How to resolve waterfox/firefox OnMediaSinkAudioError on fossapup?

[user1234]

I am using Waterfox (a fork of firefox). When I open up duolingo.com with my bluetooth earphones connected in, I do not get any voice, and in the browser's console I get OnMediaSinkAudioError. Playing audio on other sites work, but the only problem I get is with Duolingo.

I tried googling about it and found some results telling that it was not a browser problem, but a problem related to OS. Actually this problem occurs mostly with firefox only, so you can say it is a OS configuration problem related to a browser.

After searching, I get results for only ubuntu, and those kind of mainstream linux distros.

I also get a similar kind of issue with mike's zoom-portable, where my bluetooth earphones do not get recognized as speaker (I don't know if this is related to the aforementioned issue or not, but I have included it here in case it is).

Here is the image of the issue-

screenshot_2022-05-28_1366x768.png (260.4 KiB) Viewed 1211 times

(The 2 errors highlighted are the ones I get after clicking the button after which audio must be played.)

So how can I resolve this issue in firefox in fossapup?

[OscarTalks]

When I see the term Audio "Sink" it suggests to me that this is a pulseaudio issue. Maybe the specific website requires it? I believe FossaPup does not have pulseaudio by default. Not sure what the implications are of trying to install it. There are some Puppies available with pulseaudio out of the box, so you could test your duolingo in one of those I guess.

[Grey]

I am using Waterfox (a fork of firefox).

Hello. Mmmm... Do you have exactly Waterfox there? Or maybe Waterfox Classic for legacy systems?

[user1234]

I am using Waterfox (a fork of firefox).

Hello. Mmmm... Do you have exactly Waterfox there? Or maybe Waterfox Classic for legacy systems?

Exactly waterfox, nothing of the classic sort.

When I see the term Audio "Sink" it suggests to me that this is a pulseaudio issue. Maybe the specific website requires it? I believe FossaPup does not have pulseaudio by default. Not sure what the implications are of trying to install it. There are some Puppies available with pulseaudio out of the box, so you could test your duolingo in one of those I guess.

Sorry can't do that. Changing an OS to run a website! Nah! I might never do that.

I also forgot to mention- I also got the same error once when using builtin speakers of the laptop. It happened when I switched my bluetooth off disconnecting my earphones, without clicking Disconnect from speaker in JankyBT. I resolved it by going to the sound settings and then selecting the sound card of the builtin speakers. I think something of the same sort must be done for bluetooth speakers as well, just I don't know how.

[OscarTalks]

Sorry can't do that. Changing an OS to run a website! Nah! I might never do that.

Well, if you have something that you want to run, but it is not running in your current OS, you have to identify the problem and then resolve it.
Since Puppies are easy to fire up in a number of ways, I just thought it would be a quick and easy test to verify that the problem is definitely being caused by lack of pulseaudio.
Then you can decide if you want to try installing pulseaudio in your current FossaPup, possibly also needing pavucontrol plus dependencies.
I have never tried to do this. Maybe others have and can advise. Personally I have never been a fan of pulseaudio so prefer to run with just alsa and apulse.
The issue you describe may have some other cause anyway. I just wanted to offer up the pointer that "Sink" suggested pulseaudio to me.

[Grey]

Exactly waterfox, nothing of the classic sort.

A few thoughts.

If you don't feel sorry for your poor, poor operating system ... then try installing PulseAudio in Fossapup: viewtopic.php?p=39942#p39942

Without a doubt, it is not the OS that needs to be changed, but the browser or the sound subsystem. Try Chromium.

If the above actions destroy your system... well, at least it will be a heroic evening and no one will say that you haven't tried

I went to Duolingo via Chromium and passed (without errors ) some kind of English course. The website told me that I have 60 skills and 47% of the English course is open. Is this probably good ?!

[rcrsn51]

I went to Duolingo via Chromium and passed (without errors ) some kind of English course.

With Bluetooth audio?

[Grey]

With Bluetooth audio?

No, with USB. With BT, the questioner will try and then tell us the results.

[rcrsn51]

No, with USB.

USB what? USB speakers? A USB headset?

[Grey]

No, with USB.

USB what? USB speakers? A USB headset?

USB sound card. What difference does it make what's stuck in there? I have it indicated under each comment.

[rcrsn51]

@user1234: I set up the Bullseye Starter Kit with bluetooth and pulseaudio. I launched non-apulse-Firefox and tested duolingo. Audio worked over bluetooth but the quality was useless. Some googling indicates that this is a common problem with duolingo. Wired audio was infinitely better.

[mikewalsh]

I too came to the conclusion a long while ago that Bluetooth is somewhat limited in PC applications. For starters, there's the incredibly short range.....typically measured in just one or two metres.

For transferring 'fixed' files, like a text file or an image, Bluetooth works fine. When it comes to streaming of any sort, it becomes decidedly inconsistent. I've always found that you get better results with either a wired connection, or with a standard 2.4 GHz wireless connection (if that option is available to you).

My SoMIC headset uses a 2.4 GHz wireless dongle, with its own card built-in to that dongle. Sound quality is infinitely superior to any Bluetooth headsets that I've tried, and signal strength remains strong, and constant. I've had this thing functioning a couple of hundred feet away from 'base'.....and the sound is just as clear and rich as if I were standing right next to the dongle.That's quite impressive for a wireless headset.

You may deduce from the above that I am NOT a fan of Bluetooth.

Mike.

[user1234]

Thank you all for your advices! But I am not getting much time today. Would try to follow the steps some day later. For that time, I have downloaded an electron based version of duolingo. Few people say that the version works all right.