iTunes video playback lackluster, at best

Alright, I have to get this off my chest: iTunes 6.0.2 is absolutely terrible at playing video. Whether it's a tiny little 30 MB file I made of a TV show, or a 1 GB movie, iTunes is sluggish, choppy and it chokes as if it accidentally swallowed a wishbone. This happens whether I'm playing them in the main window, or a separate one. I don't do full screen, as I have too many other things I need to get done while enjoying (or trying to) my favorite shows and vidcasts.

Granted, my 1.67 GHz 15" PowerBook hi-res with 1.5 GB RAM isn't one of the fastest machines on the planet, but it certainly isn't a Pentium 2 either. Opening these same videos in QuickTime results in smooth, wishbone-free playback, which leads me to wonder: What gives, Apple? Why is your flagship music and video player horribly failing at one of its main purposes in life?

Even if you aren't Apple, feel free to share your thoughts.
Share