ibook and itunes tv episode (Mpeg 4) question

I really need the forum's help with this. I'm in the habit of purchasing tv episodes such as Battlestar Galactica from iTunes. Now I have no problem playing them on my imac g5, but I want to transfer them to my old clamshell so I can watch them around campus in between class breaks. Whenever I try to play an Mpeg 4 file the ibook freezes completely. Does anybody know why? I know the clamshell is old, but it has no problems playing avis and vcds, so why would mpeg 4 files be different? Does this have something to do with the pathetically small hd? (it's only 3 gigs)

Thanks for your help!

Also, if the clamshell is incapable of playing Mpeg 4s, can someone name an ibook model (on a student budget) that can play them?

No one can help me?

It looks like you have enough power behind it, assuming it has a decent video card (Sorry, not particularly familliar with clamshell models). What software are you trying to play the video with, and what version of Mac OS are you currently running? I would assume you're using iTunes, and the files you recieve are standard mpeg4 files. If you're running 10.x, I would suggest trying XinePlayer. For the most part, it's able to play everything I throw at it on my G3 400 tower at home. Sometimes I get a little skipping action for stuff with audio encoded in funky formats though.

I had trouble with playing videos via iTunes and VLC in my tower. XinePlayer works much better for me.

these are the videos you buy correct? aren't they protected files? I'm not sure that an older computer can handle these newer protected files

What OS are you running on the Clamshell? What version of Quicktime are you running?

If you're buying them from the iTunes store, I would have thought only iTunes with your account details set up on it would be able to play it, which I would imagine you've done. Anything you buy from iTunes is DRM'd to your account, so it won't play on anything that doesn't have your account details, so you MUST use iTnues

The clamshell is running Panther 10.39, with the newest version of iTunes available...thanks for the help

Are you logged in to the iTMS?

The clamshell you're talking about should run the video fine, and the version of iTunes should work with it...

I authorized the clamshell to use my iTunes account, but when I load the video, it plays for like five second bursts, then freezes