Browser will not play videos

[Raphael Mankin]

I cannot play videos in either firefox or chromium. The video appears to load but then I just get a spinner and nothing happens. I have tried youtube.com, operavision.eu and metopera.org. All fail.

I have installed ubuntu-restricted-extras, turned off acceleration in firefox's preferences, and generally tried all the suggestions I can find on the web. Lots of people seem to have this problem.

Firefox is 79.0
Chromium is 84.0.4147.105

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
Package: firefox 79.0+build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.4.0-42.46-generic 5.4.44
Uname: Linux 5.4.0-42-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_modeset nvidia
AddonCompatCheckDisabled: False
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.6
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: raph 1595 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: raph 1595 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0c: raph 1595 F...m pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: raph 1595 F...m pulseaudio
BuildID: 20200720193547
CasperMD5CheckResult: skip
Channel: Unavailable
CurrentDesktop: XFCE
Date: Mon Aug 24 20:45:02 2020
DefaultProfileExtensions: extensions.sqlite corrupt or missing
DefaultProfileIncompatibleExtensions: Unavailable (corrupt or non-existant compatibility.ini or extensions.sqlite)
DefaultProfileLocales: extensions.sqlite corrupt or missing
DefaultProfilePrefErrors: Unexpected character ',' before close parenthesis @ /usr/lib/firefox/omni.ja:greprefs.js:725
DefaultProfileThemes: extensions.sqlite corrupt or missing
ForcedLayersAccel: False
InstallationDate: Installed on 2020-08-09 (15 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 20.04 LTS "Focal Fossa" - Release amd64 (20200423)
IpRoute:
 default via 192.168.178.1 dev enx3c18a0095fb1 proto dhcp metric 100
 default via 192.168.178.1 dev wlp82s0 proto dhcp metric 600
 169.254.0.0/16 dev wlp82s0 scope link metric 1000
 192.168.178.0/24 dev enx3c18a0095fb1 proto kernel scope link src 192.168.178.30 metric 100
 192.168.178.0/24 dev wlp82s0 proto kernel scope link src 192.168.178.32 metric 600
Profile0Extensions: extensions.sqlite corrupt or missing
Profile0IncompatibleExtensions: Unavailable (corrupt or non-existant compatibility.ini or extensions.sqlite)
Profile0Locales: extensions.sqlite corrupt or missing
Profile0PrefErrors: Unexpected character ',' before close parenthesis @ /usr/lib/firefox/omni.ja:greprefs.js:725
Profile0PrefSources: prefs.js
Profile0Themes: extensions.sqlite corrupt or missing
Profiles:
 Profile1 (Default) - LastVersion=None/None (Out of date)
 Profile0 - LastVersion=79.0/20200720193547 (In use)
RunningIncompatibleAddons: False
SourcePackage: firefox
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 05/07/2020
dmi.bios.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.bios.version: N2OET44W (1.31 )
dmi.board.asset.tag: Not Available
dmi.board.name: 20QTCTO1WW
dmi.board.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.board.version: SDK0R32862 WIN
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Information
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.chassis.version: None
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnLENOVO:bvrN2OET44W(1.31):bd05/07/2020:svnLENOVO:pn20QTCTO1WW:pvrThinkPadP1Gen2:rvnLENOVO:rn20QTCTO1WW:rvrSDK0R32862WIN:cvnLENOVO:ct10:cvrNone:
dmi.product.family: ThinkPad P1 Gen 2
dmi.product.name: 20QTCTO1WW
dmi.product.sku: LENOVO_MT_20QT_BU_Think_FM_ThinkPad P1 Gen 2
dmi.product.version: ThinkPad P1 Gen 2
dmi.sys.vendor: LENOVO

[Raphael Mankin (raph-p)]

Immediately after reporting this I tried again to play a video, and this time it worked.

After much frustration the problem just disappeared.

[Raphael Mankin (raph-p)]

I think that this is related to bug #1894102.

I suspect that this problem is in the sound system. Today I tried using a wired headset and, while the microphone was working (others on the call could hear me) I could not hear anything.

I can play videos only if I have the microphone disabled. As soon as I have a mike connected the video stops.