Resolved cMP 2010, is anyone else struggling with 4k video playback?

[LAHegarty]

I have a Mac Pro with dual x5670's, 64Gb RAM 1333Mhz, macOS 10.12

Some 4k videos are playing fine, like YouTube, etc but some (not all) of my downloaded 4k videos (h264) are not playing well at all, the sound will not sync or the video is choppy, etc. It appears to be only with larger video files 20Gb plus.

Anyone else had this problem, is the hardware just too old for 4k?
I use VLC and have tried over players also.

 

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

Depends on the GPU, drivers, CPU, bit rate and colour depth. We discover from time to time that Mac graphics drivers don't have full graphics acceleration enabled, which means the video decode will be handled by CPU. Well some people have very old CPUs.

But this problem is still persisting due to Apple's negligence. In the latest High Sierra beta full hardware decoding support for h265 HEVC is only for Kabylake CPU and there is no GPU assist even with the latest graphics.

That's deeply unfair because a Skylake with a decent graphics card can easily decode 10bit 4K HEVC on Windows 10. In fact, here's a demo I made showing smooth playback, smooth scrubbing and smooth resizing (while the computer was mining)

6700K with Radeon RX 580

Use this video file

http://4kmedia.org/sony-bravia-uhd-hdr-4k-demo/

 

[CapnDavey]

I've never had an issue with 4k video on my 4,1 video card 2 gig GTX 680

 

[LAHegarty]

Here's a link to some 4k footage that will not play on my system, let me know how you get on with it.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ivk5toibn76ih4s/AAD-1zgQuJnUdmwgbBn3RYRya?dl=0

Download then play. in VLC, etc.

 

[h9826790]

Both VLC and IINA can play the video smoothly. However, IINA do better in all areas. iStat shows the screen refresh rate always > 24FPS.

IINA stat clearly shows the video is playing at around the native 23.976 FPS

For VLC, there are 14FPS frame drop (not smooth), which happened at the very 1st 1-2 second when starting to play the video. After that, the number is locked and no more frame drop (smooth). Furthermore, VLC seems can't handle 10bit colour properly. And audio also not smooth in VLC.

 

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

Ah it's 10 bit colour, which isn't supported for decode on those processors and very likely the GPU drivers too. On Windows you will have no issue but macOS basically has **** support for any universal standards of decoding, encoding and playback. Loses to Windows very badly, not just a little.

Blame Apple for treating users like dirt.

 

[LAHegarty]

h9826790 Thank you, life saver! I was ready to buy something a little newer, now I can keep my cMP.

SoyCapitanSoyCapitan Yes, apple support of older hardware is horrendous.

I will mark this as solved, thank you, everyone.

To anyone having problems playing 4k video on there cMP you should try IINA player.
https://lhc70000.github.io/iina/

I guess VLC is old hat now, farewell VLC, it's been real. (At least for 4k content, anyway)

 

[steveOooo]

I find divx player plays hevc well on my MacPro so try that also (all free)

 

[1024724]

Both VLC and IINA can play the video smoothly. However, IINA do better in all areas. iStat shows the screen refresh rate always > 24FPS.

Never heard of this. Only ever used VLC. I Don't want to make any wrong conclusions but I gather you like it better than VLC?

 

[LAHegarty]

steveOooo I tried the DivX player, 5KPlayer & Cisdem VideoPlayer, as well as VLC none of them played the above 4k video file correctly.

 

[Flint Ironstag]

SoyCapitanSoyCapitan, that is a really useful site, thanks! Every so often I post looking for places to download some eye candy to have playing in the background. Got any more?

...aaaaand can't play any of those files on the nMP in sig. Off to try this new media player now!

data point: couldn't scrub sample footage smoothly. Playback stuttered for the 1st second or 2 then settled in. [edit for clarity] this is in VLC.

[edit 2]

IINA flawlessly played the demos SoyCapitan provided.

Good playback on LAHegarty's clip as well. Scrubbing was still not smooth, however. That's crazy in a bad way.

Good thread, learned a bunch of stuff. Thanks All!

 

[LAHegarty]

1024724 I've been using it for a few days now & I personly think it's a better player than VLC, VLC has become stagnant & was never build to be used with macOS whereby IINA has been build for macOS, it's a modern player with a modern feel, 1 click dragging, right click play/pause feature, playback of all 4k video I have tried so far, use arrow keys to push back or forward 5 seconds & an overall nicer user interface.

I like this player a lot.

 

[1024724]

1024724 I've been using it for a few days now & I personly think it's a better player than VLC, VLC has become stagnant & was never build to be used with macOS whereby IINA has been build for macOS, it's a modern player with a modern feel, 1 click dragging, right click play/pause feature, playback of all 4k video I have tried so far, use arrow keys to push back or forward 5 seconds & an overall nicer user interface.

I like this player a lot.

Me too, very smooth playback and honestly, seeking has been working great across multiple file types, no hanging so far. One thing I cannot stand about it (and mostly every other player) is that it doesn't allow for a set window size. Always resizing with every video... Really wish I could keep the window permanently sized, bit of a freak about window locations.

 

[LAHegarty]

is that it doesn't allow for a set window size.

That would be a nice feature and one that I've thought about in the past myself, I guess it doesn't bother me too much now but I know where you are coming from.

It's defiantly a nice player.