How to replace Chromium browser versions properly?

**username2758** · June 20th, 2021

Hi! Very simple question here!

I've tried installing a version of Chromium that has support for VAAPI on Ubuntu 20.04, but unfortunately it has issues playing videos on some websites.

Here's how I installed the Chromium with VAAPI support:

Code:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:xalt7x/chromium-deb-vaapi

Code:

cat <<EOF | sudo tee /etc/apt/preferences.d/pin-xalt7x-chromium-deb-vaapi Package: *
Pin: release o=LP-PPA-xalt7x-chromium-deb-vaapi
Pin-Priority: 1337
EOF

Code:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install chromium-browser chromium-codecs-ffmpeg

How do I replace Chromium browser versions properly? Should I just uninstall it and install the other version?

Thanks!

**TheFu** · June 21st, 2021

The default chromium included in Ubuntu recently has been a snap package, so you need to purge that.
Within the APT system, if the PPA is one that you trust, then that should automatically get the PPA version and dependencies required by that version.

You can always see the different installed version by using snap list and dpkg -l. Just filter on 'chromium' to limit the output.

**username2758** · June 21st, 2021

You mean I need to manually remove the PPA first?

What if I install Chromium via snap without removing the already installed Chromium with VAAPI support? Will Ubuntu keep two versions of the same application or that isn't allowed?

I just noticed now that Chromium with VAAPI support playbacks Youtube videos beautifully, significantly reducing CPU workload compared to Mozilla or Chrome on Ubuntu.

It would be interesting if I could keep both!

**Frogs Hair** · June 23rd, 2021

The PPA has been abandoned per the link.

https://launchpad.net/~xalt7x/+archi...mium-deb-vaapi

**username2758** · June 27th, 2021

Originally Posted by Frogs Hair

The PPA has been abandoned per the link.

https://launchpad.net/~xalt7x/+archi...mium-deb-vaapi

I didn't know, thanks! I will be replacing this version of Chromium on my machine then.

Do you know of any other browser that has support for hardware acceleration (GPU) in Linux?

**monkeybrain20122** · June 27th, 2021

Originally Posted by username2758

I didn't know, thanks! I will be replacing this version of Chromium on my machine then.

Do you know of any other browser that has support for hardware acceleration (GPU) in Linux?

It says in the link

1) VAAPI (hardware video decoding for Intel/AMD on X11) was the main reason to maintain it. Since version 88 it should be available for all Chromium-based browsers. Copy address bellow to your address bar and check if it's enabled (may work for other Chromium-based browsers (e.g. Brave, Vivaldi, Opera, Edge))
chrome://flags/#enable-accelerated-video-decode