I watch full length features on my MBA full screen all the time and have never had an issue. They play perfectly.
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MacBook Air EFI update 1.0
- Thread starter dzhiurgis
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I watch full length features on my MBA full screen all the time and have never had an issue. They play perfectly.
This round of updates fixed something on my Air. Not seeing my wi-fi connection dropping out constantly like it used to. Seems like all the problems I was having are gone now.
Thanks
Thanks
On an external display? I also watched movies full screen without problems on the internal display, but with an external display connected, that's a different story.
And yes, there are knowledge base articles concerning core shutdown with heavy GPU use, but this still doesn't explain why kernel_task goes up to ~60% CPU usage. If there would be just a core shutdown, that wouldn't be that much of a problem. But with such a high CPU usage, video framerate goes down to about 5 to 10 fps.
Since I consider the MBA as a ultraportable, I never considered using this w/ an external monitor to watch movies. I use it when traveling and as my daily portable.
I've installed that new EFI firmware. For sure, it improves things. It seems like Windows can handle CPU intense applications more easily. And, it seems to overheat a bit less. Now, instead of throttling down to 200 MHz (Windows XP), it goes down to 366 MHz. That's some kind of improvement. But still, I could manage to make the CPU throttle with a 4 years old shooter in Windows. So, there's still need for improvement.
Fan going nuts after EFI update
I just installed the EFI update and my fan has been pegged at 6200 rpm ever since. Restart did not help - anyone else having this issue?
I just installed the EFI update and my fan has been pegged at 6200 rpm ever since. Restart did not help - anyone else having this issue?
my experience is somewhat the opposite. my fan used to max out for like 10 min after i watched youtube. now it comes down much quicker. also, overall the machine runs cooler as well
I am seeing the same thing. Hopefully, it will stay this way
It's funny because I was LITERALLY on the phone to Apple about this when I nonchalantly clicked the Software Update button, and it found the firmware. While I was on hold, I had installed and rebooted the MacBook Air and saw the time to charge dropped from 7:45 to 3:29 (from 20%-or-so charge). I hung up.
**EDIT**
Seems like I may have been wrong. Now it's at 40% with 5:35 till charged. Weird....
It's funny because I was LITERALLY on the phone to Apple about this when I nonchalantly clicked the Software Update button, and it found the firmware. While I was on hold, I had installed and rebooted the MacBook Air and saw the time to charge dropped from 7:45 to 3:29 (from 20%-or-so charge). I hung up.
**EDIT**
Seems like I may have been wrong. Now it's at 40% with 5:35 till charged. Weird....
Mine was doing great, until it hit 75%. It went from 55 minutes until fully charged to 2 hours and 18 minutes to fully charged. Enough of this trickle stuff. Charge the battery. How hard could this be to figure out
Grrrr.Mine was doing great, until it hit 75%. It went from 55 minutes until fully charged to 2 hours and 18 minutes to fully charged. Enough of this trickle stuff. Charge the battery. How hard could this be to figure out
This is beyond annoying. I can't believe I go to bed at around midnight and when I leave at around 8am, the battery still isn't charged! GAH!!
I do not think that it is fair to compare the Macbook Air with the Macbook because they have different designs. If the form factor and size were the same, then it is a fair comparison.
You need to reset PRAM - do the COPS procedure
turn the darn thing off, plugin to charge and press Control-Option-Power-Shift. Hold for like 10-30 seconds. Start the darn thing again and you are done.
This update did nothing to my MBA except add one second to the shutdown time, instead of two seconds it now takes three - my battery charge time is still quick, like it was before. I never had a problem with wifi and in my office we have the worst wifi and my MBA is the only computer that doesn't drop out.
You need to reset PRAM - do the COPS procedure
I wish that worked on my system. I've reset my PRAM several times and it's never made a difference. I talked to AppleCare last week about this and they told me it was "normal".
Was looking at that article earlier on the Apple site and noticed that you must use only the LEFT Ctrl-Option-Shift keys then press power. The article is here for reference:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303319
Not sure if that makes a difference for anyone?
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303319
Not sure if that makes a difference for anyone?
Man am I glad that I returned the macbook air before my 2 weeks was up and will happily wait for next rev. b with 45nm and more features. And hopefully the fan issue/cpu/heat issue gets addressed. =D
LOL. And we'll all be enjoying our MBAs while you wait. And then when you're disappointed in the next revision, we'll still be enjoying our MBAs.
LOL. And we'll all be enjoying our MBAs while you wait. And then when you're disappointed in the next revision, we'll still be enjoying our MBAs.
Lol, you mean you'll be selling the current mba's on ebay when the newer much cooler, non loud fan, 45nm, fw400/800 port (I believe there will be fw because of the more features could be added with more room with the 45nm architecture, maybe the air vent moved to the top portion like the mbs and mbps, ssd's will be cheaper so no need for 4200rpm, or we could be all surprised and apple shrinks the next revision of the mba with the montevina platform (which I think is more likely).
I've learned from time to time that revision a has always some problems and that rev. b is always far better, it was true with the powerbooks first rev. g3,g4 and I even owned the mbp core duo 1.83ghz rev. a with the inverter/heat/fan issues as well.
But if your satisfied with your mba then by all means enjoy it but for others like me who returned it or waiting for rev. b, I'm 100% positive it will be much better in performance/features as to the current mba.
I believe rev. a machines are always the "beta" machines to see what the public would want more features on and pretty much implement it on the next revision. Same was as the mbp when there was no fw800 and then next revision magically appeared as well as the dual layer burners too.
One thing to note is that I met with someone who used to work for apple (now ironically works for microsoft) from cupertino that was vacationing down here in houston texas. We actually met up because he was interested in buying my 17" mbp the rev. b model the 2nd iteration after the switch to intel back a year ago that I listed on craigslist that he wanted for his sister.
Anyways we met up at starbucks and had a good long chat about how things worked in Apple and why he moved to microsoft and he was in the engineering department in cupertino. I asked him about whats up with the rev. a and he responded to me with a bit of a laughter, "oh you mean the beta or prototype machine?"
Anyways long story short, he told me and even warned me from buying rev. a machines because he did tell me that they always dont fully add all the features in rev. a machines because usually its so new in development that apple kind of puts it out there to see how well it sells + what users want/cry about to add in their next revision, which he saids its what the final real production is.
He did tell me the reason why he moved to microsoft is that microsoft actually take better care of him/treats him better and their not stingy... that's just from his own words.
Except for the fact that no one here CARES what changed on your macbook.
this is the macbook air forum. DUN DUN DUN