Skip to content
Snippets Groups Projects

no sound on ALSA. MediaPlayback Warning OpenCubeb failed to init cubeb

    • Closed Issue created by Trac @tracbot

    for audio playback on linux firefox needs pulseaudio

    without pulseaudio firefox prints the cryptic warnings

    [Child 4063, MediaPlayback #2] WARNING: 7f1413fe37c0 OpenCubeb() failed to init cubeb: file /var/tmp/build/firefox-f3a77068c185/dom/media/AudioStream.cpp, line 388
[Child 4063, MediaPlayback #2] WARNING: Decoder=7f141d749800 [OnMediaSinkAudioError]: file /var/tmp/build/firefox-f3a77068c185/dom/media/MediaDecoderStateMachine.cpp, line 3750

    i would need to re-compile firefox with --enable-alsa --disable-pulseaudio in the mozconfig for native alsa support

    or with --enable-jack --disable-pulseaudio for native jackaudio support

    why i prefer alsa over pulseaudio? cos alsa gives lower latency and better audio video sync

    pulseaudio is just too big for me

    --

    workaround: apulse

    if you dont want to re-compile firefox or if firefox completely drops alsa support

    then use apulse from https://github.com/i-rinat/apulse as pulseaudio emulator on alsa its a partial implementation of the pulseaudio API which runs faster than the whole PA server

    apulse needs dmix see /usr/share/apulse/asoundrc.sample and edit your /etc/asound.conf

    --

    to make torbrowser play audio to alsa

    in your ~/.local/share/torbrowser/tbb//tor-browser/Browser/firefox

    replace exec "

    basedir/firefox.real""basedir/firefox.real" "
    @"

    with exec apulse "

    basedir/firefox.real""basedir/firefox.real" "
    @"

    --

    more on: firefox vs alsa https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2017/03/firefox-52-no-sound-pulseaudio-alsa-linux https://github.com/webcompat/web-bugs/issues/14690

    Trac:
    Username: needle8420

    Designs

      Child items 0

      2. No child items are currently assigned. Use child items to break down this issue into smaller parts.