Blocky and Pixelated Dark Scenes when watching videos (Netflix/Youtube/Movies)

This exact problem happens on two of my MBPs, they're from 2015 and 2019. None of the cursor size adjustment fixes, system preference fixes (e.g. color to Apple RGB, Nightshift off, etc.), or internet browser swaps fix the issue. This is absolute BULLSH*T, and fairly typical of Apple Support to do nothing about the issue except provide a forum for the proletariate to sound off to deaf ears. How can machines that cost $2k display have such utter garbage video display?

Hello.

I am having the same problem, and this 'expert' answer is not useful at all!!! I tried the things that where mention in the other post and nothing.

Any useful advice? I have a 2014 macbook air.

Cheers

@dandraandi: I just tried a comparison between Chrome & Safari. Safari is, if anything, worse on mine. (Also new 2019 13inch macbook pro.)

Hello

Welcome to Apple Support Communities!

I understand from your post that while watching videos on your MacBook dark scenes are pixelated. I am happy to help.

Take a look at the article below for help watching videos on your MacBook.

If you can't stream or watch video content from the iTunes Store or third-party apps

Let me know if you have any questions.

Have a great day!

Ah, yes, so much better! Thanks so much for the advice!

I cant find Apple RGB in display profile. There's Adobe RGB and sRGB

Thank you! Your cursor 'voodoo' is the only thing that worked.

Great to hear! I found I had to redo the setting every now again to keep it working but I’m glad it’s helped.

I've got this, too. I just bought this thing last summer, and it's infuriating that the picture is so terrible, since watching vids is about half of what I use it for.

I've tried all of the options listed below,

• System Preferences-->Displays-->Color-->Color LCD.
• System Preferences>Displays>Display>Toggle off Automatically adjust brightness, and toggle off True Tone, Then click Night Shift and try turning that off.

I've done all of these things, and none of it helps.

I'm betting it's a processing or rendering problem, because when I do a screen cap, it comes out just as clean as you please.

I also notice this issue doesn't show up on a movie I just watched on iTunes. Hmm.....

I've also noticed that it cleans up a little bit when I jiggle my mouse, or otherwise interact with the computer while the vid is playing. It's almost like it waits until it thinks you're not paying attention, and then starts truncating the image quality.

The article linked below by chris_g1 Community Specialist is completely useless. As far as I can tell, I'm the only one on my network, and I'm running ethernet, not wifi, which is supposed to be faster anyway.

I'm having the exact same problem with my Macbook Pro 2018. I always thought that it's just Netflix or the Wifi-Connection but found out that on my friends 2015 Macbook Pro everything just looks fine.

And yes, the link above is really not helpful.

Thanks for the update! I tried doing that, but you can still see the pixelation, but it does seem a little better. With my googling, i think the problem is called color banding, but I don't know enough about graphics to understand if it's a problem that can be fixed or if it's because of the graphics card used in the machine. I was planning to call Apple to complain and see if they can fix it, but I haven't had the time/wanted to. I'm just ****** that it seems my more expensive laptop looks worse than my old one!

Hi

I have been having the same issue when watching Netflix or Prime on Safari.

I have a late 2016 MacBook Pro (13-inch), and have had this issue since I bought the MacBook at the end of 2016.

It used to not happen when streaming on Firefox, but I have now been having the problem on Firefox as well.

Does anyone know whether this is a software or hardware issue?

System Preferences-->Displays-->Color-->Color LCD.

That fixed the problem on my MacBook Pro. Try opening a video that you're having the problem with and cycle through different color display profiles.

I posted a comment as a direct reply to Chris_g1 above, but it lands at the bottom, not associated with the comment I'm replying to, so I wanted to delete it. Is there seriously no way to delete a comment?

I've tried everything listed above plus everything linked in the article. I also contacted Apple support over the phone. I turned in my MacBook Air and got another one to see if the issue was with the device but still had the same problem. I turned in my 2nd laptop for a MacBook Pro and the issue was worse on the Pro. It seems that this issue is standard across all new MacBooks. I'm incredibly frustrated with the poor design and the lack of support from Apple.