which macs can so 1080p...?

[d.f]

i've tried the spec pages but cannot see if the 1080 output is progressive or interlaced for any of the models....

any idea.?

 

[JAT]

i've tried the spec pages but cannot see if the 1080 output is progressive or interlaced for any of the models....

any idea.?

Which frequency? All of them can do progressive or interlaced. On my 1.66 Intel Mini, I can almost achieve perfect frames-per-second on 30fps 1080 downloaded from the Quicktime site. Odds are good you'd never know the difference unless you're actually watching the info window. For the 24 fps movies, no problem whatsoever. Same goes for our 1.83 Macbook. I assume the faster processors are faster. If there was some 1080p60 out there, it might be tougher.

Still waiting on PC drives for HDDVD or BD. Doubtless any Intel Mac could handle that once they show up. Those discs are generally stored in 1080p24.

I think EyeTV (HD tuner) handles much of its own processing, so even a G4 is fast enough. That would be 1080i max input.

I think I tested the MB with only 512 RAM. I've bumped it to 1.25 since then, should probably test again. If I can get a logic board that functions.

 

[Anonymous Freak]

Do you mean which models are capable of reasonably playing 1080p content, or which ones have video cards capable of outputting 1080p to a monitor?

All modern Macs with DVI output can output 1080p.

Any dual G5 or dual-core Intel Mac (sorry Core Solo mini owners,) can play back 1080p flawlessly. A Power Mac G4 upgraded to dual-processor 1.8 GHz or greater SHOULD be able to do it, but since that was never an official option, Apple doesn't say so. (And I've never seen any tests of it.)

P.S. I've tested my MacBook Pro (see sig) with one core disabled, and it did drop frames on the biggest 1080 QuickTime trailers.

 

[ironic23]

i just ran a bbc HD trailer 1080 from apple's website on my MBP 2ghz, 1.5gb ram, 256mb video card and i got between 12 and 16fps. Both cores were turned on mind you.

 

[JAT]

i just ran a bbc HD trailer 1080 from apple's website on my MBP 2ghz, 1.5gb ram, 256mb video card and i got between 12 and 16fps. Both cores were turned on mind you.

Did you let it download completely before playing? Don't put bandwidth into the equation.

 

[ironic23]

Did you let it download completely before playing? Don't put bandwidth into the equation.

i downloaded the thing and replayed it from my HD. it was downloaded months ago.. hehe.

 

[risc]

i just ran a bbc HD trailer 1080 from apple's website on my MBP 2ghz, 1.5gb ram, 256mb video card and i got between 12 and 16fps. Both cores were turned on mind you.

That is weird I have a MBP 2 GHz, 2 GB RAM, 128 MB video and I get 24 FPS on the BBC motion gallery reel @ 1080p both streamed and downloaded.

 

[dollystereo]

You have a external screen, if it is resized it wont play good.

 

[risc]

You have a external screen, if it is resized it wont play good.

If you are talking to me then no I don't I just played it at 1080p then I shrunk it to fit screen, and 1/2 size none of them drop frames, works fine in full screen too. My MacBook Pro has no problems playing 1080p content. I just checked the CPU usage QuickTime Pro does use around 125% of the 200% available but whatever...

 

[d.f]

thanks

that's clared it up for me.

 

[JAT]

i downloaded the thing and replayed it from my HD. it was downloaded months ago.. hehe.

Very strange. I ran our MB 1.83MHz/512MB and averaged over 23fps on 30fps 1080 from the Quicktime webpages. Also got this fast from my Mini 1.66MHz/2GB. I know I tried 24fps material on one of these (probably the MB) and it was basically solid at 24fps playback.

But you shouldn't have resized it, that defeats the purpose, and probably takes more processor power. It doesn't matter if it doesn't fit on the screen, you'd only really be playing it on a matching screen. But that shouldn't be enough to drop to 12fps.

I would guess that either the video was made poorly or you had some other overhead running. Try a couple other videos for comparison.