Bug #356687 “Firefox has ALSA/Pulse Audio issues when playing fl...” : Bugs : pulseaudio package : Ubuntu

Alexander Sack (asac) on 2009-04-14

affects:

firefox-3.0 (Ubuntu) → flashplugin-nonfree (Ubuntu)

Revision history for this message

Alexander Sack (asac) wrote on 2009-04-15:

#1

guess pulseaudio is better target.

affects:

flashplugin-nonfree (Ubuntu) → pulseaudio (Ubuntu)

Revision history for this message

Daniel T Chen (crimsun) wrote on 2009-04-15: Re: [Bug 356687] [NEW] Firefox has ALSA/Pulse Audio issues when playing flash video

#2

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Can you try the pulseaudio package in my ppa along with the test kernel at
http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~dtchen/ ?

On Apr 15, 2009 12:08 PM, "Launchpad Bug Tracker" <email address hidden>
wrote:

You have been subscribed to a public bug:

1) Ubuntu 9.04 Development Branch
2) Firefox 3.0.8+nobinonly-0ubuntu2
3) Expected: Flash videos play with proper audio.
4) What happens: Flash video plays the first 5-10 seconds and then the
browser crashes. This problem occurs on multiple websites (hulu, bbc,
etc.). Here is the terminal output from a crash:

ALSA lib pcm_pulse.c:626:(pulse_prepare) PulseAudio: Unable to create
stream: Invalid argument

E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: sh...

Can you try the pulseaudio package in my ppa along with the test kernel at
http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~dtchen/ ?

On Apr 15, 2009 12:08 PM, "Launchpad Bug Tracker" <356687@bugs.launchpad.net>
wrote:

You have been subscribed to a public bug:

1) Ubuntu 9.04 Development Branch
2) Firefox 3.0.8+nobinonly-0ubuntu2
3) Expected: Flash videos play with proper audio.
4) What happens:  Flash video plays the first 5-10 seconds and then the
browser crashes.  This problem occurs on multiple websites (hulu, bbc,
etc.).  Here is the terminal output from a crash:

ALSA lib pcm_pulse.c:626:(pulse_prepare) PulseAudio: Unable to create
stream: Invalid argument

E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
E: shm.c: mmap() failed: Cannot allocate memory
firefox: pulse.c:200: pulse_new: Assertion `p->context' failed.
Aborted (core dumped)

** Affects: pulseaudio (Ubuntu)
    Importance: Undecided
        Status: New

--
Firefox has ALSA/Pulse Audio issues when playing flash video
https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/bugs/356687
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Audio
Team, which is subscribed to pulseaudio in ubuntu.

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Joris Slob (jorisslob-gmail) wrote on 2009-04-25:

#3

I ran into the same problem/bug. I have no good knowledge about custom kernels and such. I don't suppose there is an easier workaround?

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David Dean (dave-dean) wrote on 2009-04-28:

#4

I fixed this on my computer by:

sudo aptitude remove flashplugin-nonfree
sudo aptitude remove flashplugin-installer
sudo aptitude install adobe-flashplugin

And now I can watch the whale video again (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdVHZwI8pcA), and order is restored to the universe.

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yegor (yegor) wrote on 2009-04-28:

#5

David's fix works for me.

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Joris Slob (jorisslob-gmail) wrote on 2009-04-28:

#6

I didn't find adobe-flashplugin in my repositories,
but just removing the flashplugin-nonfree and then using aptitude to install flashplugin-nonfree again worked for me.

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Helge Stenström (h-stenstrom) wrote on 2009-05-08:

#7

I'm affected by the bug, using Ubuntu 9.04 and Firefox 3.0.10. adobe-flashplugin is not in my repositories. Where is it?

I don't have any *flashplugin* package installed (yet), still I can play flash, until Firefox crashes after 2-3 seconds. How does that work? The messages in the terminal from where Firefox is started are similar to those of the original poster.

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Helge Stenström (h-stenstrom) wrote on 2009-05-08:

#8

Related to this bug: Something in Konqueror crashes when I play Youtube videos. After 3 seconds of video, the flash parts of the screen go blank. After a while, there is a window saying

A Fatal Error Occurred
The application nspluginviewer (nspluginviewer) crashed and caused the signal 6 (SIGABRT).
Please help us improve the software you use by filing a report at http://bugs.kde.org. Useful details include how to reproduce the error, documents that were loaded, etc

This is surely related to the Firefox problem, but I'm not sure how.

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Helge Stenström (h-stenstrom) wrote on 2009-05-08:

#9

It seems to me, that playing flash video (youtube) is handled by $HOME/.mozilla/plugins/libflashplayer.so. This file is quite old (from June 2007), while the problems began with Ubuntu 9.04. My conclusion is that installation of flashplugin-installer might be a workaround, but not a solution of the root cause.

I think I remember some problems related to pulseaudio when I tried out Amarok (music player). I can't confirm right now, because Amarok has no setting of it's own that selects pulseaudio or some other mechanism. But I supports that this problem is related to pulseaudio.

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Helge Stenström (h-stenstrom) wrote on 2009-05-08:

#10

Sorry, I didn't see that this bug was already attached to pulseaudio. I thought it was attached to Firefox.

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Helge Stenström (h-stenstrom) wrote on 2009-05-08:

#11

There is a very similar bug report for RedHat at https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=438277#c8, but it's from October 2008, and it's marked Status: CLOSED NOTABUG. I'm not sure why.

Revision history for this message

Daniel T Chen (crimsun) wrote on 2009-05-08: Re: [Bug 356687] Re: Firefox has ALSA/Pulse Audio issues when playing flash video

#12

If you have conflicting system-wide and user Flash plugins, that is not
something that Firefox or PulseAudio could help resolve. User plugins are
always honoured preferentially.

On May 8, 2009 3:40 PM, "Helge Stenström" <email address hidden> wrote:

It seems to me, that playing flash video (youtube) is handled by
$HOME/.mozilla/plugins/libflashplayer.so. This file is quite old (from
June 2007), while the problems began with Ubuntu 9.04. My conclusion is
that installation of flashplugin-installer might be a workaround, but
not a solution of the root cause.

I think I remember some problems related to pulseaudio when I tried out
Amarok (music player). I can't confirm right now, because Amarok has no
setting of it's own that selects pulseaudio or some other mechanism. But
I supports that this problem is related to pulseaudio.

-- Firefox has ALSA/Pulse Audio issues when playing flash video
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/35...

Revision history for this message

Helge Stenström (h-stenstrom) wrote on 2009-05-08:

#13

There is a function pulse_prepare in the file pcm_pulse.c in ftp://ftp.alsa-project.org/pub/plugins/alsa-plugins-1.0.18.tar.bz2. I'm not sure which Ubuntu package that corresponds to, but it might be libasound2-plugins or libasound2.
Could the bug be in that package, rather than pulseaudio?

Some lines from the source.
err =
     pulse_wait_stream_state(pcm->p, pcm->stream, PA_STREAM_READY);
if (err < 0) {
  SNDERR("PulseAudio: Unable to create stream: %s\n", pa_strerror(pa_context_errno(pcm->p->context)));
  pa_stream_unref(pcm->stream);
  pcm->stream = NULL;
  goto finish;
}

The function pulse_wait_stream_state is defined in pulse.c in the same package.
It uses the function pulse_check_connection(), which is defined in the same file, and if that function succeeds, pa_threaded_mainloop_wait() is called, but I don't think that happens.

My understanding of C ends there, and i was unable to see where Alsa called pulseaudio. Hope this helps someone.

The file shm.c could be a part of the packate tendra, which a free C/C++ compiler built around the TDF/ANDF format
which provides strict conformance checks for a range of APIs. Among those currently supported are ANSI and ISO C, POSIX 1 & 2, System V, Unix95, XPG3 and XPG4.
It doesn't sound relevant to the bug.

Revision history for this message

graabein (kyler2k) wrote on 2009-05-25:

#14

I am also experiencing this bug as described in the op.

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Patrice Lachance (bibiz99944x) wrote on 2009-07-22:

#15

I had this problem too with Ubuntu 9.04 x64 and Firefox 3.5, downloaded from mozilla.com, but not with Firefox 3.0.x shipped with Jaunty.

Previously mentioned solutions haven't worked for me but I solved the problem by replacing $HOME/.mozilla/plugins/libflashplayer.so with a symbolic link to /usr/lib/flashplugin-installer/libflashplayer.so.

cd $HOME/.mozilla/plugins
mv libflashplayer.so libflashplayer.so.bak
ln -s /usr/lib/flashplugin-installer/libflashplayer.so

Revision history for this message

Chris Sherlock (ta-bu-shi-da-yu) wrote on 2009-08-01:

#16

Lennart says that he's stopped the assert from being called - see http://pulseaudio.org/ticket/595

He says that there is still something "leaking ALSA snd_pcm_t objects".

This was reported in https://bugs.launchpad.net/pulseaudio/+bug/371147 and I later lodged a bug against pulseaudio - it's the ALSA plugin that's causing this issue.

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pulseaudio package

Firefox has ALSA/Pulse Audio issues when playing flash video

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Firefox has ALSA/Pulse Audio issues when playing flash video

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