Abrowser not playing sound because it now requires Pulseaudio

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Ra
Ra
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Joined: 07/23/2014

Since the last Abrowser upgrade a few days ago, sound isn't played anymore.
The reason might be that Firefox has stopped accepting Alsa and now requires Pulseaudio.
See:
http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2017/03/firefox-52-no-sound-pulseaudio-alsa-linux
https://support.mozilla.org/de/questions/1199433
I can play videos directly with VLC, pasting the url there. But will Abrowser some time work like before? What's the problem with Pulseaudio for Trisquel?

Magic Banana

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It is not a "Trisquel problem". Sound in Abrowser works great on my systems. Have you tried launching 'abrowser' from a terminal emulator and "open" a video? An error message may be displayed. Also, does the "Applications" tab of "Sound", in the "System Settings", list Abrowser? Is it on?

SuperTramp83

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>What's the problem with Pulseaudio for Trisquel?

I have no idea for I don't use Trisquel. But what's the issue with pulseaudio? Is it installed?

sudo apt-get install pulseaudio

happy_gnu
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Joined: 08/06/2017

IIRC pulseaudio requires systemd so that solution wouldn't work so easily :/

SuperTramp83

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>pulseaudio requires systemd

No, it does not.

aloniv

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>pulseaudio requires systemd
No, it does not.

Actually, depending on how the distro packages pulseaudio, it might in fact depend on systemd. It does in Parabola

https://www.parabola.nu/packages/extra/x86_64/pulseaudio/

but not in Hyperbola (there it was packaged to depend on eudev instead of systemd):

https://www.hyperbola.info/packages/extra/x86_64/pulseaudio/

Magic Banana

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It is in the default install.

chaosmonk

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I've noticed the same thing lately.

If I log in, start Abrowser, and try to play html5 audio or video I get "To play audio, you may need to install the required PulseAudio software."

However, if I play something in mpv or vlc and then restart Abrowser, audio in Abrowser starts working.

aloniv

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A simple solution is to either use IceCat/Iceweasel for audio playback (as the version of Firefox on which it is based still supports ALSA), or, if you prefer a browser based on newer Mozilla code (with support for WebExtensions), to use Waterfox instead. Other Mozilla browsers with ALSA support include Seamonkey/Iceape (but not all Firefox add-ons are compatible).

Ra
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Magic Banana, i have no System Settings. Only desktop session settings and the dconf-stuff (where i can set something for media players).
But what mason says, works with me, too. Have played a file in VLC, then opened Abrowser again and sound is played there.
So always start your day with some music...

chaosmonk

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I finally got around to submitting a bug report for this. Do you use Trisquel 7 or 8? I use T8, and I'd like to know whether it affects T7 as well.

BRC
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Joined: 02/19/2018

I use 32 bit T7. Since the last upgrade, I have been having this problem too. But, I found that if I play a video in VLC first, and then go to view a video on abrowser, say at youtube, the sound then works. I have no idea as to why.

chaosmonk

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I have submitted a bug report.

https://trisquel.info/en/issues/23824