Flash on linux browser

[Northrup, Wilson]

>>Patti Clark wrote:
>> The graphics folks here are moving away from QuickTime streaming to
>> Flash.  They have created their first application and requested
testing
>> on various platforms and  browsers.  I can tell you that it's at
times
>> like these that I actually have warm feelings for Windows.  Of course
>> firefox on XP works just fine presenting the flash app.  I go to a
linux
>> box with RHEL4 Update 4 and the current versions of firefox and
>> flash-plugin and video is fine, there is no audio.  Google suggests
this
>> is an issue across distros.  I've not found anything in the RH lists
to
>> confirm...are folks here having the same issues?
>> 
>> Also, just to add another layer into the fray, I have VMWare
Workstation
>> v5.5.3 which is documented to support RHEL4 Update 4.  The test on my
>> instance simply aborts the browser alltogether. <grimace>
>> 
>> Patti Clark
>> Unix System Administrator - RHCT
>> Office of Scientific and Technical Information
>> 

Flash is usually a pretty straightforward installation for FF, I'm
surprised to hear of such problems.  However, if it is sound related
only, this may have less to do with "Linux" and more to do with your
"window manager" whatever that might be. 

For myself, I use the enlightenment window manager for no particular
reason other than I liked it when I started using it years ago.  That is
only relevant because of the way I fixed a similar problem.

One of the problems with the default install of some window managers is
that sound is only audible from one software app at any given time.   If
you have xmms, for example, playing some music, your sound card will be
busy doing that, and will not allow for flash audio.   Start by ensuring
that you have only one application using the sound card.

If that turns out to be your problem, you may need to add a layer in
between your app and the sound driver.   In my case, the solution was to
add the enlightened sound daemon, libesd0 and libesd-alsa0 come to mind.
This resolved my issue and since I setup that config, I no longer have
an issue with sound being blocked from one app, because another is
running.

I really don't know about the specific sound configs for other window
managers since I don't use them often, but this concept may point you in
the right direction for your specific window manager/application.

wilson


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notice:  This e-mail message, together with any attachments, contains
information of Merck & Co., Inc. (One Merck Drive, Whitehouse Station,
New Jersey, USA 08889), and/or its affiliates (which may be known
outside the United States as Merck Frosst, Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD
and in Japan, as Banyu - direct contact information for affiliates is 
available at http://www.merck.com/contact/contacts.html) that may be 
confidential, proprietary copyrighted and/or legally privileged. It is 
intended solely for the use of the individual or entity named on this 
message. If you are not the intended recipient, and have received this 
message in error, please notify us immediately by reply e-mail and then 
delete it from your system.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------