MP 1,1-5,1 Mac Pro with RX 580 GPU can't play 4k without stuttering

[archdelux]

Wondering if my system simply isn't powerful enough or if I need to try something else.

I have a Mac Pro (early 2009), 2.8Ghz 6-core Intel Xeaon, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD startup disk, Radean RX 580 8GB GPU. Hooked up to three monitors - 4k, 1080p and another one. I am running Mojave 10.14.6

Whenever I try to play 4k clips that I record on gopro or my drone it's SUPER choppy. I can play 1080 clips and they are very smooth. Is my system simply not powerful enough or if not do you guys have any tips to troubleshoot or fix the issue?

Tried with just the single 4k monitor plugged in (intsead of 3) but same issue. Tried with files recorded in h.264 vs HEVC/h.265 same issue with either one. Files being played from SSD.

 

[chaosbunny]

I used to play and edit 4k videos from my Sony a7s II on a 2010 Mac Pro with a similar configuration just fine. I still have that machine, the main difference is that I upgraded the cpu to the 3,46 ghz 6-core Xeon.

Do you have the 4k files on the 1TB SSD or on a separate regular HD? I couldn't play the 4k videos from a regular HD either, from a SSD it was no problem.

Maybe create a new user and try playing the videos to see if it's some kind of software issue. Maybe something running in the background is eating up precious resources.

 

[mattspace]

Wondering if my system simply isn't powerful enough or if I need to try something else.

I have a Mac Pro (early 2009), 2.8Ghz 6-core Intel Xeaon, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD startup disk, Radean RX 580 8GB GPU. Hooked up to three monitors - 4k, 1080p and another one. I am running Mojave 10.14.6

Whenever I try to play 4k clips that I record on gopro or my drone it's SUPER choppy. I can play 1080 clips and they are very smooth. Is my system simply not powerful enough or if not do you guys have any tips to troubleshoot or fix the issue?

Tried with just the single 4k monitor plugged in (intsead of 3) but same issue. Tried with files recorded in h.264 vs HEVC/h.265 same issue with either one. Files being played from SSD.

The first thing that comes to mind, is how compressed are they? I know the full fat 15gb 1080p/60 videos from my little Sony action cam play and scrub a lot more smoothly than the 3gb h264 compressed versions I output from Handbrake.