720p or 1080i video, so I wasn't expecting much when I tried the video on my PowerBook, but I am still a bit disapointed. :(

Although I expect the video card isn't being used to it's fullest in helping to decode the video, so Apple might improve the speed in the future.

Or maybe someone will make a PC-card that can decode the video (a bit like the MPEG2 decoder cards Apple used to make).

I want a G5 but looks like my wintel can't handle it either......2.8Ghz P4 :o

[matthew24]

I got a 1.25 GHz 15-Inch Powerbook, I was quite shocked that it does not run HD video fluently. :eek: I thought it was going to last me forever. So I have to look for a replacement for my PM G4/800. But I am not in a hurry, everything else runs great. :)

[Prom1]

I guess it is just frustrating when you get a computer (state of the art) like 4 months ago but it can't play the latest format, i know HD is a long way off but i wish my iMac was capable of delivering it comfortably. I thought this machine was going to last me like 3 years, i am starting to rethink about that :(.

Guess Apple finally created the 'killer' app that will force users to upgrade their machines more quickly :eek: . However in typical style it'll be updated, Q7, and give proper frame rates on all current Mac.

Incredible photo Nagromme. Interesting details, a little scary though. I can see why some actors, even with the help of current makeup techniques, are already boycoting films made in 1080 format. Unless you have youthful sublime skin your dimples, body hair, and scars (bad for those of us native to the caribbean) show up as clear as day.

[dotdotdot]

Erm.. whatever floats your boat. Just don't tell us about it. http://www3.telus.net/poojja/s/blink.gif

The way you butchered that post! MAN! I'm saving that - that is definately POST OF THE DAY!

"Hey, I... bought a man. I like... guys"

(900th post)

[dotdotdot]

Will a 1.5 GHz PowerBook 12" be choppy as well?

[nightdweller25]

Will a 1.5 GHz PowerBook 12" be choppy as well?

I've got a 12-inch PowerBook G4, 1.5 GHz, 768 MB of RAM and it depends... You can play 720p high def fairly well (Jumps around from 24 frames a second to maybe 15, but just in little hiccups) But forget about 1080p high def, that'll be about 7 frames a second. I'm just surprised my PowerBook can handle 720p.

[Hunts121]

I've got a 12-inch PowerBook G4, 1.5 GHz, 768 MB of RAM and it depends... You can play 720p high def fairly well (Jumps around from 24 frames a second to maybe 15, but just in little hiccups) But forget about 1080p high def, that'll be about 7 frames a second. I'm just surprised my PowerBook can handle 720p.

I have a 1.5GHz 15" with 2GB RAM and 128MB VRAM (rev C so no dual link), and its choppy on mine....though not too bad. (I don't know exactly which res. the video is at though).

I just thought it was funny, the way they were building it up that this new codec would allow us to see HD video, I figured they made a way for it to be done on a wide variety of machines, not just the G5's. In fact that kind of annoys me, but hey what can ya do, I love my PowerBook just the same.

I just read an article on Tiger (from wall street journal) and it says that some things in tiger seem to be slower in response compared to Panther (in the user interface at least) , it goes on to say that apple is aware of this and is currently working on a fix, whether this includes this problem I don't know, but at least they're doing something.

"The only significant problem I noticed was that the computers seemed to run into slight, but greater-than-normal, delays from time to time. Certain functions, like Spotlight searches and the updated Safari Web browser, were very fast. But with other tasks, I noticed more spinning beach-ball icons, Apple's symbol for delays, than I had with the prior Panther version of the Mac operating system.....
.....Apple acknowledges it will need to tweak Tiger to eliminate the delays, and it promises to address the problem within a few months. It might be wise for users with older, slower Mac models to wait until then to upgrade to Tiger" - WALTER S. MOSSBERG (Wall Street Journal)

[punkmac]

HD playback was one of the things I was really looking forward to with Tiger.

Downloading HD movies will blow away DVD, the idea of the itunes "movie" store is wonderful.

So, after upgrading to Tiger I went straight to the Quicktime Downloads and crossed my fingers.

On my 1 ghz iMac with the 64Mb vram Nvidia MX HD playback was like watching a slideshow with about 1 frame every 4 or 5 seconds!

First thing I thought was "Oh well, time to get new comp" It will be a Powermac, I will never buy another all in one.

Still very happy with Tiger!


I.

[ryan42]

well punkmac, what are the specifications of your current Mac?

whoops. didn't see that part of the post, i just came here throguh the email notification. I dont' get why 1 GHz iMacs play so bad when my Dual 1.25 plays so well. I'm gonna go turn one processor off adn try it.



Update: ah. yes. with one proc on it goes absolutely terribly. about one frame per 3 seconds.

[punkmac]

I have 1ghz 768MB Ram with 64 MB vRAM. It's 2 years old. I didn't expect much.


I.

[punkmac]

well punkmac, what are the specifications of your current Mac?

whoops. didn't see that part of the post, i just came here throguh the email notification. I dont' get why 1 GHz iMacs play so bad when my Dual 1.25 plays so well. I'm gonna go turn one processor off adn try it.


The video card?



I.

[ryan42]

The video card is a 64 MB ATI Radeon 9000 Pro in desperate need of upgrade.

[dotdotdot]

Does anyone think OS X 10.4.1 will fix the issue with the huge HD files?

Is there an option in Quicktime to not begin play until the entire file has downloaded 70% so that there wont be hiccups in playback?

[nuclearwinter]

When i realized that the new HD trailers were REALLY choppy on my 1.25 PB, I thought I might as well try editing the HD footage in iMovie HD and see how that works. After importing the BBC motion footage into iMovie using the HDV widescreen format, I could watch the entire thing in all its HD glory. No choppiness whatsoever. It took a few minutes to import it as a clip but it was pretty neat. In the end though, it wasn't anything super cool.

[ChrisFromCanada]

Everybody here is missing the problem.

The problem is playing back H.264 on a low spec. computer. Not paying HD on a low spec computer. Playing HD is no problem is the decoding of H.264 that requires power.

[ChrisFromCanada]

When i realized that the new HD trailers were REALLY choppy on my 1.25 PB, I thought I might as well try editing the HD footage in iMovie HD and see how that works. After importing the BBC motion footage into iMovie using the HDV widescreen format, I could watch the entire thing in all its HD glory. No choppiness whatsoever. It took a few minutes to import it as a clip but it was pretty neat. In the end though, it wasn't anything super cool.

iMovie HD probably down sampled the 1080p to 720p so what you saw wasn't actually as good.

[obeygiant]

if you "present" the movie
it will play normally

[7on]

if you "present" the movie
it will play normally

what do you mean? Fullscreen?

[rainman::|:|]

wait, can someone confirm that? it runs ok during "present movie"?

the only way to do that is buy QT7... nice.

i have to admit i was a bit shocked when my 1.6ghz G5 couldn't handle H.264, but then, i don't know much about HD and i don't really need to use it at this point, so it's pure novelty...

[nuclearwinter]

iMovie HD probably down sampled the 1080p to 720p so what you saw wasn't actually as good.

I figured as much, but since I don't know jack about HD I wasn't about to venture an uninformed guess about what iMovie may have done to the the footage to make it play smoother. So, on a side note then, can iMovie handle 1080 or would you have to move up and purchase Final Cut Pro HD for 1080 editing capability?

[Lacero]

can iMovie handle 1080 or would you have to move up and purchase Final Cut Pro HD for 1080 editing capability?iMovie handles HD (technically HDV) by first converting it to Apple Intermediate Codec, which plays fine on low-end Macs < 1.5 Ghz G4s. Its a long process that requires a lot of disk space. AIC also is not a very good codec visually.

However, with FCP HD, you can edit all types of HD formats, including native HDV. In case you don't know what HDV is, it is long-GOP MPEG2 which requires a lot of processing power to decode, and edit. So with native HDV editing, its recommended you'll need a dual G5. The great thing about editing in native HDV, is there is no transcoding and waste of disk space.

[evilbert420]

It's sad when the newest model Powerbook can't handle one of the biggest hypes of the new OS.

[ravenvii]

Does anyone think OS X 10.4.1 will fix the issue with the huge HD files?

Is there an option in Quicktime to not begin play until the entire file has downloaded 70% so that there wont be hiccups in playback?

You can just pause the movie and wait until it completely downloads, then play it. Simple.

[Goliath]

You can just pause the movie and wait until it completely downloads, then play it. Simple.

From what I've tried this simply isn't the case- HD content requires A LOT of processing power- the 1280x544 stuff is bad enough on my g4 iMac- forget about even playing the 1920x1080 HD stuff- not a chance even when fully downloaded.

each frame is just over 2 million pixels so that's 49,766,400 pixels per second or 2,985,984,000 per minute. An hours worth of content would require quicktime to redraw 179,159,040,000 pixels- me thinks that's a lot of processing power neede for this task

[840quadra]

Why use him for basic stuff? You can get him to help with the finances, mow the lawn, build shelves, clean out the fridge, and give that car a needed tune up. A good man has many uses.

ROFL!!

Dr. Jones, I make a typo here and there, but that one was quite funny!!

I am glad your issue is resloved, and hopefully we didn't tarnish your love for the macrumors world by seeing humor in that slip!

Best of luck with your Mini and welcome!!

[chv400]

Does HD really matter since the resolutions of the video are higher than than the sceens which most people have. I keep my comp at 1152x864 and i tried it on the emacs at school and i couldnt get the standard size video to even fit on the screen, but once i fit it on the screen it played fine.(1.25 ghz emac)