Worse multimedia performance in Hardy?

[kristianz]

I recently upgraded to Hardy, and immediately noticed how sound would skip (sometimes slightly, sometimes rather severely) when switching between virtual desktops.

Anyone else experience the same?

[fcorourke]

I too have noticed that I made a big mistake in thinking Hardy a LEAP forward. Should have stayed with 7.10 as it actually worked, sound video. Everything that Ubuntu can do [do not go to US Patent office & expect to SEE anything-- working on it]--- also a better browser in Firefox 2.xxx --- I think we are the Firefox 3 testers -- like it or not. -- I can see nothing that Hardy does better --- OH it does have a higher number --- is that supposed to make you feel better? It would take a 50 page "Sticky+ to fix all the little things that did work. IT is updating like crazy. My last "UPDATE" removed the ability to play DVD's.... Way too go.

Fred

[4Orbs]

I'm not gonna bash Ubuntu for offering a free OS that incorporates the newest stuff available, even if it is not completely bug free. I experienced the same multimedia bugaboo's as you, tried to fix them and finally gave up... on the standard Ubuntu. So I did a new install of Xubuntu, followed the Comprehensive Multimedia sticky thread item-by-item and it works flawlessly. Xubuntu is a whole different animal than Ubuntu and I suggest you give it a try. Not as an addition to Ubuntu, but as a clean install all by itself. Do I miss the desktop effects? Not one bit.

[prshah]

I recently upgraded to Hardy, and immediately noticed how sound would skip (sometimes slightly, sometimes rather severely) when switching between virtual desktops.

Switching desktops etc, especially with compiz running is an intensive job, and will cause interruptions unless your graphics is setup correctly. Eg, if you are using the (default) vesa driver, you will not get best graphics performance, this will in turn degrade performance elsewhere.

Do you have an Intel onboard graphics card? If that is the case, then the default hardy install is not (usually) optimized for it.

If you have an intel onboard graphics card, post back for correct optimization.

Otherwise, some more config details will be helpful; eg. RAM, etc

[fcorourke]

Does Firefox 3 work? I can not get all pages to display or work correctly. I had fixed DVD playing until the last update -- it fixed my sound [none] and I can not even watch a video -- not really true I can watch the individual files with no sound. Why are updates going backwards?

Frec

[4Orbs]

If you are asking me if Firefox 3 works in Xubuntu, the answer is yes. But it is noticeably slower than Seamonkey. Maybe 2 or 3 seconds slower per page load on dsl connection. Firefox 3 got quicker for me as soon as I removed the "Latest Headlines" link up in the toolbar, but I don't think that is any real problem. There are just some bugs left to work out by the developers. For the record, simply doing a fresh install of Ubuntu fixed some of the problems I could not solve. But now I am running Xubuntu and have no regrets. Honestly, its so much leaner and cleaner and can be customized plenty. A great foundation for adding new goodies one at a time. As for the multimedia. I strongly recommend following the Comprehensive Multimedia how-to sticky thread on this forum. That is all that was necessary to get all my audio/video stuff working. Vlc is the default dvd player and opens in fullscreen mode with full volume. Mplayer plays my mkv video with subtitles from an external hdd and gxine plays the avi video and subs. I believe the xine library makes a difference in the ability do play dvd, not sure though. Streaming video and flash work fine in Firefox 3 (again the how-to sticky thread was the only instruction I followed)

[fcorourke]

Thanks === I have to run to work. But will give it a shot. I can just not understand why once I had it working --- an update knocked it out. Why have threads to fix things when standard updates are going to kill the time you spent fixing it in the first place?? Why fix anything, like it as it is -- sounds too much like Vista & SP1 update. Ill planned and not really thought out. I run both platforms & am truly thinking of building an Intel Mac. I need/want a faster machine and just as well give myself another option. Good fast machine cost over $1,000 for all basic parts -- so why not make it a 3 way machine. I used to love my Mac years ago & it ran circles around IBM DOS. Just no business compatibility in files. Thanks anyway for the advice, I just woke up early today and wanted to finish seeing a DVD i bought & no longer can without going into windows. Which I was/am trying to ditch. Maybe will for a Mac/Windows/Linux machine. I already know which will run the smoothest

Fred

[Fixxxer]

I recently upgraded to Hardy, and immediately noticed how sound would skip (sometimes slightly, sometimes rather severely) when switching between virtual desktops.

Anyone else experience the same?

I experienced that, sound would skip alot, and not just when switching desktops but also when opening menus etc. I fixed it by adding my user to the pulse-rt group. No skipping whatsoever anymore! The solution was suggested in a bug report for pulseaudio I think. Give it a try, hope it works for you too.

[kristianz]

Switching desktops etc, especially with compiz running is an intensive job, and will cause interruptions unless your graphics is setup correctly. Eg, if you are using the (default) vesa driver, you will not get best graphics performance, this will in turn degrade performance elsewhere.

Do you have an Intel onboard graphics card? If that is the case, then the default hardy install is not (usually) optimized for it.

If you have an intel onboard graphics card, post back for correct optimization.

Otherwise, some more config details will be helpful; eg. RAM, etc

I noticed that music skips with Amarok (my music player of choice) and Rhythmbox, but not sound in VLC or Totem. I tried changing output plugin in Amarok from "autodetect" to "pulseaudio" (which I believe is what Hardy uses), and ... I thought it helped at first, but now it's skipping again when I move about, so maybe it was just a fluke.

Actually it's not just switching desktops that produces skipping, sound also skips (but less so) when Alt-TABing between windows on the same desktop.

I'm not running composite WM, just a very plain Gnome with ATI proprietary driver. 1 GB RAM, CPU is Athlon 64+ 3500+, so it should be able to play back music smoothly... RAM usage and CPU usage are both low.

The following applications skip:
Amarok (using PulseAudio, it produces an error when selecting ALSA)
Rhythmbox (no setting for sound server, but I presume it uses PulseAudio as set in Gnome sound settings)

The following does not skip:
VLC (no skipping with ALSA or with PulseAudio)
Totem (no setting)
Audacity (set to use ALSA for playback, no option to use PulseAudio)

Seeing as some apps produce skipping and some don't should give a clue to where the problem is, but it doesn't seem to lie with ALSA vs. PulseAudio (Amarok skips with PA, VLC doesn't). Any ideas how I can narrow it down?

[kristianz]

I experienced that, sound would skip alot, and not just when switching desktops but also when opening menus etc. I fixed it by adding my user to the pulse-rt group. No skipping whatsoever anymore! The solution was suggested in a bug report for pulseaudio I think. Give it a try, hope it works for you too.

Nope, didn't work. Thanks for the suggestion, though.