Hey folks, having some weird issues that've popped up recently.

Specs:

CPU: 13900K
RAM: 32gb DDR5-7200.
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z790 Aero G
GPU: Gigabyte RX 5700XT
Storage: 1 x 500gb Samsung 970 EVO Plus (boot drive), 4 x 500gb Samsung 970 EVO Plus in Raid 0 (storage), 1 x 500gb Samsung 970 EVO (Windows 11).
Opencore version: 0.9.8
MacOS version: 14.
SMBios: MacPro7,1
Boot Flags: keepsyms=1 revpatch=sbvmm debug=0x100 e1000=0 agdpmod=pikera -wegnoigpu alcid=7 -ctrsmt darkwake=0
Primary uses: DAW, video editing, daily driver.
BIOS settings: Appropriate for the system, so not included unless requested.
OpenCore settings: Appropriate for the system, so not included unless requested.
Kexts: Nothing out of the ordinary, so not included unless requested.

The issue:

System is 100% stable otherwise, but sometimes if I use Quicktime to view video files, the entire system will freeze for 2-3 seconds. Then unfreeze for 2-3. Then freeze. Then unfreeze. So on and so on until either it freezes and DOESN'T unfreeze (the mouse still works, but the system no longer has unfreeze cycles). The only fix is rebooting.

During these freezes, the mouse can still be moved. If I click on anything during the freeze, nothing will happen until the unfreeze cycle, at which point it will process the mouse click; e.g. if I click my Applications folder (which I have on the dock) during a freeze, it will wait for the unfreeze before expanding.

Thermals are totally fine and remain fine during this behavior (idling around 28C). Power Gadget does not show any spikes in temp, power, frequency or utilization during.

Behavior can start as soon as opening a video, so not contingent on playback.

This behavior does not happen in Windows.

This behavior seems only to be linked to video playback; accessing other files, on any of the drives, does not seem to reproduce this.

This behavior has started semi-recently. Well after the initial install of MacOS and even updating to Sonoma was fine.

I do not remember which MacOS version I was running when this behavior started. I want to say 14.4 or 14.4.2? Either way, updating to 14.5 didn't resolve it.

Attempted fixes:

Once the freeze/unfreeze cycle begins, closing Quicktime does not fix it. If a video continues playing in Quicktime during a freeze/unfreeze cycle, it will play "normally" -- freezing during the freeze part, unfreezing during the unfreeze, etc. -- that is, Quicktime itself isn't hanging.

Closing all open programs does not fix it.

Logging out and back in does not fix it.

Relaunching Finder does not fix it.

I have checked activity monitor during a freeze/unfreeze cycle to see if there were any spikes in CPU use, GPU use, memory use, disk access, etc. and there are no spikes in any of them.

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