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tracemhunter · Jul 11, 2007, 04:33 AM

I'm sure that this has been posted but I'm tired and want to go to bed. I am planning on replacing my PB with a MacBook (200gb 2gb (diy)). I record a lot of HD streams (.ts) from my Time Warner box and am wondering if the MacBook can handle playing video. Can it?

Sethro · Jul 11, 2007, 11:52 AM

I think that your Macbook should have no real problems with playing any kind of HD content, I regualarly watch alot of HD Trailers on my Macbook and I have run into no real problems.

Although I think that its only fair to mention that the Macbook has a hard time playing HD content, for example when I play a HD movie my Macbook fan acts like its about to take off. I runs at full speed for the duration of the movie clip, the CPU and underbody of the Macbook gets very hot (sometimes too hot to touch)

tracemhunter · Jul 11, 2007, 02:13 PM

Meh, I don't even watch trailers from Apple's website. I can play them fine on my PowerBook but can't play whole movies recorded from my cable box or h264 files. The idea of the fan being at full blast for the duration of a two hour movie isn't very comforting. I might just have to save up a little extra and go for the MBP.

bballe336 · Jul 11, 2007, 05:55 PM

The MBP will play and edit 1080p HD with no issues at all. The macbook....not so much.

slpdLoad · Jul 11, 2007, 06:13 PM

What resolution are you viewing at? Since you don't have an HD resolution screen, you might not notice a difference going from 1080 to 720 or something like that.

Make sure you have enough memory installed, since you're using integrated graphics.

mduell · Jul 11, 2007, 09:46 PM

Yes, the MB will be fine playing the .ts (MPEG-2, very simple to decode these days) files from your TWX box.

Originally Posted by bballe336

The MBP will play and edit 1080p HD with no issues at all. The macbook....not so much.

Huh? They're nearly the same CPU speed. The MB should be able to play/edit any HD video the MBP can.

tracemhunter · Jul 11, 2007, 09:50 PM

I would like to go in to the Apple store with a flash drive containing VLC and a small clip but I doubt they will allow that lol. I'm planning on putting 2gb into the MacBook (if I do decide to buy one).

slpdLoad · Jul 11, 2007, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by tracemhunter

I would like to go in to the Apple store with a flash drive containing VLC and a small clip but I doubt they will allow that lol. I'm planning on putting 2gb into the MacBook (if I do decide to buy one).

I bet they'd let you. I've seen people plug in camcorders and cameras to play with iLife/Pro apps.

Sethro · Jul 11, 2007, 10:25 PM

Originally Posted by mduell

Yes, the MB will be fine playing the .ts (MPEG-2, very simple to decode these days) files from your TWX box.
Huh? They're nearly the same CPU speed. The MB should be able to play/edit any HD video the MBP can.

Well I think that the Macbook Pro outperforms the consumer level Macbook is because the Macbook Pro has a dedicated video card with dedicated video RAM. As opposed to the Macbook which has to rely upon system memory to generate video RAM or VRAM.

*Not sure if I'm spot on with this explanation, but I dont see any other reason why*

mduell · Jul 12, 2007, 06:56 AM

Originally Posted by Sethro

Well I think that the Macbook Pro outperforms the consumer level Macbook is because the Macbook Pro has a dedicated video card with dedicated video RAM. As opposed to the Macbook which has to rely upon system memory to generate video RAM or VRAM.

*Not sure if I'm spot on with this explanation, but I dont see any other reason why*

The video card has nothing to do with video playback or editing performance.

variozin · Jul 12, 2007, 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by mduell

The video card has nothing to do with video playback or editing performance.

Yes..Video ram is needed only for generated graphics, and not for Video content. My MB plays all HD trailors fine.So far only slugishness I encountered is when I was hovering over newyork with 3D buildings ON in Google earth.

tracemhunter · Jul 12, 2007, 10:03 PM

Okay I just went by one of the Apple stores around here and hooked up a flash drive with part of V For Vendetta (the explosion scene at the end) in HD. It played perfectly. While I was there I farted around on the iPhone for 30mins and well... in a few weeks I will go up there and buy the MacBook and an iPhone on the same day

.

PhotoBug · Jul 13, 2007, 01:19 AM

in a few weeks you will be having the time of your life. have fun with the new toys.