Annoying video/DVD playback problems on new Mac mini

I have a Mac mini at home right now, latest edition (2010).
I am very surprised to find that DVD playback exhibits signs of stutters here and there. Not huge stutters, but I can constantly see small "skips" and what seems like frame drops here and there. Playing back the same DVD on a $120 Blu-ray-player shows no sign of this behaviour.
I have tried this on two different TV sets (one 720p and one 1080p), and the mini is not able to play back a DVD without these stutters/skips. Two different blu-ray players play the disc just fine (I have been using Ghost Dog to test - check chapter to and the scenes containing panning, it's easier to notice that way).
It seems ordinary video files playback (files from HD, 720p, mkv) exhibit some of the same behaviour, though this seems more dependent on which app is used for playback. Quicktime seems worse (noticeable stutters/skips), VLC 1.1 a bit better (though both DVD playback and file playback show signs of stutter), while XBMC is the best of the three, with very little frame drop (if that is in fact what it is).
Any idea what's going on here? Why will such a expensive machine with HDMI output not play back video properly, while a cheap Blu-ray-player does it just fine?
Are there any known issues?

Any other processes running on the mini at the same time?

Similar Messages

  • Annoying video/DVD playback problems on new Mac mini (2010)

    I have a Mac mini at home right now, latest edition (2010).
    I am very surprised to find that DVD playback exhibits signs of stutters here and there. Not huge stutters, but I can constantly see small "skips" and what seems like frame drops here and there. Playing back the same DVD on a $120 Blu-ray-player shows no sign of this behaviour.
    I have tried this on two different TV sets (one 720p and one 1080p), and the mini is not able to play back a DVD without these stutters/skips. Two different blu-ray players play the disc just fine (I have been using Ghost Dog to test - check chapter to and the scenes containing panning, it's easier to notice that way).
    It seems ordinary video files playback (files from HD, 720p, mkv) exhibit some of the same behaviour, though this seems more dependent on which app is used for playback. Quicktime seems worse (noticeable stutters/skips), VLC 1.1 a bit better (though both DVD playback and file playback show signs of stutter), while XBMC is the best of the three, with very little frame drop (if that is in fact what it is).
    Any idea what's going on here? Why will such a expensive machine with HDMI output not play back video properly, while a cheap Blu-ray-player does it just fine?
    Are there any known issues?
    (sorry for posting this in the wrong from earlier!)

    I have not used the dvd player app in my 2010 mini, but I've certainly played every media type under the sun since receiving it.
    It plays them all without dropping frames, stuttering, pausing, etc.
    Are you using dvd player with dvd disc images, video ts folders, or actual DVD discs in the drive?
    If you're playing a disc image or video ts folder, are you accessing them over wireless networking? If so, try them on the internal drive, or over a wired network connection.
    Try turning off the option is in energy saver that allows drive sleep (system sleep can stay where it is, just turn off *hard drive* sleep).
    For best performance, make sure you aren't running other apps besides the media player app that you're using at the time.
    Make sure you don't have software or utilities running background tasks (such as disk warrior, drive genius or tech tool pro).
    If you have external devices connected (including printer and/or scanner), try the system without them connected. Does the video playback improve without them connected? If it does, then try reconnecting them one by one to figure out which one of them is related to the problem.

  • Airport Express problems with new MAC MINI and DLINK router SOLVED

    Hi just thought I would post this as it may well help others experiencing similar frustrations with new core duo mac mini and wireless connection or quality problems across the network / internet etc
    I have a 3 week old, new mac mini core duo 1.8ghz 2gig ram, 120gb disk - First Mac, connecting to my exisiting wireless network via DLINK ADSL Router 2MB Broadband also one windows laptop and pc also wireless on the network and two airport express potins to stream itunes to
    Problem was briefly
    Mac worked fine, but the network connection just far too slow, laptop and pc, 1800+ kbps downstream mac mini 90 - 150kbps (http://www.adslguide.org/tools/speedtest.asp)
    also if i ping the router directly from terminal (ping -c 20 192.168.1.1) average response 12+ ms with 20% packet loss, yet laptop and pc avg 2ms no losses
    Spent 2 evenings on frustrating calls of more than 1 hour each (due to being cut off , then ring back and closed etc etc) and carrying out a the helpdesk troubleshooting (I am an IT consultant I think I am above this level), eventually an archive and install of the os as well
    last night I call for the third time, insisting I dont wish to carry out any further troubleshooting, and want it replaced and resolved or my money back
    I receive a call back from product specialist (not sure if thats mac mini specialist or airport) but we resolved the issue (his knowledge far superior to the help desk do this do this attitude)
    between us we carried out the folowing and resolved the problem and I am now very happy
    mac now downstreaming also in excess of 1800kbps (as expected for 2mb broadband)and no packet loss
    This problem was resolved by switching off the turbo option hidden away in the routers settings, under wireless configuration
    Supposed to improve performance, but its rubbish and will make hardly any difference under mac os to the speed but will certainly affect your mac mini performance(you may have a similar setting switched on in your routers and mac os dont like it)
    We stumbled across this by first disconnecting one of the airport express devices from my dlink network, and using it on its own default apple wireless settings, effectively making it a standalone wireless network, and not via the dlink router
    we then carried out the same ping with the ip address of this device (from airport admin utility default 10.0.1.1) and the results were fantastic 2ms avg no package loss
    this established it was something with the router, and how we then interrogated the routers settings and found the turbo on option within wireless configuration
    you may not be able to replicate this if you dont have an additional network you could join (such as airport express), but probably worth checking your own router settings for something similar
    Hope that may be of assistance to others, sorry that its a bit long winded and garbled, but I'm just so excited to finally get my new mac working as i would expect it to
    Also perhaps insist on speaking to a product specialist immediately that the helpdesk are unable to help you

    Hello macfar14. Welcome to the Apple Discussions!
    For just streaming iTunes and/or for sharing a USB printer, the AirPort Express Base Station (AX) just needs to be configured as a wireless client ... which you already attempted to do.
    Just to be sure nothing was missed, here are the basic steps to do this:
    Either connect to the AX's wireless network or connect directly, using an Ethernet cable, to the Ethernet port of the AX, and then using the AirPort Utility in "Manual Setup" mode, make the following changes:
    AirPort > Wireless
    o Wireless Mode: Join a wireless network
    o Network Name: <existing wireless network's Network Name or SSID>
    o Wireless Security: <select the encryption type of the existing wireless network>
    o Wireless Password: <enter the existing wireless network password>
    o Verify Password: <re-enter the existing wireless network password>
    Music
    o Enable AirTunes (checked)
    o iTunes Speaker Name: <enter desired speaker name>
    o iTunes Speaker Password: (optional)
    o Verify Password: (optional)
    o Click Update to write the new settings to the AX
    In iTunes:
    iTunes > Preferences... > Advanced > General
    o Look for remote speakers connected with AirTunes (checked)

  • Scrolling problems on new mac mini

    I bought a new mac mini yesterday.  Out of the box, it was ready for an update to 10.7.2, which I did.  The problem is with scrolling on certain web pages, even when browsing Apple's site, the scroll bar lags or will not move at all.  A perfect example would be http://news.google.com/    even after a page has fully loaded, the scroll bar does not respond.  After long delay, it might jump to a different scroll position, but definitely NOT smooth scrolling.
    I ran disk utility and repaired permissions.  I have restarted mac mini.
    This is not the case running os 10.7.2 with my 2007 imac.
    Any suggestions?

    Very interesting....
    I restored the entire os lion, no help.  Firefox works just fine.  Safari is broken, when using screen sharing.  I can scroll pages with the mac mini using it's own mouse and display, however, the mini's mouse becomes de-activated when screen sharing is enabled onto it.  The mouse controlling the imac cannot scroll safari's browser, nor can it refresh pages when doing such things as 'submit reply'.  Lol, I had to reply using Firefox.  I do believe it is essentially a refresh issue, during user activity within each page.  If you click a scroll postion, and then click outside of the page, it will refresh to the new scroll position.  This is the same case as for submitting a reply.
    Outside of that, I am disappointed that both the imac's mouse and the mini mac's mouse cannot be used simultaneously during screen sharing  with the newest update.  Whereas, I can have simultaneous mouse control when accessing a non-lion macbook pro from my lion imac.
    I do not see any reason to disallow simultaneous mouse use.  This works great for comunnicating to users in other rooms, with direct desktop support.
    Actually, I have found that there is still mouse control, it is just not visible on the vnc user's screen.  I wish there was a way to re-activate that, it would probably resolve the scrolling issues too.  Any know what to replace in what library?

  • My G4 imac wont read a dvd burned on my new mac mini

    I burned some pictures on a dvd on my mac mini and when I went to load them on my imac the disc wont show up??? The drive is working as it reads dvds burned on the imac, just not the ones burned on the new mac mini............any ideas? Thanks

    You can only use the App Store version to reinstall on your new Mac if you bought Logic via the App Store in the first place.... and then it will appear under the Purchases tab in the Mac App Store App so long as you are signed in using the same Apple ID you used to purchase Logic via the App store in the first place.
    If you bought the DVD edition of Logic Studio then you must initially install using those original DVDs to begin with and then update to the latest version of your version of Logic via software updates.
    No DVD drive? Buy an external one.. Amazon do a very cheap basic one that works well..
    or...
    Use Remote Disk if you still have your older Mac which has a built in DVD drive...
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5287?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

  • Can i use ANY external CD/DVD drive with the NEW mac mini?

    We just got the newest Mac Mini and want to get an external drive for importing and burning CD's and DVD's.
    Can we use ANY external CD/DVD drive or do we NEED to use the "Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive."
    Thanks
    Eliot

    Maybe.
    I've had some situations where a non-Apple DVD drive would not do a particular job.  When I tried the same project with the Apple SuperDrive everything worked perfectly.
    This is an area where I would not try to save money.
    http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC684ZM/A

  • New mac mini and noisy dvd drive

    Any time I have a DVD in my brand new mac mini, from commercial DVDs to trying to author a blank DVD, I get the dreaded chainsaw sound that plagues anyone who has owned an xbox 360. Has anyone else suffered with this with their new mac mini or should I send it back to apple

    I should have been a little more specific. This happens usually when I try and do slightly disc intensive tasks, such as burn a disc, import a disc to itunes, and I can even get it to sound when I leave a disc in the drive, turn the computer off, and as it's booting it will make the grinding noise. I first thought that the computer couldn't lay on it's side as that's when I first noticed it (sort of like the wii on it's side because this fits my setup), but it makes the same noise whether I have it on it's side or not. This is also not disc specific, I can re-create the noise with different discs, DVDs, CDs when importing to itunes. Guess I'll be taking it to an iTunes store to get it checked out.

  • I just bought a new mac mini and an external DVD burner. I want to burn a DVD video and it will not play on the TV but only on the computer? Need this figured out for tomorrow.

    I just bought a new mac mini and an external DVD burner. I want to burn a DVD video and it will not play on the TV but only on the computer? Need this figured out for tomorrow. Can anyone help me?

    Congratulations on the new Mini. Are you saying you tried burning and it does not play, or do you want to burn it only for the computer to be able to play it?
    OS X Mountain Lion: Burn a CD or DVD may help.

  • New Mac Mini with Lion Video Problem With Dell E228WFP monitor

    Just purchased a new mini Mac 2.3 with Lion pre installed.  I connected to my old Dell E228WFPI monitor via the Mini Display to VGA adapter.  The mini mac worked fine for an hour until I put it to sleep.  It would not rewake.  After rebute the gray screen and apple logo appear with clock, but after clock screen to black and monitor goes to power saver mode.  Took unit to apple store twice and could not resolve problem by changing resolution or other methiods.  Finally, we learned that the system works fine using Belkin HDMI to DVI cable.  This Dell Monitor had DVI connector.  Hope this helps...

    How can a computer that's been turned off (and I mean completely OFF) get a network request? Only a sleeping computer should react to such a request. If you're sure you shut down (Apple Menu, Shut Down), then only an internal power supply or logic board problem should cause this. The only way it could be software is if Lion is not shutting down the computer but is instead putting it to sleep. Is it a new Mac Mini? If so, you should have it replaced or repaired.

  • Problems playing dvds on my new mac mini

    I'm trying to play a dvd on my new mac mini & whenever I hit the play button I get error: -70025. I've checked the disc for scratches etc... but all seems fine there. Does anyone know what that error is about or have any suggestions as to what I might be doing wrong?

    All i can think of is running a cleaning disk in your Mini's drive. I'd be surprised if the mini needed cleaning since it's so new but you never know. Another question that comes to mind is if that particular DVD has some copy protection that prevents it from being played in computers. Some music CDs have that type of protection.

  • New Mac Mini won't open DVD Player, I get an error

    This is a brand new mac mini (latest model bought two days ago), just opened and tried to open DVD player without any media on the DVD drive and the DVD Player doesn't open and I get this error:
    There was an initialization error.
    A valid video device could not be found for playback (-70017)
    What could that be?
    Wilfredo.

    No. The DVD Player always open even if there is no media in the drive.
    The problem was the Region. I needed to set the region on the drive, but the error message never told what was the problem, I had to figure it out myself.
    Wilfredo.
    Message was edited by: Wilfredo Nanita

  • New mac mini 2009 from box problems

    Hi, i am from Ukraine, my English is not good. It's bad. Smile
    But, i have problems whith my Mac Mini.
    My friend bought me a mac in USA and post it to me. When i unpack it and try to connect to my monitor i had a problem.
    Mini tunr on and LED turn on and cooler turn on. Smile, but no power on USB (mouse and keyboard) and no video signal. When it's turn on LED is white in 5 sec., then it's turn off for a 1 sec. ant again turn on. Cooler work very silent. CD drive is not working. Sad
    I try to connect mini to my ASUS PW201 monitor and Samsung SM 932b via MINI DVI to DVI connector. Can i connect via miniDVD-DVI+DVI-VGA(no Apple) connector?
    Reset the System Management Controlle, PMU, SMU, PRAM and NVRAM did't help me.
    Sorry for my English.

    Hi,I'm using an older Intel Mac mini. I've used it with three different displays. When I use a "DVI to HDMI" cable the mini will boot, I get the Gray Screen, the Spinning Wheel, then everything goes BLACK for a second then the Desktop appears. With a "DVI to VGA" cable it boots fine without the monitor going BLACK for a second. You might try using a different cable combination.
    You can easily (easy is relative) drop in a different Hard Drive. You will need to reformat the drive so it will be compatible with your Mac. You can use your install disc to reformat the new dhttp://www.ifixit.com/Apple-Parts/Mac-mini-1-TB-Upgrade-Kit/IFrive, then you can install Leopard from that disc.

  • New mac mini won't accept dvd's/cd's in the combo drive

    Hello friends:
    i have a new mac mini that I bought about 2 months ago (Intel, 2.0 ghz). Everything was working fine until I went to put in a DVD today. The combo drive won't accept a disc. It's not that it won't read the disc, it physically won't suck it into the drive. Instead it just sits there. If I try and push it in, nothing happens... it just bounces back out at me as if pushed by a spring. And, no, there isn't already a disc in the drive.
    Can anyone suggest how to get my combo drive to work again?

    Hi jrm27,
    I have an older Mac Mini 1.66 GHz, but I haven't seen this problem.
    I take it that the disc does go in a little way. I would think that that rules out that the drive thinks there's a CD already in the drive. I know that when I have a CD or DVD in the drive, the little doors (they're really there) are closed and won't let me insert a 2nd CD.
    I presume that you have restarted your system since this started to occur?
    When the system is rebooting, hold down the mouse button. This is supposed to force eject a CD. It might also trick your system into thinking there's no CD there, or resetting something.
    Try different types of CDs or DVDs, just to make sure that there's not something screwy with the media that you are using. Try an old-fashioned music CD or something.
    Are there any sounds the drive makes?
    David

  • New Mac mini audio problem - beeping from audio output

    Hi Apple fans
    Please help me. I recently purchased a new Mac mini from my local store. It's three-and-a-half weeks old as of today.
    It's an i5 2.3 with 8 GB of corsair RAM.
    I like to watch movies and TV on it and have the audio connected to an external amp and speakers via the headphone output.
    After a reboot today I lost the sound through that output. All that I hear through it now is an electronic beeping, six notes, descending in pitch, repeating.
    I have no idea what it is, other than annoying since this happened on a brand new computer. Not looking forward to the idea of losing my mini for a week as Apple figure it out, but it may be all that's left to do.
    Maybe somebody here can help me out - anyone have an idea what's going on? I did an fsck -fy already, and there seems to be nothing wrong, based on that check. For completeness sake, I ran the sound over a USB sound card, and the beeping noise was not there, and sound worked fine. Ditto for the internal speaker - no weird noise there, this seems limited to the headphone out port. I've tried different cables, and even amps, and a set of small speakers without amp. The noise is there when using the headphone jack, and it's absent when using the wee internal speaker or USB-based sound. Please help?
    I captured the sound on a video which I've uploaded. It's kind of jarring, so keep your hand on the volume button.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUt8miCYcJQ
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUt8miCYcJQ
    Thanks much for any input - it would be very much appreciated.
    Pascal

    Hi Pascal,
    Certainly strange, but I have no ideas other than having it looked at by Apple.

  • New Mac Mini output to S-Video

    I'm trying to output to S-Video using a new Mac Mini (2010).
    If I use a Mini Display to DVI adapter and then the DVI to S-Video, will that work?
    Mini Display to DVI: http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB570Z/A
    DVI to S-Video: http://store.apple.com/us/product/M9267G/A
    Looks like it'll "work", but will it "WORK"?
    Thanks

    Adapters won't work. MDP to DVI is digital only and S-Video needs 480i (analog).
    You would need an expensive converter like http://www.gefen.com/kvm/dproduct.jsp?prod_id=5280

Maybe you are looking for