4K Wake up call

[zenfly2]

Well I tried the VLC and it didn't fix and now I can be pretty sure it's because I have a 2011 2.5 GHz i5 and it's choking on 4k.. I hear that I should be looking at i7 and now they are affordable used/referb but there spacifics like what generation is needed that I'm not sure of yet... I bought my 2011 21.5 used 5yrs ago for less than $300 and it's been running like a champ for all I did but it's time. I see there are i9 now and glad I was sitting down when I looked at those on ebay. I got 4K wake up for sure.

 

[IShouldBeWorking]

I hear that I should be looking at i7

I'm still not completely clear on the video format you're trying to play. If you have a 4k h.264 video, virtually any newer machine will play it skip free. If you have a 4k h.265 that you're trying to play, what you're really looking for is an Intel Core chip (i5, i7, i9, whatever) that is 7th generation or newer. Anything older will not have the h.265 codec implemented in the chip and you'll be back to using a slow software decode. You'll want to check out what format you're really working with before you look to purchase something new.

Or, just record in 1080p h.264 and keep using the hardware you've got. That wouldn't be the end of the world either. I hope that helps!

 

[zenfly2]

Or, just record in 1080p h.264 and keep using the hardware you've got. That wouldn't be the end of the world either. I hope that helps!

My plan for now exactly.. thanks

 

[Bryce steiner]

This. Macs arent powerful machines compared to current PC hardware. Never have been.
Mavic air is only h264 so any modern PC should easily handle it. The 2 Pro uses h.265 which needs an 8th gen CPU or above to hardware accelerate.

You can edit using proxies if its an issue though.

Why are giving out false information? Macs have been made for editing video long before PC's. They are made with the same processors and video cards. The difference is the OS handles compressed memory better than Windows.
Mac, Linux, or Windows will work fine. "Macs aren't powerful machines.." is completely bogus. They are current with the latest Intel processors. Even when they weren't current Intel's releases were nothing more than a different lake name but no speed increases. It was AMD that got Intel in gear, and now Apple is putting the latest in. No point in making different models if the performance didn't improve.
Anything from an 2018 i3 Mac Mini up to the Mac Pro will easily process and play 4k streams. If you are grading it you'll want more memory and power but it's all available and can process in realtime.

 

[gnirtS]

Why are giving out false information?

Clearly you dont understand how things work

Macs have been made for editing video long before PC's.

Actually no, they haven't. Also, no apostrophe needed...

They are made with the same processors and video cards.

Yes, older generation for the same time spec. Macs use bog standard hardware (at a premium price) and due to the scheduling they use the "current" model is usually a good 2 years behind the current tech.

The difference is the OS handles compressed memory better than Windows.

No it doesn't. You should probably read up how the kernels work.

"Macs aren't powerful machines.." is completely bogus.

A 2017 mac vs a 2017 PC the mac loses. Its older hardware.
And if you're doing a price for price you'll find the mac is significantly slower for the same price.

They are current with the latest Intel processors.

No they aren't. And even if they were next year they'll be on the same processors. And the year after the same. Whereas the PCs will update usually annually.

Even when they weren't current Intel's releases were nothing more than a different lake name but no speed increases.

Again incorrect. Core differences, cache differences, hardware acceleration of things such as h.265 and crypto modules. There is a hell of a lot more to a CPU than just speed.

It was AMD that got Intel in gear, and now Apple is putting the latest in. No point in making different models if the performance didn't improve.

This is the same apple that designed an i9 computer that was slower than the years older i7 model because its insistence on looks over performance means it cant cool properly you meal?

Apple dont want the best, they want the cheapest. More profit margin then.

Thats without their horrific and ridiculous strategy of making a computer as hard to upgrade as possible by soldering in key components.

 

[johnmeyer]

I run 4K video all the time on a computer that is over twelve years old.

The OP still has not answered whether he is trying to play h.264 or h.265 video. Until he states that, we're wasting our time here. h.265 will probably not play smoothly without some pretty exotic hardware. h.264 4K should play just fine, including on his machine.

 

[Bryce steiner]

Actually no, they haven't. Also, no apostrophe needed...

Macs played video before PC's. Thank you.
"Video for Windows was first introduced in November 1992. It was developed as a reaction to Apple Computer's QuickTimetechnology, which added digital video to the Macintosh platform."

I'm not going to respond to all of your failure of comments showing your lack of knowledge of either system.

Bottom line: Both systems works just fine - Mac or PC for viewing or editing video. Even years old. H.264 4k video can be edited on pretty much any system. Some will just process faster. H.265 needs better hardware but will still work on pretty much any Mac, Windows, or Linux computer.

 

[ron77584]

First I bought the Spark I loved but didn't like the small phone I had so soon bought an ipad mini 4 to fly it.. Now only 3mos later I added a new Mavic Air but the first videos were stop and start jerking around and found out my 2011 imac I've liked all these yrs won't play the 4K videos and had to switch it down to 1080..I've spent over 2g on this in 3.5mos, Any ideas please on my best options other than dumping more money into this and buying a new or used imac 4K retina? thanks for looking

I started with spark also and then mavic air and just like you couldnt watch 4k so I bought 4k monitor

 

[Olav van Gerven]

I do work on Mac for almost 20 years now. Never forget the frustration of my first video-editing attempts on a windows based system.

But for the 4K question: Filmin in 4K is great for the above mentioned advantage of zooming in while editing without loosing to much quality. For viewing: I do not have the equipment to view 4K, watch my videos on my Mac (pro, 2012) and do not intend to get 4K equipment in the nearby future. For now, the system works perfect in a quaility I can live with and the few that watch my youtubes have not complained about "failing 4K". So why invest?

 

[jpbluzharp]

First I bought the Spark I loved but didn't like the small phone I had so soon bought an ipad mini 4 to fly it.. Now only 3mos later I added a new Mavic Air but the first videos were stop and start jerking around and found out my 2011 imac I've liked all these yrs won't play the 4K videos and had to switch it down to 1080..I've spent over 2g on this in 3.5mos, Any ideas please on my best options other than dumping more money into this and buying a new or used imac 4K retina? thanks for looking

Get the free app 5K Player it will allow your imac to play your 4K content.

 

[Lucas Galli]

Haven’t been through all the answers, but it seems like some folks are more interested in arguing about which hardware is best instead of providing useful answers. So let’s go...
I’ve been a Mac user since 2010, working exclusively with photo and video in this platform. Since then I have owned only two Macs and they have performed great for me. The current one is a late 2013 27” iMac with 32 gb of RAM. No SSD drive, no Retina display. With this configuration I routiy edit 4K @ 30 FPS (with some hiccups) and 1080 @ 6O FPS vídeos coming from my Fuji X-T2. No commercially available drone camera can be so demanding and, as a matter of fact, I shoot almost all my videos in 4K with my Mavic Air and editing them is a walk in the park.
Long story short, yes, you will have to upgrade your editing platform. But you definitely don’t need anything near a 4K Retina Mac which, in my professional opinion, is overkill, unless you shoot videos for a living or if all you want is to brag about it.

 

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

I work in the video industry as a DP. I shoot exclusively 4K, but for 1 reason only. Gives the producer the option to cut into a close up when I’ve delivered a medium shot, without losing noticeable resolution. There are 4K TV’s coming out, but for now 1080p is the deliverable. I’m not sure of the benefit of 4K on drones. Welcome push back.

To the OP: you need to build a new machine, but if you can't now (but also maybe even after), use proxies. Someone already posted a tutorial.

IDigDrones: 4K TVs have been coming out for years now (you probably already know). 4K content deliverables exist too (there are even 4K content dedicated channels)

But yeah, a lot of recreational shooters here won't be publishing 4K content and so 1080p for a deliverable is fine, but that shouldn't decide your capture format. At least, I won't let it decide mine.

Having 4K source (even if you down-sample for editing and publishing, not even doing proxy) means future proofing. One day when one does have a better computer, there's the higher fidelity source.

But mostly, the OP can proxy and only use the 4K source for the final render job, have possibly better regular-HD deliverable.

At least, that would be my choice.

Chris

 

[Gr8fulTed]

I'm going to try VLC Media Player..thanks..

I have a 2011 2.5 GHz i5 that could be a problem..

You might find this helpful, so I'm posting it for you just in case:

Upgrading on an unsupported Mac

I love the Apple environment; hope you can get it resolved.

 

[skiptv]

Shoot in 4K, and archive in 4K so you have it, then convert it to 1080 on the computer for editing, or playing, you can get cheap software for doing that, or get an editing program like Premier which allows you to create proxies.

 

[leehudson1011]

First I bought the Spark I loved but didn't like the small phone I had so soon bought an ipad mini 4 to fly it.. Now only 3mos later I added a new Mavic Air but the first videos were stop and start jerking around and found out my 2011 imac I've liked all these yrs won't play the 4K videos and had to switch it down to 1080..I've spent over 2g on this in 3.5mos, Any ideas please on my best options other than dumping more money into this and buying a new or used imac 4K retina? thanks for looking

Hi, I had exactly the same problem and was on YT having a look at the options only yesterday. The best one I did was download a program called Handbrake, its free. This allows you to change the video from 4k to 1080p. You then save this file and use that for editing. You still have your original file.

 

[Thomas B]

Hi, I had exactly the same problem and was on YT having a look at the options only yesterday. The best one I did was download a program called Handbrake, its free. This allows you to change the video from 4k to 1080p. You then save this file and use that for editing. You still have your original file.

I record in RAW and in a viewing format for my Mac. Works fine and preserves the original. It is an option on the M2P in preferences.

 

[iKenndac]

No they aren't. And even if they were next year they'll be on the same processors. And the year after the same. Whereas the PCs will update usually annually.

The current iMac (if you spec it up) has a 9900K in it, which is a 9th gen (i.e., current-gen) CPU. The 15" MacBook Pro has 9750H/9880H/9980HK CPUs, which are again bang up-to-date current-gen CPUs.

Maybe back in the 90s they were slow, but these days Apple uses bang up-to-date CPU hardware when they update their machines, which is on average yearly or so for the more mainstream models. You can see that for yourself here.

Please stop spreading false information. Getting riled up about what kind of computer someone chooses to use isn't worth anyone's time.

On topic for the thread, as has been discussed, the problem isn’t the Mac, it’s the 2011-era hardware. OP didn’t get into specifics, but it’s possible that adding more RAM to the machine MAY improve things, but unfortunately it’s unreasonable to use fairly cutting edge (for the consumer space) technology with 8 year-old hardware and expect good results. Unfortunately, you’re likely looking at an upgrade for a good experience editing 4K video.

 

[OldGoatMTB]

I'm in the same boat, my computer won't play my 4K Mavic Air video. I can edit 4K videos, and the 4K videos I create will play on my computer which I find strange, maybe my software does a better job encoding the video then the Mavic does. (It should, as it takes long enough!) Also, you can upload the 4K video to YouTube and watch it on any device. It's a good way to back up your huge video files, too, although you can only download 1080p video, as far as I can tell.