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Apple DVD Player woes
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OverclockedHomoSapien
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Mar 24, 2001, 10:08 PM
 
Hi, I've been lurking awhile but I recently checked out the DVD player on my powermac G4 for the first time and have a question about it. First, the sound is slightly out of synch with the picture....not horrible but enough to be annoying. Second, I get clicks and pops in the sound when playing back DVDs, but not with any other type of audio playback on my G4. I've had this computer since last summer, but just decided to try out a DVD. It's very dissapointing that Apple cannot get their sh*t together with DVDs--is it really that difficult to get a DVD to play on a comptuer? I understand that Apple does not even take advantage of the DVD hardware decoder on the Radeon...wouldn't this be a better solution than the software playback they use? Anyways, if anyone has any suggestions I'd be indebted. Thanks.

My setup;
Powermac G4 agp w/ Radeon
OS 9.1, DVD player 2.2
All firmware, extensions, and control panels entirely up to date (according to Software Update)

[FONT="book antiqua"]"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."
- Thomas Jefferson, 1816.[/FONT]
     
posthumanus
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Mar 25, 2001, 04:05 AM
 
others may correct me on this but:

with OS 9.1 you may need to upgrade DVD 2.2 to 2.3. (maybe you updated OS by download and not by disk?)

i use 9.0.4: it's rock solid, all i need and uses 2.2 itself so i'm not too sure about your 9.1/DVD problem, but this seems to make sense.

re: lip-sync on your movies - hit the space bar (pause), then hit it again (unpause). that should fix it.

posthumanus out.
     
OverclockedHomoSapien  (op)
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Mar 25, 2001, 05:57 AM
 
Thanks...I looked for DVD player 2.3 at Apple's website, but all I could find for download was v2.2. Must I get the 9.1 system disk to get version 2.3?

[FONT="book antiqua"]"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."
- Thomas Jefferson, 1816.[/FONT]
     
posthumanus
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Mar 25, 2001, 06:13 AM
 
i can't confirm that and your difficulty in finding it makes me question my hunch. i'm operating on 'vague (personal) memory' as i don't use 9.1 and don't see myself doing so.

perhaps you should wait for others to post replies.

posthumanus over.

     
posthumanus
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Mar 25, 2001, 06:19 AM
 
try version tracker @ http://www.versiontracker.com/mp/new_search.m?productDB=mac&mode=Quick&OS_Fil ter=MacOS&search=dvd (third listing from top)

if you've got a G4 agp. seriously though, i haven't got a clue what i'm talking about here but hey, it's a lead.

oops, sorry: the update's 18 months old.

[This message has been edited by posthumanus (edited 03-25-2001).]
     
Cipher13
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Mar 25, 2001, 07:54 AM
 
Turn off virtual memory while watching DVDs.

Cipher13
     
OverclockedHomoSapien  (op)
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Mar 25, 2001, 04:43 PM
 
Thanks, but I've already tried turning VM off and no difference. I looked into it and found that Apple DVD Player 2.3 is only available on the 9.1 system disc, not on the downloadable update. So I think that when I buy OS X it will come on the OS 9.1 CD that comes with OS X. At least that's what I'm hoping. Trouble is, I'm not buying OS X until version 10.1, so I'm out of luck until MWNY at least, maybe even longer!

Why can't Apple simply include DVD player 2.3 on the downloadable update?
[FONT="book antiqua"]"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."
- Thomas Jefferson, 1816.[/FONT]
     
rjenkinson
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Mar 25, 2001, 05:26 PM
 
if you want the latest version of the DVD software, you can find it on this guy's itools page.

-r.


[This message has been edited by rjenkinson (edited 03-25-2001).]
     
OverclockedHomoSapien  (op)
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Mar 25, 2001, 09:34 PM
 
Dude, thanks a million I'm going to try this out a little later, I'm at work right now. Let you know if it fixes the problems.

[FONT="book antiqua"]"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."
- Thomas Jefferson, 1816.[/FONT]
     
P
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Mar 26, 2001, 06:40 AM
 
The ticking sound: Turn of all sounds in the appearcne control panel.

The non-sync issue. Turn off VM AND APPLETALK NETWORKING.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
oscar
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Mar 26, 2001, 06:42 AM
 
     
OverclockedHomoSapien  (op)
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Mar 27, 2001, 02:51 AM
 
I've tried everything, still no luck. The sound isn't like any system sound, it's more like the little pops and cracks a record makes. Here's what I've done so far:

1. Test with VM on and off, Appletalk is off already.
2. Apple DVD player 2.3.
3. Minimum extension set.
4. Zapping pRAM, recent firmware update.

I've tried the speakers through my home stereo and they're fine. I've played audio CDs on my Powermac and the sound is fine. As far as I can tell, this problem is isolated to DVD playback. It's very annoying, to say the least. The audio synch problem is barely noticable, and if I pause playback the synch is fine when I restart. But this audio crackling and popping is very, very dissapointing. I was looking forward to getting soundblaster and some surround sound speakers, but now it looks like the DVD playback isn't worth it on a mac.



Sometimes I wonder if it's really worth it to stick with Macs. Window's has it's share of problems, but at least I wouldn't be paying so much for the problems. Every little problem on this mac cost me a hell of a lot of cash to experience!

I simply don't understand this problem.


[This message has been edited by OverclockedHomoSapien (edited 03-27-2001).]
[FONT="book antiqua"]"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."
- Thomas Jefferson, 1816.[/FONT]
     
Gregg
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Mar 27, 2001, 10:25 AM
 
smarter people stick with Macs, and they also make more money
Ya gotta applaud those bunnies for sacrificing their hearing just so some guy in Yonkers can have better TV reception.
     
OverclockedHomoSapien  (op)
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Mar 28, 2001, 12:53 AM
 
ummmmm......ok. Thanks for your constructive input on my DVD debacle.
[FONT="book antiqua"]"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."
- Thomas Jefferson, 1816.[/FONT]
     
posthumanus
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Mar 29, 2001, 04:49 AM
 
what version of quicktime do you have?

with OS 9.0.4 / DVD 2.2, it needs at least QT 4.1.2.

is your OS 9.1. quicktime version up to date?

posthumanus.
     
Macinstine
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Mar 29, 2001, 06:05 AM
 
First is this happening with just one DVD or several?
Second AppleTalk should be off VM on or off doesn't make a difference.
Dvd over. 2.3 is a huge improvement. You won't need the crack.
One thing that made a difference on my G3 was playing in full screen. Few stutters when messing the controller. DVD 2.3 is here http://www.omnigroup.com/community/freeware/

Hope this helps Mike
     
OverclockedHomoSapien  (op)
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Mar 29, 2001, 09:10 AM
 
Thanks...I tried 2.3 already and no luck. Quicktime is 4.1.2. Appletalk is off, VM is off, appearance sounds are off. I tried using peekaboo to monitor other CPU activity, and nothing showed up besides DVD player. It happens with every DVD, no matter if it's full screen or not. I've tried minimum extension sets and the clicks and pops are still there. I've zapped the pRAM, updated the firmware, done a full tech tool diagnostic, cursed at and threatened my CPU--it's all futile. It's as if there is some ROM chip embedded in my mobo that creates this problem, put there by a prankster mexican employee making $1.25/week. Or is it Taiwan where Macs are made? Anyways, I'm about to give up, I'll try a clean install when I have the time, but for now that's too much work and I don't have the time if all it is for is to fix DVD audio.

[FONT="book antiqua"]"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."
- Thomas Jefferson, 1816.[/FONT]
     
Gregg
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Mar 29, 2001, 10:20 AM
 
nevermind

[This message has been edited by Gregg (edited 03-29-2001).]
Ya gotta applaud those bunnies for sacrificing their hearing just so some guy in Yonkers can have better TV reception.
     
tonton
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Mar 30, 2001, 04:25 AM
 
Originally posted by OverclockedHomoSapien:
Thanks...I tried 2.3 already and no luck. Quicktime is 4.1.2. Appletalk is off, VM is off, appearance sounds are off. I tried using peekaboo to monitor other CPU activity, and nothing showed up besides DVD player. It happens with every DVD, no matter if it's full screen or not.
You've either got a dirty lens or a bad lens. Try a lens leaning disc. If that doesn't help, send your machine back to Apple for service.
��n+�N

Got Vurt? Jeff Noon
     
OverclockedHomoSapien  (op)
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Mar 31, 2001, 01:08 AM
 
What leads me to suspect that the DVD-ROM drive is fine is that there is no trouble playing audio CDS, and the data transfer rates for the drive as measured by Toast seem to be fine (although I have no reference for what they should be, but burning at 8X is a snap).
[FONT="book antiqua"]"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."
- Thomas Jefferson, 1816.[/FONT]
     
   
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