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No 1080p Playback on Stock uMBP-17 ???

S

spike8585

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 21, 2009
89
0
I just bought my new 17" uMBP, and figured it would have no problem playing 1080p movies. I was using the 9400 chip, and it was choppy at times. Then I switched to the 9600GT chip, and it was the same thing. I even restarted the machine.

I was trying to figure it out. Maybe it was the file itself, even though the type of artifacts, I have never seen with MKV, other than occasionally on my old underpowered CD 1st gen black macbook struggling to play high quality 720p.

So, I decided to watch my istats while I was watching the movie, and every time an error occurred, my HDD read peaked, and I guess totally maxed out. I have the standard 500GB, 5400rpm drive.

Can I really not watch 1080p movies because of my HDD?
 
It doesnt seem to be a decoding problem, but a HDD problem? Am I wrong?
I am using VLC to play the video. I suppose if the was some sort of buffer, there wouldnt be a problem. Is there a way to set up a buffer with VLC? Or Perhaps use Quicktime to play MKV? A plugin? Would Quicktime change anything?
 
Ok, but Am I wrong about it being the HDD? I am waiting for my intel SSD to arrive. Will that fix the problem?
 
VLC can do it, search around on google for "vlc mkv 1080 mac" stuff like that. You'll find a blog about what settings you need to have enabled under MKV filetypes in VLC.

A lot depends on the mkv file though. Sometimes I've gotten 1080p stuff to work, other times it will stutter like mad.
If all else fails, you can go the Quicktime route, but its not a whole lot better.

That or try converting to another format

edit:
follow this for VLC
http://kramfs.com/choppy-video-when-viewing-1080p-using-vlc/

Helps somewhat, and I saw no noticeable PQ difference.
 
it's definitely not a hardware issue lol..if my 2 y/o baseline macbook pro 15" can play 1080p on an external 24" monitor while also running the built-in 15" display without any lag, you're 17" brand new one should be just fine lol. Might be driver related, the particular file, the codec, or something along those lines.
 
Yes, this is really not hardware related, your hdd has nothing to do with it, i can play 1080p content on a 46inch full hd tv, on my little 13" macbook with no stutter or problems at all.

Did you look in the activity monitor if anything was launched at the same time as the movie that could cause the lag?
 
VLC in my opinion sucks. I don't know why people use it.

Use this.

http://mplayerosx.sttz.ch/

In preferences, under Video, enable multithreaded playback. Also make sure your laptop isn't getting super hot or it'll downclock itself (causes stuttering, etc), to prevent this or undervolt your laptop, use CoolBook.

PLEX isn't bad if you want to organize your stuff, it is also multithreaded but based off ffdshow I think?
 
Well join the club. That's the only thing which's holding me back from getting a Mac. Really, I just wish they sorted out HD (1080p, or not) playback on the Mac.

It's frustrating how Macs are unable to playback HD movies (MKVs).
 
Gatteau said:
Well join the club. That's the only thing which's holding me back from getting a Mac. Really, I just wish they sorted out HD (1080p, or not) playback on the Mac.

It's frustrating how Macs are unable to playback HD movies (MKVs).
Click to expand...

Unable is the wrong word to use. Many including myself have had no problems playing HD content/.mkv files with no problems with the 9400M GPU (I had it running on 46"). Can I suggest that it might the file itself? I know that I downloaded Gladiator in 1080p and that works fine but Casino Royale in 720p had trouble playing (but other 720p movies worked fine). The hardware set in the current MacBook (Pro's) have no trouble playing HD content so you might want to check background processes or settings.
 
iLog.Genius said:
Unable is the wrong word to use. Many including myself have had no problems playing HD content/.mkv files with no problems with the 9400M GPU (I had it running on 46"). Can I suggest that it might the file itself? I know that I downloaded Gladiator in 1080p and that works fine but Casino Royale in 720p had trouble playing (but other 720p movies worked fine). The hardware set in the current MacBook (Pro's) have no trouble playing HD content so you might want to check background processes or settings.
Click to expand...

I don't own a Mac, and it's only because of that very reason. HD playback (720p and 1080p). If I were certain I will experience decent playback on a MacBook Pro, I would've got it already.

My 2.0GHz HP laptop plays HD (1080p, 720p and .mkv) movies and excels at it.
 
soms said:
VLC can do it, search around on google for "vlc mkv 1080 mac" stuff like that. You'll find a blog about what settings you need to have enabled under MKV filetypes in VLC.

A lot depends on the mkv file though. Sometimes I've gotten 1080p stuff to work, other times it will stutter like mad.
If all else fails, you can go the Quicktime route, but its not a whole lot better.

That or try converting to another format

edit:
follow this for VLC
http://kramfs.com/choppy-video-when-viewing-1080p-using-vlc/

Helps somewhat, and I saw no noticeable PQ difference.
Click to expand...

I will have to do some more tests, but I think this might have fixed the problem. Thanks!
 
Gatteau said:
I don't own a Mac, and it's only because of that very reason. HD playback (720p and 1080p). If I were certain I will experience decent playback on a MacBook Pro, I would've got it already.

My 2.0GHz HP laptop plays HD (1080p, 720p and .mkv) movies and excels at it.
Click to expand...

That's fine. Like I said, the hardware set in MacBook (Pro's) even those of last year are perfectly fine to play HD content - hardware isn't the issue. It's most likely software or the file itself and it's the same for Windows. I'm not arguing with you because we know computers aren't perfect, just pointing out that stating that MacBook's are unable to play HD is just incorrect.
 
iLog.Genius said:
That's fine. Like I said, the hardware set in MacBook (Pro's) even those of last year are perfectly fine to play HD content - hardware isn't the issue. It's most likely software or the file itself and it's the same for Windows. I'm not arguing with you because we know computers aren't perfect, just pointing out that stating that MacBook's are unable to play HD is just incorrect.
Click to expand...

I'm not arguing either. Actually, I'm very keen to hear that OS X (or any related software issues) now perfectly play HD content.

I didn't mean to hit a nerve by stating that MacBook's are unable to play HD. I was just trying to 'express' my frustration over it.
 
spike8585 said:
Ok, but Am I wrong about it being the HDD? I am waiting for my intel SSD to arrive. Will that fix the problem?
Click to expand...

No, it's not an HDD issue. Unless the video is uncompressed 1080p (it isn't, and if it was an SSD would fail too), you're fine with the read speed of any drive made in the last seven or eight years.

I second the notion that VLC sucks.
 
dr. shdw said:
Why? Just use a different program and not have to turn anything off.
Click to expand...

Cool, I will try that program.

Do you know if there is any way to play MKV's with quicktime? Seems like the most popular format for HD vids, and it is kinda retarded that apple left out the support for it. I guess they are trying to control their market with itunes vids...as usual.
 
spike8585 said:
Cool, I will try that program.

Do you know if there is any way to play MKV's with quicktime? Seems like the most popular format for HD vids, and it is kinda retarded that apple left out the support for it. I guess they are trying to control their market with itunes vids...as usual.
Click to expand...

Yeah, through Perian, but it sucks just as much..
 
spike8585 said:
Cool, I will try that program.

Do you know if there is any way to play MKV's with quicktime? Seems like the most popular format for HD vids, and it is kinda retarded that apple left out the support for it. I guess they are trying to control their market with itunes vids...as usual.
Click to expand...

Did you try Perian? I think it's an add-on for QuickTime.
 
dr. shdw said:
VLC in my opinion sucks. I don't know why people use it.

Use this.

http://mplayerosx.sttz.ch/

In preferences, under Video, enable multithreaded playback.
Click to expand...

I tried the program you suggested, and it was just distorting time rather than pixels. It would speed up for a second to catch up. Then I activated the cache for 256MB, and that worked wonderfully. I missed you saying to activate multitheaded playback. I'll do that now.
Thanks!!!
 
Firefly2002 said:
No, it's not an HDD issue. Unless the video is uncompressed 1080p (it isn't, and if it was an SSD would fail too), you're fine with the read speed of any drive made in the last seven or eight years.

I second the notion that VLC sucks.
Click to expand...

yeah.. vlc is kind of rough. i don't understand how it's been so popular
 
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