Netflix etc dropping frames and audio out of sync on M2 and M3

[mbsdf9345992]

Before I take the leap and upgrade my first-edition touch bar MacBook Pro to an M3, I've been testing the should-be-basic feature of playing NetFlix to a TV from friends and family's M2 (16GB Air) and M3 (8GB Pro) laptops, and I've been highly disappointed with the experience. Video frames are dropped so the show appears to stutter, and voice is out of sync by just enough to be really annoying.

Each time I've tried I've then played the same show from Firefox on my 8 year old laptop via the same USB-C-to-HDMI adapter and HDMI cable and it's been rock solid.

I've read part of the megathread that has been solved by Stillcolor but that seems mostly to be filled with problems displaying relatively static content (designers, developers, discord etc) rather than streaming. Forgive me for not reading all 770+ posts, but does anyone involved think Stillcolour (or similar fixes) will also fix streaming issues like these?

 

[mbsdf9345992]

Forgot to add that it was better, but still not good enough, when using the HDMI port of the M3 MBP.

 

[Chuckeee]

What was the intended TV resolution and frame rate?

 

[mbsdf9345992]

What was the intended TV resolution and frame rate?

I didn't check the detail but it was just aTV show so I'm guessing 1080p (Full HD) at probably just 30Hz. Nothing big, fast, or clever.

 

[meson]

Are you just using the TV's builtin speakers? Passing audio to a soundbar or speaker system can lead to some sync issues that need adjustment, usually within the TV's audio settings.

 

[mbsdf9345992]

Yes, just built in speaker. Again, just the most basic thing, which is why I'm surprised it wasn't rock solid

 

[mbsdf9345992]

Did a bit more testing just now...

• TV is Sony KDL-40W705C (pretty old now).
• On the old touch bar MBP 15" with Monterey 12.7.4, the left side USB-C ports give no or staticy picture. The right side ones streams Netflix happily in 1080p, using Safari 17.4.1.
• On the new M2 Air, just upgraded to Sonoma 14.4.1, the USB-C port closest to the MagSafe port gives no picture. The one further away also streams Netflix happily in 1080p, using Safari 17.4.1.
• When there is picture, display settings on the laptop (either one) show a 60Hz refresh rate and 1920x1080 resolution.

Whhaaaat!? Has anyone else experienced strangeness like this with apparently identical ports not working identically? Maybe my old MBP is a bit knackered, but on a brand new Apple laptop?

The USB-C to HDMI adapter is a Startech CDP2HD4K60W.

 

[BrianBaughn]

You probably need to test with different cables/adapters.

 

[TechnoMonk]

Did a bit more testing just now...

• TV is Sony KDL-40W705C (pretty old now).
• On the old touch bar MBP 15" with Monterey 12.7.4, the left side USB-C ports give no or staticy picture. The right side ones streams Netflix happily in 1080p, using Safari 17.4.1.
• On the new M2 Air, just upgraded to Sonoma 14.4.1, the USB-C port closest to the MagSafe port gives no picture. The one further away also streams Netflix happily in 1080p, using Safari 17.4.1.
• When there is picture, display settings on the laptop (either one) show a 60Hz refresh rate and 1920x1080 resolution.

Whhaaaat!? Has anyone else experienced strangeness like this with apparently identical ports not working identically? Maybe my old MBP is a bit knackered, but on a brand new Apple laptop?

The USB-C to HDMI adapter is a Startech CDP2HD4K60W.

from the link. try different cable/adapter.

• MAC USERS: This product may experience display detection issues with certain models of Mac. If you’re experiencing issues please contact our technical support. For hassle-free compatibility with Mac we recommend CDP2HD4K60H

 

[mbsdf9345992]

from the link. try different cable/adapter.

Oh, pretty sure that wasn't there when I bought the adapter this time last year! Does that explain the difference in behaviour between ports though? Or the dropped frames/sync issues on the older version of Sonoma? Anyway, thanks for pointing that out.

The M2 Air could also play Netflix 4K into an LG 27UL850 via USB-C, FWIW.

 

[TechnoMonk]

Oh, pretty sure that wasn't there when I bought the adapter this time last year! Does that explain the difference in behaviour between ports though? Or the dropped frames/sync issues on the older version of Sonoma? Anyway, thanks for pointing that out.

The M2 Air could also play Netflix 4K into an LG 27UL850 via USB-C, FWIW.

Email their support and ask for a replacement to other recommended cable. If the OEM mentions about issues with mac, it should be the first step.