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Level 1

8 points

Macbook Stuttering, Audio Distortion

Sometimes when watching a Flash movie online, my Macbook will stutter. Not just the video, the whole computer will cease to work for a few seconds. My mouse will be stuck, and the audio will stutter.

Sometimes after the stuttering stops, the audio becomes distorted. I can fix the audio by running the Audio MIDI Setup utility and changing the Output Audio format to a different Hz setting. I can then revert to the previous setting, and the audio stays normal until the next stutter.

I've run the extended Apple Hardware Test, and it found no problems.

I'm still under Apple Care warranty, so if I can't fix it, do you think I could get it fixed at an Apple Store? I've taken it to an Apple Store recently after the hard drive crashed. I mentioned the problem then, but they didn't say anything about it, and I assumed the problem was with the hard drive. The hard drive has been replaced, and the problem still occurs.

2007 Macbook 2.16GHz Core 2 Duo, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Mar 2, 2010 5:33 PM

Best reply

kostby

Level 4

2,940 points

Posted on Mar 3, 2010 7:48 PM

Your processor is momentarily saturated. It's not really a 'defect' that is covered under warranty.

Flash is a widely-known resource hog. It's one of the reasons that Steve Jobs has 'banished' Flash from iPhones and the new iPad, and uses H.264 format video.

Have you also noticed that the fan becomes loud when this is happening? Almost any time the fan starts running at high speed, it's because your processor is working hard and needs additional cooling.

If you look at Activity Monitor when the stuttering occurs, you probably have a combined CPU utilization of the top two or three processes running of more than 100%.

It's also quite possible that the Free memory 'green slice' of the of the System Memory pie chart is quite tiny.

Work-Arounds
1. Run fewer processes/programs. Close and Quit every application that doesn't need to be running while you're watching Flash.

2. Try another browser. Some are better than others at running Flash. I use Safari primarily, but Firefox, Google Chrome, and Opera are also available.

3. Add RAM memory, especially if you still have just 1Gb RAM memory installed. Upgrading to 2Gb or 4Gb (MacBook 2,1 actually only recognizes and utilizes up to 3Gb) will help somewhat. It doesn't cure the processor saturation, but it does give the programs running more 'breathing room' until it reaches the saturation point.

4. ClickToFlash gives you options for how Flash is handled. Free download here --> http://rentzsch.github.com/clicktoflash/

5. H.264 format videos may be less processor intensive.

6. Buy a new Mac with a faster processor and more RAM. Even a 2.26Ghz MacBook Pro does much better than the 2007 2.16, because it uses a low power microprocessor, has 2Gb RAM standard, has a more advanced video chipset, and an unibody aluminum case to help dissipate heat.

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59 replies

Sep 16, 2010 9:43 AM in response to Seroth

It appears, in my case at least, that it might be a heat-related issue. I had been sliding my MacBook underneath the external display, sort of resting on the monitor's foot. I started thinking maybe it wasn't getting good enough ventilation so the other day I took it out and I haven't had a single glitch while watching videos. I do still have the problem playing WoW but maybe it's just putting too much strain on the system.
Right now I have the MacBook on the stand I used to use before I got the external display (it's the Logitech Alto Notebook Stand).
My fans are still running at around 6200 RPM when it's connected to the monitor, though.

Jason P

Level 1

16 points

Sep 17, 2010 9:40 PM in response to Seroth

I'm having the same problem. I tried the solutions listed and they haven't helped. I actually took my Macbook in for a different problem and mentioned the stuttering and that my fan is always on and my genius said he'd never heard of anything like that happening before. I think Apple has to know something about this issue because it's all over the boards. I'm going to take it to a 3rd party Apple repair shop and ask about getting new thermal paste and cleaning out the fan. Any other ideas?

bfabens

Level 1

0 points

Sep 19, 2010 11:05 PM in response to Jason P

I have found that when this happens if I am listening through headphones unplugging the headphones from the audio jack seems to fix this. If it happens when using the internal speakers, plugging a set of headphones into the audio jack causes it to stop. Not sure what this means, but it seems to be a consistent solution for me up to this point.

Sep 22, 2010 2:30 PM in response to bfabens

Is this happening to you when using an external display or the built-in?
I don't use headphones but I do have speakers plugged into the jack.

Sep 24, 2010 9:38 AM in response to Seroth

I'm thinking I'm just going to have to chalk this up to the MacBook not being able to drive a 23" display very well. Makes me a little sad to realize my beloved MacBook is getting long in the tooth. Too bad I can't afford to upgrade right now.

Daeveed

Level 1

0 points

Sep 25, 2010 1:51 PM in response to Michael Napier

I THINK I FIXED THIS!!

At least it's working for me. The solution? I opened my macbook and cleaned up all the dust inside. My CPU is running at least 20 degrees cooler, and the stuttering has completely disappeared when playing or streaming fullscreen, with and without an external display attached.

I followed steps 1 to 12 from here http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Repair/Installing-MacBook-Core-2-Duo-Heat-Sink/524/1 and I emptied a can of compressed anywhere I could see dust. There was a lot of dust inside, especially in the fan area.

I hope this doesn't happen again for a while, as I think the problem will reappear when dust builds up again, but it shouldn't be for at least a year.

I did this today, and I've watched videos and movies for about 3 hours without a single problem, but I will report if this thing reappears so we can all go back to be miserable.

Good luck everyone!

Sep 25, 2010 2:59 PM in response to Daeveed

I decided to give this a go today. Wasn't as easy as I'd hoped. In fact, apparently, when I blew out the dust two small gray plastic pieces flew out as well. I didn't find them until I had put everything back together. They look like spacers or something. I don't know where they go and I hope they aren't too terribly important.
I haven't connected my external display since blowing all the dust out. I guess I'll find out later if it worked or not.

Daeveed

Level 1

0 points

Sep 25, 2010 3:10 PM in response to Michael Napier

The little gray plastic pieces go on the edges of the macbook. One of them came out while I was cleaning it. It looks like they just provide a bit more support to the keyboard piece.

Thnks for that reminder, it's not posted anywhere else.

Sep 25, 2010 5:45 PM in response to Daeveed

Hmmmm.....trying to decide if I want to take it apart again to put them back.

Sep 27, 2010 12:36 PM in response to Seroth

Well I did take it apart and put the pieces back, though I was only to find three of the four.
Anyway, I haven't used the MacBook much yet since the cleaning (connected to the external display) but I see that while the monitor is connected my fan RPM stays at 6200 constantly still. This isn't an encouraging sign to me.

mr_proud

Level 1

9 points

Oct 5, 2010 8:12 AM in response to Seroth

OK everyone - as has been said a couple of times on this thread, the fix is to blow out nearly four years of dust (in my case), using the instructions given here (for replacing a fan...)

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Repair/Installing-MacBook-Core-2-Duo-Fan/522/1

You don't need to remove the fan, but go as far as removing the keyboard, and then you can simply use an air-duster to remove every bit of dust you can find.

Be careful putting it all back together - there are some fiddly plastic clips below the top right of the keyboard - and after fiddling with them (hint- have them in place on the main unit of the computer before trying to put the keyboard back on), I managed to screw my computer back together after displacing the widget that connects keyboard to computer without realising. This meant that after I'd screwed it back together, the power on button did nothing. A worrying moment, until I opened it all up again and found the connection was displaced.

Since then, no stuttering problems listening to audio, watching all types of video, (yes including Flash!)...

*Worth the trouble to do this as it does solve the issue.*

Touch wood....

Oct 5, 2010 9:42 AM in response to mr_proud

I did this and I do think it helped with the problem watching videos, but I still can't play World of Warcraft when connected to the external display.
Also, my fans still run at 6200 RPM pretty much constantly when connected to the monitor.

laurkim

Level 1

8 points

Dec 19, 2010 7:59 PM in response to Seroth

I took my computer apart and blew out nearly 4 years worth of dust with compressed air as suggested and my macbook still stutters while watching video. I can watch video perfectly fine though when I switch to my WindowsXP side via Bootcamp. It's quite annoying to do this though, so any further suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Jan 3, 2011 8:49 AM in response to Seroth

THANK YOU YOU LOVELY PEOPLE FOR THIS FIX.

I've been through **** with this problem for about 6 months. Kept getting stuttering so bad I'd be kernel panicking every day or more. I do a lot of music which had become ruined by the problem, as hard CPU usage on a digital audio workstation would provoke the same stutter and crashing as video.

Went to Apple store a couple of times: the genius said it was my hard drive and that I should reformat or buy a new one. Reformatted; no help. Thankfully I wasn't ready to shell out for a new drive, as I reckon it wouldn't have helped here.

Just completed the dedusting following the guide linked on this thread; and TOUCHWOOD I think I'm back to the old stutter-freeness: I just finished a 10 min loop of a 1080p mov video without and problems. Obviously I will update if I get any trouble, but for now, I'm quietly hopeful...

One tip for anyone about to open up their macbook: I'd recommend lifting out the fan, not just dusting the top of it, as when I did this I found a mass of compacted dust on the left side of the heatsink. I reckon that was the main culprit.

Anyway, good luck to anyone with this problem. Thanks again to the solver, you've saved me so much money, thought I'd have to upgrade!

J

Macbook Stuttering, Audio Distortion