H264 HD works on a slow G4

[TyleRomeo]

Sometimes I can get 720P H264 footage to play back smoothy on my dual 1.25 G4 (2GB ram, 128MB ATI 9700) Apple says you need a 1.8 G5 to run 720P. I managed to do this by shutting down other apps and just having the mac run quicktime. I checked my CPU useage and it was in the 130% range. This worked for the Ice Age 2 trailer but I noticed that some other trailers my frame rate dropping down to as low as 12 (should be 24) and CPU useage no higher than 110%. Is there anyway to tweak quicktime to use more CPU when its definately availble?

Tyler

 

[840quadra]

Sometimes I can get 720P H264 footage to play back smoothy on my dual 1.25 G4 (2GB ram, 128MB ATI 9700) Apple says you need a 1.8 G5 to run 720P. I managed to do this by shutting down other apps and just having the mac run quicktime. I checked my CPU useage and it was in the 130% range. This worked for the Ice Age 2 trailer but I noticed that some other trailers my frame rate dropping down to as low as 12 (should be 24) and CPU useage no higher than 110%. Is there anyway to tweak quicktime to use more CPU when its definately availble?

Tyler

Not really, the only place you can really touch the processor settings, is by going into the energy saver and changing your performance settings from Automatic, to highest. However others may know of some terminal or CHUD tricks and could chime in with other advice.

The fact that you can play those videos comes as no surprise actually. Some videos at 720P are not actually complex enough to stress some systems, while other at that compression rating will cripple the same systems.

It all depends on what is going on in the video, and what was used to compile it.

 

[TyleRomeo]

Not really, the only place you can really touch the processor settings, is by going into the energy saver and changing your performance settings from Automatic, to highest. However others may know of some terminal or CHUD tricks and could chime in with other advice.

The fact that you can play those videos comes as no surprise actually. Some videos at 720P are not actually complex enough to stress some systems, while other at that compression rating will cripple the same systems.

It all depends on what is going on in the video, and what was used to compile it.

well with a powermac, energy savings can't really be upped. So, maybe apple will tweak quicktime 7 a bit more so that dual machines can use over 150% if needed and availible to playback 720P material. I noticed perfomance definate improved when I upgraded my ati 9000 to an ati 9700. But I guess it's safe to say that a dual 1.25G4 is equal to a single 1.8G5 and still have some life to it. I just wish I could guarantee smooth 720P playback regardless on how complex the video is. With more testing about 90% work fine without a single frame drop.