Jagged edges when viewing video

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Level 1

16 points

Jagged edges when viewing video

Hello all,

let's see if I'm able to describe this problem adequately.

I have taken short video clips with, now two different camera (AVCHD used), imported into iPhoto and viewed within. During playback there are severe jagged blocks mostly around the outlines of moving subjects. If the subject stops moving this effect disappears but resumes as soon there once again is movement. This isn't even subtle, the videos are quite unwatchable.

What I have tried is export those videos out of iPhoto and opened them with QT. There was no such problem and the video was smooth throughout.

I don't quite understand what is happening here.

Cheers Argento

MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2009), OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Feb 11, 2014 2:18 PM

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Answer 1

Old Toad

Level 10

215,688 points

Mar 14, 2014 9:11 AM in response to argento

As a test launch iPhoto with the Option key held down and create a new, test library. Import some photos and test to see if the same problem persists. Does it?

If it does try the following:

1 - delete the iPhoto preference file, com.apple.iPhoto.plist, that resides in your

User/Home/Library/ Preferences folder.

2 - delete the contents the following folder:

User/Library/Containers/com.apple.iPhoto

3 - reboot, launch iPhoto and try again.

NOTE: For Mavericks, 10.9, go to your Home folder and use the View ➙ Show View Options menu to bring the this window:

where you can check the Show Library Folder checkbox.

If it doesn't try the following:

1 - launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down and rebuild the library.

2 - Run Option #4, Rebuild Database, followed by Option #1 if needed.

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Answer 2

Old Toad

Level 10

215,688 points

Feb 11, 2014 3:18 PM in response to argento

ACHV videos are intended for editing with video apps like iMovie. Unless your workflow includes heavy video editing you'd be best served shooting the standard format.

See if the movies will play smoothly in iMovie.

OT

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Answer 3

Old Toad

Level 10

215,688 points

Mar 13, 2014 4:55 PM in response to argento

I'm able to play .mp4 video files in iPhoto 9.5.1 OK.

iPhoto scales up the video to fill the iPhoto window so if the videos are small they would be grainy. Would that have anything to do with what you're seeing?

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Answer 4

argento Author

Level 1

16 points

Mar 14, 2014 2:22 AM in response to Old Toad

The videos are taken at full camera res. The output is sharp except when there is movement, at which point the jagged edges are prevelant until the movement stops, rendering the video in iPhoto useless. Surprisingly there are no such issues when created in .mp4 or avchd and exported out of iPhoto, then viewed with QT.

I should metion that this phenomena thus far occurs with two different cameras from different manufaturers, so this to me seems to isolate the fault to iPhoto....but why is the question.

Cheers Argento

p.s. switching b/w descreet/ integrated graphics cards has had no effect

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Answer 5

argento Author

Level 1

16 points

Mar 14, 2014 5:49 PM in response to Old Toad

Ok so thus far:

Created a new library and exported vid onto desktop from original library, then dragged into the newly created library. Within the new library the vid still shows the problem. Once again the copy residing on the desktop plays flawlessly with QT.

I have rebuild the database and repaired permission without any effect.

So before proceeding to delete .plist, will this not also delete all and any assigned keywords, album edits, etc also?

p.s. just mentioning that after having finished with the new library for this diagnostic, and moving it to the trash. It would hang half way through with fans ramping to +4K rpm when trying to delete the trash. Had to force quit Finder and restart.

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Answer 6

argento Author

Level 1

16 points

Mar 16, 2014 2:55 PM in response to Old Toad

Hi Old Toad,

So have deleted com.Apple.iPhoto.plist but the problem is still there.

I should mention that there was no Container.plist or Data folder underneath the com.Apple.iPhoto.plist (as seen from your screenshot). Hopefully this is the correct prefs file you meant.

Anything else we could try?

Cheers Argento

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Answer 7

Old Toad

Level 10

215,688 points

Mar 17, 2014 8:22 AM in response to argento

One last test to see if the problem is system wide or limited to your account: log into another user account on your Mac and test to see if the same problem persists. If it does then the next step would be a reinstall of iPhoto.

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Answer 8

argento Author

Level 1

16 points

Mar 13, 2014 4:48 PM in response to Old Toad

This is also the case when using MPEG-4 and playing back in iPhoto. Using QT it's fine.

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Answer 9

Old Toad

Level 10

215,688 points

Mar 14, 2014 6:25 PM in response to argento

No. Those are maintained in the database files.

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