iTunes 4.9 Special Report: Visualizer problems due to inability to switch screen resolution

CNET staff

Sept. 2, 2009 11:45 a.m. PT

2 min read

Some users report that the iTunes Visualizer is non-functional or operates extremely slowly after the 4.9 update:

One reader writes:

"I downloaded iTunes 4.9 today. After installing and restarting I was listening to a song and decided to turn on the visualizer, the program suddenly quit. I tried three times."

It appears that, at least in some cases, this issue is due to a previously documented problem where some PowerBook users are unable to switch screen resolution settings after upgrading to Mac OS X 10.4.x (Tiger).

Mauro, a poster to Apple's Discussion boards, writes:

"I think I figured at least part of the problem with the iTunes visualizer. I hooked it up to an external monitor and set it up so that iTunes was playing on the external monitor. When doing this, it works fine!!! Turns out that what is happening is that for some reason after upgrading to Tiger, some of us lost the ability to change resolutions in our PB screens, as has been documented by others in other posts. When I use the external screen, it is able to automatically adjust its resolution, to lower it, and so the visualizer works just fine at full screen mode. When having the PB screen only, or when having iTunes play in the PB screen instead of the external screen, since Tiger disabled resolution changing (even under the display control panel there is no other resolution but one), it can't handle it."

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