DVD Player just displays static

Question

DVD Player just displays static

Well, it's kind of hard to explain, but here is a screenshot of what DVD Player can look like when I try to play a movie: http://showmac.com/dvdstatic.jpg

It seems to display random bits and parts from other on-screen gui elements. Like windows and menu bars. Sometimes it's just garbage, like in the screenshot. Other times one can clearly see iChat buddylists and such, sticking by in the DVD window.

Once the "static" is in place, the "timer" will keep progressing, as if it was playing the movie. No picture though. And no sound, or fragments of sound with quite a few seconds delay.

On top of all this, DVD Player seems to hog 110% of the CPU while doing this "nothing". Trying to stop the playback can take quite a few seconds. And attepting to open a tiny app like Preview.app would take 5 minutes (no kidding).

Weirdest thing is: VLC plays all movies fine. And the issues stay when playing DVD disk images or video_ts folders. So it can't be a faulty drive?

I have tried deleting the DVD Player prefs file, and the Application Support folder. Plus running the cron tasks. Any other suggestions? Running 10.4.3.

12" PowerBook 1GHz, Mac OS X (10.4.3)

Posted on Dec 9, 2005 4:36 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 28, 2005 5:12 AM in response to a brody

Did some more testing. Installed a fresh copy of 10.4 on a FW disk. Worked flawless. Upgraded to 10.4.3 (plus DVD Player 4.6 and then 4.6.1 and iTunes and QuickTime and whatever else was in SWUPDATE) - broken again.

Did a new fresh install of 10.4 - works great. Tried using the DVD Player from 10.4 (4.5) on my main install of 10.4.3 - didn't work any better.

Conclusion: something that is NOT the DVD Player app, and not within my users folder, is broken in 10.4.3 and not broken in 10.4. Drivers? Frameworks? Any ideas what files, if any, I could try moving from my 10.4 install, and onto my 10.4.3?

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Answer 2

a brody

Level 10

85,314 points

Dec 9, 2005 5:56 AM in response to Andreas Tellefsen

This may be an issue with the GPU not working properly. Do you have the original installation disks which came with your machine? You may want to run an extended hardware test to determine if there is an issue with the GPU.

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Answer 3

Dec 10, 2005 7:07 AM in response to a brody

I ran the Hardware Test disk today. Everything seems OK from a hardware perspective. Any other ideas?

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Answer 4

a brody

Level 10

85,314 points

Dec 10, 2005 7:12 AM in response to Andreas Tellefsen

How much RAM do you have? Do you have any extra widgets installed? How much free disk space do you have?

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Answer 5

Dec 10, 2005 8:28 AM in response to a brody

I've 1.25 GB RAM and right now about 1 GB free disk space (on boot drive). I've had about 8 GB free at the most, still with problems.

I disabled the following 3rd-party widgets: Hula Girl ( http://www.johnwilliams713.com/hula/), Flidget ( http://zooibaai.nl/archives/2005/05/01/of-design-mac-and-flickr) and Widget Television VF2 (I see VF3 is out now) ( http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/19539)

I then inserted the Madagascar DVD I got today. And it actually plays! No idea if it was releated to the fact I disabled the mentioned widgets. I'm also running the PB hooked up to a TV now, over the usual Dell display.

When I get back home to my collection I will investigate further. I wouldn't hold my breath, but it sure would be nice if the problem was solved.

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Answer 6

a brody

Level 10

85,314 points

Dec 10, 2005 7:19 PM in response to Andreas Tellefsen

I would also begin clearing your hard disk space. 1 GB is very tight for Mac OS X to work with. Backup what you don't need to another drive.

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Answer 7

Dec 13, 2005 4:15 AM in response to a brody

Alright, too quick there. No improvements. Tried another disk today, and it didn't work. Not sure if the first one still works (I don't have it here). But seems it could be a sporadic problem? Ie. only experienced with certain disks.

Tried creating a new user - same problem.
Tried installing the 10.4.3 COMBO update - still same problem.

Since the fresh user didn't work, I take it there is no use cleaning the caches?

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Answer 8

a brody

Level 10

85,314 points

Dec 13, 2005 6:04 AM in response to Andreas Tellefsen

You could try cleaning the cache at the system level and restarting, though I'm thinking it is a corrupt preference somewhere or perhaps a damaged driver file somewhere. When you installed 10.4, you did use the retail installer disk?

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Answer 9

Dec 20, 2005 6:28 AM in response to a brody

Yes I have installed from the original disks. I'm thinking maybe I should re-install from the disks and onto an external drive, just to check.

But: I have found the culprit. Multiple monitors. When I hook up either my Dell, or my TV, it works flawless if I use video mirroring. But not when I use them as two individual displays (internal + dell OR tv). The Dell is hooked up with DVI, and the TV with s-video. I know the 32MB 5200fx is not a very powerful GPU - but come on, it's a DVD! And like I mentioned, it works fine with VLC. To be honest I can't remember if the setup has worked perfect at any point, but seeing as how I got the display in august/september, and didn't wait "that long" until I asked for help, I would think maybe 10.4.3 could've breaked it. Could be broken video drivers?

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Answer 10

a brody

Level 10

85,314 points

Dec 20, 2005 1:36 PM in response to Andreas Tellefsen

Broken video drivers, or broken video chip. Hard to say without more experimentation. Your idea of using an external drive to check it out is not a bad idea. That way you can see if the drivers are any different.
Let us know how it works.

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Answer 11

Jan 1, 2006 10:02 AM in response to Andreas Tellefsen

Hello!
I also have this combination with 12" powerbook and 23" Cinema Display. My experience is the same, strongly reduced video performance in DVD-player, FormacStudio and other video-players and performance like you describe. I have reinstalled the system on a re-formated drive, and imported my old user. No better video.

If I boot from another drive with 10.3.9 all this works just fine. I am also able to see DVD on the 12" screen.

I also have too little space on my hard-drive, but it makes no difference wether I have 200 MB or 1400 MB free space.

As far as I can see this has to be within the system itself. Can it be the HD algorithms that makes video on the Cinema Display more heavy to drive for the GeForce FX Go5200 32MB than earlier systems?

Powerbook 12" 1GHZ Mac OS X (10.4.3) 768 MB ram, 23" CinemaDispaly

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Answer 12

Jan 11, 2006 4:34 AM in response to Andreas Tellefsen

Upgrading to OSX 10.4.4 solved all my problems. I couldn't be happier.

Recap: somewhere between 10.4 and 10.4.3 - things got ugly. Now it's all joy in Macville again though.

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Answer 13

a brody

Level 10

85,314 points

Jan 20, 2006 3:41 PM in response to Andreas Tellefsen

Andreas,
Thanks for letting us know. Good to hear another 10.4.4 success story!

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