Playing Mkv Files - Loud Fan Noise Macbook Pro 2009

[melamina]

Hi,
I have a MacBook Pro 2009 with a 500GB drive (WDigital, I replaced the 160GB)
I was using Perian to play mkv movies, and yesterday I downloaded Plex to try it out.
But in both every time I play a Mkv file the fans start spinning, I think it's the fans or maybe the hard drive. But it's quite a loud whoosh all throughout the movie.
Is this normal or playing a mkv file shouldn't make any noise at all?
Should it use a lot of CPU?
I'm using Leopard latest version.
Thanks in advance

 

[Av1o3]

You should try downloading iStat and it will tell you if its the hard drive or the fans. Im pretty sure it will be the fans though

 

[spinnerlys]

If it's a 720p or 1080i/p movie it will use quite some CPU cycles.
My MBP (2.8GHz) will use 40% (both cores together) if I play a 720p movie.

You can use FanControl to adjust speeds relative to the temperature.

 

[Corrode]

Welcome to HD. I don't find it's too bad when I'm playing 720p, but when playing 1080p, I preset my fans to at least 6000rpm. That's just that way it's gotta be.

 

[reallynotnick]

Could be the HDD, as my WD makes a little bit of noise but it is all the time.
The only thing I could suggest is try undervolting with CoolBook, I use it on my 13in MBP and it works great.

 

[melamina]

Thank you all for your replies.
So then, in the end, a macbook pro is fit to play hd but with quite a lot of fan noise. I thought a core2duo didn't need that much strenght to play them.
My CPU during the first 20min. is %User is around 50 and %System is around 28. Then it lowers down to 35 and 9 and the fans got much quieter.
So this is normal then isn't it?
Installing Snow Leopard with make them play more easily, with Quicktime X, OpenCL, and Grand Central Dispatch?
Thanks

 

[Edirol]

I bought a 13" Macbook Pro 2.53GHz on Black Friday. I find that I can play 480/720p files silently without the fan ramping up audibly, however 1080p, the fan will ramp up a lot. The GPU/CPU temps will hit 85C after starting playback. I've already propped up the laptop to get better airflow. Is it even possible to have a system play 1080p silently?

Thanks,
-Edirol

 

[snaky69]

I bought a 13" Macbook Pro 2.53GHz on Black Friday. I find that I can play 480/720p files silently without the fan ramping up audibly, however 1080p, the fan will ramp up a lot. The GPU/CPU temps will hit 85C after starting playback. I've already propped up the laptop to get better airflow. Is it even possible to have a system play 1080p silently?

Thanks,
-Edirol

No it isn't until apple programs HD into their OS, this is the reason it is using so much CPU to play. Live with the noise, wear headphones.