2019 MacBook Pro 16 freezing & crashing when playing video

[Adam Zeis]

Having a super frustrating issue with my shiny new MBP 16.. With YouTube videos, I get a video freeze while the audio continues to play (if only for a few seconds). I can't do anything other than listen to audio, no response from keyboard or anything, but the mouse still moves even though I can't click anything.

If I'm on a Google Meet video chat, often times everything will freeze, I can still hear audio, then every so often I get wicked distortion and my system reboots. Not all the time, but far too often. I'm also using a USB-C hub with various things attached to it including an external display (HDMI).

Does anyone have any suggestions? Driving me nuts and making me question coming back to Mac. Help!

 

[Mars20]

Have you tried using the MacBook without the peripheral attachments?

 

[Adam Zeis]

Well of course not, why would I do something so logical?

I plan to try that where I can this week. I use everything that's connected during a regular work day, but if it's my hub or something that would make sense.

 

[Mars20]

Hope you find an answer to the problem.

 

[Adam Zeis]

Hope you find an answer to the problem.

Me too

 

[EdwinG]

Have you tried a different browser? It's possible that there is a (severe) bug in the video decoder that comes with the browser.

 

[gnirkatto]

I usually don't like answers like "mine doesn't have this problem", as they are not very helpful.
However, I too have a 16", and use an external monitor with a Belkin USB-C/HDMI-adapter, and never had these problems. Sometimes I use other peripherals, like a WD SSD drive, a BR writer, both via direct USB-C/PD connection, or a USB stick via (Apple-)dongle.
I'm watching a lot of Youtube videos and do lots of streaming. All works well.
So I don't have those many external devices attached as you seem to have simultaneously, and no hub. But before I purchased the Belkin adapter, I tried other USBC to HDMI cables and never could make such a configuration work. So I think not every device that fits into a USB-C/Thunderbolt port might be fully compatible (which is not an Apple issue, but more a general one, I think).
Therefore I BELIEVE that your external devices/hub might cause the problem, or you have a defective 16" (although that's less likely imho). But the 16" as such works pretty well.

 

[Adam Zeis]

Yeah I'm leaning toward it being something with the hub or connected devices. I've moved some things around a bit and also got a USB-C <> HDMI for my monitor to test that, so we'll see if the issue persists. Thanks for your insight.

 

[Adam Zeis]

Have you tried a different browser? It's possible that there is a (severe) bug in the video decoder that comes with the browser.

I haven't yet, that's one of the next steps.

 

[thomas tran2]

I haven't yet, that's one of the next steps.

Any update?
I am having the same problem! Everything freezes but can still hear audio. Even the a game or a word doc wont let me move or scroll and if i type something once it unfreezes everything i type pops up.

 

[Adam Zeis]

Honestly don't remember if I did anything. I think I turned off hardware acceleration in Chrome but that may have been it. Haven't had the issue for quite some time now.