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Message
Will upgrading memory improve video streaming?
Posted on 6/10/15 at 8:34 pm
Posted on 6/10/15 at 8:34 pm
Have late 2008 Aluminum macbook still with original RAM at 2 GB (1 GB each slot).
Last year or so it's been getting worse when trying to stream movies. Not sure how all of the video streaming works but I know I can easily replace the two 1GB memory cards for two 2GB or two 4GB ones.
Acoording to Apple it should have at most 4gb total but many forums have noted that you can use 8GB.
Last year or so it's been getting worse when trying to stream movies. Not sure how all of the video streaming works but I know I can easily replace the two 1GB memory cards for two 2GB or two 4GB ones.
Acoording to Apple it should have at most 4gb total but many forums have noted that you can use 8GB.
3
Posted on 6/10/15 at 8:42 pm to AubieALUMdvm
It can, yes. However, your bottleneck could be elsewhere just as easily and perhaps more likely, in which case the RAM upgrade wouldn't do anything to help with streaming specifically. 2GB should be plenty for high-definition video streaming.
Can you be more specific about the problems you're having with streaming? For example, sites that work well, sites that don't work well, the symptoms you're having (choppy, long buffer times, flickering, artifacting, etc), whether you're streaming on battery or plugged in, Internet speed, router you're using, etc.
Can you be more specific about the problems you're having with streaming? For example, sites that work well, sites that don't work well, the symptoms you're having (choppy, long buffer times, flickering, artifacting, etc), whether you're streaming on battery or plugged in, Internet speed, router you're using, etc.
This post was edited on 6/10/15 at 8:46 pm
Posted on 6/10/15 at 9:16 pm to ILikeLSUToo
Yes, sorry for being so vague.
Mostly just choppy play. I turned off hardware acceleration b/c i read that could improve it.
Occasionally occurs with Youtube but more commonly when I'm on sketchy sites to view shows/movies ---vidbull, vodlocker, video.me, etc... I recognize that these sketchy sites may very well be the problem but I wouldn't be able to say why.
Download speeds average 21 Mbps. Usually streaming plugged in but I was not aware that could affect it. I'm currently using a Motorola Surfboard 6121 Modem (195? Mbps) and a Netgear N300 wireless router.
I guess I just suspected my computer b/c I tested the exact same links on my iphone and it played them perfectly using the same internet speed, router, etc...
I should also problably add that the computer does seem a little slower in general (seeing the ol color pinwheel more often than I used to). My wife comments more and more the past 6 months that her general browsing (pinterest and facebook) is a bit slower and she too has the computer freeze up a little.
I routinely use Avast to try and clear out any mal/spy ware crap but that's about as technical as I get.
Thanks for your help by the way.
Mostly just choppy play. I turned off hardware acceleration b/c i read that could improve it.
Occasionally occurs with Youtube but more commonly when I'm on sketchy sites to view shows/movies ---vidbull, vodlocker, video.me, etc... I recognize that these sketchy sites may very well be the problem but I wouldn't be able to say why.
Download speeds average 21 Mbps. Usually streaming plugged in but I was not aware that could affect it. I'm currently using a Motorola Surfboard 6121 Modem (195? Mbps) and a Netgear N300 wireless router.
I guess I just suspected my computer b/c I tested the exact same links on my iphone and it played them perfectly using the same internet speed, router, etc...
I should also problably add that the computer does seem a little slower in general (seeing the ol color pinwheel more often than I used to). My wife comments more and more the past 6 months that her general browsing (pinterest and facebook) is a bit slower and she too has the computer freeze up a little.
I routinely use Avast to try and clear out any mal/spy ware crap but that's about as technical as I get.
Thanks for your help by the way.
This post was edited on 6/10/15 at 9:21 pm
Posted on 6/10/15 at 9:18 pm to AubieALUMdvm
quote:
I turned off hardware acceleration b/c i read that could improve it.
That's like disconnecting your car engine and pushing the car because you heard it won't break down that way.
Turn hardware acceleration back on.
Posted on 6/10/15 at 9:22 pm to efrad
OK I will but should note that this was an issue before I turned it off
Posted on 6/10/15 at 9:24 pm to AubieALUMdvm
I understand, but turning it off is going backwards.
To be honest, a 2008 MacBook is at the point where it needs to be replaced. I would start looking at a new laptop.
However, if that's completely off the table, the RAM upgrade would be a very good idea.
To be honest, a 2008 MacBook is at the point where it needs to be replaced. I would start looking at a new laptop.
However, if that's completely off the table, the RAM upgrade would be a very good idea.
Posted on 6/10/15 at 9:26 pm to AubieALUMdvm
didn't realize it was a mac.
This post was edited on 6/10/15 at 9:27 pm
Posted on 6/10/15 at 9:28 pm to efrad
quote:
To be honest, a 2008 MacBook is at the point where it needs to be replaced. I would start looking at a new laptop.
I know and I want to. It's not going to happen for another 12-16 months though.
Posted on 6/10/15 at 9:43 pm to AubieALUMdvm
LINK
I upgraded my sons hard drive and memory. The memory upgrade improved his streaming.
Then I realized my router was an older model. I also replaced it. I use an Apple Airport Extreme for wifi.
I upgraded my sons hard drive and memory. The memory upgrade improved his streaming.
Then I realized my router was an older model. I also replaced it. I use an Apple Airport Extreme for wifi.
Posted on 6/11/15 at 7:19 pm to ILikeLSUToo
Any additional thoughts on this? Should I go for it? 4GB or 8?
Posted on 6/11/15 at 9:09 pm to AubieALUMdvm
If you're sure it can take 8GB, go for 8GB. It probably isn't that much more expensive.
Posted on 6/11/15 at 9:12 pm to AubieALUMdvm
I would get easily returnable RAM and see if it improves anything. If not, a solid state drive may help, but it's not as straight forward of an upgrade as just shoving some RAM in there, so I'd start with that. 8GB would be ideal, but you can just easily try 4. If 4 doesn't show any improvement, I doubt 8 would either. A RAM/SSD upgrade together may breathe new life into it. The SSD upgrade will involve using a SATA-to-USB cable or a hard drive dock and some free software to clone your hard drive (or you could start with a fresh install from scratch).
Posted on 6/11/15 at 9:42 pm to ILikeLSUToo
Thanks for the response. I'm going to start with the RAM. Was reading up on SSD installation and I really just want an extra year or so out of this machine so hopefully I can avoid that
This post was edited on 6/11/15 at 9:46 pm
Posted on 6/24/15 at 10:51 pm to AubieALUMdvm
Hello - just an update in case anyone else experiencing similar problems.
Got 8GB from OWC and noticed an improvement right away. Ended up changing the settings on my browser (chrome) so that I would have to approve any plug-ins running rather than just doing it automatically. This seems to have taken me the rest of the way as my CPU usage by chrome (and "chrome helper) went way down while streaming.
Got 8GB from OWC and noticed an improvement right away. Ended up changing the settings on my browser (chrome) so that I would have to approve any plug-ins running rather than just doing it automatically. This seems to have taken me the rest of the way as my CPU usage by chrome (and "chrome helper) went way down while streaming.
Posted on 6/25/15 at 1:47 am to ILikeLSUToo
quote:
ILikeLSUToo
You might remember I upgraded to the Samsung SSD last year. I currently have 8gb of RAM. I checked Crucial and my XPS L502x can have 16gb of RAM and it would cost about $103 for the kit. Is it really worth it?
Not really having issues with my computer but sometimes I feel it can be slow or sluggish. Of course having 12 windows open in Firefox and 10 in Chrome might be part of that
but that's what I want to do so more RAM would help, right? Would I feel that upgrade in anything else? $100 isn't much money but I have been kinda talking myself into considering the SP4 so wondering if I should keep putting money in this one. In reality, this laptop is in good condition and the SSD was a huge improvement. But since I travel and work on the road the SP4 seems like it could be a great idea. I think I'll have to try one when they come out for 30 days or something..
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