This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

Flash is slow and choppy when watching Twitch streams and VODs on Firefox, but smooth and high framerate when on

  • 2 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by KalKent

KalKent
KalKent
more options

I'm a regular user of Twitch.tv, and after doing comparisons between using Flash on Firefox and Internet Explorer, I've found that videos and streams (on different types of sites) are more choppy and has lower framerate when on Firefox than Internet Explorer.

When using Multitwitch.tv on both Firefox and Internet Explorer (since Twitch.tv on Internet Explorer currently uses HTML5, while Firefox doesn't yet), the one on Firefox is both choppy and locked at 30 frames per second; while on Internet Explorer the stream is smooth and at a constant 60 frames per second.

I am not sure if this is a hardware or software related issue. If it is software related, what can I do to improve the experience on Firefox, in terms of settings? If it is hardware related, why is it only affecting my experience when on Firefox?

I'm a regular user of Twitch.tv, and after doing comparisons between using Flash on Firefox and Internet Explorer, I've found that videos and streams (on different types of sites) are more choppy and has lower framerate when on Firefox than Internet Explorer. When using Multitwitch.tv on both Firefox and Internet Explorer (since Twitch.tv on Internet Explorer currently uses HTML5, while Firefox doesn't yet), the one on Firefox is both choppy and locked at 30 frames per second; while on Internet Explorer the stream is smooth and at a constant 60 frames per second. I am not sure if this is a hardware or software related issue. If it is software related, what can I do to improve the experience on Firefox, in terms of settings? If it is hardware related, why is it only affecting my experience when on Firefox?

All Replies (2)

James
James
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

HTML5 Players does work on Firefox (and SeaMonkey) and why Firefox users my not get HTML5 player for video on Twitch not sure.

To prove HTML5 player does work in Firefox try this link For example http://player.twitch.tv/?channel=channelnamehere&html5 (edit channel name accordingly) however this method does not have chat so you would have to use chat in a popout window or such. HTML5 has been in use for chat (which is basically irc) and the player controls for almost a year now.

On Linux I use Livestreamer and the Livestreamer twitch gui to send Twitch streams as HTML5 in MPV player. Much less cpu usage even on source.

Modified by James

KalKent
KalKent Question owner
more options

James said

HTML5 Players does work on Firefox (and SeaMonkey) and why Firefox users my not get HTML5 player for video on Twitch not sure. To prove HTML5 player does work in Firefox try this link For example http://player.twitch.tv/?channel=channelnamehere&html5 (enter channel name accordingly) however this method does not have chat so you would have to use chat in a popout window or such. HTML5 has been in use for chat (which is basically irc) and the player controls for almost a years now. On Linux I use Livestreamer and the Livestreamer twitch gui to send Twitch streams as HTML5 in MPV player. Much less cpu usage even on source.

That is what I use currently (along with StreamHTML5.com), but even that is not perfect. I often find that while hardware acceleration is on, it slows down the browser, and streams on the HTML5-player is often susceptible to getting the video and audio out of sync with each other. And I need to have hardware acceleration enabled, if I want to watch Youtube-videos in fullscreen without choppiness and lower framerate.

I created this post not for wanting to know an alternative to using Flash to watch Twitch streams and VODs, but because I wanted to know what I can do to improve my experience with using Flash on Firefox.