Binary package hint: pulseaudio
There is about a 1/2 second delay when using Orca with pulseaudio in Karmic. This delay is unacceptable to the blind community, since it makes key echo useless, as you have to hit a key, and then wait for it to be read, and then hit another key. In response, blind/visually impaired people generally try to remove pulseaudio from Karmic, with varying success. However, those who have succeeded in reverting to alsa report much quicker Orca response. There are no blind users who actually use Orca as installed by default in Karmic as their main system, so far as I know, because of this problem.
One potential "quick fix" to this problem might be to introduce a package that would uninstall pulseaudio and install alsa-oss, while fixing up the various related issues, such as modifying System/Preferences/Sound, and getting the volume control working. Preferably, the cause of this extreme delay could be tracked down and eliminated.
Until this is addressed, Karmic will remain one of the worst linux operating systems for accessibility by the blind. Vinux, for example, continues to be forced to be based on Debian, even though most people in the blind community would prefer an accessible version of Ubuntu.
ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices:
**** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: STAC92xx Analog [STAC92xx Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
/dev/snd/controlC0: bill 1592 F.... pulseaudio
Card0.Amixer.info:
Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xefffc000 irq 21'
Mixer name : 'SigmaTel STAC9200'
Components : 'HDA:83847690,102801cd,00102201 HDA:14f12bfa,14f100c3,00090000'
Controls : 14
Simple ctrls : 8
Date: Sun Nov 1 09:19:53 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release amd64 (20091027)
Package: pulseaudio 1:0.9.19-0ubuntu4
ProcEnviron:
PATH=(custom, user)
LANG=en_US.UTF-8
SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-14.48-generic
SourcePackage: pulseaudio
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-14-generic x86_64
XsessionErrors:
(gnome-settings-daemon:1603): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_propagate_error: assertion `src != NULL' failed
(gnome-settings-daemon:1603): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_propagate_error: assertion `src != NULL' failed
(nautilus:1713): Eel-CRITICAL **: eel_preferences_get_boolean: assertion `preferences_is_initialized ()' failed
(polkit-gnome-authentication-agent-1:1743): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_once_init_leave: assertion `initialization_value != 0' failed
Bill, I think now this is not help, but I confirm this problem with both I386 and Amd64 architectures.
This is not a hardware specific problem, because I see this problems with lot of machines. The 1,2 second delay for example my notebook is 2-3 sec. If I disabled Pulseaudio, impossible listen musics, videos, etc. If I enabled pulseaudio, impossible using Karmic with Orca, because Speech-dispatcher producing long delay, Gnome-speech driver cuts all end of sentence words. This is absolute unacceptable.
What can I choose? I using old, good working Jaunty system, but the support time is limited with this system (18 months since 2008. april).
The following topic is little offtopic with this bug:
I tested, the Karmic specific problems is present with Debian Squeeze. No, this problems absolute not present. If I remove Pulseaudio, don't disturb Totem, GNOME-Volume applet, etc. Interesting, but in Squeeze, GNOME version is 2.28.x.
Speech-dispatcher, GNOME-Speech driver works very well. If Pulseaudio is running, not producing Karmic specific problems, GNOME-Speech driver does'nt cutting end of words, and Speech-dispatcher does'nt producing delay.
You absolute right with first comment.
Unfortunately I can not help founding workarounds, but if need testing any possible useful fixes, I help testing welcome.
Attila