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Sherlock and DVD problems in Panther!!!

Lyra

Lyra

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 23, 2003
344
0
Beta Colony, Alpha City
I have this serious problem on my G5 1.8 Pioneer superdrive... When I watch a movie, sometimes, the screen or the DVD window is full of small green dots... I have no idea what they are and why they appear...

I took a shot of it so I hope some one out there can help me... PLEASE!!

Also Sherlock in Panther does not have any channels... Just does not show up...

Why?

Please help, I just don't know what to do..

Look !!!!!!
 

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I had the same problem with Sherlock. I removed the cache, preferences, and plist file in my Library folder and then everything worked fine.

I think the Jaguar version and the Panther version did not play well. Hope this helps.
 
WOW!

Kershman!

You are the MAN!!!!!!

Thanks it worked like a charm!!!! Now if I can only figure out what to do with my DVD player...

:(

Thanks, I owe you the farm!
 
I'm glad it worked. I can't help with the DVD player, mine seems to work fine. LOTR looks awesome on it.

Maybe someone else here has had the DVD problem and has a fix.
 
I have this exact same problem with my stock G5 1.8 Pioneer superdrive. Any luck with a fix yet ? or do you think this is a hardware issue. I hope I don't have to send my machine back to Apple, I have way to much work right now and can't afford to be without it.
 
Will let you know...

Well, I talked to Apple for an hour. The bottom line is that we think it is a defective Video card, and that is not good. Fortunately I was able to talk the guy into letting me come over with the Vid card instead of the entire machine and have it replaced with a new one. So I will let you know if that did it for me, will do that on Monday.

However, I don't think it has anything to do with the driver, as I have seen people report the same errors on a SONY superdrive.

So it is as far as I can tell something to do with the AGP card. I hope it isn't an error on the entire mother board...

However I implore you to talk to apple about your problem as they are building up a case as we speak. This can save a lot of people who are having the same issues...

I'll keep you posted...
 
Thanks for the update!

Thanks for the update Lyra. Yea I figured that the problem could be found by swapping out either the video card or the superdrive. I'm hoping its not the entire motherboard though. I wouldn't be surprised if something else is wrong with my machine since it hasn't been very stable from day 1. Under Jaguar I had several Kernel panics and crashes as well as the Green dots in DVD player. Installing panther last week I hoped the dots would disappear along with the crashes. However they didn't and the crashes, well they just got worse on Panther. I have had about 10 kernel panics in two weeks and the machine will only run for about 2-3 hours max before everything locks up and the fans start to scream louder then they do with the plastic side off!!!!

Coming from using an WinXP machine as my primary working computer I'm not to impressed with my G5. I'm determined to get this worked out however because I'm sure after a few OS updates and maybe a new video card or whatever the problem is it will be a great computer. Between crashes it amazing.
 
Ok, try this...

Crap, I think you have a more serious problem then the AGP card or superdrive. I would recommend calling Apple right away to hear if they can help you...

In the mean time please try to reset your Hardware, do a fix on your permissions, check your HD via the startup disc, zap the PRAM and if all else fails, do a reinstall of Panther.

I did a erase and install on mine not the archive and update, it is not always the best thing to do...

As for apps quitting on me, well that happens to me too every now and then, but not the big apps. Not yet. Remember, when ever you install something big, do a permissions fix.

As for the Hardware reset : do this :

Restart and hold down O and F and apple key. Once the screen comes up let go and write :

reset-nvram (press enter, response : ok)
set-defaults (press enter, response : ok)
reset-all (Press enter, auto restart and your system will boot again...)

Then do all the other things I mentioned...

Hope it works... Sounds you have a sick baby on your hands...

In the mean time look at the post I posted on apples web, others are suffering the same problems as we do...

http://discussions.info.apple.com/webx?128@24.p2kdaz1Uiai.12@.599a9603
 
Thanks for the tips

I tried everything you said and I always have repaired permissions after installs. The machine still locks up all the time. One thing I did that helped was disconnecting my epson scanner and uninstaled the drivers. That seems to have cut down on kernel panics. I found something about epson scanner problems under panther over at Hardmac

http://www.hardmac.com/niouzcontenu.php?date=2003-10-20#836

I haven't contacted Apple yet about the green dots since no one else seems to be getting a response on how this will be handled. Since there are so many other problems with my machine besides the dots i figure I should just bring my machine back to my dealer and get them to figure all this out.
 
Update on Green Spots!

Hi all...

Boy don't you just feel cheated with the dual 1.8Ghz G5? I sure do, thanks a lot Apple... What a stab in the back... :mad:

I have had my G5 for a month with tons of problems and now? I see my machine is outdated... That sure went fast...

Oh well, I have some new info on the Green dots issue...

New AGP card did not solve the problem:

I spoke to Apple, and we agreed to change the AGP card in hopes of that being the culprit and with a new one the problem would be solved.
Well sad to report, even with a new AGP card the green dots were still present. So that did not work.

And I did a test to see if it was the Superdrive its self, well it wasn't as I tried a firewire DVD player and it had the very same problem.

Here are the things that cannot be responsible for the green dots :

It isn't the : Superdrive (even those with Sony drives report same errors)
It isn't the : The AGP card that is installed (both models)
It isn't the : The DVD player in OS X or OS X in general
It isn't the : The monitors or loose cables
It isn't the : Any Firmware problem

It is how ever bad luck that we got stuck with a sick G5.

Here is what I have done so far, after checking that all the cables are firmly in place :

1st try : Zapping the PRAM.
Effect : (none)
2nd try : Trashing the the pref. files for DVD player.
Effect : (none)
3rd try : Did a hardware reset.
Effect : (none)
4th try : Reinstalled original System as a clean install.
Effect : (none)
5th try : Updated to 10.3 once again.
Effect : (none)
6th try : I repaired the permissions.
Effect : (none)
7th try : I did a hardware test from the DVD disc.
Effect : (no errors)
8th try : I said some insulting things to my G5.
Effect : (none)
9th try : Removing original Apple 512MB RAM & replacing it with new ones I got from Kingston.
Effect : (Bingo!!! Well so far...)

Aha! the 9th try, there was something there!

I bought a set of 256MBs of RAM from Kingston, those I installed into my G5. So I was fortunate to try and replace my RAM blocks with those the G5 came with.

The ones that were installed in my G5 from birth were a set of 256MB Ram blocks from Samsung.

I took those out and replaced them in the same socket as the originals were with my own Kingston memory blocks to see if it made any difference.

To my surprise it did!

This explains a few things...

People say when they restart their machines the green dots disappear. That is correct. I experienced it as well... At first I thought it had to be a heat issue as it got worse the more you used the computer. However, a fast restart simply solved the problem, for a while... Even-though all the components were still hot...

But, if you do a restart, you zap your ram, that in its self make more sense. Empty ram blocks makes it work for a while till it simply clogs up again and the green dots reappear. Well that is the best way I can explain it with out getting too technical...

So, at the moment I am testing the machine, and the green dots have not reappeared on my machine so far.

Another thing is that I have less applications that unexpectedly quit. Before changing my ram, I had apps. that quit all the time... This is another issue one would have with a bad memory block...

So I ask you good people to try, removing the original RAM you got with your G5 and replacing it with new ones to see if that solves your problem.

We might have a cure after all...

Now if only I could fix my poor reception on my AirPort base station that would be smashing...

Good luck people!

PS. please report back with results!
 
Hey all, I can't get my DVD player to play any of my DVD's.

Yes, they are all region 1.

When I put in a DVD, DVD player opens, in a small window, then doesn't play back at all. If I click play, it says "not permitted."

I checked my preferences, they are all set to play a DVD upon the loading of the DVD.

Help!:eek:
 
I was just wondering if you tried any other video players for DVDs, like VLC (Video Lan Client) or if only in DVD Player do you get the spots. What about fullscreen playback in QTP 6.4? Same deal? Is it in all of the DVDs you own? What about full-screen DV playback in iMovie or FCP or in any other types of video media files mpeg1, .mp4 or .mov? Same problem? What if you create a VIDEO_TS folder and play it back with VLC or DVD Player?
 
Yeah it happens even when having a DVD on your HD. As I say, even with an external DVD player it has the spots...

QT works fine, but that is a different format all together. It is the VOB files or the VIDEO-TS folder...

And the LAN players work fine too... So it is not a software error.
 
Originally posted by Lyra
Yeah it happens even when having a DVD on your HD. As I say, even with an external DVD player it has the spots...

QT works fine, but that is a different format all together. It is the VOB files or the VIDEO-TS folder...

And the LAN players work fine too... So it is not a software error.
Click to expand...

so you are saying that the video lan client works fine? Surely that means it IS a software issue if DVD player doesn't work?

Have you tried swapping out your RAM like the previous poster? It worked for him.
 
I am the previous poster...

I think we misunderstood each other... I thought you were asking me...

Anyway, I have had the problem with the DVD player in 10.2.7 though 10.3.1 and so, it has to be a software/hardware communication problem... However, since I have changed my RAM, I get less apps that quit...

So...

Sorry, I though you were asking me...
 
Originally posted by Lyra
I am the previous poster...

I think we misunderstood each other... I thought you were asking me...

Anyway, I have had the problem with the DVD player in 10.2.7 though 10.3.1 and so, it has to be a software/hardware communication problem... However, since I have changed my RAM, I get less apps that quit...

So...

Sorry, I though you were asking me...
Click to expand...

yeah i think iwas talking to you and somebody else, but i'm not sure who, i must have been a bit confused :) .

Does everything work alright for you now? What I meant about VLC is does it work for video_ts folders? I guess not but it would appear from your post that it did. If that is the case then surely its the DVD player App that is at fault?

I was suggesting ther people try this swapping otu of RAM that you did as that may solve their problems too. Seems like a relatively easy fix. if it works
 
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