Hi all. I came across an issue while playing movies from a Mac Mini M1 that acts as a server to my MacBook Air and I am looking for a fix. The Mac Mini has all my movies on it and acts as a Media Server and Wireless Time Machine backup for my main MacBook Air.
In short, I randomly I get frame drops and buffering if the file is played from the network (Mac mini) to a mac laptop. I have tried with VLC, Elmedia Video Player, Iina; they all have random frame drops and buffering. Some players are worst (Elmedia, VLC), some are better (Iina). The video files are only 1080p h264 , not even 4K, it should work without breaking a sweat.
The access is over WiFi and I do get about 6-9 MB/s file copy speed no matter where I am in the house and this should be way more than enough to play a video file. Except the video playback issue, everything works as it should with all the devices.
What setup I have that is problematic:
1. Mac Mini M1 Server - MacOS Sequoia with all the updates, 16GB/1TB as a Media Server and Wireless Time Machine. - connected via 1GB ethernet, the video files are stored and played from the internal SSD, not USB.
2. MacBook Air M1 client - MacOS Sequoia with all the updates, 16GB as a client computer connected via WiFi5 to the router, getting at least 150- 250 mbs wireless throughput anywhere in the house.
3. 300 up /150 down Cable internet, connected to 1GB ethernet + a Google WiFi5 Mesh system in Bridge Mode with the ISP modem with 3 WiFi Mesh Pods around the house (Google WiFi is doing the routing, not the Internet modem). I've had this setup for about 7 years and although it is due for a major upgrade soon to Multi Gigabit Internet / WiFi7 mesh / 10GB ethernet, it should still be enough to move around enough MB to play any video file, even 4K.
All the video files play nicely if played locally on the device, but are problematic in between the two Macs.
If I use 2 Windows computers for the same task, everything plays normally and except this problem I haven't had any issues with my network setup that I've been using for almost 7 years. I don't get it what is wrong on the Mac side of things with my network, what I need to do is a simple task that should not need any Plex/ Transcoding for it to work.
In short, I randomly I get frame drops and buffering if the file is played from the network (Mac mini) to a mac laptop. I have tried with VLC, Elmedia Video Player, Iina; they all have random frame drops and buffering. Some players are worst (Elmedia, VLC), some are better (Iina). The video files are only 1080p h264 , not even 4K, it should work without breaking a sweat.
The access is over WiFi and I do get about 6-9 MB/s file copy speed no matter where I am in the house and this should be way more than enough to play a video file. Except the video playback issue, everything works as it should with all the devices.
What setup I have that is problematic:
1. Mac Mini M1 Server - MacOS Sequoia with all the updates, 16GB/1TB as a Media Server and Wireless Time Machine. - connected via 1GB ethernet, the video files are stored and played from the internal SSD, not USB.
2. MacBook Air M1 client - MacOS Sequoia with all the updates, 16GB as a client computer connected via WiFi5 to the router, getting at least 150- 250 mbs wireless throughput anywhere in the house.
3. 300 up /150 down Cable internet, connected to 1GB ethernet + a Google WiFi5 Mesh system in Bridge Mode with the ISP modem with 3 WiFi Mesh Pods around the house (Google WiFi is doing the routing, not the Internet modem). I've had this setup for about 7 years and although it is due for a major upgrade soon to Multi Gigabit Internet / WiFi7 mesh / 10GB ethernet, it should still be enough to move around enough MB to play any video file, even 4K.
All the video files play nicely if played locally on the device, but are problematic in between the two Macs.
If I use 2 Windows computers for the same task, everything plays normally and except this problem I haven't had any issues with my network setup that I've been using for almost 7 years. I don't get it what is wrong on the Mac side of things with my network, what I need to do is a simple task that should not need any Plex/ Transcoding for it to work.
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