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iTunes won't play in full screen mode anymore..

I am not sure exactly when, but both copies of iTunes on two machines (G4/350 and Cube) no longer enter full screen mode. When I select full sceen while in visual mode, iTunes exits visual mode. It won't enter visual mode while full screen is selected either. Removing all but the default Apple plugin doesn't help. Any ideas? Thanks - Yossie

Did you try deleting the prefs? Or logged in as a different user?

I neglected to mention that I had already deleted all preferences and tried it from another user. So, yes, I did do those two things. Any other ideas? Frustrated - Yossie

What version of OS X and iTunes do you have on both machines? Have you tried updating to the latest of both?

latest version on both itunes and os x

iTunes 3.0, Mac OS X 10.1.5. Latest on both. Problems started before updaging to iTunes 3.0 and continued afterwards. Not sure about OS X version where problems started but it was also before the upgrade to 10.1.5. It's very strange 'cause I can't see any errors anywhere - just that iTunes exits visual mode (cleanly I might add) whenever I try to go into full screen mode.

I wonder if your monitor resolution has anything to do with it? I noticed that iTunes automatically changes my resolution whenever I go into full screen mode for the psychodelic visual display (imagine what people in the 60's would have done with that! :D). I normally have my resolution set at 1152 x 870, 100 Hz. But when I go into iTunes and select full screen visuals, I can hear it switch to another resolution (800 x 600 maybe?). I can hear it switch back whenever I leave the full screen visuals.

My guess is that there is something that's causing iTunes to be unable to switch your monitor's resultion so it cannot display the visuals in full screen mode. If someone knows what resolution iTunes is switching to, maybe you can try that resultion on your monitor before attempting to go into full screen mode, and then see if the full screen mode works. If so, then that would be the cause of your problem. Then you'd have to figure out why iTunes can't switch your resolution when it tries.

monitor resolutions..

I tried setting my resolution to 640x480, 800x600 and then launch iTunes and see if it would go into full screen - still, no dice.

there's some OpenGL nonsense posted over at MFI today. i can't find a 'use OpenGL' option, but you might look to see if toggling it has an effect (and report if you find it)...

Quote:

OpenGL visualizer An Apple discussion thread notes problems with using the OpenGL enhancer for visualizers in iTunes 3. Enabling the "Use OpenGL" option is meant to increase the frame rates of the standard iTunes' visualizer. Len Strafehl writes:

"On the affected systems, you can enable the 'Use OpenGL' checkbox, but if you click 'OK' and then immediately open the options window again, the 'Use OpenGL' option will be un-checked. I would assume that if certain video cards weren't supported that the check box would be greyed out. But that doesn't seem to be the case."

To find the OpenGL option: Turn visuals on, but not to full screen. In the upper right hand corner, the "browse" icon changes to "options". Click that, and you will be presented with a few options, one of which is OpenGL.

I don't know if it's of any help, but I have OpenGL selected (I believe that's the default).

I also read that there were some problems people were having using full screen visuals when they had dual monitors and/or when they were connected to a TV.

Have you unplugged everything except your monitor to see if that has any affect?

iTunes won't play in full screen mode anymore..

Turning openGL on doesn't help. There is no TV or other output device (like a second monitor) connected. Just the one 21" monitor at 1280x960x16bit (I tried various resolutions, as detailed above, AND the two possible depths - thousands and millions).

It would be nice if anyone had any idea under what conditions iTunes refuses to do visuals in full screen mode.

After iTunes fails to go full screen, is anything logged to /var/log/system.log? A successful switch to and from full screen on my machine looks like

Code:

Jul 23 21:50:04 nabu mach_kernel: .Display_RADEON-01006059: user ranges num:1 start:9c008000 size:12c080

Jul 23 21:50:04 nabu mach_kernel: .Display_RADEON-01006059: using (640x480@154Hz,32 bpp)

Jul 23 21:50:07 nabu mach_kernel: .Display_RADEON-01006059: user ranges num:1 start:9c008000 size:500080

Jul 23 21:50:07 nabu mach_kernel: .Display_RADEON-01006059: using (1280x1024@75Hz,32 bpp)

Quote:

Originally posted by blb
After iTunes fails to go full screen, is anything logged to /var/log/system.log?

Please pardon my ignorance (OS X newbie here), where are you finding system.log? I cannot find it anywhere. Searching Sherlock can't find it. I'd like to look at mine.

Quote:

(640x480@154Hz,32 bpp)

That explains something to me. I had switched into full screen visuals, and then I adjusted the screen so it was completely squished in the middle so I would recognize it when I change my resolutions manually later. I never could find the resolution in my displays setting (even when I set my resolution to those not on the recommended list). I tried 640 x 480, but 154Hz wasn't a choice. No wonder I couldn't find it!

I wonder why iTunes is using such an odd resolution setting?

Quote:

Originally posted by vickishome
Please pardon my ignorance (OS X newbie here), where are you finding system.log? I cannot find it anywhere. Searching Sherlock can't find it. I'd like to look at mine.

It's one of those unix directories which is hidden from the Finder. You'd have to use Terminal.app to view.
You can launch Terminal from /Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app

You'll then get a prompt like so...

[some stuff] your user name %

after % you'll want to type

more /var/log/system.log

and hit return, this will display the system.log.

hit the space bar to scroll through. hit 'q' to get out of it.

come back if you don't understand.

-bD

Thank you! :)

Okay, so here's what my system.log says when I go into full screen visuals with iTunes:

Code:

Jul 23 07:40:30 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_NV-01108000: user ranges num:1 start:98004000 size:20d080

Jul 23 07:40:30 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_NV-01108000: using (800x600@100Hz,32 bpp)

Jul 23 07:40:34 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_NV-01108000: user ranges num:1 start:98004000 size:20d080

Jul 23 07:40:34 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_NV-01108000: using (800x600@85Hz,32 bpp)

Jul 23 07:41:01 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_NV-01108000: user ranges num:1 start:98004000 size:43f880

Jul 23 07:41:01 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_NV-01108000: using (1152x870@85Hz,32 bpp)

Jul 23 07:41:06 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_NV-01108000: user ranges num:1 start:98004000 size:43f880

Jul 23 07:41:06 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_NV-01108000: using (1152x870@100Hz,32 bpp)

Interesting resolution changes.

in the shell, you can...

Code:

% open /var/log/system.log

and i think the log will open in the console app. if it doesn't, name something in your home foo.log and set its show info->(open with...) to the console app.

Just outta curiosity

Did you follow the readme and remove the old iTunes and the iTunes icon from the dock before you updated? I don't know what the issues are with this but iTunes has been the one app from Apple that this has been a pretty strict regiment before updating. Just a guess.

Quote:

Originally posted by mervTormel
% open /var/log/system.log

I found a very easy way to get into it all. Use the Go menu and select Go to Folder..., and then enter /var/log/. That brings up a folder with all kinds of logs (naturally!). I then backed up in the path, found the "log" folder, and drug it to my dock. Now when I want to see the system.log, I just open the var folder from my dock and double click system.log. It will display the log in the console. This might be a good alternative for someone who's shy about getting into the terminal. It's also a very easy way to access the logs without having to remember the unix commands.

What I found interesting this time was that the resolution change in my monitor from iTunes was different this time. Notice before it dropped down to 85Hz in the process of switching to 640x480 and back. But this time, it stayed at 100Hz.

Why would iTunes change the resolution it used to switch me in and out of full screen visuals?

Code:

Jul 24 08:50:27 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_NV-01108000: 

user ranges num:1 start:98004000 size:12c080

Jul 24 08:50:27 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_NV-01108000: 

using (640x480@100Hz,32 bpp)

Jul 24 08:50:34 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_NV-01108000: 

user ranges num:1 start:98004000 size:43f880

Jul 24 08:50:34 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_NV-01108000: 

using (1152x870@100Hz,32 bpp)

To remain on topic for this thread, does anyone think that changing the resolution when iTunes displays full screen visuals can be what's causing some people to be unable to view full screen visuals or am I just on my own little tangent here? :D I'm interested in seeing what yossie's system.log shows when he tries to go to full screen visuals.

[edit: readability -mt]

I had said that I was curious to know what yossie's system.log showed when iTunes wouldn't go into full screen visual mode, and I got my wish. Just not the way I had hoped.

I cannot get full screen visuals on iTunes on my G3. :(

I used to be able to do full screen visuals, but I installed a new video card, and suddenly, I'm having the same problem yossie had. I can view the visuals just fine in the iTunes window. But the moment I attempt to go into full screen mode (menu, icon or keystrokes), all visuals stop and I'm thrown back into the song listings.

What's interesting too is that this is with iTunes v2.0.3 for OS X, not v3.0.

I decided to see if I could view full screen visuals in any manner using the new video card. And I could. I downloaded iTunes v2.0.4 for OS 9, and that worked just fine.

So next question was could I view full screen visuals in OS X using the OS 9 version of iTunes in Classic mode. Yes. I could!

So this tells me that the new video card is not to blame. Maybe the drivers? Maybe something in OS X?

Here are the system log entries for both of the times I ran iTunes.

iTunes 2.0.3 in OS X - full screen visuals FAILED:

Code:

Aug 13 18:29:23 localhost mach_kernel: 8c408000: VRAM found 

8c000000:02000000

Aug 13 18:29:23 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

user ranges num:1 start:8c008000 size:96080

Aug 13 18:29:23 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

using (640x480@60Hz,16 bpp)

Aug 13 18:29:23 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

user ranges num:1 start:8c008000 size:300080

Aug 13 18:29:23 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

using (1024x768@85Hz,32 bpp)

Aug 13 18:29:23 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

user ranges num:1 start:8c408000 size:180

Aug 13 18:29:23 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

using (1x1@0Hz,32 bpp)

Aug 13 18:29:23 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

user ranges num:1 start:8c008000 size:180080

Aug 13 18:29:23 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

using (1024x768@85Hz,16 bpp)

Aug 13 18:29:23 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

user ranges num:1 start:8c008000 size:180080

Aug 13 18:29:23 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

using (1024x768@85Hz,16 bpp)

Aug 13 18:29:23 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

user ranges num:1 start:8c408000 size:180

Aug 13 18:29:23 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

using (1x1@0Hz,32 bpp)

iTunes 2.0.4 in OS 9 - full screen visuals SUCCESSFUL:

Code:

Aug 13 18:35:30 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

user ranges num:1 start:8c008000 size:106880

Aug 13 18:35:30 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

using (800x600@75Hz,16 bpp)

Aug 13 18:35:30 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

user ranges num:1 start:8c008000 size:106880

Aug 13 18:35:30 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

using (800x600@75Hz,16 bpp)

Aug 13 18:35:30 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

user ranges num:1 start:8c408000 size:180

Aug 13 18:35:30 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

using (1x1@0Hz,32 bpp)

Aug 13 18:35:30 localhost WindowServer[61]: CGXPostNotification: Time 

out waiting for replies

Aug 13 18:37:38 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

user ranges num:1 start:8c008000 size:180080

Aug 13 18:37:38 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

using (1024x768@85Hz,16 bpp)

Aug 13 18:37:38 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

user ranges num:1 start:8c008000 size:180080

Aug 13 18:37:38 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

using (1024x768@85Hz,16 bpp)

Aug 13 18:37:38 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

user ranges num:1 start:8c408000 size:180

Aug 13 18:37:38 localhost mach_kernel: .Display_DualHead-0100801f: 

using (1x1@0Hz,32 bpp)

What I find interesting in this is that the OS X version attempted to set the resolution at 640x480@60Hz. However, when I go to System Preferences/Displays and set the resolution to 640x480, 60Hz is not an available choice. Even if I unselect the "display recommended" box, I still cannot set the monitor to 60Hz.

However, the OS 9 version set the resolution to 800x600@75Hz. This is a setting that's available in my System Preferences/Displays.

Coincidence? Or is that possibly the cause of the problem?

[edit: readability -mt]

I would guess (edumacated [sic] guess, mind you) that:

a) Either your monitor or your new video card does not support 640x480@60Hz
b) iTunes in X is trying the resolution of 640x480@60Hz

so the switch fails.

Is your monitor powered on BEFORE you boot up your G3? The reason I ask this is that the mac detects what kind of display you have on boot up, and determines safe resolutions and such from there.
I know I had an issue with display detection on my G4 for a while, I think zapping the PRAM took care of it. (Mac OS X though I had a "generic SVGA monitor" for a while).
A good way to tell if your display has been detected is in the Displays system pref pane. The title of the window will actually be something similar to your display model if it is correct; "SVGA" or "VGA" if not.

Just my $0.02US, for what it's worth.

monitor resolutions..

In Mac OS X my 'Displays' pref panel won't even show 640x480 as an option. 640x400 is in there, but dimmed (not recommended by monitor). All other resolutions are higher. The monitor is a ViewSonic PT813 - oddly, this used to work - I also seem to recall that 640x480 WAS possible at some point or another. I did do a PRAM ZAP and it didn't seem to help. VERY odd. Any ideas anyone? Thanks - Yossie

Zapping the pram didn't help me either. And guess what. I also have a ViewSonic. Model PT775.

Yossie, what Mac do you have? And what video card are you using?

System Pref Displays just showed VGA. After zapping the pram, it continued to show VGA. No change in resolution choices after zapping the pram.

The only change was that iTunes attempted to use 70Hz instead of 60Hz. 70Hz is not on my resolution list either (neither recommended nor unrecommended). 75Hz is on my list, but not 70Hz.

I think that's the problem. For whatever reason, iTunes is attempting to set our monitors at a resolution in which our monitors cannot use (as limited by our video cards). Maybe iTunes is supposed to be reading something from our monitors/video cards to find out what resolutions we can display, and on certain monitors/video cards, it reads it incorrectly?

I'm just guessing, of course. But it seems odd that I could view full screen visuals with my old video card, and then lose that ability when I install a new video card. And, yet, other people have the exact same symptoms simply by upgrading to iTunes 3.0 (as reported on the Apple boards and other boards). So there has to be some connection with the way iTunes is trying to determine which resolutions are monitors/video cards are capable of displaying, and when it gets it wrong, the result is no full screen visuals.

If that is correct, then this could be fixed in future upgrades for iTunes.

Display card and video card..

The monitor, as stated, is a View Sonic 21" PT813 (professional series) (from various web sites):
Input Signal
Video Signal : Analog
H Frequency : 30-107 Khz
V Frequency : 50-160 Hz
Sync Signal : Separate, Composite, Green
Power Mac (from 640 x 480 to 1600 x 1200)

The display card is the one the Mac came with:
Display card
Card type: display
Card name: ATY,Rage128Ps
Card model: ATY,Rage128Pro
Card ROM #: 113-63001-108
Card revision: 0
Card vendor ID: 1002
VRAM size: 16 MB
Should be OK, no? I am guessing that you are right, btw.

My Macs:
128K Original Mac
Mac SE 30
Mac IIci
PowerMac 7500
PowerMac G4 350Mhz

- Yossie

ViewSonic Professional Series here too. PT775. Specs here.

Input Signal
Video Signal : Analog
H Frequency : 30-96 Khz
V Frequency : 50-160 Hz
Sync Signal : Separate, Composite, Green

Maximum Resolution
Maximum : Up to 1600x1200, 77 Hz
Macintosh : 1280x1024, 75Hz
Flicker free : 1280x1024, 89 Hz

Display card
Card type: display
Card name: ATY,mach64_3DU
Card model: ATY,GT-B
Card ROM #: 113-XXXXX-1.1 (yes, it really has all those X's in there)
Card revision: 154
Card vendor ID: 1002
VRAM size: 32 MB

Affected Mac: Beige G3 Server.

Interesting coincidence that we both have professional series ViewSonic monitors.

I have a flat panel iMac.

I'm afraid to say that it works fine for me, just in case it breaks after I say that. ;)

I have the same symptoms with my WallStreet PowerBook, which no longer gives me ANY display resolutions other than 1024 x 768.

I used to have other resolutions if I unchecked "show resolutions recommended", AND I used to be able to set iTunes to full screen display.