Choppy playback for iTunes movies

I get the same thing when I play iTunes HD movies in Quicktime. Just a grey screen. No sound no picture. But, it begins the time count at the bottom when you press play as if it is playing. Also, quicktime is the only way you can adjust the playback options for video player in iTunes. Also, switching to the iTunes mini player to play the movies seems to help too. I was having the same problems ever since iTunes 11 update. Just got it fixed today doing all the things mentioned in my first post. I used to watch all my movies with quicktime until it stopped playing the HD movies I bought from iTunes. SD movies purchased from iTunes play fine in quicktime.

Forget everything I posted above!!!! I fixed it and it has stayed fixed! The solution is 3 steps.

1. Make sure everything involved (computer, cable, and monitor are all HDCP capable.

2. Split the audio from the HDMI cable. So it is coming out of the speaker jack from the computer into external speakers ONLY. Do not send the audio through the HDMI cable.

3. Disable wireless sync in iTunes for all devices. This will cause iTunes to pause the video while still playing sound. Then the video fast forwards to catch up with the audio.

It might not be possible to. Try updating the drivers for the laptop monitor display and video card. If playback is still choppy you need to figure out if your display/laptop/video-card can handle HDCP, HD vid, and HD audio all in one signal. My external monitor (Samsung tv) could not. So splitting the sound to a different audio device and hooking up external speakers worked for me.

I am having the same choppy video problem. I have tried all the fixes mentioned here and all the ones suggested by Apple and nothing has worked so far.

The annoying thing is, up until last week, it was fine. I download a TV show every Tuesday and last week, before downloading it asked to do an update which I duly did. Had loads of problems getting the show to download after that so, when it was glitchy I just chalked it up to a one off. But it's the same again today. This has ONLY happened since I installed Quicktime (which I didn't previously have installed) and updated Itunes to version 11.0.

I've uninstalled Quicktime but that hasn't solved the problem.

My system requirements are fine, my settings are fine, I have checked and double checked everything. Nothing fixes it. I have a couple of other things I might try before I admit defeat but it's looking like I've wasted money on a pre-ordered series I won't be able to watch. Even if I do manage to fix this, I'm never buying another itunes product again.

If anyone else out there has a ny other suggestions on how to fix this problem I am open to hear them.

The first thing you need to do is make sure the is no wireless synch enabled in iTunes. This will slow down playback in iTunes. The next thing to try is splitting the sound out from the computer. Try using an external monitor again and have the laptop send the sound through the laptop speakers and the picture to the external monitor. You can change this sitting in playback devices on your laptop.

Thanks.

I have absolutely no devices installed so there's nothing synched, but I have checked that as it was already mentioned by someone in this thread previously and it's disabled.

The splitting thing was also mentioned and I've tried that too and it didn't work either,although play back seems slightly better on the TV that way. But to be honest the PC is in the games room, TV in the lounge... 5 metres of HDMI cable trailing accross the floor and through doorways every time I want to watch a movie? No thanks!

My laptop is the only thing I have not tried it on but it's a work one and my employer doesn't like me installing games like itunes on it.

Thank you anyway. I daresay these suggestions might work for some.

Are you playing the show from your PC? If so you need to restart your computer after your change the sound playback from the HDMI cable to your actual sound card on your PC. Then open iTunes and try playing the show.

I am using Itunes to download on my PC. The set up here is:

1 x tower style gaming spec PC

1 x work laptop

The PC has the itunes and that's where I download and watch it. I could (I suppose) try installing itunes on and authorising my work laptop but as I say, it's a work one and my employed would spit feathers at me (so doens't help even if it does work ok on there).

Yes, I restarted after changing the settings; that's computing 101.

The problem is the audio/video signal coming from your computer to your monitor is lagging. But, as you should know...a smart *** response to someone who is trying to help is not wise; that's common desency 101. So, good luck on your own.

TyBod, if you read my very first post in this thread I stated "I have tried all the fixes mentioned here and all the ones suggested by Apple and nothing has worked so far" and "If anyone else out there has a ny other suggestions on how to fix this problem I am open to hear them." Your suggestions, while they have been supportive, have already been suggested in this thread previously. I have duly I have tried these again as you advised because I know how the system suppport game goes and you have to rule everything out. I thank you for trying, at least, to help solve the issue; it's a shame none of your suggestions worked in my case, although I am sure they will be helpful to others. Not quite sure why you're being touchy about it all... oh well, that's people for you; apt to misread the written word and take offence where none was intended.

It would seem the choppy video issue is a complex problem then, with multiple issues and what works for one may not for another.

For what it's worth I have solved the issue on my PC. None of the above worked but the solution was actually very simple - so basic it's easy to overlook. Complete epithany moment for me.

Thanks to everyone who posted in this thread with suggestions and advice. Problem solved for me so I'm out of here. I hope all the suggestions here are helpful to others and you manage to resolve the issues without having to upgrade or anything drastic.

Hello, I don't know what the "simple solution" was for Majikthize. But I went into Edit, Preferences, Playback and changed the Preferred Video Version from 1080p to 720p and the problem went away. The movie we were trying to watch was 720p. You can find out the Video Quality of your movie if you right click the name of the movie and choose Get Info. Hope that helps. Worked for me.

Same here too. unfortunately. 😟 WIndows 7 64 bit, 12 GB of gaming RAM, I7 920, and still no dice. It was clearly a change in the newer version. Perhaps they want us to use Apple TV or our iPads.

I am going to look to change my supplier for TV series and Movies. I will look to go to RedBox or other vendors.

This looks like a move on Apple's part to force a move to Apple TV to get rid of the jitter on the movies and TV series they sell. I don't like that game. I liked them at first but this is ridiculous.

Majikthize, you said "It would seem the choppy video issue is a complex problem then, with multiple issues and what works for one may not for another.

For what it's worth I have solved the issue on my PC. None of the above worked but the solution was actually very simple - so basic it's easy to overlook. Complete epithany moment for me."

Then--after receiving all kinds of advice from this site--you don't even share your solution. I would would have to agree with what someone else wrote about you: you need decency 101. Thanks Tybod for at least trying to help this ungrateful person.

Now back to the thread. Tybod mentioned that I would need to separate my HDMI video and audio. Not easy to do for me since I have an internal 25ft HDMI cable in a home theater. Video and audio worked fine up until a few months ago, so wondering if anyone has found the ROOT cause for this particular problem on the HDMI side. I'd rather try a software fix than put a separate 25ft audio cable through the wall.

This solution seemed to work for me--I haven't had a problem since I changed my speaker output settings.

One thing to add though--I was changing only one group of speaker settings to DVD/CD quality. That didn't work. Make sure--if you are using the HDMI output function--that you also change your sound card's HDMI output to DVD/CD. For me, I had to change BOTH while each was playing. Don't know why, but once I did that--problem solved.

Interestingly, I turned the wireless syncing back on in itunes and it didn't have an effect, e.g. it now works as advertised and no stuttering playback.

So truly, several different issues and on different computers produce the same output "stuttering" problem in itunes .

Thanks guys for all the help here--you were a much better resource than Apple tech non-support.