mplayer plugin firefox only produces sound in active window

[Bram Kuijper]

Binary package hint: mozilla-mplayer

1. install mozilla mplayer on ubuntu gutsy
2. make sure mozilla mplayer can play mp3 streams by installing the preferred codecs (w32codecs, gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly)
3. go to: http://3voor12.vpro.nl/djsets/ (a dutch music website, not meant as spamming, but just an example)
4. pick any dj-set from the list by clicking on an image; a new firefox window will show up in which the mplayer-plugin will be embedded. (you have to allow a popup in firefox)
5. embedded plugin should start playing musing after a short time buffering
6. now click on another window in firefox or another application, so that firefox-window in which mplayer-plugin is embbeded loses focus.
7. sound stops
8. click on the window in which mplayer-player plugin is embedded
9. sound plays again
etc.

I try to get a url of a video displaying the peculiarity, but only after the weekend.

[AliBaba (tttopuz)]

I get the same problem with a radio-stream on http://portal.omroep.nl/audioplayer/radio1.

When the window where the radiostream is located loses focus, the sound stops.

However, when clicking on the minimize-button of the radiostream-window, the sound continues playing.

[SashAn (olexandr)]

I got exactly the same problem. Try to use http://www.webtelek.com/media/rtr-planeta_128.asx and can only hear a sound. The configuration menu is not helpful unfortunately.

[Dean Jones (dean-m-jones)]

I had the same problem. Right-clicking on the embedded mplayer plugin area and selecting "configure" brings up a dialog box. One of the options here is "Pause video when hidden", which is enabled by default and seems to apply to audio-only as well as video. Disabling this option solved the problem for me.

[Nicola Di Nisio (nicola-dinisio)]

Problem is no longer there with Kubuntu 8.04 and latest patches of 2008-10-11

Also the problem reported by SashAn on 2008-06-03 with the link

http://www.webtelek.com/media/rtr-planeta_128.asx

is no longer there, I can see video and audio.

The bug can probably be closed.

[Daniel T Chen (crimsun)]

Bram, is this symptom still reproducible in 8.10?

[Bram Kuijper (terabyte)]

yes if I remember correctly, the last time I had this bug it was already when I updated to 8.10. Since I do not have the chance to reproduce the bug right now, I'll give you a list how to reproduce the bug coming Monday.

Bram

[darylb (darylblanc)]

Hi, I have reproduced this issue with mozilla-mplayer 3.55-1ubuntu2 on Ubuntu 8.10 with the listen live link from this page:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/
The link opens a small popup window with a player in it. If I hide this window behind another firefox window, the sound stops completely. It comes back however if you bring the iPlayer Radio Console window to the front again.

This seems to work as a workaround: In GNOME, right click on the window title and select "Always on Top", then minimise the window. Minimising the window on its own may actually be enough.

[david_kt (d-kuntadi)]

I have this problem as well on ubuntu 8.10. But the solution is simple:

1. Right click on the mplayer
2. Choose configure
3. Remove tick on "Pause Video when hidden".

DK