i mean... my MacBook can't even play 1080p, and it's .2GHz faster w/4GB RAM and a better gfx card (right?)
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Will the 11.6" Play YouTube 1080p HD Full Screen Smoothly?
- Thread starter re2st
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You need to leverage the hardware decoding support in the great NVIDIA GPU in this machine to play back 1080p.
If you install Flash 10.1 which has hardware decoding support then yes it will definitely be no problem.
Quicktime will be accelerated out of the box so no worries there either.
If you wanna play back movies in MKV containers with x264 codecs I suggest Plex from http://plexapp.com. It's a great media center player that also support hardware decoding. You might have to turn it on in its Preferences first though!
All this is only true as long the 1080p is in h264/x264, but this is true for 95% of the material on the net.
If for some reason you can't use hardware decoding and have to fall back to software decoding (via CPU) because you are not playing h264 or you are using an incapable player then 1080p will not work fluidly. My personal observation is that you need a C2D with around 2.2 GHz (maybe the 2.13 Air can barely do it) for fluid CPU decoding of 1080p. And you need around 1.75 GHz for typical 720p so it would be enough if you have the 1.86 Air or higher.
If you install Flash 10.1 which has hardware decoding support then yes it will definitely be no problem.
Quicktime will be accelerated out of the box so no worries there either.
If you wanna play back movies in MKV containers with x264 codecs I suggest Plex from http://plexapp.com. It's a great media center player that also support hardware decoding. You might have to turn it on in its Preferences first though!
All this is only true as long the 1080p is in h264/x264, but this is true for 95% of the material on the net.
If for some reason you can't use hardware decoding and have to fall back to software decoding (via CPU) because you are not playing h264 or you are using an incapable player then 1080p will not work fluidly. My personal observation is that you need a C2D with around 2.2 GHz (maybe the 2.13 Air can barely do it) for fluid CPU decoding of 1080p. And you need around 1.75 GHz for typical 720p so it would be enough if you have the 1.86 Air or higher.
Not exactly. I have a 1.4ghz/Flash 10.1 and 1080p YouTube is NOT completely smooth. It's very watchable but definitely skips frames. I would guess 20fps.
Thanks! I guess that answers my question. I wonder if the step-up version (1.6 11") will be a different story.
really? GPU is the same in 11" and 13" right? then why 13" can play 1080p and not the 11"
this is concerning, 11" MBA cannot play 1080p...
this is concerning, 11" MBA cannot play 1080p...
Man flash must be terrible on OSX, because as I have said a few times, my Vaio TT has the same cpu(a bit slower) and the intel 4500HD, and no problems ever, even before 10.1 came out. I could always play heavy 1080 youtube files without a hick up at all. Adobe needs to get their flash game fixed on OSX.
Pardon my possible ignorance, but the 11.6" Air's screen isn't even built to play things in 1080 is it? I mean, the resolution is what? 1366x768? Isn't that closer to 720p native? Why care about 1080?
Yes. You are right...
i owned Reb C 128 ssd that one...
cannot run youtube 1080p smooth on mac os.
but can run it smooth in windows by bootcamp...
It is my main concern to buy new macbk air.
If you want to hook it up to your HD tv, which isn't internet capable, there a reason to have it/support it.
It's really not that concerning. How much good 1080p content is there on YouTube?
it is entertainment machine right (if not work horse), if it cannot play youtube video what is the use?
i think (believe), Ipad can handle 1080p on you tube...
i am not so sure also, just checking, $999 machine better be good.
Haha, exactly. What's the point of 1080p when it needs to be scaled down? Madness.
I don't have a direct answer to the OP's question specifically to 1080p.
But I thought the PCMag review was rather revealing as to what we perceive as speed.
Which do you think is "faster" in day to day use?:
1) Non-Apple notebook that can encode a video 4x quicker, run photoshop filters twice as fast, yet stutters on most videos or games that you throw at it because it's a third as fast?
2) An Apple notebook that is some 2-4x slower in accomplishing heavy lifting tasks such as encoding, photoshop or ripping, but videos and games run silky smooth?
Without a basis of comparison, I wouldn't notice that the Apple notebook was slower for heavy lifting tasks as long as they get done. It's when things become sluggish, jerky, or outright stop that I think I need a faster computer. I don't perceive speed with a stopwatch in day to day activities, but whether or not it appeared effortless.
While I don't know if 1080p will run smoothly on the 11.6 MBA, I suspect it will be better than anything in it's class.
But I thought the PCMag review was rather revealing as to what we perceive as speed.
Which do you think is "faster" in day to day use?:
1) Non-Apple notebook that can encode a video 4x quicker, run photoshop filters twice as fast, yet stutters on most videos or games that you throw at it because it's a third as fast?
2) An Apple notebook that is some 2-4x slower in accomplishing heavy lifting tasks such as encoding, photoshop or ripping, but videos and games run silky smooth?
Without a basis of comparison, I wouldn't notice that the Apple notebook was slower for heavy lifting tasks as long as they get done. It's when things become sluggish, jerky, or outright stop that I think I need a faster computer. I don't perceive speed with a stopwatch in day to day activities, but whether or not it appeared effortless.
While I don't know if 1080p will run smoothly on the 11.6 MBA, I suspect it will be better than anything in it's class.
I hate hate hate Flash Ads too. They are too annoying, tacky & intrusive.
However, there is a quick & painless solution to kill'em all:
http://clicktoflash.com/
Whoever write this simple plug'in: hero & genius
I hate hate hate Flash Ads too. They are too annoying, tacky & intrusive.
However, there is a quick & painless solution to kill'em all:
http://clicktoflash.com/
Whoever write this simple plug'in: hero & genius
When you have Safari 5, there is also a ClickToFlash Extension now, that seems to work even better than the original Click To Flash
I would disagree there, as the only advantage the Air has over the rest of the class is the gpu. For some reason Flash runs better on windows, and as noted my Vaio TT with a lower gpu and same cpu can do 1080 videos(be it youtube or downloaded trailers) smoothly, without ANY lag. What is the point of the better gpu if hardware accelerated for some reason wont take full advantage of that? Don't get me wrong I want the 11.6in Air(and may trade my Vaio for one), but there a few things that are holding me from getting it, and the fact that my Vaio can run any 1080 video via hdmi without any lag is one of then.
Alright. I just played with both the 11" and 13" base models at an Apple Store. I can confirm that NEITHER can play 1080p YouTube HD full screen stutter-free.
The 11" is unwatchable, looks like a slideshow. The 13" stutters every 5 seconds or so.
Too bad. The 11" is REALLY REALLY sexy. It would have been perfect. Well, I guess can't have everything in life.
Now I'm really worried if the maxed-out 13" can play 1080p YouTube HD full screen stutter free. Guess I'll find out when I get it..
The 11" is unwatchable, looks like a slideshow. The 13" stutters every 5 seconds or so.
Too bad. The 11" is REALLY REALLY sexy. It would have been perfect. Well, I guess can't have everything in life.
Now I'm really worried if the maxed-out 13" can play 1080p YouTube HD full screen stutter free. Guess I'll find out when I get it..
Was that while streaming from the Internet or after it had been locally cached? A bit crap if it goes into slideshow mode when playing locally cached 1080p content.